Happy New Years!!

I just wanted to get a jump start on wishing everyone a Happy and Safe New Years!  See you all next year!

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Last Tech News of The Year! Kinect & WoW, Bad Frogger, OGA, and Duke Nukem!!

This will be the last tech news for 2010.  It seems like we just rang in 2010.  Now it's time to bid it farewell.  And with it, we have a great list of topics for this weeks news.
-Kinect Meet World of Warcraft...
-Playing Real World Frogger can be hazardous to one's life expectancy.
-Linux News on the Front Page of Google's Tech News today!
-Bye-Bye Office Genuine Advantage...Says Microsoft.
-Duke Nukem Fan-Film...And yes, it's awesome!

-First up is what will sure to be a warm meeting indeed amongst WoW players who own/want a Kinect.  If you have been living under a rock for the last couple of months, the Kinect is the new motion control camera available for the Xbox 360.  Yes, it looks sweet.  Even more interesting are the advancements being made in the PC communities about integrating Kinect with personal computers.  This particular implementation actually sets up a form of emulation that allows you to map movement to keyboard shortcuts.  See for yourself:


Personally, it looks awesome.  Would I want to run around an open world MMO like WoW while moving around my room.  Probably not, on the other hand it would cut down on the time a person would spend in the game before becoming to tired to play.  As always, it's fun watching the different ways Kinect is being utilized in the PC communities.


Secondly, on Monday December 27, 2010, a South Carolina man and some of his buddies decided to try and play 'Frogger'.  However, instead of breaking out the game console or iPhone.  The decided to play using real world traffic and a road.  I'm sure this sounded much more fun than it actually turned out to be.  He was struck by a Lexus SUV and is in stable condition.  Word of advice, for the younger generation of gamers...This guy is 23 years old and should no better.  Under NO circumstances whatsoever should a person ever attempt anything in the real world, that they can do in the video game world.  Whether it is play 'Frogger', attempt Mortal Kombat fatalities on a younger brother, emulate anything in a GTA style game, etc. This will always end up in a 'poor-life-decision'.  Play smart, and use your brains.


Third in the news is a surprise...I was doing my typical news checking routine this afternoon when I surfed past the Tech News frontpage on Google.  And to my surprise there was a Linux headling about halfway down the list of recent articles.  It read: "How You Know When It's Time to Switch to Linux".  This is a great basic Linux article that lists 10 reasons you know it's time to switch to Linux.  If you have ever been curious as to what advantages you have by switching, do yourself a favor and read this article.  Check it out at:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/214929/how_you_know_when_its_time_to_switch_to_linux.html


In other recent news is the revelation that Microsoft has discontinues the Office Genuine Advantage antipiracy tool.  Good riddance.  I have bumped into more than one issue with the OGA tool saying that a user was using a copyright version of Office.  When in fact they weren't.  Looks like Microsoft has decided to halt that practice.  Windows still has the WGA check to make sure you're using a legit version of Windows, but as far as Office goes, you'll just need to activation key now.  Should you decide to skip the activation process the software will still function but somewhat of a limited capacity.  As always, there's nothing better than the real deal so use legit software.  If you feel you need free software checkout open-source.  There are great, free alternatives which takes us back to the "How You Know When It's Time to Switch to Linux" article above.  For more info checkout:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-20026196-75.html


Lastly, in the news is somewhat of a light hearted topic.  On Christmas Day a gift was given to the world from from Finnish Film producers New Dawn.  They released their fan-film teaser for 'Duke Nukem: Fate of Humanity'.  Okay, so what's in the film?  Aliens, action, violence, etc.?  Nope.  Not an alien to be found.  Just the lone Duke, sitting in a strip club.  When a loud crash and earth shaking rumble occurs.  We see Duke grab his pistol and slow-mo run out of the club.  Despite the fact that no pig cops are shown.  we get to see a pretty convincing take on Duke.

Check it out, but keep in mind this is probably borderline NSFW and shouldn't be viewed by children.



Okay folks, that's it.  I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year and let's make 2011 the best, geekiest year ever!  Happy surfing!

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Merry Christmas!

On behalf of TechieSmarts, we'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
Take this time to enjoy your friends and family and remember the reason for the season!

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Marvel's Thor: The Trailer

Okay, back in July I saw saw a few teaser shots Marvel had released from it's upcomming 'Thor' feature length film.  Admittedly, I was probably a little rough; if not judgmental about it's release.  The teaser shots did not give it justice (based on the scenes from the trailer).  However, I am still undecided about this movie.  I will end up seeing this film due to it being inline with the buildup to the 'Avengers' film.  I like how they are piecing the movies together (like the Cap. America shield in the first Iron Man, and Thor's Hammer at the end of Iron Man 2).  It will be neat to see what they throw into Thor.

And by the way, this week it was announces that Jon Favreau won't be directing 'Iron Man 3'.  According to several articles I have read, it doesn't sound like there is any bad blood between Mr. Favreau and Marvel.  For the details checkout this article:
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/16/jon-favreau-on-why-he-wont-direct-iron-man-3/

And in the meantime, checkout the trailer for 'Thor'.

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Tron Guy!

With the flare of the release of the new 'Tron: Legacy', I stumbled onto this guy.  He has been around the net for a while.  Seriously, this guy is my hero.  With that being said, I'll do the world a favor and not show up in my own Tron suit.  So, with this being the case.  Sit back and enjoy...

The Tron Guy!

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Feed your Pod! Free Downloads for Your iPod/Media Player!

Well, happy Tuesday to all.  As we're counting down until Christmas, a lot of people are strapped for extra cash this month (due to wonderful Christmas shopping).  I can count myself into this group of people.  So what can you give yourself, that will not cost a penny out of your own pocket?

Easy, a little lovin' for your iPod (or media player or choice).  Checkout these free podcasts for your listening pleasure.  These podcasts are Techie Approved!

If you like audiobooks or old-school radio dramas, it doesn't get any better than these:

'We're Alive'

Homepage:  http://www.zombiepodcast.com/The_Zombie_Podcast/Main.html

'We're Alive' is an awesome podcast where the story is told like old-school radioshows used to be.  It has a great story about a group of survivors in the midst of a zombie outbreak.  This podcast is active, has a host of voice talent, and has regular releases of new episodes.  By far, one of my favorites.

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/were-alive-a-zombie-story/id313300476

'The Leviathan Chronicles'

Homepage: http://www.leviathanchronicles.com/

I am pretty new to 'The Leviathan Chronicles' podcast.  I have listened up to about Chapter 6, and I must say that I am impressed.  The story is pretty complex.  It revolves around a group of immortals who reside in Leviathan; which is an underwater structure where they have lived for a really long time.  Now something is in the works that is trying to destroy it, the story picks up our protagonist who is swept up in the middle of the whole thing.  It's an awesome podcast to check out.

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leviathan-chronicles/id304481704

For the Tech Minded Person:

'The Tech Guy'

Homepage:  http://twit.tv/

'The Tech Guy' is the aforementioned podcast by computer guru Leo Laporte.  This podcast is centered around people who call and ask tech advice from Leo.  This podcast is also part of a large podcast network called: 'TWiT'.  Highly recommended.

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=73802706

'Podnutz'

Homepage:  http://www.podnutz.com/

Another great tech resource for computer geeks and repair guys.

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/podnutz-computer-repair-podcast/id275811289

'The Linux Action Show'

Homepage:  http://www.jupiterbroadcasting.com/

An awesome, fun podcast about Linux and open-source goodness.  If you're a Linux fan (like myself, check it out).  This podcast is also part of a larger podcasting network: Jupiter Broadcasting.

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-linux-action-show-mp3/id160075139

For the gamer:

'Massively Speaking'

Homepage: http://massively.joystiq.com/

A great resource for MMO fans.

iTunes Link:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/massively-speaking/id279229899

'The CAGcast'

Homepage: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/

A great gaming podcast brought to us by CheapAssGamer.com.  

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=78311760

These are just a few of the podcasts that I frequently keep up with.  I hope you can find some you'd like.  Merry Christmas!

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Game Trailer!

This is one of the trailers from the VGA's from the other evening.  It was posted today on the offical Deus Ex Youtube Channel.  This game looks freakin' sweet!

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Game Review: 'Donkey Kong Country Returns' (Wii)

This holiday season has already been a great one.  We celebrated Thanksgiving a few weeks ago and now we're coming up on Christmas.  I love this time of year, we get a lot of good food, and time with friends and family.  Also, we get some good games from developers trying to hit the Christmas shopping season.  And lucky us, this year is a good one.

Up for a quick review today is 'Donkey Kong Country Returns' for the Wii.  I'm going to have to be completely honest, this game had high expectations from me going into this.  I was an avid fan of all things Donkey Kong back when the original 'Donkey Kong Country' franchise rolled to us years ago.  With time, and the development of the Donkey Kong 64 catastrophe, I'll admit had seemed forgotten to me.  So when I intially saw this title's trailer on G4 a few months ago, I was very excited.

First thing is first, let me go on the record and say that if you are looking for a truly awesome game for the Wii...DK doesn't fall short.  Simply put, this game is nothing less than awesome.  And what a treat for those of us who grew up rolling around in mine carts with Diddy Kong in tow.  And for the generation of gamers who had never had to chance to play the original DK  Country games, do yourself a favor and find them on the Wii Virtual Console.  You will not be sorry!

Graphics:
I'll start with the graphics; it is easily one of the best looking games on the Wii.  That's it.  Hands down.  Don't even try to argue it.  It's gorgeous.  The devs gave us a retro gaming experience by keeping the game in a '2D platform' style.  But it has full 3D graphics.  The renders are beautiful, the backgrounds are amazing.  Unlike the original titles where the backgrounds were pretty static, these backgrounds are very much the polar opposite.

Objects are constantly moving between the back and foregrounds.  And numerous times through the game you'll be required to navigate between the two as well.  Barrels will launch you into the background to pickup a hidden puzzle piece or kill a bad guy.  The graphics are very immersive; all the while keeping true to what we have come to love from the Donkey Kong Country visual style.  In the screen to the left you will see DK and Diddy flying on a rocket barrel while the train is actually coming out of the background using the spirals.  It's awesome.

Controls:
There are two control schemes that can be utilized while playing through DKC Returns.  The newest involves using the Wiimote and the Nunchuck to play and the other scheme utilizes only the Wiimote.  Personally, the nostalgia factor was purely enough for me to go with the Wiimote only control scheme.  So I haven't actually tried the newer setup.  However, the controls are very tight and responsive.  It keeps the game as simple as possible by designating the '1' button to grab for swinging from vines and grabbing onto grassy surfaces, and the '2' button is set up to jump.  While movement is done via the 'D-Pad'.  You hold the Wiimote sideways like a classic Nintendo controller.

To execute moves like rolls and ground pounds simply shake the Wiimote while moving to roll.  Likewise, shake the Wiimote will stationary to ground pound.  With the addition to hold down on the d-pad while shaking the remote allows DK or Diddy to blow objects on the ground to unveal hidden items.

Sounds:
If you have ever played any of the previous DKC titles, the sounds are pretty much the same.  There have been additions that involve boss fight music, etc.  But it's all pretty much standard DKC fanfare.

Co-Op/Multiplayer:
This game has crazy multiplayer for those who are co-op minded.  You both play on the same screen at the same time.  The upside, it's nothing like in 'New Super Mario Bros.' where you'll accidentally bounce off of other player's heads and die.  Instead, DK can pick up Diddy (aka Player 2) and let them ride on his back to get through troubled spots.  Also, it feels more like teamwork.  2-Player mode has enabled my wife to pick up a Wiimote and take the helm of Diddy.  Sometimes the inclusion of another player does muddy the waters a little bit.

I'm easily distracted and catch myself looking at the wrong character on screen from time to time.  But that's a 'me' problem, not a game problem.  The hardest part about co-op play are the riding components to the game.  Like minecarts and rocket barrels.  During a 2-Player game, both players can control the ride at any time.  This leads to the other person hitting jump prematurely sending you both to an early death.  Depending on your level of patience, this can be fun or really annoying.  Personally, it's all fun and games for me.  So when it happens, it's almost funny.

Other:
Outside of regular gameplay there are loads of hidden stuff throughout the game; banana coins, bananas, KONG letters, and hidden puzzle pieces.  As you find KONG letters and puzzle pieces you are working toward unlocking stuff in the Extras Menu (which consists of songs from the game and concept art).  So replayability factor is extremely high in this game.

Returning members of the cast include Donkey and Diddy Kong (rocking his red Nintendo hat and peanut shooter) and Cranky Kong.  For the Kong's that is it.  For the animals, we get to control Rambi the Rhino again.  Also Squaks the bird comes back as a puzzle piece finder.  The Kremlins and King K. Rool have all been traded for the evil Tiki's.  Which is nice that they were able to bring a fresh concept to the table.

The game is rather story driven with cut scenes that are short, sweet, and to the point.  But fun to watch.

Downfalls:
The only downfall to this game is it's difficulty level.  I never remember DKC being as brutal as some of the levels in DKC Returns can be.  Of course, that was years ago.  It just seems like some of the level designs want to break your spirit.  But, this is quickly forgotten when you throw a second player into the mix and just have fun with it.

Rating:
This is a great game, no matter how you look at it.  If you own a Wii, you must own this title.  So, go buy it.
This game gets a 5 out of 5 from TechieSmarts!

Donkey Kong Country Returns is rated 'E' for Everyone by the ESRB.

Note: Donkey Kong Country Returns and all characters, images and assets therein are owned by Nintendo.

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Restoring Data with DriveImageXML v.2.14

Okay, the last post taught us how to make a clone image of our hard drive using DriveImage XML.  Now, I figured I'd show you how to restore data from that image.  This is actually very easy to do.

First up, run DriveImage XML.  And click on the 'Browse' button.
Keep in mind, you can restore individual files from your backup image only if you left 'Raw Mode' unchecked when creating the image file.

Once you have click the 'Browse' button, you should see a box pop up that says 'Select A Backup Image (XML file)' in it's title bar.  Simply navigate to the directory/drive you stored the backup image.  For me, it is my external hard drive.  Once you have found the image file, click the 'Open' button.

A status box will appear, and show the progress as it reads the image file.  Once it has completed, you should see a screen that resembles Windows Explorer.  This is where you will locate and extract the files you want.  Simply, navigate the file structure using this screen.  For this test, I wanted to locate my iTunes library so I can migrate my music over to my new Windows install.  So I navigated to: 'C:\Documents and Settings\*myusername\My Documents\My Music\iTunes' where I have located my music files.

Now, simply right click on the file you would like to extract and choose 'Extract'.  A box will appear asking where you'd like to extract the file to.  When you have chosen the file's destination folder simply click 'Ok'.  Now, DriveImage XML will do it's job and move the file.  When you are done, simply close the program.

When creating the image there was the 'Split Large Files' option.  If you left it checked, you can actually go into the directory where your image is saved, and burn each of those images to a DVD (or depending on size a series of DVD's) for future use.

Okay, that's it!  Happy computing!

Get DriveImage XML at: http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

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Backing Up with DriveImage XML v2.14

Last week I decided it was time to wipe and reload my desktop operating system.  At this time, I also decided to move up to Windows 7 from XP (still not sure I'm too happy with that decision, but I will adapt with time).  During the planning stages of my plan, I didn't want to loose all of my data.  Especially not remembering what had infact been backed up to CD or DVD prior to reformatting.  I had an external hard drive handy and I decided to jump into making a clone image of my Windows XP Partition.

The next task was to find a clone solution that didn't cost a whole lot (because I'm cheap), and would be pretty reliable.  I did some research over about 3 days time and I settled down with DriveImage XML.  For several reason, DriveImage XML has the ability to make a clone image of the drive without having to reboot and load up a live cd or boot utlility.  This was the first check on my list.  Second, it had to have a built in viewer.  So after my image was complete, all I needed to do to extract my data is to run DriveImage XML and load the clone image.  DriveImage XML offered this feature as well; second check on my list.  And lastly, it's Private Edition is free of charge.  That price was definitely in my price range. :)  Other features include creation of a WinPE boot CD used for restoring the image to a new drive/partition.

The program is small, weighing in around 1.78MB.  It's a quick download and setup.  Once installed, you are greeted with a rather dated looking GUI interface.  But, I'd trade pretty for functional any day.  And it is exactly that.  I found the software to be extremely user friendly.  Simply run the application and select the 'Backup' button.

The program will then scan your system and report the partitions found during the scan.  Here you can select the partition (or partitions) you'd like to copy.  As you can see in the screen cap, DriveImage XML found two partitions (in this case two separate hard drives).  Make note that if you have multiple partitions on a hard drive (i.e.: if you have two Windows installs on the same drive), if will detect those as well.  In my case, I had my external hard drive connected and it found it as well.  On this screen you can also see detailed information about each drive/partition found.   Simply select the drive/partition to copy and click 'Next'.

Now the 'Backup Wizard' will launch and step you through the process of initiating the backup.  The first screen shows the drive you selected, simply click 'Next'.  The second screen in the Wizard will let you rename the image file's name, allow you to select whether or not to use 'RAW mode' and set compression.  You can also select where you'd like the image to be stored.  Other options let you select what 'strategy' to use when backing up.  The way DriveImage XML makes it's backup images without the need to stop using the computer is accomplished by using 'Microsoft's Volume Shadow Services (VSS)', here you can choose whether to let DriveImage attempt to 'Lock' the volume being backed up first or try VSS first.  If you leave it at the default, the program will simply try to lock the Volume.  Since it's in use, it will fail and default to using VSS instead.  Personally, I left the defaults alone (except for Compression, which I sat at Fast).  And hit the 'Next' button.

One quick note, if you choose to use 'Raw Mode' the image created can only be used for restoring to a new partition/drive.  If you want to be able to load up the image in DriveXML later to pull out a single file (instead of using it to fully restore the system), leave 'Raw Mode' unchecked.  Also, raw mode copies everything (used and unused sectors) so it will be the same size as your original system.

That's it!  The program will initiate the back up and all you need to do is let it run.  Keep in mind, the system can be backed up using VSS while you are using it.  An ideal practice would be to leave the system alone until it is finished backing up.  But in today's world, it isn't a necessity.  Also remember, if you download a file after invoking the backup, it will not be saved.

For restoring data with the created image, look for the next post!

Get DriveImage XML at: http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

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Heads up: Lubuntu 10.10 RMX

 Still on the Ubuntu note; if you are a fan of Ubuntu goodies.  You owe it to yourself to swing by OMG! Ubuntu and keep watch on their site for news based on the popular distro.  Yesterday they ran a quick mention about Lubuntu 10.10 RMX.

Most Ubuntu user's are familiar with Ubuntu (GNOME based) and Kubuntu (KDE based).  But most of the time Lubuntu gets overlooked.  So, what is Lubuntu?

Easy, Lubuntu is a derivative of the Ubuntu operating system (which in itself is a derivative of Debian Linux).  This version of Ubuntu runs on LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) instead of GNOME or KDE desktop environments.  This user interface is great for computers who have lower resources such as: older computers or even netbooks.  The 10.10 RMX version has a few added features and apps that are useful.  But also comes with multimedia codecs preconfigured.  So, if you have an older pc laying around, breath a little new life into and check this one out.

Linux Tracker: Lubuntu 10.10 RMX
OMGUbuntu.co.uk: Lubuntu 10.10 RMX article

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The Future Path of Ubuntu

Another Monday is fixing to wrap itself up for the the day, and after doing some reading up over the last few weeks; there is a topic that I can't seem to shake out of my mind.  The direction of the very popular Linux distribution (and my personal fav); Ubuntu.  Ubuntu is an excellent operating system for new converts to the world of Linux and open-source software.  Canonical is obviously very progressive in their ideas (something other distro's seem to be lacking).  And for that I definitely give them props.

However; changing from the GNOME or KDE desktop environments to offer the Unity Desktop Environment, is a pretty risky jump.  I sincerely hope Canonical will make it easy to use GNOME or KDE.  It's not that I have anything against the Unity Desktop Environment; because I don't.  Personally, I think it's looking pretty sharp.  And for a netbook or a tablet, it looks to be an ideal way to navigate the OS.  But for a full fledge desktop install (yes, some people still use these beasts); I would prefer using a fuller featured desktop environment.  And from best I can tell the community of user's seem to be split on the decision.

Here is a screen shot of 10.04 running Unity:

Another change from the norm recently announced is that Ubuntu will be trying to move away from X for the windows manager, and picking up Wayland instead.  Personally, I would be more open to this change as opposed to being forced to use Unity.  However, I am also aware that it's not like Ubuntu will be rocking Wayland when Natty comes out in April either.  That change will take some time to implement.  I think we can all agree that X has it's issues and seems to be somewhat cumbersome at times.

Regardless of the changes coming to Ubuntu, it's still a wonderful system.  And once Natty hits the world, I will still recommend new user's checkout Ubuntu.  But, depending on the options given about the desktop environment; I'll either use Natty and use GNOME, stay on 10.10 for the time being, or might spread my horizons and try other Linux distributions whom I may have overlooked.

So whatever you're stance on Linux, Ubuntu, or open-source may be...It's a great time to be a geek!

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This Week In The News: E-Ink gets Color, 3G Ipod Touch Adapter, Ask.com Troubles and more!

We have several newsworthy topics this week.

Finally, E-book Reader enthusiasts finally get color screens!

E-Ink and LG Display showed off their color electronic paper screens today in Japan.  Until now, user's who preferred colored screens over traditional e-book readers with monochrome screens have had to go the route of the iPad .  Some retailers (namely Best Buy and Kmart) have been carrying color Android-based ebook readers as well.  However, after some hands on time with the Pandigital ebook readers in Best Buy.  I'd have to say that the touch screen capabilities aren't quite what they could be.  Of course, this could also cause cost to go up as well.  One of the biggest deterrents in displaying color with e-paper displays is the lack of a light source behind the display panel.  The screens rely on 'ambient' light for display.

With the color screens this hasn't changed. Of course, this feature is also a huge contributor to the battery life of the device.  So, common sense tells me that if you like your e-book reader, and would like to see shades of colors.  Go ahead and look forward to this.  However, if you are looking for something more on par with a display experience of say a laptop or netbook.  You may be better suited for the time being with an iPad or one of the Android e-reader options.
Source: http://bit.ly/bfu4ew

3G iPod Touches coming soon to the Sprint 3G Network...

I am a proud owner of an iPod Touch.  I have had mine for a couple of years now, and truly don't remember how I ever got along without one.  I use it for everything from listening to music, to checking my email, and in some cases my Netflix viewing; depending on where I'm at.  Earlier this year, you may have heard about the guy who developed a case for the iPod Touch that would basically turn it into an iPhone.  Now, Sprint in cahoots with Chinese based company ZTE are bringing a case-like accessory that will allow 2nd and 3rd generation iPod Touchs to have access to Sprint's 3G data services.

This eliminates the need to have to seek out a wi-fi hotspot whenever you need to go online with your device. This connectivity however, does come with a price.  As they say 'you have to pay to play'; it still holds true.  This device will sale for $79.99and will run $29.99 a month for service.  On the bright side, there is no annual contract for using the device.  On top of adding the 3G connectivity, the device will also allow up to 2 other devices access online.  So consider it a cross offering comparable to the iPad 3G plan AT&T offers (monthly pay-as-you-go usage) with a device like a 3G Mi-Fi for internet connection.  Look for the ZTE Peel in your Sprint Store on November 14th.
Source: http://bit.ly/b3iOhO

Ask.com Got Spanked....By Google?

Remember back in the day there was this cool little Search Engine called AskJeeves.com.  To do a web search a user could surf over to their site, and punch in their query phrased as a question.  Like "Do monkey's really eat bananas?" and it would kick back you search results.  The Jeeves apparently got kidnapped or feel of the face of the planet because they eventually turned into Ask.com.

Here's the scoop, Barry Diller bought Ask.com for $1.85 billion dollars.  Not a bad turnover for the seller.  Mr. Diller's main goal was to give Google a run for their money.  That was in 2005. As we all know Google has basically exploded to 'super-search-engine-service-offerer status' since then.  With the inclusion of services like:

• Gmail
• Google Voice
• Wave/Buzz/Orkut
• Google Maps/Google Earth
• The now dead Goog411 project
• Blogger
• and to mention just about everybody on the planet now uses Google

It was sure to be a hard race.  According to the article at Bloomberg.com, Google holds around 65% of all search traffic.  While Ask.com holds around 2%.  Granted, not many have attempted to go up against the search giant that Google has become.  Now that Ask.com has had to unfortunately downsize their staff.  They are going to concentrate on their Q&A services that they were known for back in the day.  Does this mean that they cartoony Jeeves character will make a come back?  Don't know.  But one thing is for sure, they need to get the ball rolling.  Because by admitting defeat in predominately Google territory and going back to doing what they were good at before the whole 'let's challenge the big dog' mentality came about, they have to essentially make up for lost time and efforts.

Source: http://bit.ly/9WCiuC

Kinect on Linux!

Lastly today, I will hit on a topic that caught some attention from the opensource community last week. With the launch of Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox 360, the company Adafruit offered a $2,000 'bounty' for anyone in the opensource communities who could crack the Kinect and make an opensource driver.  Hector Martin has done so.  Checkout his video linked on OMGUbuntu for more info.

For those not in the know, the Kinect is a motion detecting camera that grants gameplay similar to what you experience with Nintendo's Wii.  Yet, you hold no controllers.  It works by sensing depth perception and motion tracking.  Once this device gets some real world implementation with Linux I may definitely check into one.

Source: http://bit.ly/bpBIZq

Until next time, Happy Surfing!

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Guild Wars Halloween 2010 Festivities

Hi all!  Just a quick set of snapshots from the Halloween Festivities from Guild Wars this year.  Check them out:
Location: Lion's Arch

Me with a Bone Dragon	Chillin' with a Necrid Horseman
A sweet Ghost Ship in the Harbor

Location: Kamadan

It wasn't me!  LOL	Good times!

Location: Droknar's Forge

Was that a ghost?	Another Necrid Horseman
A cool, spooky skull.

Come out and join us.  The Mad HKing shows up shortly and will be giving out the Festival Hats!  Look for some screen caps of this year's hats within the next few hours. 


 Happy Halloween!

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This Week in The News: Jax Returns!, F2P MMO Halloween Fun, Tribes Returns to Us, Champions Online to go F2P, and more!

There has been a lot of news, rumors, and buzz flying around this week in the Tech/Game world. First up:

-We have 2 returns to look forward to in the near future. The first is Jax. That's right, the guy with metal arms from the Mortal Kombat series. It has been confirmed that we will see him in the next incarnation of Mortal Kombat video game. So look forward to brute-martial arts-goodness. source

The second is Tribes. Remember, that was the awesome FPS that gave us jetpacks to zip around the level on. Well, looks as though Hi-Rez Studios is looking to make a MMOFPS. And you guessed it, Hi-Rez is the same studio that brought the world 'Global Agenda'. So, it is indeed a small world after all. source: Tribes Universe

-Over at Massively.com there is a good article highlighting which F2P (free-to-play) MMO games have unique in-game events running this weekend for Halloween.  Games in the list include 'Flyff', 'Alganon', 'Zentia', 'Freejack', and 'Wizard 101' to name a few.  So if you're looking for a different, cheap, and fun way to spend some time this Halloween weekend; checkout their list. source

-Another big headline this week in the gaming world is a move to the free 2 play model by Cryptic.  Looks as though next year their title 'Champions Online' will be making the jump from subscription only to F2P.  With the move to a new business model for the game, Cryptic is also making it a little easier for newbies to pickout a character spec via their 'Archetype' systems.  Personally, that was one of my favorite parts of the game was picking abilities during character creation.  It will be interesting to see what changes will be made in-game once it goes F2P.

-On a serious note, a mom in Jacksonville, Florida has pleaded guilty to killing her baby by shaking due to the child interfering with her game of Farmville.  Checkout the full story at: http://www.indyposted.com/121340/mother-kills-baby-for-crying-interrupting-farmville/

Until next week, happy surfing.

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Movie Trailer: 'The Warrior's Way'

Ok, apparently today is 'anticipated-movie-trailer-awareness-Friday' on the TechieSmarts Blog. So in the spirit of watching trailers for movies that just look cool; here is the trailer for 'The Warrior's Way'. About halfway through the trailer is becomes very apparent that we will get to see a showdown between cowboys and ninjas! Who can resist that?

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Another Trailer for 'Skyline'

Personally, I am really excited to see this movie.  Simply for the special effects.  I am a sucker for movies with large monsters, robots, or aliens.  And this one has huge aliens and rather large spaceships (lots of them).  So, can't wait for this one.  Check out this trailer:





Happy surfing!

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Sintel an Open Source Movie Awesomeness!

Hi everybody, if you have been following this blog at all; then you will know first hand that I am a huge fan/proponent/advocate for open source software.  I also like art, drawing, painting, and animation stuff in my other spare time. :)  So this recommendation is right up my alley.

If you have never heard of Blender, you should get to know the name.  You may be seeing it more and to show off it's capabilities the Durian Open Movie Project created "Sintel".  It is an outstanding project that's primary goal was to create a film created using Blender.  It is a great short film and took a lot of effort from these talented folks, so do yourself a favor and check it out on YouTube.  You can also download it, and soon buy a 4 disk DVD set.   Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRsGyueVLvQ

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Weekly Tech News: Microsoft wants to sell us Games, AT&T is learning, and more!

To be honest, I have been pretty slack this week in keeping up with the news.  So, in advance I apologize.

-Microsoft wants to sell us Games...Online
Well, looks like Microsoft still has plans to grow their online commerce presence by opening selling games via the Games for Windows Marketplace.  This site has in fact been around for a while, but in a state of choas.  Personally, I have yet to buy any software from Microsoft online.  I have purchased titles via Xbox Live for my Xbox 360, which all in all works pretty well.

This following line is for Microsoft: why are you reinventing the wheel?  We already have digital distribution sites that specialize in selling PC games.  For example: Direct2Drive, sites like GoG.com (Good Old Games), and Steam (except Steam requires a standalone client be installed).  These sites are successful, in part because they specialize only in gaming.  They aren't also selling Office, Windows, or various other Windows products.  Personally, I wish them the best of luck.  But unless they are willing to deliver an experience similar to Steam or the ease of use when purchasing via Direct2Drive, I'll probably stick with the services I use and trust.  Once again, Microsoft seems to be on a path of conquest.
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/10/22/businessinsider-microsoft-to-sell-windows-games-online-2010-10.DTL




-AT&T is learning...How to cope beyond the iPhone.
What does this mean?  Simple, since the launch of the iPhone, AT&T has pretty much had it made.  Due to the exclusivity of the iPhone from AT&T, if you wanted one (unless it was jailbroken and unlocked) you had to use AT&T service.  With all of the buzz over the last couple of weeks, and the future of iPhone a jump to Verizon in 2011; what will become of AT&T?  What is their new 'trump card'?  What phone will they be able to offer that can compete with the iPhone? 

Apparently, they are bringing in Windows Phone 7 compatible handsets and Android based phones to try to offset the 'hardware shock' they will probably experience.  In my area, I have heard more than one iPhone user complain about their AT&T service.  How will AT&T fair if these user's jump ship to Verizon, and decide not to part with their beloved iPhone?  Let's face it, people use the devices they care about.  And they aren't always willing to make a move to another device; especially once they learn to use what they currently have.

I was able to break my wife of her Blackberry about a month and a half ago.  She adored her Blackberry, and she was looking for a new phone (since we could upgrade hardware).  She played with Sprints HTC Evo and absolutely fell in love.  This isn't always the case with people.  She was open for a change, AT&T better pull off some magic, because at least around my town the only reason to have AT&T cell coverage is for iPhone use.


In other quick news for the the December issue of PC Gamer hit, and it covers a huge section on Guild Wars 2.  So, until next week.  Happy surfing!

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This Week In Tech News: Videogame Stocks are Down, Teen Text Messaging, Free Angry Birds, and More!

This week in Tech News we have several interesting topics, so here we go.

- Videogame Stocks Are Down.  But Halo is freakin' breaking the bank!
During the month of September, console game sales dropped about 6% when compared to September 2009.  This was reported in the The Wall Street Journal.  Does this mean sales are going to be crap for the holiday season, which is no doubt the biggest time of the year for videogame manufactures?  Who knows, I doubt that the sales for Christmas will drop that much.  In my opinion, they will probably see a spike in purchases in games that are already on the street like 'Halo: Reach'.  Which leads me onto another topic, what is it about the 'Halo' franchise that basically turns all it touches into gold?  Halo is synonymous with the Xbox 360 in much the same way as 'World of Warcraft' is synonymous with the term 'MMO'.  Is Halo that big?  No definitely not, but considering it is a console, first-person-shooter.  It's doing extremely well.  And the hype leading up to 'Reach' was no small endeavor.   Does the game look good?  Oh yeah, it looks great.  Have I played it?  Nope, and probably won't.  Why?  Too much hype for my taste.  But it is interesting that with the console game industry worrying about stocks, 'Halo: Reach' is riding the cash cow to the bank with $3.3million sold so far (and counting) in the U.S. alone.  Something to think about anyways.

-Teen Text Messaging: that's a lot of non-verbal communication!
Text messaging has been around for years.  But suddenly there seems to be this huge wave of people hit the 'texting trend'.  Which for one, I don't understand.  Why?  Most of the texters are using something similar to a 'smart-phone' which has email access.  Why not send a longer message with less bounce backs between the two parties involved and make life easier?  Then again, I don't text either.  Nielson conducted a survey with 3,000 teens and compared with approximately 60,000 cell phone bills (that's a lot of bills).  And averaged out that the 'average' American teenager sends approximately 3,339 text messages a month.  That's a crap load of text data out the floating around the cell providers networks.  Now, if only they'd put that much attention into spelling right, and working on their education; we could raise a brighter tomorrow.  :)
source

-Those birds are freely Angry!
For those of you lucky Android users (which I personally adore the Android), rejoice!  For the 'Angry Birds' are free for you!  'Angry Birds' is the best selling title from Rovio Mobile which has sent raging success with this title on the Apple App Store.  Now they are spreading the love with the non-iOS users.  The app currently costs $.99 cents on the Apple App Store.  It is availabe on the Getjar.com site, and will also be available on the Android Marketplace.  Let's just say that they came is popular enough for Rovio's website to go belly-up when they released it for free.  Just sayin'.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2010/1015/Angry-Birds-available-on-Android-for-free-crashes-company-s-website

Other notable things from the week: Skype and Facebook are in bed together, ArenaNet goes live with the 'Hall of Monuments' calculator for Guild Wars fans at: http://hom.guildwars2.com/#page=welcome; oh yeah, and Windows Phone 7 is out too, anyways.  Have a great weekend!

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Mobile Game Review: Zombies Ate My Baby for iPod Touch/iPhone

Since Halloween is just a couple of weeks away, I thought it was only suiting that I review a few Halloween themed games.  This weeks review is for 'Zombies Ate My Baby' for the iPhone/iPod Touch.  I know, the title sounds kind of bad, but it isn't quite what you're thinking.  The premise is, a girl and her boyfriend were on a date, and her boyfriend gets killed by a zombie while trying to protect her.  So, she kills the zombie and to her surprise, she finds that killing zombies is kind of fun.  So she sets out for revenge against the undead.

Controls:
The controls are pretty simple, basically the player character stands in the middle of the screen and pivots to aim in any direction around the screen.  You can control the character via taps on the screen or via tilt.  I was using the touch method to play.  And it plays pretty good.  Zombies approach from all sides/corners of the screen and simply tap on them to shoot them.  You'll end up fighting through about 20 waves of zombie attacks.  Meanwhile; guns, grenades, and health packs will spawn on the screen to help you out as you play.  The levels go by pretty fast, and at times the action on the screen can be flat out hectic.  But it never ceases to be fun.

Graphics:
The graphics are presented in a cartoon style.  The story progresses between levels by way of a comic strip; which is short, but conveys the story in a fun way.

Other Features:
The game features everything you'd expect from fun, yet simple gameplay to even offering achievements via OpenFeint.  As you play, you will of course unlock achievements.  Even if you aren't trying for achievements.  You're eventually going to see the achievement pop-up on-screen.  And you can post your achievement to Facebook at that time is you so choose.

The achievements are pretty neat as well.  I was able to unlock the 'Berserker' achievement by killing 499 Zombies, 'Straight to Hell' by taking 299 points of damage, 'Rambo' by firing 999 bullets, and 'Nurse' by healing 299 wounds.  All of these wear achieved within just a couple of levels.  Once you unlock the achievement, you can later access the Trophy screen from the main menu to see them listed.

Boss fights are pretty simple, but often challenging.  The first boss fight is against a zombie-soldier.  He will pace up and down the left end of the screen and toss grenades at you.  Meanwhile, you are on the right edge of the screen using a baseball bat to smack them back at him.  Once he is defeated you get to save a cool picture that can be used as a unlock screen wallpaper later.

Final thoughts:
This game is a fun way to kill a few minutes.  With the twitch based gaming it offers, I can't see myself spending extended periods of time playing this title.  But for a satisfying burst of quick game time, it will more than suffice.  At 99 cents from the App Store, this title is a definitely download for some instant fun.

Zombies Ate My Baby from the Apple App Store
Requires iOS 3.0 or later and it compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

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Making the jump to 'Maverick Meerkat'

Like so many others, I too downloaded the newest Ubuntu release version:10.10. Which happened to release on October 10, 2010. I did a fresh install today (over my existing 10.04.1 partition). From first glance, I honestly could't tell that much of a difference from 0.04. LTS). Sure, the new wallpaper looked nice. But the overall experience was still pretty much the same. Nothing seemed to be lost or gained in the new version of the Live CD.

Then, I launched the installer. And to my surprise, I was looking at a new install wizard. It had a few checkmarks denoting that my system had adequate free hard drive space, memory, and an Internet connection. Then I stepped through the somewhat simplified wizard and was underway with installing a lot quicker than I had remembered the process being. One of the big differences I saw were 2 new options before committing to the install.
1- Download updates during install.
2- the option to install 3rd party codecs like MP3 support during install.

I took both of the options for experimentation sake. And they worked flawlessly. My next steps were to download the restricted driver for my nVidia graphics card, run the Update Wizard (which came back as updated), and try out Gwibber. I was one of the many who were affected with Gwibber issues in 10.04.1 LTS. It just wouldn't function right (or at all in some cases).

For those who haven't used it, Gwibber is a social networking app that aggregates status updates from sites like Faceboook and Twitter (and several others). I setup my Twitter account with no issues. But the Facebook setup still wouldn't work. But no worries, Empathy picks up some of the slack; allowing access to Facebook chat instead of logging in only on the website. My next moves were to install some of the other apps I like to use (like Gimp and OpenShot). Which installed fine. I also setup Compiz with my desired effects, and downloaded Ubuntu Tweak (which I will have a review on very shortly).

After installing the Chrome web browser and downloading some custom wallpapers, and installing Docky to replace the bottom GNOME panel; I was once again happy with the way my Ubuntu install looks and feels. Cannonical has once again brought the world another great version of Ubuntu with many more features under the hood that I can't wait to try out.

By the way, a review will be showing up soon about the Ubuntu One features. And hopefully, I can find a way to replace my iTunes music shopping habits with the Ubuntu One music store that is integrated with RhythmBox. To my dismay, all of the songs I have purchased in the last week from iTunes for 99 cents, are on the Ubuntu music store for just 77 cents. What can I say, I'm cheap. LOL

Happy surfing!

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Video Review of 'Brave Arms'

Hi everybody, this one is a little behind.  I've been crazy busy lately.  I created this quick video review a few weeks ago.  And the folks at 3G Studio's have been absolutely fantastic.  I wanted to throw this video review up for 'Brave Arms' which can be found on Facebook.

'Brave Arms' is technically the first, first-person-shooter to make an appearance on Facebook.  It plays a lot like the Quake Live site that rolled out sometime back.  Do yourself a favor, if you Facebook and like games.  Check this one out.  And I promise, there is no farming here.  :)

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Relax Retro Gamers! GOG.com has returned to us!

Okay, shortly after I posted my video review of 'Duke Nukem: Project Manhattan' and pointed everybody to the Good Old Games website (http://www.gog.com). They yanked the site offline.  Many a blog post and twitter tweet went out that day speculating GOG was done and no more.

But alas!  They have returned.  Apparently, they were rolling out the new version of their site.  Claiming that until this, their site was simply in Beta.  Now they are back and better than ever.  So go, and play some good old games!

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Video Review: 'Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project'

That's right, I now have the capability to do video reviews for games and software.  A few small bugs are being worked out (occasional crackling sound from Mic).  But otherwise, look for more coming soon!  In the meantime check out my quick review of 'Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project'.  I made this while in my retro kick.  So check it out. Just trying to feed the 'Duke' buzz that was stirring around with release of news about 'Duke Nukem Forever' getting picked up by Gearbox. Enjoy!

Happy Surfing!

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Website Review: SuseStudio.com-Build Your Own Linux Distro!

Okay, for all of the Linux fans out there. You really need to checkout SuseStudio.com. This is an awesome site if you have any interest in creating your own flavor of Linux. This site is a build kit which you access completely through the web. All of the building is done on the server side, and basically allows anyone (even non-Linux people) the capability to pick what packages they want included, custom boot screens and logo's, and even setup predetermined user logins. When done, you can create a Live CD/DVD ISO file for burning to a disk, a Live USB/Hard drive image file, even virtual machines for use in VMWare and VirtualBox. This site is free, versatile, and just plain fun to mess with. Each user is given 15GB's of space on the server for storing your built operating systems. You can also share your custom Linux with the suseGallery. All building is done on top of openSuse, so your distro will be RPM based. For more info, checkout my indepth demo video below:

Happy surfing!

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Farewell Acclaim...It's Been a Good Run.

Well, after snooping around a little bit.  I have found out that one of my better liked game developer/publisher has gone the way of the wind.  Out, it looks like.  Acclaim has been developer/publisher of many great titles, mostly from years gone past.
 Titles include:

•  'Armorines: Project Swarm' for the N64
•  'Batman Forever' for the SNES, Sega, and Gameboy
• Crazy Taxi
• The Dave Mirra BMX games
• Burnout and Burnout 2
• Forsaken
• Furr Fighters
• Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II
• Smash TV
• The Turok series
• and many more

Acclaim was also known for their work on MMO titles such as '9Dragons' and 'The Chronicles of Spellborn'.  Both were Free-2-Play MMO's.  Acclaim, I am truly sorry to see you go.  You guys brought many of the games that shaped my early gaming years.  Best of luck to those who worked for Acclaim, and the creative talent therein.

At time of this post, the Acclaim site had been stripped of pretty much everything except for a shutdown notice and a disclaimer for those who had purchased Acclaim Coins for their online titles.  Check it out for yourself at: http://www.acclaim.com/

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Linux Action Show! -Greatest Linux Podcast of All-Time!

Whenever I stumble onto a site or program I think other people might like or think may be worthwhile to mention, I will make a post about it.  Well, today that has happened once again.  I have just recently stumbled upon a great Linux Podcast.  I have tried out several podcasts in the past about Linux, but I have never found one that has been able to capture my attention as much as 'The Linux Action Show!' does.  I have been listening to episodes from the last couple of months and have thoroughly enjoyed what these guys have to say.  'The Linux Action Show!' isn't the only podcast on their site, and all of the podcasts are free.

So far, there hasn't been one episode yet that I haven't heard about a Linux distro or even a feature that I didn't want to go try out.  Bottom line, if you're into open source software or Linux.  Do yourself a favor and check it out!
http://www.jupiterbroadcasting.com/

I will also be placing this link in my Links section.  Happy surfing!

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Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Welcome Back...Duke Nukem!

Ok, I couldn't even begin to fathom the possibilities that this was true.  Even after reading it on multiple, reputable gaming websites.  For years it has been the running joke within the gaming world: 'Duke Nukem Forever'.  In 1996, gamers got their taste of the greatness that was Duke Nukem.  Everything about Duke's journey to a first person shooter was awesome.  The graphics, the multiplayer, the story, and who can forget some of Duke's classic lines: 'Come get some!', 'Hail to the King Baby!'.  Gotta love it.  And then when we were teased with the upcoming 'Duke Nukem Forever', many gamer's couldn't wait.  But then, forever never happened.  After years of being in 'development hell', and 'licensing limbo'.  Eventually, many gamers gave up on poor Duke.

Occasionally, a couple of images would surface on the web.  Maybe even a video or two.  But still no Duke.  And much to my shock/surprise/astonishment, when I logged on to one of my favorite gaming sites (Actiontrip), I see the headling about Duke making his comeback finally.  Looks like Gearbox (those wonderful folks behind Borderlands) have taken in Duke and his cohorts.  Hopefully, Gearbox can make it happen.  It looks like we won't be expecting Duke by Christmas though.  But hey, give me Duke Nukem Forever before the end of time, and I'll still be a happy gamer.  Looks as though Duke will be making his comeback on the Xbox 360, PS3, and the PC sometime in 2011 (if all goes well).

And in the meantime, here is one of the said gameplay videos (note: for mature audiences-had to include a disclaimer, sorry):



And not only is Gearbox picking up 'Duke Nukem Forever', but it looks as if the 'http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/games/aliens/' game has been resurrected as well.

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Unreal 3 Engine Makes Debut on Apple's iDevices!

Been pretty busy as of late, so I have some catching up to do.  Last week an app by the name of 'Epic Citadel' arrived on Apple's App Store.  No big surprise, new apps show up all the time.  But two things picked my interest: 1- the name of 'Epic' being included in the title and 2- it runs off of the Unreal 3 Engine.

I downloaded it on the iPad right away.  And I must say, that I was immediately blown away.  For some time there has been rumor and speculation that the Unreal 3 engine would eventually bring forth a 'mobile' version.  But honestly, I wasn't sure how well it would hold up in the transition from being a major pc/console graphics engine to making the jump to small, handheld, mobile device.  But to be honest, it is pure awesomeness.

The app is pretty much a tech demo.  There are no goals or achievements to accomplish.  The app simply lets the player explore this lush environment.  And it is great.  From the fine details to the shaders.  It's all sweet.  There are no other players/people/npc's wandering the worls, so it feels a little lonely.  But keep in mind, it's only real purpose is for Epic to be able to show off what can be done with it's diverse graphics engine.  

From what I have been reading 'Epic Citadel' is actually a game that is in development, that should be arriving on the iDevices by year's end.  This app was Epic's way of showing us their hand of cards.  And I must say, it's pretty freakin' awesome.  Personally, at this point; I don't care what the final game will be about.  Story set aside, replayability set aside; I will purchase that app once it hits the App Store.  By the way, the 'Epic Citadel' demo is free.

Check out the section on Epic's site about this awesome app: http://www.epicgames.com/technology/epic-citadel

and the link to the Itunes App Store:

http://itunes.apple.com/app/epic-citadel/id388888815

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The verdict is in...

Ok, after my much awaited first foray into the world of Borderlands went today...The verdict is now in...Ladies & Gentlemen...Borderlands is awesome! I am waiting to level up some more before pairing up with any other players via co-op. But so far so good.

Do I believe that the SecuRom DRM may (if not already) have pushed would be players away? Yes, I firmly believe this is so. Game publishers please listen as we gamer's want to voice that we don't want or need software that is so difficult to install and use. I understand the reason's behind DRM...But really, there has to be a better way.

Anyways, until next time, feel free to catch up with me in Borderlands. Happy weekend all!

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SecuRom, Borderlands, and lost sleep...A story of woe.

Ok, just everybody knows, this will not become habit. However, I am going to use my little corner of the world-wide-inter webs to ventilate. That's right, hang on tight.

It all started yesterday afternoon as I was browsing at our local Walmart. They were running a sale on 'Borderlands' for the PC. It was on sale for $20 bucks. I went home and browsed around the web and found that as of that time, that was the best price I could find on the game. So, I made the jump and went and bought it. Fast forward a few hours later to when I attempted to install it.

Ok, first and foremost, my mistake was not fully reading the box. This game contains SecuRom DRM. Personally, not a DRM fan. From my experience it hurts those who actually pay for their games. Ok, enough of that. My DVD drive died some time back. I am cheap. So rather than replace it, I simply made ISO images of the disc's I use regularly and mount them from my external hard drive. Most of the time it is for testing Linux Live CD's. So I haven't really bumped into SecuRom as of late. No big deal, right? Wrong, it's an act of congress to get the game to run from an ISO image. After spending several hours trying to research on ways around it so I can run the game I paid for without resulting to questionable means, I realized I was beat.

Finally I broke down and got a DVD drive from a friend, and am now reinstalling for the third time. Time will tell if it will finally work. From what I read, the steam version had some issues too, but they were easier to resolve.

***Ok, update: final install worked. Running without any drive emulation software active. Looks like I'm finally up and running. After 6 hours of research and failed attempts I can now play my $20 game. Looks as though if I had a working DVD drive in the first place I would've been playing a long time ago...oh well.

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New Features Coming Soon!

As a new feature to the TechieSmarts Blog, I will be putting together some quick free instructional videos covering some things which have personally caused me to do some research.  I can also now do video reviews of software like Linux distributions and installs, etc.  Look for this coming in the near future!  If you have any topics that you'd like to see covered, feel free to drop me a line in the comments below.  Happy Friday!

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Checkout My New ShopIt Store!

Checkout my new ShopIt Store, where we have listed the Live Linux CD's available:
http://shopit.com/techiesmarts

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iPhone Game Review: Street Fighter IV

  As a long time fan of fighting games on the consoles such as: Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and of course Street Fighter. I was somewhat hesitant to try out the iPhone/iPod Touch port of 'Street Fighter IV'. And to be fair, I have yet ton play this game on the console as well. Literally, the iPhone verism is my first hands-on experience with this title. And let me say up format, it does not disappoint.

I have a hard time purchasing apps from the App Store that cost more than $3 or $4 dollars. But after reading good things about this app, I couldn't hold out any longer. Even at $9.99 from the App Store, I knew I'd have to check it out.  After starting up the app I was immediately blown away by the awesome intro scene. The artistic flare it showcases is simply amazing. The sound is great, and I am loving the "stylized" type of graphics the devs went with for this title.

Ok, first things first. The sound is spectacular, the themes are catchy and the fighting sound effects are dead on with the actions. The in-game graphics are definitely impressive. The gameplay graphics carry over the "stylized", cartoon type graphics that the opening scene shows off. Personally, a lot of games are going for a realistic look; however, games like Street Fighter need to keep the originality by staying unrealistic. And they have definitely pulled that off here.

Second item to cover is controls. The game is played via an onscreen game pad. The buttons are semi-transparent by default and can be adjusted even more in the options menu. The controls can hang some, but that is to be expected. Controls aren't always air tight on console fighters either. Some of that may be my iPod Touch, it is a little behind on updates or possibly the fact that it is a 2nd generation model. Anyways, it plays just fine. And the game is currently optimized for iOS 4.

With plenty of game modes and characters to play as, I don't for see this title getting old anytime soon. A lot of games for the iPhone/iPod Touch have limited replay quality. But I have found myself jamming away at this title and having fun that is reminiscent of the good old days playing my friend's Sega Genesis during a Street Fighter 2 marathon.

The fighters returning to this title are your maim staples of the Street Fighter ga,es over the years. Including Ken, Ryu, Chun Li, Cammy, Blanka, M. Bison and several more. The game features a practice mode, single player campaign, and even Bluetooth multiplayer. It would have been nice to have the capability to play against other people via a wifi network connection, but hey; beggars can't be choosers, right? :)

Overall, this is a great title from the App Store. A little pricier than my usual app purchases, but I'm definitely happy with it. If you own an iDevice and love a good fighting title, check this one out!

App Store Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/street-fighter-iv/id354655665?mt=8
Cost: $9.99
Rating: 5 out of 5.

 *Screen captures taken during play on my 2nd Generation iPod Touch.

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MMO's: The States of Our Games

The MMO scene has been very volatile as of late. With well-known games going F2P (free 2 play), the upcoming WoW expansion (Cataclysm), and even more news about Guild Wars 2. Anyone who has ever played an MMO (or any MMO's for that matter) can identify with the current environment we are seeing amongst the games we play.  And it is exciting.

A couple of years ago I started checking out F2P MMO's. I was interested in getting into an MMO with a good community and have some fun. This of course led me through the ranks of most of the popular free MMO's. Started with 'Last Chaos' and kept trucking through a little bit of Dungeons and Dragons Online,  Rappelz, Atlantica Online and every other one in between.  Recently found a hidden gem in Allods Online, which even though I have had limited time in game; what I have played has been pretty fun. 

Turbine had converted Dungeons & Dragons Online to F2P, many people thought this was a brave move, and it could have went either way for the company.  How did they do it:  the gave the game away as a free download.  Implemented a cash shop where gamers could purchase items, character slots, new playable races, and mission packs that would unlock other parts of the game.  There is still a subscriber version that includes the mission packs and some other perks.  But for people starting out in the game and maybe limiting their cash spending for games.  This was a great solution.  And it worked for Turbine.

Worked so well for them that now they are taking 'Lord of The Rings Online' free to play as well.  Personally, I'm excited about this one.  I've wanted to play LOTRO for a little while now, and I just couldn't bring myself to another monthly subscription.  Subscription based games are fun, but they come with a sense of obligation.  Either I play a lot and get my monies worth, or I don't play and I lose the money.  That being said, I have spent extensive time in game in Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft, and Champions Online.  And each of these games are fun in their own rite.  However, after playing through the handful of starter levels I tend to find myself not having as much fun.  Because I know that to keep playing (usually past my first 30 days), it will cost me.  Maybe I'm cheap.  But I tend to think my gaming habits aren't constant.  I have several games that I like to play.  And don't like to dedicate any certain amount of time to any one certain game.  I play what I want to play, when I want to play it.  That's it. 

LOTRO isn't the only title going to F2P either.  Also recently announced was Everquest 2 (which will have some hyrbid F2P stuff going on) and Alganon are among the latest.  Which titles are going to be the next to conform to F2P?  Who knows.  But evidence shows, F2P isn't going anywhere, anytime soon.



The other hot topic right now is ArenaNet.  These guys have been pretty quiet about the upcoming sequel to Guild Wars until a few months ago.  They've been teasing us with concept art and concept visuals.  Then they released info on the playable races (which include the Charr this time around), and then they started teasing us with playable classes that are available.  Most recently they have released the 'ArenaNet MMO Manifesto'; which shows off all kinds of gameplay goodness.  From Charr's with guns, to Asuran's piloting Golems, to underwater gameplay footage.  On top of crazy combat visuals, and gorgeous environments, better graphics and the introduction of a persistant world (whereas the original Guild Wars was instanced outside of towns and outposts).  I know one thing for sure...When Guild Wars 2 finally hits the streets, I'll be in line to get my hands on it.

But until Guild Wars 2 hits, you can find me back in the original Guild Wars.  Until next time!  Happy surfing!

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