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Report: Sony and Sharp shake hands in another LCD TV deal

Posted: 17 Nov 2009 03:40 AM PST

Picture 3

Globally speaking, there is one clear leader in the LCD TV business: Samsung. The company commands a 23.2% share in this segment, with Sony (13.7%) and Sharp (7%) almost hopelessly behind (according to DisplaySearch). So in June this year already, Sony and Sharp inked a joint venture deal to produce LCD TVs together. And today, the Nikkei (Japan’s biggest business publication), reports that the two former arch rivals decided to further expand their alliance.

The newspaper says Sharp plans to deliver LED backlights to Sony for their LCD TVs as early as next month. Sharp has said it will start producing more LED-based products earlier this year, but the Sony deal is the first time another company is supplied with LED backlights. Backlights account for nearly 20% of overall costs in manufacturing an LCD TV. DisplaySearch projects that by 2013, roughly 40% of all LCD TVs on the market will have LED backlights.

Sharp and Sony will also join forces in R&D for next-generation backlights, the Nikkei learned. The goals are to cut costs and develop TVs with better picture quality and efficient power consumption. Both companies already started operating a Sharp LCD panel production plant in Osaka last month and suffer from losses in their LCD TV divisions.

Via Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]

Daily Crunch: UV Blake Edition

Posted: 17 Nov 2009 12:00 AM PST

Gift Guide 2009: Gaming Consoles

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 09:00 PM PST

Intro

Ah, gaming consoles. They pick up where TV left off. Back when TV was still entertaining, it served as the perfect babysitter.

“You kids watch Full House and Urkel until your mom and I get home from our key-swapping party, okay?”

“What’s a key-swapping party?”

“Okay, gotta go!”

Now consoles are here to fill that void. Well, and Facebook. Whatever the case, if you’re looking to buy your kids (or yourself!) a console this holiday season, here’s some info on a bunch of the available options in no particular order…

Microsoft Xbox 360

xbox360

Microsoft Xbox 360: Starting at $199.99 (Xbox.com)

Among the current generation of gaming consoles, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been around the longest. Don’t let its age fool you, though. There's still more than enough power under the hood, a vibrant online community, and plenty of media-centric features like Netflix streaming and Windows Media Center integration to earn the console a spot in your living room.

The Xbox 360 comes in two main flavors: the $199.99 Xbox 360 Arcade and the $299.99 Xbox 360 Elite. There's also a $399.99 Elite version for the holiday season.

compare

Pros: Huge library of available titles, low starting price, high-definition TV and movie downloads, Netflix streaming, Windows Media Center integration

Cons: Wireless internet connection costs extra, premium online gaming (Xbox Live Gold) costs extra, Arcade system has very little built-in storage for game and movie downloads

Product Page | CrunchGear Coverage

Sony PlayStation 3

PS3

Sony PlayStation 3: Starting at $299.99 (PlayStation.com)

A massively powerful system with built-in Blu-ray player and Sony's signature sex appeal — what's not to love? Sony's flagship gaming system has finally reached consumer-friendly price points and ought to see some healthy sales this holiday season.

The PlayStation Network serves up movie, TV, and game downloads and Sony has just recently added Netflix streaming to complement robust online and home network integration features. The PlayStation 3 console had been available in two different form factors – the original on the left (above) is now being replaced by the newer, "slim" version on the right.

PS3

Pros: Built-in Blu-ray, built-in Wi-Fi connection, no additional charge to access online gaming features, slimmer console, slimmer starting price tag

Cons: Still the most expensive console on the market, not as many available titles as Xbox 360, no compatibility with PS2 games

Product Page | CrunchGear Coverage

Nintendo Wii

wii

Nintendo Wii: $199.99 (Nintendo.com)

While its competitors were busy stuffing as much horsepower into their consoles as possible, Nintendo opted for a much simpler approach: an inexpensive, gesture-based, pick-up-and-play gaming experience. No complicated controllers, no high-definition graphics, no big heavy box sitting next to the TV – just a cute little slot-loading console named Wii.

Industry pundits may have scoffed at the Wii's relatively underpowered guts but consumers didn't seem to mind, and the console went on to sell more than 55 million units worldwide to date in the face of popularity-induced inventory shortages.

There's only one version of the Wii available. It features the following:

  • Price: $199.99
  • Storage: 512MB
  • Controllers: 1 Wii Remote, 1 Nunchuk, 1 wireless sensor bar included
  • A/V Cables: Composite included, 480p component optional
  • Backwards Compatibility: GameCube games and controllers
  • Data Connections: Wi-Fi (b/g) included, Ethernet optional
  • Included Games: Wii Sports
  • Available Games: 650+ (not including downloadable games or GameCube games)

Pros: Simple family fun, compatible with GameCube games and controllers, great first-party titles, no shortage of available accessories, great retro gaming with Wii Virtual Console

Cons: Doesn't work as a DVD player, lack of compelling third-party titles, buying all available accessories would eventually bankrupt you, no HD, no movie or video downloads

Product Page | CrunchGear Coverage

Portable Gaming Systems

portable

Portable Gaming Systems

If gaming on the go is more your style, there are plenty of portable options available.

Sony PSP Go: $249.99 (PlayStation.com)

Sony’s newest portable gaming machine, the PSP Go, eschews physical media in favor of download-only software. There's 16GB of built-in memory, a 3.78-inch 480×272 widescreen LCD, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, music and movie playback, web browsing, and more.

PROS: Small form factor, no game discs or cartridges to misplace, multimedia playback

CONS: Old PSP games won't work, unbelievably high price tag

Sony PSP-3000: $169.99 (PlayStation.com)

Not to be pushed aside by the newer, smaller PSP Go, the PSP-3000 boasts a big 4.3-inch widescreen at 480×272 pixels, is compatible with UMD disc-based games as well as downloadable games, and features most of what's available in the PSP Go at a much more reasonable price.

PROS: Big 4.3-inch screen, reasonable $170 price tag, support for game downloads

CONS: Comparatively large at 6.7 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches, no built-in memory

Nintendo DSi: $169.99 (NintendoDSi.com)

Nintendo’s latest portable adds two built-in cameras, audio recording, SD card expansion, web browsing, and direct-to-device game downloads to the familiar dual-screen setup that's been the distinguishing feature found in the DS series of gaming devices.

PROS: Cameras and audio recording features add new depth to games

CONS: Iffy web browser, selection of available downloads is pretty limited so far

Nintendo DS Lite: $129.99 (NintendoDSi.com)

Take the DSi, chop a quarter of an inch off the screen size, take out the cameras, and remove the ability to download games. Boom — you've got the DS Lite. You also get a lower price tag and backwards compatibility with Game Boy Advance games.

PROS: Cheapest mainstream portable game machine around, backwards GBA compatibility

CONS: Lacks the online features of all its competitors, small screen

Apple iPod touch: Starting at $199 (Apple.com)

We could argue about whether or not the iPod touch is an actual gaming system until the cows come home, but two things are certain: 1. Apple actively markets it as "A great portable game player" and 2. There are hundreds of quality games to download from major publishers like EA, id, Konami, and Gameloft. Not to mention 100,000+ other apps to boot.

PROS: Plenty of inexpensive games, great web browser and multimedia playback

CONS: No tactile controls, games not as complex as what's available for Sony and Nintendo

World’s smallest NAS: the Thecus N0204

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 08:04 PM PST

large_img_137So this is kind of cool. It’s a NAS that uses 2.5″ hard drives, making for a much smaller form factor. In fact, it’s about the size of a standard USB hard drive enclosure.

The Thecus N0204 will use either HDD or SSD drives, with a maximum capacity of 1TB. Due to the fact that the NAS only has two bays, you are of course restricted to RAID 0, 1, or JBOD. The best part? The price. The Thecus N0204 retails for just $150; you’ll have to provide your own drives, though.

The Thecus also functions as a print server, which could be handy. It’s compatible with both Mac and PC networks and will work with Wi-Fi orGigabit LAN via the ethernet connection on the back of the unit.

[via Legit Reviews]

Video: Left 4 Dead 4 NES

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST


The “de-make” is a class of indie game where a popular new game is crushed into a low-fidelity environment; we’ve seen D-Pad Hero, Gang Garrison II (my favorite), and a whole competition based on the idea over at The Independent Gaming Source.

The latest victim of this ridiculous trend is Left 4 Dead, which has apparently been recreated in loving 8-bit fashion by one Eric Ruth. It’s worth mentioning that it had an even more deconstructive de-make in Left 4k Dead, but this one is more extensive. Would it be too much to ask to make a zombie version of River City Ransom?

lefty

The game, about 30% done at this point, will be released to PC gamers in early January and will comprise all four missions from start to finish, with special infected and everything. So awesome.

[via 1up]

Udder pitcher makes me want a glass of moo

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 06:39 PM PST

udder-pitcher
There’s not a lot to say about this pitcher. You’re looking at it, right? That’s what it is. It costs $22.

[via BoingBoing]

Gift Guide 2009: Toys

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 06:00 PM PST

Intro

The problem with creating a category for toys on CrunchGear is that almost everything we review is a toy – it’s fun, cool, and great to play with for at least a day or two until our attention is inevitably drawn to something else. That said, here are some gift ideas for the toy lover in your life.

Stylophonestylophone

Stylophone Beatbox: $25.50 (100Milligrams.com)

I’m sorry I’m going to thrust this upon you but this is a really cool way to make music. Seriously. You slide the little stylus all over the pad to create different beats and the resulting cacophony can even sound somewhat professional. If the kids don’t want to learn violin, this is the next best thing.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Ghostbustersghostbusters

Ghostbusters Action Figures: $19.99 (ThinkGeek.com)

These make for a great stocking stuffer and they’ll make the kids aware of films from the era before computer-generated video.

Product Page

Genesis Portablegenesis

Sega Genesis Portable: $69.99 (InnexInc.com)

Kids asking for a console? Don’t give them the satisfaction. Make them earn it. But don’t be completely cruel. Give them something like the Sega Genesis Portable Handheld. It includes great games like Sonic & Knuckles and will make them hunger for the New Super Mario Brothers even more.

Product Page (available for purchase at Buy.com) | CrunchGear Review

Eyeclopseyeclops

Jakks Pacific EyeClops Night Vison 2.0 Binoculars: $69.99 (Jakks.com)

One of my favorite toys of the season. This amazing night vision kit makes it fun to run around in the dark – especially for the kid wearing the night vision goggles. Recreate your favorite scenes from G-Force and Silence of the Lambs.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Zippityzippity

Zippity from Leapfrog: $69.99 (Leapfrog.com)

Kids too young for games? Give them this massive joystick/footpad combination and let them lead Winnie the Pooh, Diego, and other characters down the primrose path to fun.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Ball and Cageballandcage

Homemade Ball and Cage: Free (GVSU.edu)

Trust me: the kids will think you’re a freak but when they’re thirty or so they’ll pull this out and think of you.

Product Page

Word of the Year: an unreliable yet fascinating barometer of tech

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 05:30 PM PST

First recorded use of Tweet
The New Oxford English Dictionary has announced that 2009’s Word of the Year is unfriend. While it is perhaps not used as broadly as the newly-verbed friend, the latter is already in the dictionary, so they can’t very well call it new. The best they can do is run with unfriend, which implies and extends the other. A worthy choice, I think, with “currency and potential longevity,” as Oxford’s Senior Lexicographer puts it. It set me thinking, though: how prescient have Word of the Year choices been? Have they infallibly documented the rise of tech in mainstream language and culture? —or are they a dusty collection of buzzwords, a history of folly and haste? And really, which of those is the truer depiction of the world of technology?

I examined Oxford’s Word of the Year lists going back as far as their blog documents them, and consulted a few other word-tracking sources. Unsurprisingly, the popularity and continued pertinence of new words have been as unpredictable as the technologies they describe. Still, the world from a dictionary’s perspective makes for a unique retrospective.

Take hypermiling, for instance. 2008’s word, relevant and rich at the time, seems positively archaic now; as electrics and more efficient hybrids populate our roads more and more, the idea of hypermiling seems to be no longer a cool technique employed by savvy drivers, but a weird fuel-based cult obsessed with aging technology. It brings to mind a sentimental geek zealously maintaining a Windows 3.1 box. Webster’s 2008 word, more farsighted to be sure, was oversharing, certainly a symptom of the personal-broadcasting era that we’ve all observed. Hypermiling was chosen for its immediacy, which does not correlate well with longevity.

Yet podcasting, chosen in 2005, is going stronger than ever. A blog or website these days is incomplete without a podcast, though some question the practicality of adding yet another modality to the increasingly multi-tiered stream of information assaulting every webgoer. Still, no one would dispute that it is a meaningful and useful term, and one not likely to be replaced any time soon. Runners-up that year included rootkit, a surprisingly technical entry that has stayed with us, and lifehack, which, while being an interesting blog, is a pretentious failure as a word.

2007 was a bit of a misfire for Oxford; although it was a big year for Apple and Facebook, their tech nominations were red herrings like bacn, an abortive attempt to brand “desired spam,” and cloudware, which at the time was (if you’ll forgive the expression) too hazy a concept to really get much traction among casual users. Locavore hasn’t gained much ground in the popularity contest, probably because people who use it tend to be selling it. It’s still a good app, though. Unfriend would have been a real win here, since the new politics of online relationships were being written by users at large. Cloud has remained but I think perhaps the term which may best have represented 2007 was iTouch. This common misnomer evokes both the rapid expansion of personal media devices and widespread mystification at its terminology and function. Unfortunately, those who use the word are by definition nearly incapable of propagating it as a meme.

The ‘97-’98-’99 series of WAP, to Google, and blogger have an almost causal connection, as if each must have necessarily followed the other. While WAP was never a term laypeople used, and Wi-Fi would have been a better choice, its import was clear. Increasingly secure, convenient, and popular, the internet began getting personal in 1997, and that wave gathered energy with Googling over the next year, finally crashing on the shores of the collective idiom as blogging. Laptop plus coffee shop plus being able to explore the internet efficiently was a sort of tech trifecta, and blogs started sprouting like weeds (sorry about that).

But back to this year’s words. Unfriend is, I think, one for the ages. But the others are groaners: intexticated? Funemployed? Sexting maybe, but we can’t nominate every clever portmanteau. If that were the case, half the words in the dictionary would be creations of my own (I have a talent for them). Better to collect them in a little bundle, as they’ve done with what I called the infernal bird-based jargon of Twitter: Tweeps, Tweetup, Twitt, Twitterati, Twitterature, Twitterverse/sphere, Retweet, Twibe, Sweeple, Tweepish, Tweetaholic, Twittermob, and Twitterhea (Twitterhead?).

These word clusters provide an interesting cross-section of the culture around a certain word (the other one they note is Obama) and its emergent phenomena — Twitterati is a good example of this, and a good word to keep around. The others I consign to the pit.

The level to which this invented jargon, or even something like the more practical unfriend, is actually used is unclear. I’m sure we’ve all seen freemium, and it has worth, but will it end up as widely used as paywall? It’s impossible to say, given the malleability of both new words and the people who use them. The environment for creating words is becoming more democratic, for better or for worse. Personally, I find my new words in old books, but even this cursory look at the new word market shows that those terms we may dismiss as fleeting or overly specific may be the most signal of the era.

Lastly, as many of you readers are specialists in tech, feel free to submit some of your more interesting or useful terms. For example, I like tentacular but rarely get to use it. Not really jargon, or a word even, but when it works, it works. Let’s populate this post with submissions for next year’s list; maybe someone from Oxford will find something they like.

[image: first recorded tweet; chemheritage's Flickr]

Video: Crazy kid goes crazy because he’s not very good at Modern Warfare 2

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST

So we’re in agreement: this kid is crazy, right? He’s ranting about losing in Modern Warfare 2, then proceeds to freak out. I damn near started chanting "EC DUB! EC DUB!" when he attempted to reverse fireman’s carry the wall. That makes no sense, no. Warning: he uses salty language to describe his displeasure with the game.

Pictured: Magellan’s new iPhone car cradle

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 04:08 PM PST

Hey, you! I know you. You're the one that gets all hot around the collar over shots of unreleased iPhone accessories, aren't you? Boy, oh boy - are you gonna love this..


New stealth jumpjet starting hover trials

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 04:00 PM PST

f35b_rollout_4_20071219The Harrier jumpjet is one of the most famous aircraft in the world. Ideal for carrier take off and landings, the jumpjet has been part of the US military arsenal for many years. The problem is that it isn’t very fast. Now the next generation of jumpjet is entering testing to see if it measures up.

The new Harrier, known as the F-35B, combines stealth and supersonic speed. Currently there is only one other aircraft in the world that does this: the F-22 Raptor. The problem with the Raptor is it requires a standard runway to take-off and land, and is also extremely expensive ($361 Million per aircraft). The new Harrier, on the other hand, is both cheap (comparatively so, at $83 million each) and doesn’t require a full-length runway to operate. Assuming the F-35B passes testing, the U.S. is expected to invest in a large number of the new aircraft.

Good news: Mario Galaxy 2 will be hard; Bad news: they’re not giving up on Wii Music

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 03:30 PM PST

mario2
I haven’t played through all of Super Mario Galaxy, but what I did play was pretty forgiving. Compare that to the punishing, yet rewarding, difficulty curve of the original games or newer games like Demon’s Souls — it’s like comparing a sprint to a ramble. However, Miyamoto has stated in a recent interview that Mario Galaxy 2 will be “really challenging,” which is encouraging. They need to remember that their company has its roots in games that were hard as coffin nails.

On the other hand, Miyamoto also said that Wii Music was getting an enhanced version. I don’t know what to tell you there, Shigeru. The game is a joke, and all of Nintendo is humoring you. Don’t push it. Just make more Mega Man 9 type games and make sure the next Zelda has time travel in it.

[via 1UP and CVG; image from College Humor]

Gift Guide 2009: Headphones

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 03:00 PM PST

Intro

So you’ve taken the plunge and bought (or are going to buy) a sweet new personal media player. iPod, Zune, Walkman or other, they’re all capable of holding all your favorite music. But what’s the point if it sounds like garbage on that chintzy pair of included earbuds? Every pair of white headphones you see represents someone who cares more about the look than the sound. Is that you? Didn’t think so.

Now, you don’t have to drop a ton of money to get great sound, but if you’re game, then there are vast and beautiful sonic realms just waiting for you to visit. I’ve had my eyes opened in the last few years as I’ve become… well, I wouldn’t call myself an audiophile, but I’m certainly enjoying my music more than ever these days. Here are a few pairs we’ve liked, from surround-sound to in-ear, and from budget to luxury.

Sleek

Sleek Audio SA6: $249

My new “reference” pair of headphones, this excellent in-ear pair not only sounds great, but is customizable with different tips which change the sound. Sure, you can EQ your songs and albums individually, but being able to blow up the bass or extend the treble in the hardware is fun and can really bring new life to your music. Aside from that aspect, the SA6es, I felt, added power to almost every song I played. I’m not sure how, but there you have it. It’s a lot of money for a pair of headphones, but if you (or a loved one) spend a lot of time using the ones you’ve got, it may just be worth the investment.

If you’re not sure, Sleek is just now starting to ship a cheaper ($80) customizable pair, though we haven’t had a chance to put them through their paces yet.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Radius

Radius Atomic Bass: $35

Looking for a good pair of in-ears to replace those stock headphones, but don’t want to spend a bundle? Peter loved the Atomic Bass in-ears from Radius, which completely block out external sound and have a great low end. For subway riding, jogging, or editing video in a crowded cafe, these are a good bet. For $40 you’re not going to get crystal-clear quality, but you’re going to be getting a lot more than with those tinny things that came with the Walkman.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Logitech

Logitech G35 7.1 Surround-Sound headphones: $120

Know someone who enjoys playing games or watching movies on your computer? A good pair of surround-sound headphones can be a game-changer. Most modern games support surround sound, and the G35s use Dolby’s virtual surround technology to make even plain stereo sound bigger. I found that with movies and shows it could be hit or miss, but whether they were providing “true” surround sound or not, there was always power and detail. For games I soon came to find them indispensable. As a bonus, they’re closed-type headphones, meaning they’re great for college dorm rooms where speakers or open headphones (like the similarly good Megalodons) can disturb roommates.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Altec Lansing

Altec Lansing Backbeat 903: $99

Wireless headphones used to be big chunky affairs with huge IR or RF bases. These Altec Lansings, however, pair via Bluetooth and in addition to sounding good, have integrated phone control buttons and a microphone. If your (or a loved one’s) phone has a weird headphone jack (likely), these are a great alternative. And of course they’re a good option for jogging or going to the gym with, since there’s 100% less cord to worry about.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Roxy

JBL Roxy reference 430: $70

Teens are hard to please when it comes to fashion, much less on audio quality, so these JBL Roxy on-ears came as somewhat of a surprise. All the young ladies who saw them pronounced them cute, and the sound was impressive both to our seasoned reviewer and the teens who gave them a try. There are two color choices that both look ridiculous to me, so they must be cute.

Product Page | CrunchGear Review

Magellan Gets Into The iPhone GPS Game, Car Cradle Incoming

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 02:33 PM PST

Screen shot 2009-11-16 at [ November 16 ] 2.06.07 PM

Google might be in the middle of turning the navigation market on its head with hints that their free turn-by-turn service might make its way to the iPhone, but that’s not scaring the big players away. TomTom and Telenav have both been on the platform for months and show no sign of turning tail, and now another big-name has jumped into the mix: Magellan.

Just minutes ago, Magellan announced that their first application, Roadmate, has hit the App Store at an “introductory price” (which, more often than not, tends to be the final price drummed up for the sake of pumping launch sales) of $79.99.

Read the rest of this post >>

Why are we so attracted to disaster movies like 2012

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 02:30 PM PST

garbage

Here’s another topic I’m stealing from Ron and Fez: disaster movies. We sorta discussed this a few times already, but the movie 2012 broke all sorts of records at the weekend. I’d make a big stink about Americans having zero taste, but if I could make $80 zillion per movie sleeping through my lines like the cast of 2012 presumably did, you can guarantee I’d be right there alongside them. That aside, the topic on the radio show was this: what is it about disaster movies that make people so excited?

There’s a few theories. The one I found most interesting is that since nobody wants to die in real life, people enjoy seeing movies where the entire planet is threatened. "I don’t want to die and know that you guys are still having fun without me," that type of thing. So watching a movie where everyone is in danger, well, count us in. (And it really does need to be that everyone is in danger, and none of this I Am Legend action-adventure nonsense, otherwise you alienate people who aren’t into Indiana Jones-style movies. One man versus crazy odds.)

Which brings us to 2012: why did so many of y’all watch it this weekend? Were you attracted by the special effects? Do you like the director or the actors? Just needed to kill some time with your friends at the mall? The movie is bloody awful, so I’m just curious.

Then again, I used to watch WWF/WWE all day long, so who am I to question people’s judgement vis-à-vis entertainment?

And the winner of the HP MediaSmart server is…

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 02:20 PM PST

hp-ex495-7

Big props goes out to Joe W. for almost correctly guessing the total storage capacity of the CrunchGear staff. His guess of 38.5TB nets him a brand new HP MediaSmart EX495 server. Congrats. Click through to see the total capacity broken down by writer.

In no particular order,

  • >Devin: 4.2
  • Doug: 3
  • Dave: 8.4
  • Matt: 8
  • Nicholas: 5
  • John: 2
  • Greg: 8

For a grand total of 38.6TB, which isn’t that much actually. It will probably be double next year at this time

Wherein we discuss: No Russian, the controversial Modern Warfare 2 level (and the game’s subsequent banning in Russia)

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST

mw2norussian

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE~!

You probably already know this, but Modern Warfare 2 has been banned in Russia because of that controversial level, No Russian. In the mission, you, an American soldier in the employ of the CIA, team up with a Russian terrorist who shoots up a fictional Russian airport. At the end of the mission, the Russian terrorist double-crosses you, shooting you and leaving you at the scene of the terrorist attack. This serves as a springboard for the rest of the game, wherein Russia uses the (what they think is) American attack as a pretext for war.

SPOILERS ARE PRETTY MUCH OVER~!

As a response to the level, Russia has recalled all copies all the game. (Here’s the original Russian source.) Infinity Ward has responded by editing the game, the edited version being expected to go on sale within the month (provided the Russian authorities even allow this version).

We’ve talked about the game a little, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the level in question.

It’s very hard to defend the level. In fact, I do wonder who at Infinity Ward thought it’d be a good idea to include such a level. And that Activision gave the level the OK! Did no one anticipate the controversy that would erupt?

I understand people will want to defend the level, and the game, and Infinity Ward (no one’s defending Activision~!), because it’s "your team" that’s being attacked. "Leave video games alone!" And for the record (get it?), I really don’t think any of us here at CrunchGear believe there’s a link between video game violence and real life violence. All of us have played violent video games, from Doom all the way on up, and we’re a bunch of harmless nerds. I wouldn’t know how to fire a gun, or carjack a minivan, or punch someone in the chest and rip out their heart if my life depended on it. Gaming is just a fun thing done to pass the time. No more, no less.

But to hide behind those excuses when it comes to examining No Russian is absurd. You realize that you’re running around an airport in a simulated terror attack, right? That’s different than you playing the role of, say, the Allied forces in WWII, shooting conscripted Wehrmacht soldiers. That’s two armies going at it; a terror attack isn’t even in the same ballpark.

Let’s put it this way: if an Iranian video game developer released a game that put you in the role of a suicide bomber, and had you roll into a mall in the middle of suburban New Jersey, shoot it up, then blow yourself up in the middle of the food court, you don’t think there’d be people in the media freaking out? I can guarantee that Drudge, Hannity, Rush, Beck & Co. would be up in arms over that. And once they’re up in arms, other news outlets would pick it up (because that’s how news works in the country), then we’d be dealing with a truly national story: should we ban the video game that glorifies terrorism, and shows America at its most vulnerable?

So why is Russia any different? Why can’t Russian gamers (and, more importantly, Russian politicians) be angry over the level? They have every right to.

Again, I’m not saying that by playing the level, all of a sudden America’s youth is going to be training how to attack a Russian airport, it’s just the the depiction of of violence is so over-the-top and so unnecessary that you wonder why it was approved in the first place.

So I officially don’t care for the level. I did enjoy the game—it’s a well-done FPS, yes—but don’t think I don’t recognize that I’m getting my kicks playing virtual soldier.

There’s a larger point you can make here, too: what does it say about our society and culture that one of the highest grossing entertainment releases of the year amounts to virtually shooting up airports filled with helpless victims, or where we entertain ourselves by virtually shooting our friends in the face with AK-47s? I’m guilty of this, too, of course, but it’s something to think about.


Effectology: No Quarter on git-fiddle

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 01:30 PM PST

Are you ready to watch Bill Ruppert’s honey drip? Don’t answer that. Bill recreated the sound of a Fender Rhodes electric piano with a guitar and some EHX pedals.

The piano is famous for adding a bit of class to jazz in the 1970s and 1980s and is instantly recognizable if you’ve listened to much of anything from that era. The fascinating thing is that it’s analog all the way down to the Doppler producing rotating speaker.

Coinstar: Get $10 bonus retail credit when you change in $40 or more

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 01:00 PM PST

coinstar

You guys use them newfangled corn star machines? Oh, Coinstar – that make more sense. I know I do, and I know longtime CrunchGear reader Johnal does because he sent in this tip.

When you dump in more than $40 worth of change between now and December 6th and you opt to receive your payout in the form of store credit at one of Coinstar's participating retail partners, you’ll receive a $10 bonus gift card by mail.

If you’ve never used a Coinstar doodad before, they’re basically big machines found in grocery stores. You bring in your bucket of spare change and feed it into the machine, which then spits out a receipt that you can use to pay for your groceries or trade in for cash at the store's customer service window. Coinstar takes a 7.5% cut of your earnings, though, unless you opt to either donate everything or turn it into retail credit.

Get $10 More When You Change $40 [Coinstar.com]

Thanks for sending this in, Johnal…

UV wand kills H1N1 dead — dead I tell you

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 12:30 PM PST

78326B There’s no shame in wanting to punch a medical epidemic right in its adam’s apple. Punch sickness, not people. That’s what I always say. If your white-hot hatred of Swine Flu still hasn’t tapered off, though, it’s gonna take a lot more than a little virus punching to get you the satisfaction you deserve. Might I suggest — and hear me out – murder? Yes, murder.

Murder via this ultraviolet light wand that looks like a cross between an oversized Wii remote and some sort of sick, twisted adult novelty item that Biggs has yet to review.

The $70 "H1N1 Destroying UV Wand" from Hammacher Schlemmer promises to choke the life out of "99.98% of the H1N1 virus after a five-second exposure when held 3/4″ above the contaminated surface." And if you think there won’t be any collateral damage, think again. According to the product page:

"Also capable of killing MRSA, mold, and dust mites, the UV-C light penetrates viral and bacterial membranes and destroys their DNA, rendering the microorganisms incapable of reproduction and survival. Unlike liquid disinfectants, UV-C light can sanitize keyboards, upholstered furniture, cell phones, or any delicate surface that harbors germs."

Yes, that’s right, it destroys DNA. The building blocks of all life, obliterated. Take that Swine Flu. You take that to hell and you don’t come back.

The H1N1 Destroying UV Wand [Hammacher Schlemmer]
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