Bring that issue alongside Nintendo’s current handheld competition and you have a major problem. Apple is starting to dominate in that category. Wait a second, the iPhone/iPod Touch isn’t a handheld system! It’s not? It fits in your hand and you play any game that you can play on other systems. I should say it is.
Nintendo DS requires wi-fi to get into the shop or to download. The iPhone requires a cell phone signal and that’s all. Nintendo DS games cost between $10 and $40. iPhone games cost between $0.99 and $7.00. Even popular games like Command and Conquer and Civilization cost around $6.00.
Apple has a big advantage over Nintendo in the ease of getting your games, organizing your games and they are much more cost effective. Plus, the accessories needed and the price of the games are in Apple’s favor as well.
Nintendo long ago lost a good part of their core audience. They didn’t seem to care since the core audience stuck around for the DS. They moved to a new market with the Nintendo Wii, bringing in the family gaming system and allowed Microsoft and Sony to take their core console gamers.
Apple has moved in on their handheld market in a big way. Not only have they taken a large chunk of the core handheld audience, but they are also taking the casual audience as well. This isn’t the end for Nintendo. It isn’t time to scream doom and gloom or get ready to plan the funeral of Mario. It is time for Nintendo to start looking closer at their audience, the behavior of their audience and who is holding the market shares.

Turbine has consistently brought it’s players an environment where the community is at the forefront of the game. Developers and Turbine staff drop in on forum threads and feature a self contained social network for Lord of the Rings Online called My Lotro.

(Disclosure: The blurb about Turbine is blatantly biased. Candace is an avid Lotro player.)

Quite a few people gawked at Israel deciding to ban the iPad in the country over security concerns. They probably aren’t gawking today. Princeton University, George Washington University and Cornell University have all banned the iPad.

All of them are citing security and connectivity issues as the reason. Cornell University said they are seeing connectivity issues and a bandwith overload which is why the iPad was removed from campus. George Washington University rejected the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch from connecting on their campus. Wonder if they are Microsoft fans?

I think we need to write some letters to Apple about this issue. If someone writes a snarky enough letter, we could get a response from Steve Jobs. He will probably tell us we’re nuts, but he may give a one sentence answer as to how he’s going to handle this issue.

There are probably hundreds of thousands of Nintendo tattoos out there. We scoured the web to find our 5 favorite Nintendo character tattoos.

#5. Hey. Hey Listen!

Why Navi? Of all things, why Navi?! Because you said that as soon as you saw this tattoo. She’s embedded into your brain, the constant screaming of “Hey, hey hey listen!” and this brave man has made sure everyone will remember it. The tattoo is really well done, but we all hate him just a little bit.

Original

#4. Stars and Ghosts, oh my!

This tattoo comes complete with invincible stars and a Boo. It’s quite obvious this girl loves her Nintendo. We love her half-sleeve and her stars. The original photo by Kotaku stated this woman’s husband was the tattoo artist. We love both of them just a little.

#3. 8 Bit Mario

Memories of throwing your controller when Mario died, moving the controller with Mario to make him jump and wanting to kill Toad when your Princess was in another castle come to mind when looking at this tattoo. The original tattoo is credited to artist Jon Poulson on Flickr.

Number 2 and number 1 are after the break

#2. Mega Man 8 Bit

8 bit art is win. Well done 8 bit art of Mega Man on your arm? A lot of win. Orginal source unknown (if someone knows it, please catch us on Twitter so we can credit it!)

#1. Samus Aran

Samus Aran will kick your butt.

Nothing else needs to be said about that. Unreality showed off this piece along with some other great Metroid themed ink.

One man sent Apple an e-mail, airing his grievances with iPad’s international shipping issues. At one point, Jobs was accused of “pulling the wool over the world’s eyes.” This man got a very simple response from Jobs that started with “Are you nuts? We are doing the best we can.”

If you want to read the full e-mail conversation, it’s under the mystical “Read More” link.

“Dear Mr Jobs

On behalf of the international community of Apple consumers I would like to protest at the way Apple is apparently leaving us out in the cold with the Apple iPad product.

We have been fed either misinformation or no information at all and it is starting to cast doubt over Apple’s intents, at least it is to me.

I live in Switzerland and as yet we have no idea what the Apple iPad will cost here, if it is anything like the international pricing we have been used to to date on other Apple products, then it will certainly not be an “unbelievable price” as stated in your marketing.

If the delays and lack of pricing information is due to Apple doing it’s level best, to make sure that we are not being ripped off, then I applaud that work. However, as previously mentioned, I am doubting this.

Twice to my knowledge you have falsely stated international availability of the iPad and while I do not believe this is any fault of your own, I can imagine that you are not happy being shown as deliberately pulling the wool over the rest of the worlds eyes.

This is what you said at the iPhone OS4.0 announcement

11:10AM – Q: Will iPad’s success impact its international launch?

Steve: No, we said we’re launching internationally later in April, and we’re launching later in April.

Please can you clarify what is happening and why it has taken so long for information to be released to the international community.

May I suggest the following: Make it easier for us to purchase your products directly from the USA online Apple store. Many of us would be happy to do so and pay extra for local Applecare.

I look forward to your response.”

And he got a response.
” “deliberately pulling the wool over the rest of the worlds eyes”
Are you nuts? We are doing the best we can. We need enough units to have a responsible and great launch.”

An Apple fan girl I am not, but I just gained a new world of love for Steve Jobs.

Thanks 9 to 5 Mac for the story.

I wonder if Duke Nukem will finally come out? Sure. Right.

For E3 this year, I have a couple of predictions of my own. I am hoping that Nintendo redeems themselves and announces a new Legend of Zelda game. I see the game releasing during the 4th quarter of 2010. Gears of War 3 is another prediction. I don’t see it releasing in the 4th quarter of 2010. I see an announcement at E3 with the possibility of release in 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2011.

I asked on Twitter what your predictions for E3 are from The Geek Media’s Twitter and my personal Twitter. The answers after the jump.

@MemBirdman : “I predict a combined 137 minutes of stage time for Natal & Touch during the press conferences. That might be conservative. :/”

@Mifio: “APB launch date announcement, Uncharted 3… And thats all I really care about.”

@DCSilverwing: “ok, my official prediction (based on nothing) Elder Scrolls, and SOME kind of TRON game…”

@Leto: “I don’t have a lot of expectations, after a few flops in March. Hoping that more of The Old Republic is shown off though.”

@MemBirdman: “I predict that Shigeru Miyamoto will do something during the Nintendo press conference totally awesome and mildly pedophilic.” (Wait…what?)

What are your predictions for E3?

This book is beautiful. It shows such promise for what books and readers like the Kindle from Amazon can become. If books started to work and read like this classic tale on the iPad, imagine how much more you would read. Could you imagine reading “The Fellowship of the Rings” or “The Hobbit” like this? I certainly could.

The app is made by Atomic Antelope and available on the iPad app store for $8.99 USD.

This great app found thanks to:
GigaOm

The Next Web

Today, Facebook revealed a new safety center on their website. This center provides resources for parents, educators, teenagers and members of law enforcement. The content Facebook previously had in the safety center has been quadrupled and a cleaner navigation added to the portal. The new safety center offers a resource area specifically for parents to help keep their children safe on Facebook.

I’ve read Facebook’s new safety center for parents . Yes, it’s good and it gives parents good information on how to keep their kids safe online. If you are not too familiar with social networks, the information given here is a “must read”.

Most people in their early 30s and younger understand the in’s and out’s of the internet. We grew up with computers and we were the first to use MySpace, Friendster and Tribe (remember those?). We’ve learned back in the days of AOL 1.0 and Prodigy who not to talk to on the internet and how to be safe. However, many people who have children using Facebook, MySpace and Twitter have no idea what their kids are doing.

Today’s news is full of kids and adults falling victim to crime that originated on social websites. In a case like this, it’s a strange twist of circumstance. It’s up to a younger generation to alert the parents to safety concerns and guides available online.

Sites like Facebook’s safety center, Wired Safety and Facecrooks offer safety guides, information and news for parents, children, teenagers and adults who use social networks.

Yesterday, Twitter showed us they had the right idea. Though some people don’t like the format for ads Twitter is rolling out, I can’t be mad at them for it. They have made their internal search engine just that much more social. Nothing new, nothing invasive and nothing that will make me fume.

Sponsored search results are a good idea. Let’s say you are searching for iPad on Twitter. The top result will be sponsored. It might be Apple’s own Twitter account or Steve Jobs (now you know this is an example). You have the option to “favorite” that sponsored result or re-tweet it as usual.

“But I want to see REAL search results! Not something someone paid for!” You will see them. Just overlook the first result and scroll down. There you go, all real search results. This isn’t something invasive or something that is going to effect how you use Twitter.

Ads are most likely going to start showing up on Twitter’s timeline. Again, this is something I can’t be mad about if it happens. On my BlackBerry I use Uber Twitter, on the iPhone it’s Twitterific and the Droid has Twidroid. Each of these apps have ads that show in between tweets. On Uber Twitter, they show as part of the timeline with a “Sponsored” tag on them. It looks like Twitter is going to do something similar with their ads and place them in your timeline between tweets.

Which leads other people to ask questions about the ad format. Will people have the option to pay a small monthly fee and get rid of ads? I doubt it. Sure, Twitter may offer it but the idea is not the smartest. Twitterific offers a paid version that gets rid of the ads. I don’t know anyone who uses the paid version. It’s not that difficult to overlook the ads on your app (or web client) and move into your timeline.

I’ve been a Twitter user since 2007. I remember saying “This will never amount to anything.” Yet, I found myself using it. Not only did I become an avid user early on, but I opened more than one account to separate my work. Twitter has proved to have a lot of staying power. The problem was, they didn’t seem to catch up with everyone else. Where was their business model? They finally have the beginnings of one.

Things may need tweaking as time goes on with the new ads, but I’m quite proud of Twitter.I want to sniffle and grab a hanky while I see my little blue bird off to his first day at the office carrying his fail whale in a briefcase. He’s finally grown up!

Source

The official Kin website gives you a preview of the Kin 1 and Kin 2. Oh Microsoft, what are you doing? The Kin has nothing that is new and exciting.

There are no add ons or applications for the Kin. There is no instant messaging client available on the Kin (for now). Extra features can be pushed through updates to the Kin from Microsoft and Verizon.

Sure, we all like social networking and sharing things. I’m attached to Facebook and Twitter just as much as the woman next to me at the traffic light. Yeah, I see what you’re doing while you wait for the on ramp to clear, lady. At the same time, I want to check my email and see what’s going on with clients, I want to look at my daily to do list for tomorrow, I want to know what I’m making for dinner and when I need to deposit my latest check, I need to check my bank account balance and look at my bills due. Then, I need to check this ridiculous game and Words with Friends to see if I beat my cousin in Mexico yet.

We require apps! We require things that we don’t need. We require things that we do need that will make everything in life more mobile and easier to use. We need organization, bills, bank accounts, Facebook, Twitter, MP3s, a camera…we need it all in one lovely package. This is of course why the Droid and iPhone are clear winners in my book. This is also why I do not see the Kin being a competitor at all.

The built in social media clients aren’t anything to write home about. There isn’t much Microsoft can do to make the clients on the Kin more user friendly or easier to use. I can push a big button on the Kin and share everything with my friends! Big deal. I can push a similar button on my iPhone or Droid and do the same thing. Ping.fm anyone?

Using the built in Zune media player as a big feature of the Kin may push away more people than it pulls in. The Zune has been an absolute fail of an MP3 player. It pulls in around 5% of the market share and never took off the way Microsoft planned. Sure, it’s a built in Zune player and not the Zune that’s a feature but the name “Zune” pushed me away immediately.

I want to do everything and be on Facebook at the same darn time. Is kin going to give me that along with a good phone, stellar Verizon plan (disclosure: I am a happy Verizon customer) and every app I do and don’t need? I don’t think so. I’ll stick with the Droid for now. Call me when Windows Phone 7 comes out in the Fall.

Everyone loves a nice pretty website. The design pops on the screen and it invites you to settle in and enjoy the experience.  Often designers and/or their clients take two approaches to catch the viewers eye:  some choose sleek minimal ideas and others go hog wild with bright colors, animations and a deluge of information.  Many times the result ends up being too extreme in either direction and the poor web surfer is given a case of eye poisoning, but that is not the only issue to contend with.  There are articles that address similar things strewn about the net, but apparently their are not enough.  So, here are a few reasons why some people think your site is evil.

1.    Videos that autoplay

Contrary to popular belief, the entirety of the internet community is not on a connection bulky enough to accommodate the downloading of high definition video.   That aside, folks hate when you have some advertisement laden video that wants to skip and buffer kick up when they go to your website.  I NEVER return to sites that do this. I had to once to pay a bill and went to the mobile version instead.  I will hold onto those grudges forever.

2. Advertisement overkill

Let’s say someone really, really wants to read your article, but they can’t find the damn thing.  You get upset because after that first surge in advertisement revenue it dwindles down to nothing because your audience became fed up with playing hide and seek with your content.  Guess what, there are plenty of other places to find similar content that aren’t covered in crap.  Some ads are understandable, but don’t make your place into an advertisement minefield.

3. Your code sucks

Yes, your website is very, very pretty . . . 3 days later when it finally loads because your code is jacked up.  This problem may have been one of the reasons that RSS is where it is today.  I read tons of webcomics, many only by feed reader because it takes 5-10 minutes for the comic to even load on the website.  This is mostly separate from the problem with connection speeds because crap code slows your load time no matter what.  There are some websites I will never see the full page for because I just gave up while it was thinking. There are tons of free validators out and plenty of people willing to help you clean the mess up (myself included). With all that gunk, how would you even notice if there was malware thrown in there?

4. It has an ugly, non-matching, gross, pastel/neon/tacky color scheme

People can’t buy what you are selling if they cannot see.

5. You pester the reader to do something

It is cool and all that you want the reader to come back. Nagging is not cool. You cannot make someone subscribe to your content by bullying.  I am not going to join anything if you tell me to eight times on the main page.  Things like little unobnoxious  share buttons on posts are fine.  Don’t beat the reader over the head with the fact that you have an e-book every paragraph.

6. Something on the page is blinking

Just last week I saw a site that had some blinking marquee. I wanted the webmaster (because I know that is what that person calls themselves. I am sure they still wear Izod and have a big collection of cassette tapes lying next to their original Walkman. )

7. Navigation to nowhere

Honestly if you are still working on your site that is fine. But if you are trying to provide someone a service and they have to click through enough links to fill a novel, someone else will be much happier to help them out. No one should need a GPS to find your contact information

8. Extreme minimalism

There needs to be more than just your domain, a jpg, and a copyright. At least one link or sentence should be there to give the readers something to go buy.

9. You try and trick the visitor with a bait and switch

If I can’t just read your article, why am I here? Why do I have to sign up to pay for something to get one little tidbit of information that you could provide free without damaging your drive for revenue? At least throw out an excerpt or summary.  3 links ago there was no obligation to pay, there could at least be a disclaimer somewhere else on your site.

10. Useless back button

I cannot directly vouch for anyone else’s level of annoyance at a website that just reloads when you try to navigate back to the one you were on before it, but it irritates me immensely.  It insults me when a page decides I am not allowed to go back the way I came in.  Subconsciously you have associated your site with a little kid holding a glass door closed from the other side. Good job.

11. Resizing windows

Hire somebody who knows how to design a website that is standard size.  It is not that hard.

12. Music that autoplays

Resource-wise, it is not as bad as the videos.  We still hate it. The mute/stop buttons are usually not very responsive and frankly nobody asked you to be their DJ for the evening.

13. Tons of flash/flood of ajax

Netbooks are quite popular. Netbooks do not play nice with a pile of flash. Not unlike many people that will stop by your site, my old notebook wheezes in pain anytime I get to a site with this.  Even with browsers that are better equipped to handle the onslaught some computers just freeze at the thought of loading these pages.

14. You still have the same webpage from 1990

People will not be sure your company/product is still relevant if it looks like it predates their teenage children.

…

There is a way to avoid all of these pitfalls and give your user base a great experience. It shocks me that there are enough of these sites still around that have all of these problems when there are loads of talented designers and programmers out there who would not stand for this nonsense. Be considerate to your customers and realize that your site is supposed to help them, not drive them away.

Haven’t caught all of the Gamertell news this week?? Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!

• Five simple things Nintendo can do to improve the Wii
  ” Nintendo has found unprecedented success with the Wii. Yet, the system isn’t everything that it could, or should, be. It’s certainly a fine console, with quite a wide selection of quality games. But there are things that can, and should…” MORE ?
• Gamertell Review: Wallace and Gromit: The Bogey Man for PC
  “Title: Wallace and Gromit: The Bogey Man Price: $8.95 System(s): PC Release Date: July 29, 2009 Publisher (Developer): Telltale Games ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for comic mischief and mild…” MORE ?
• Top 10 iPhone, iPod Touch games every gamer should try
  “In lieu of digging through most of garbage apps that make up the App Store landfill (I kid, I kid) this week, I decided it would be better to spend my time offering suggestions of gaming apps you’d actually want to try.? Sure, some of these apps are the…” MORE ?
• GamesCom 2009: Sony information explosion includes slim PS3, PSP minis and more
  “There has been a serious information explosion from Sony at GamesCom 2009 today, which rivals, and perhaps even puts to shame, the E3 2009 Sony press conference. After comparing the announcements, I’m definitely feeling more excited now. The main…” MORE ?
• Former LucasArts president trying his hand at politics
  ” The video game industry could gain a powerful Washington ally in Arizona’s 2010 Congressional election. Former LucasArts head Jim Ward, who resigned from the company in 2008, wants to be the next US representative from Arizona’s 5th MORE ?
• Persona 3 gets portable
  “Famitsu is amazing. Let’s hear a big round of applause for the magazine that revealed that a PSP port of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 is on the way. Not only that, but said port isn’t just your standard…” MORE ?
• Five PSP RPGs you missed the first time around
  ” There’s been a bit of a lull when it comes to PSP releases. Aside from releases from Atlus, NIS, Square Enix and XSEED, the system hasn’t seen a lot of action. This makes now an ideal time to take…” MORE ?
• Gotta catch ‘em all over again next spring in Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
  “The inevitable announcement has come. Nintendo has confirmed that it is planning to release the latest DS Pokemon games, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, to North America and Europe in Spring 2010. The news came during the 2009 Pokemon World…” MORE ?
• Hardcore Wii Franchise #5: Fire Emblem
  ” I picked up my first Fire Emblem game—Radiant Dawn—during one of the WiiGaps soon after the system’s release (WiiGaps being those periods where nothing new of note has been released or will be in the immediate future). I didn’t like…” MORE ?
• Top 5 hardcore Wii franchises (for gamers ready to do more than bowl) – (updated)
  “Maybe you’re young and, when looking for your first gaming console, the Wii was the cheapest. Maybe you saw grandma and grandpa bowling at the retirement home and thought, “Hey, this is for me!” Maybe your mom prefers you play fewer games…” MORE ?

Full Story ? | Written by NEWS for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article ?

In preparation for GamesCom 2009, BioWare and EA have let loose quite a bit of Mass Effect 2 information. We not only are finding out about the PC and Xbox 360 game’s storyline, but we also get to see a brand new trailer.

Once again, Commander Shepard is the hero/heroine of Mass Effect 2. Humans are now an endangered species, and it’s up to Shepard and his crew, which the player will hand select, to take part in what’s being called a suicide mission to find out why humans are disappearing and what can be done to stop it. Players get to choose from a wide variety of potential squad members. The first one revealed was Thane the assassin. The trailer released unveiled the second potential member, Grunt the Krogan.

Here’s the Grunt-centric Mass Effect 2 trailer that has been unveiled for GamesCom 2009. Let’s take a look:

Mass Effect 2‘s mission’s success is based on who you choose as your party members. Make the right choices and combinations to succeed. The wrong choices, however, can lead to a darker outcome.

I’m sure we’ll see a lot more Mass Effect 2 revelations over the next few days, once GamesCom 2009 really gets going.

Read [BeefJack.com] Also Read [Team Xbox] Site [Mass Effect 2]

Full Story ? | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article ?

Title: Ponyo
Release Date: August 14, 2009 (US), July 19, 2008 (Japan)
Rating: “G” for General Audiences.
Length: 1 hour, 41 minutes. (101 minutes)
Pros: Gorgeous visuals. For the most part, the voice acting is fantastic. Great pacing for the story. A nice mix of active and passive scenes. The music and soundtrack is absolutely wonderful.
Cons: Noah Cyrus’ voice (Ponyo) can occasionally be grating and/or annoying.
Overall Score: 9/10

Handdrawn, 2D animation is an endangered art form. Most films are now made with computers and companies have a habit of releasing everything in 3D. Thankfully, Studio Ghibli is still doing things the old fashioned way. The company’s latest film, Ponyo, is among its most beautiful, and is a new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.

A new take on The Little Mermaid.

Brunhilde is a little goldfish who lives under the sea with her father and sisters. All her life, she’s been stuck in and Fujimoto’s submarine, but she wants more out of life. She one day sets out to see what there is outside of the ocean she knows. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go too well and she ends up trapped in a bottle.

She’s then rescued by a young boy named Sosuke. He breaks the bottle trapping her and sets her free. She then licks clean a cut he got saving her, healing it with her magic. He renames her Ponyo and decides to keep her with him and protect her. Ponyo loves her new name and him. However, her father Fujimoto comes to claim her, dragging her home, and the Ponyo and Sosuke are separated.

Ponyo is then determined to not only find a way back to Sosuke, but also find a way to become a human. However, doing so could disrupt the world’s balance.

Ponyo is a reminder of how beautiful 2D animation can be.

Ponyo is the kind of movie you’d have to see twice. The first time, you’d see and appreciate the actual story presented on the screen. The second time, you’re able to focus on the detailed artwork on the screen. In fact, Ponyo sets a new record for Studio Ghibli films – there are 170,000 individual, handdrawn images in the movie.

It also features a wonderful sense of storytelling and pacing. The beginning of the movie is very relaxed, almost leisurely. The audience is able to take this time to get to know and identify with the characters, specifically Ponyo and Sosuke. It then gradually builds in intensity and action, and features a satisfying ending. It never feels rushed, and while there are some fairly intense and dark moments, even those don’t feel threatening. It’s just a trial that must be faced and overcome.

Disney did do a wonderful job when casting the English version, with one exception. Personally, I found Noah Cyrus (Ponyo) to be a tad annoying at times, as opposed to endearing, and I preferred Yuria Nara’s take on Ponyo. Frankie Jonas, on the other hand, does a decent job as Sosuke. Of course, Tina Fey (Lisa), Liam Neeson (Fujimoto) and Cate Blanchett (Gran Mamare) all provide wonderful performances, and so do Matt Damon, Betty White, Lily Tomlin and Cloris Leachman in their cameo appearances. Overall, it’s very well-acted.

A tale all ages and cultures can appreciate.

If you enjoyed previous Studio Ghibli movies, like Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away, you’ll fall in love with Ponyo. It’s an endearing adventure. The English language version is well cast, and it’s a joy to watch. I have a feeling that it will also become the most popular of the Studio Ghibli movies released in America, due to the familiar story and breathtaking visuals.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables looks at Japan’s Pokemon Centers.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed Nanashi no Game for the DS.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

Full Story ? | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article ?

This week’s PlayStation Store update features the game TV Show King for $9.99 for the PlayStation 3, in the style of the more popular television game shows like wheel of fortune, weakest link and others this game will challenge you, your friends and family with questions ranging from history to geography, literature to science and sports to entertainment. Check it out:

Also available for download is Crystal Defenders for $9.99. A defensive strategy game in which players deploy popular job classes used in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 like soldiers, monks, black mages and archers to strategically place them on the map to defend your crystals from a stream of enemy creatures that fly or crawl past your army.

Here’s a list of everything else that’s new:

Qore

• Qore Annual Subscription: August 2009 (PS3/$24.99)
• Qore Episode 15: August 2009 (PS3/$2.99)

Downloadable Games:

• Dynasty Warriors (PSP/$14.99)

Game Demos:

• Rag Doll Kung Fu Demo Demo (PS3/Free)
• Batman: Arkham Asylum Demo (PS3/Free)
• Crystal Defenders Demo (PS3/Free)
• Worms Demo (PS3/Free)

Bonus Game Contents:

• Cross Edge Trial Edition Pack (PS3/Free)
• Cross Edge Additional Dungeon 4 (PS3/Free)
• Cross Edge Enigma Synth Pack (PS3/Free)
• Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires Additional Music Set 3 (PS3/Free)
• Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Musicians Wardrobe Add-On (PS3/Free)
• Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Moment Maker Special Effects Add-On (PS3/Free)
• Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Stage Prop Add-On (PS3/Free)
• Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Fashions Add-On (PS3/Free)
• Cross Edge Latest Technology Pack (PS3/$1.99)
• Cross Edge Pretty Little Pack (PS3/$1.99)
• LittleBigPlanet: inFamous Costumes Pack (PS3/$1.99)
• GTI Club Plus (PS3/$1.99)
• Savage Moon Waldgeist Add-On (PS3/$4.99)
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 Cog Hill Golf & CC (PS3/$4.99)
• Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 (PS3/$9.99)
• Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Old West Map Pack (PS3/$9.99)

Guitar Hero World Tour Individual Songs:

• “Camel’s Night Out” by Eric Johnson (PS3/$1.99)

Rock Band Music Packs:

• Spinal Tap’s TAP TEN (PS3/$17.99)

Individual Songs:

• “America” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Big Bottom” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Cups and Cakes” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “(Funky) Sex Farm” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Gimme Some Money” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Heavy Duty” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Hell Hole” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee)” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Rock ‘n’ Roll Creation” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Stonehenge” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)
• “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” by Spinal Tap (PS3/$1.99)

Rock Band Unplugged bonus content:

• “Had a Dad” by Jane’s Addiction (PSP/$1.99)
• “Renegade” by Styx (PSP/$1.99)

Free Game Videos:

• TV Show King Trailer (English, French and Spanish versions) (PS3/Free)
• Unbound Saga Between the Panels Issue 2 (PS3/PSP/Free
• Watchmen The End Is Nigh Part 2 Launch Trailer (PS3/Free)
• Watchmen The End Is Nigh Part 2 The Complete Experience Launch Trailer (PS3/Free)
• G Force The Video Game Trailer (PS3/Free)
• Mini Ninjas Futo Gameplay Trailer (PS3/Free)
• Mini Ninjas Futo Vignette (PS3/Free)
• Mini Ninjas Shun Vignette (PS3/Free)

New Movies to Rent or Own:

• Obsessed. Rated PG-13 (Own/SD Format/$14.99)
• Miss March. Rated R (Rent/SD Format/$3.99)
• Miss March. Rated R (Rent/HD Format/$5.99)
• Miss March. Rated R (Own/SD Format/$14.99)
• Dragonball: Evolution. Rated PG (Rent/SD Format/$3.99)
• Dragonball: Evolution. Rated PG (Rent/HD Format/$5.99)
• Dragonball: Evolution. Rated PG (Own/SD Format/$14.99)
• The T.O. Show Season 1. Rated TV Y-7 (Own/SD Format/$1.99)
• Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs. Rated G (Own/SD Format/$1.99)

Wallpapers and Themes:

• College Football Theme: Arkansas (PS3/$1.99)
• College Football Theme: Clemson (PS3/$1.99)
• College Football Theme: Colorado (PS3/$1.99)
• College Football Theme: Illinois (PS3/$1.99)
• College Football Theme: Missouri (PS3/$1.99)

Read [PlayStation Store Blog] Site [PlayStation]

Full Story ? | Written by Lucy Newman for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article ?

Full Story ? | Written by NEWS for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article ?

Playstation was hands-on at Comic Con this year and Sony brought out a few of its best games for the PS3 and PSP to show off. I attended a media party at the Hard Rock Hotel (across the street from Comic Con) and was able to try out a few of the awesome titles coming out. Here are three I was able to extensively play.

Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time

They showed us two different parts of the game, one with Ratchet and one with Clank. Clank’s was a but hard, basically you had to step on these platforms and by doing so it created a clone of him that would mimic everything he did until you stopped the recording. You would use this to your advantage to open a door that required you to stand on two platforms. You press Go and your clone runs over and stands on the platform like you did, while you stand on the other to open the door and run through. This got harder as the puzzles got more difficult since you had to make multiple clones doing different things. It was actually a bit frustrating.

Ratchet’s was basically him running around in this big open field and trying all his gadgets while killing huge machines. You got to try out his hover boots (which allow you to float quickly across the land and over water) and various weapons to destroy all the huge machines that were walking around. Much simpler, but I still didn’t quite know what I was doing. Either way it gave us a sneak peek about what the game would be like. It’s coming out Fall 2009

Heavy Rain

I was excited to try this out since I read about it a while back. The game starts with you being a detective with futuristic gear that allows you to analyze DNA and other evidence simply by touching it. You walk into a junk yard and talk to a rather tough looking guy operating the forklift. You ask him about a specific car and he basically tells you to go stick it. So you are on your own to look for clues. By hitting your controls you activate your special glasses that allow you to see all the evidence stick out at you. By clicking on specific things like a DNA or tire tracks, you can determine if it belongs to the person or car your looking for.

It took a while to figure all this out. I did a lot of walking around, button mashing, and consulting with people around me to get to this point. After you search around for awhile, the big tough guy gets angry and confronts you, eventually grabbing you and dragging you along with a gun to your head. If you hit certain buttons when the icons pop up, you can knock things in his way, or trip him up long enough to get away or grab the gun. This part requires perfect timing and you may need to start over.

Another feature of the game is to know what is on the characters mind and what he thinks about different things. By clicking a button, you bring up several options including mood, sadness, weather, etc. When you click on these, you get a better sense of how he feels about himself and what’s around him. I think once you get the control schemes down, this could be a very fun game. It reminded me a bit of Indigo Prophecy for the PS2. Available sometime in 2010.

Fat Princess

This was an awesome, fun little title. It is a “Defend the Castle” type game that can be played online. I was playing as a character from the red team, defending my castle from the blue team. You can pick from five classes including mage, archer and gunner. You can change these classes at will and each class has different weapons you can switch from by hitting a button. All you do to switch classes to to pick up the different hats. The hats are found at your base (produced by machines) or by finding them on the field. You can even get a rivals hat.

Not only do you have to defend you castle but you have you have to infiltrate the rivals castle and save your princess who is in the rival castle. This is not easy because people will be shooting at you from all over. The best option is teamwork, which was hard for me since I was playing with people I couldn’t communicate with. In order to stop the rivals from saving their princess, you can feed her cake that you find laying around the field. When you feed them the cake, the princesses get fatter and fatter, and it will take several people to work together to save her, making her harder to rescue.

This was a fast paced, quick moving game that had a lot of fun with. If you get killed, you just start back at your base and try again. And you can play with your friends online to team up against the rivals, or be on separate teams for more competition! This title is available at the end of the month at the Playstation store.

Site [Playstation] Read [IGN] Read [Gamertell]

Full Story ? | Written by Jessica Moen for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article ?

The reports started to trickle in last night around midnight. Overnight, it has blown into an internet-wide news story that has begun to hit mainstream newspapers. AT&T has given no official statement yet, but customers who have contacted AT&T are reporting the block was issued due to a DDoS attack directed at 4chan. They also are reporting that complaints came to AT&T from customers about the site containing viruses.

Joe Q. Public may never have heard of 4chan, but this block comes during a time where net neutrality is a hot topic for many people. The general public is rallying behind the members of 4chan, expressing concern over a major company blocking a popular internet website.

The members of Anonymous have already started a project to retaliate. The project is rather impressive for Anon. There’s no talk of massive DDoS retaliation or plastering personal information on the internet. They’re fighting fire with fire.

AT&T’s customer service and tech support lines are being flooded with calls from all over the world expressing concern and outrage over this block. Website owners are urged to block AT&T’s own IP addresses and redirect those customers to a page explaining why they can not access the website. E-mail addresses of higher ups are readily available and information on governing bodies who can help are also available. A formal letter form has been posted for everyone to send.

Early this morning, reports came in that AT&T had lifted the block on the popular 4chan boards. However, as the morning went on the block seemed to still be in place. This is going to get very interesting before it’s over.

Update: Reports are coming in that the block seems to have been lifted by AT&T. Many states are reporting that they can view the blocked portions of the site. Other states are still seemingly blocked. I spoke to a representative of AT&T who stated that the block was a result of an “unsecure site causing issues for our customers.” He then told me he couldn’t discuss it further.

Our coverage is going to stop here. It looks like things on AT&T’s end are simmering down. If you want to keep up on what is happening with the proclaimed “internet hate machine”, check this Twitter account.

The Geek Media would like to warn our readers that 4chan is not being linked in this story because the content on 4chan may be offensive to some people. If you visit the site, you do so at your own risk.

More information on this can be found at Mashable and TechCrunch

Full Story ? | Written by NEWS for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article ?

TGM: Dragonica is an interesting MMO because it has a serious story in a high fantasy setting. However, the characters and the look of the world is very cutesy and almost anime based. Why did you choose this look and feel for it?
Max: Dragonica’s graphical style is a mix between Eastern and Western influences with a very unique, bright, rich and detailed environment to explore. Due to the very cartoon like style of the game, we don’t see Dragonica ageing like other games and the game is very accessible with low entry specs that many notebook, desktop and even netbook players will be able to run. It’s brilliantly unique. And it’s free to play.

TGM:The game is currently in an open beta stage, which means there is lots more to come. What are a few things we can expect to see from the game?
Max:Currently, Dragonica positioned itself in a very unique way by being the first on the market to revive side-scrolling in a meaningful manner. Barunson chose a 2D side-scrolling system with a 3D depth and turn concept while transforming the whole action oriented jump and run experience into a proper MMO with all the up to date community features.
Those two are the main pillars of any future development for Dragonica. So of course there will be new levels, regions, dungeons and battlegrounds to explore and experience in the future but also more community based features to enjoy. Barunson currently is working on finalizing the housing and pet system for Dragonica which will be live in the upcoming months.
Also, we’ll be looking out for what the community actually wants to have and then submit those suggestions to our developer so it’s mainly a work in progress and can only get better.

TGM:We all know of a couple of MMOs that are dominating right now. How is Dragonica different?
Max:It’s much better than most MMOs you’ve seen AND it’s free. Dragonica is a 3D action-orientated side-scrolling game. It targets a really broad audience addressing older and younger players alike combining a retro style of gameplay with up to date graphics. Due to the many fun quests and humorous skills like the fart attack, airstrike or Bruce Lee jump, we believe parents can enjoy Dragonica as much as kids, and gamers who have been playing games since the 1980’s or 1990’s will instantly know how to play. Also, you can play this MMO with any pad you like, be it a SNES pad or Xbox controller. You just need to find the good free software to use it.
Dragonica does not only offer achievers like hardcore gamers the satisfaction of conquering and holding the Emporia with their guilds in big 25vs25 battles but also gives casual players the chance to just try out some PvP and PvE at the very early stages. It’s an intuitive fun and really humorous game and its console style gameplay will give players fun for either 10 minutes or a couple of hours as they choose.

TGM:What would you tell players of the more popular MMO’s to bring them to the world of Dragonica? Almost every free MMO makes money by micro transactions or advertising.
Max:I’d tell them why Dragonica is different. Tell them that they’d enter a world full of magic and with an amazing community but also tell them that this experience won’t cost them anything, that this experience will bring them back to the good old “Golden Axe” times but with better graphics, that you’d be able to play it with any pad you like if you chose to and ultimately that they’ll be guaranteed to burst out laughing every couple of minutes as it’s actually quite a fun and humorous game to play. You’ll enjoy it and missing it would be sad.

TGM:Is Dragonica planning on doing the same?
Max:It’s quite right that our business model is based on micro transactions which means there’s an item shop players have the option to use. There won’t be any weapons or armour for sell, we’ll not tamper with the balance at all. It’s just items that help you level up that tiny bit faster, secure your weapon enchanting or give you a more unique appearance. And certainly enough, you’ll always get what you pay for and if you choose not to, no harm is done.

TGM:What are a few things we can see coming up in the shop for our characters?
Max:As said, there will be fashion cloth sets, fashion weapon skins, fashion accessories, exp scrolls, unique cooking recipes, enchant insurance scrolls, cool HP / MP potions (better than those in game) and other things like that.

TGM:The class system is a little different then I am used to. Many times, you stay one class through the entire game, but with Dragonica your class will change as your character levels up. What made you decide to work the class system that way?
Max:You still keep your original class in fact. It’s more like having mastered the basic skills of the profession you picked up and now getting a promotion. You can still utilize all the talents of your old class but can also use all the talents of your new class, given you have enough skill points to distribute. So instead of having 3 talent trees from the start to put talents in, you have 3 talent trees step by step to put talents in.

TGM:If you played a character in Dragonica, what would be the class you choose? I personally like Warrior and Magician second.
Max:The warrior currently is my favourite, he’s strong, very resilient and has a good punch; like a rock in the sea basically. The mage is very fragile in contrast but when she decides to attack you, you better go out of her way. Mages are the DPS classes of Dragonica. The Thief is a bit more resilient but still quite fragile having mastered the art of slice and dice attacks to simply shred his enemy in the air. Very cool, honestly. Then the Archer. My first class. It’s this class that is probably played most, simply because you’ll never see an enemy coming close enough to hit you. And even if he hits you, you’ll just moonwalk back and shoot again; a piece of cake.

TGM:Let’s talk for a minute about player immersion and interaction. The NPCs in the game are very interactive. A player can choose to have a conversation with them, take quests, and do other things depending on the NPC. There are also a lot of voice actors who lend voices to these NPCs and make them more interactive. What else in Dragonica is just as interactive and immersive for a player?
Max:As Barunson has tried to make the NPCs as interactive as possible, they’ve also tried to make the quests as interactive as possible. There are three different types of quests: hero quests, daily quests and normal class quests. The hero quests bring you deeper and deeper into the story of Dragonica and provide a strong narrative to this fantastic world of the Dragons. In total there are about 1500 quests in the game currently and every new content update will add more quests to the game.

TGM:The game seems to give you choices as a player. Many instance dungeons are able to be soloed, and it seems that someone could potentially solo their way through the game. Is this the case, or is there a lot more of a player to player interaction encouraged as the game moves on?
Max:It’s a multiplayer game, for sure. While you potentially can solo most of the content, you’ll not experience all of the content if you’re not playing it together with other players, build friendships or join a guild. This is essential for an online game and you cannot do without.

Max Stolberg is the Producer of Dragonica with Gala Networks Europe, the European publisher of Dragonica (gptoato). To get Dragonica in your area, follow the links.
Europe
US
Asia and Australia

A friend on Twitter recommended it for everyone to try. I was a little reluctant to try the application because it states it’s still in open beta. I kept TinyTwitter on my phone, and downloaded UberTwitter. The first question I had was “will it kill my battery?”. A test was started, I set the application to refresh Twitter every five minutes and then let it go.

I am happy to say my phone was off the charger all night and through the day. I am only at half battery.It will continue to refresh your Twitter for you, but it won’t pull pictures or information until you go into the application itself.

UberTwitter also has a leg up on it’s competition with BlackBerry Twitter applications. The settings when you download it allows you to fully customize your application, including refreshing your feed when you want it to, and displaying pictures or not. It also allows you to see pictures on the feed itself (if you choose the option) instead of using your mobile browser to view pictures and opening a new application.

It’s definitely the best Twitter app I’ve found for the BlackBerry, and it’s still in a beta phase. This means we’ll probably see some major improvement before too long.

You can join the community here

I’m currently in the (now) open beta for a game that may be blocking the IP addresses of North America, Australia, and Asia. This is a problem that I have come up against before, and it won’t be the last time I see this issue happen. However, the players seem to think they understand why publishers for free MMOs do this. They keep crying “foul”, and in the words of Inigo Montoya; “You keep saying that word. I do no think it means what you think it means.”

Lag issues is not quite the reason why a free MMO will block a region. If they do, it’s to protect the players in the region blocked. The further they are away from the servers, the worse their lag is. If you are close to the server database and experiencing lag, then it’s most likely because of a crowded server, or your own client side issues.

Currency conversion problems is again a highly unlikely issue. Most platforms that accept credit cards can easily convert currency. However, players in the regions blocked may end up spending more money to buy items in a micro transaction. For example, a US based player using a European MMO will spend almost twice the amount they would in the US because of the US dollar to Euro conversion rate.

Do these companies have a “deal” with each other to keep their regional player base to themselves? Again, I doubt it. Unless the publishers are owned by the same parent company. However, publishers could just have common courtesy for the other publisher and not want to take their paying customers.

There are plenty of other reasons why a free to play MMO would block another region or country. Though, there are ways you (the player) can keep yourself on your “home” servers. Most communities for these free to play games are small, and the developers/GMs are easy to talk to.

Write them, and let them know why you are playing on a different region’s servers. Tell them what type of lag you are or not experiencing, and why you don’t have a problem converting currency to theirs. It’s also a good idea to suggest ways they can work around this.

The massive free to play MMO Maple Story ended up blocking regions from certain servers. However, they implemented this block much later in the game. So, players who had already created accounts on a different region were still able to play there. It affected players who created accounts after a certain date.

Personally, I am very happy on the European client in one free MMO, and I don’t want to be blocked. I’m enjoying every minute as a beta tester, and I have 0 lag issues. I really ought to contact the company of that game and shout “Don’t block me, bro!”

March 2006 was the last time an album was released, but a new RP and music video has been released since. The band’s news on their official site states that they are in the studio currently recording new music.

My introduction to Mesh was “You Didn’t Want Me” from “In This Place Forever” album (1996). Though my first album wasn’t until “Fragmente” (1998). Over the past 12 years, the sound has remained solid. A perfect mix of electronic music genres, melodic vocals, and alternative style guitar.

The blends of music genres, styles, and lyrics make Mesh a definite mark on your “must check out” list. Start out with the older albums such as “In This Place Forever” and continue to move through their catalog of music. You’ll find yourself creating a new playlist just for this band in no time.

Mesh on last.fm
Mesh official website
Mesh on MySpace

Plan on plenty of album reviews, artist reviews, and interviews with artists to come. Frequency-E Music brings you independent music from all over the world that you can discover.

I’d like to thank you all for reading and keeping up with the blog. Recently, a new decision was made to change things around. Frequency-E Music will now be a part of The Geek Media. I’ve been a part of TGM since it’s inception, and I am one of the people who help keep things going there and at The New Geek Order. 

Frequency-E Music will now be posted on The Geek Media’s website from this point on. Keep looking for awesome independent music, song reviews, album reviews and interviews.

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/uncategorized/stay-tuned/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/mtd-sahak-telikyan http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/mtd-sahak-telikyan#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 22:39:26 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/mtd-sahak-telikyan

Sahak Telikyan
“Spree” (mp3)
from “Ignition”
(Pe-Ko Records World)

More On This Album

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/mtd-sahak-telikyan/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/mtd-artist-review-beats-antique http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/mtd-artist-review-beats-antique#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 12:00:38 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/mtd-artist-review-beats-antique

Beats Antique is a group that fuses middle eastern music with down tempo hip hop, jazz, and a little bit of classical thrown in for good measure. The group’s songs are reminiscent of 1930’s and 40’s music while adding a modern electronic flair. They have quickly become one of my favorite artists. The music moves from fun tracks such as “Roustabout” to the darker “Slow” which means they are a group that fits my changing moods. 

Group bio: “Beats Antique creates a definitive union between the old and new. Tribal Derivations is centred in Middle Eastern bellydance, down tempo hip hop, old school jazz, classical Indian and North African Gnawa music. Zoe Jakes, an innovative tribal and tribal fusion belly dancer, has co-produced, with Sidecar Tommy and David Satori, a refreshing musical take on an antique aesthetic.” (via)

Listen to Beats Antique on last.fm
Listen to Beats Antique on MySpace Music

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/mtd-artist-review-beats-antique/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/culture/mtd-iuengliss http://www.thegeekmedia.com/culture/mtd-iuengliss#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 12:00:03 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/mtd-iuengliss

Iuengliss (pronounced “i-wen-gliss”) is the moniker of Denver, CO artist and musician Tom Metz. It is a mixture of intricate experimental dance beats, heart healthy melodies and ethereal vocals. Influenced by Aphex Twin, Coldplay, Autechre, Sigur Ros and many others, Iuengliss strives to fill the body and soul with warmth, passion, and complex explosionary vibrations.

 
Iuengliss
“Sunrise” (mp3)
from “Motion In Mind”
(Bocumast LTD.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/culture/mtd-iuengliss/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/hyperforce-%e2%80%93-tetris-reborn http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/hyperforce-%e2%80%93-tetris-reborn#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 07:00:49 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/hyperforce-%e2%80%93-tetris-reborn

Hyper Force
“Tetris Reborn” (mp3)
from “‘ACCELORATE’ Reloaded”
(WD Records)

More On This Album

Norway Dance Producer Hyper Force joins the World Domination Records Label with an impressive Trance inspired sound.

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/hyperforce-%e2%80%93-tetris-reborn/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/uncategorized/mtd-welderseed-%e2%80%93-sirens http://www.thegeekmedia.com/uncategorized/mtd-welderseed-%e2%80%93-sirens#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 23:09:36 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/mtd-welderseed-%e2%80%93-sirens

Welder & Seed
“Sirens” (mp3)
from “Chime”
(Ball of Waxx)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Bio: Welder, aka Brendan Angelides and “Eskmo”, is a San Francisco based musician and live performer. As Welder, his first release in 2006 was the full length “Vines & Stream” which was released on the SF based label “Cyberset”. It received rave reviews from various indie online mags and publications. 2007 saw the release of his first EP on Bluetech’s imprint “Native State”. In 2008, the acclaimed video for the single “Purple and Orange” (directed and edited by Scott Pagano of Neither Field), was met with a great response from fans and newcomers alike. Pagano’s previous work includes videos for BT, Funkstorung, SpeedyJ and Richard Devine among others.

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/uncategorized/mtd-welderseed-%e2%80%93-sirens/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/culture/artist-review-maduro http://www.thegeekmedia.com/culture/artist-review-maduro#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 07:00:17 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/artist-review-maduro a href=”http://www.octofoil-records.com”> Octofoil Records recording artist Maduro takes care of both in one. Maduro’s songs are able to transport you to a different time in your head. Songs like “Glass Eaters” take you back in time with visions of harems, sultans, and popular myths about the middle east. “Bitten” invokes a post apocalyptic setting that pulls you right into a Cyber Punk game. Maduro’s fusion of electronic music, world beats, and middle eastern influence creates a dark and earthy sound that you will not find anywhere else. ]]>

It’s time to once again combine two of my loves – tribal fusion belly dancing, and music. >a href=”http://www.octofoil-records.com”>Octofoil Records recording artist Maduro takes care of both in one.

Maduro’s songs are able to transport you to a different time in your head. Songs like “Glass Eaters” take you back in time with visions of harems, sultans, and popular myths about the middle east. “Bitten” invokes a post apocalyptic setting that pulls you right into a Cyber Punk game.

Maduro’s fusion of electronic music, world beats, and middle eastern influence creates a dark and earthy sound that you will not find anywhere else.

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/culture/artist-review-maduro/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/uncategorized/because-we-all-want-to-be-a-dj http://www.thegeekmedia.com/uncategorized/because-we-all-want-to-be-a-dj#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 22:38:41 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/because-we-all-want-to-be-a-dj

Normally, I don’t post too much about video games here on Frequency-E. However, this recent piece of news was something that caught my eye considering how much electronic music pulses through these pages. Activision has already taken care of people with dreams of being a Rock Star with Guitar Hero. Now, they are nurturing the dreams of would-be turn table jockeys all over the world. DJ Hero was announced this past week as an upcoming game from Activision.

Few details about DJ Hero have been released as of yet. We do know some well known DJs will be taking part in the game. DJ Shadow was seen at SXSW with a DJ Hero banner behind him, and Z-Trip is also confirmed. Rumors of DJ Tiesto and Daft Punk taking part in the game’s music have not been confirmed yet.

DJ Hero will feature hip-hop, R&B, electronica and dance music genres. Activision also promises that “DJs” will be able to create original mixes using the turntable controllers. Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero were also announced for release this past week.

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/uncategorized/because-we-all-want-to-be-a-dj/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/bless-this-mess http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/bless-this-mess#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 16:06:39 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/news/bless-this-mess

You will have to excuse the initial mess. Frequency-E used to be part of another website, and it has taken on a mind of it’s own. Pulling together the previous archives will take some time. In the meantime, enjoy these artists brought to you by UK’s Aardvark Records.

EricM
“Amazeng” (mp3)
from “Everytime This Song Plays”
(Aardvark Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

Jason Sean
“Someday We’ll Meet Again” (mp3)
from “Different Worlds”
(Aardvark Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

Jeff Alford
“Artificial Intelligence” (mp3)
from “Heart Of Trance”
(Aardvark Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

Zetan Spore
“Burn Up” (mp3)
from “Burn Up”
(Aardvark Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

Division
“Sunlight” (mp3)
from “Sunlight”
(Aardvark Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

]]> http://www.thegeekmedia.com/entertainment/bless-this-mess/feed 0 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/gaming-entertainment/vote-for-the-best-games-of-2008 http://www.thegeekmedia.com/gaming-entertainment/vote-for-the-best-games-of-2008#comments Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:07:02 +0000 Candace http://www.thegeekmedia.com/?p=1690 In a joint community effort, The Geek Media is taking write-in votes for the best games of 2008. The results will be released at the end of December. This is your chance to nominate your favorite game and vote.

Write in with the following categories (all categories are optional)
Best PC Game
Best Xbox Game
Best Nintendo Wii Game
Best PS3 Game
Best Handheld game (for PSP and Nintendo DS)
Best game overall

To get your votes in. Send an e-mail with your votes! Please make sure to include the categories you are voting in.

I had a chance to speak with Michael Graham from Activision about “Dawn of the Dragon”. Michael has been credited with work on Heavenly Sword, Twisted Metal, and all three of “The Legend of Spyro” games.

Candace:What is the first thing a player will notice when they start to play “Dawn of the Dragon”?
Michael:I think that the first thing players will notice when they start playing “Dawn of the Dragon” is that it has a more epic tone to it than any other Spyro game. Today’s platform adventure genre is filled to the brim with games based off of cartoons and animated films, nearly all of which have a very young tone. We wanted to make a game that was challenging and moody without being overly pandering or childish. Younger players are a lot smarter and more patient than they are often given credit for and we aimed to give them an experience that was similar to games and movies that have inspired our generation. The majority of games in the youth space seem to avoid themes of “good versus evil” or put players in intense situations. We wanted to change that and provide younger players with an experience that is unlike anything available in their demographic. This is evident right from the start of the game when Spyro and Cynder are attacked by a massive golem.

Continue full interview here

The press release on the company’s website stated; “Namco Bandai Games America Inc., today announced that they will continue to support customers of PC game Hellgate™: London with online server support and play through January 31, 2009 despite the closure of Flagship Studios. In a further gesture of support, Namco Bandai Games will provide this server support free of charge to all fans and players of the game up until the shut down date. “

• Technology
• Web 2.0
• Gaming
• Internet Subculture
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Here’s “I’m Too Pally” by Teagens.

You see when he went to the Doctor today, the Nurse discovered his veins did not want to give out any blood. This was our first clue. She finally got some blood from him after jamming a syringe into his arm. This is of course blood from his innocent victims being used to sustain him.

After that clue, the other pieces were not hard to put together. Why is he having issues eating regular food? Easy! Regular food will no longer sustain him. Brains are all he can take now. The weight loss is of course his own body letting the zombie-ness take ahold of him.

We would like to let you all know that there is no reason to worry. We have this completely under control. Rob will be working with local hunters and buying the brains off of them. This is legal, and a good way to use all of the animal as well. You see?TGM does good things for the environment through zombies!

We have also decided that anytime Rob is at an event or convention, he will be chained to a wall. This is for the safety of everyone around him. We will take measures to ensure not only our safety but Rob’s during this time.

Rumor has it, Rob’s issue does have a cure. We are fervently searching for the cure. Until then, we will continue as normal at TGM fully aware we now work for a zombie. We’d like you all to understand that Rob is still very much himself. It has not completely taken him over. Feel free to speak to him and act as if everything is normal. This will be good for him as we continue to find a cure.

As long as no one gets an e-mail like this, we’ll be OK;

(Disclaimer: This post is half true. Rob is having some actual medical issues that he’s seeing a Doctor for. This post is just making light of that. Keep Rob in your prayers while he gets poked, prodded and finally better.  ….he’s not actually a zombie…we don’t think.)

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Many of us have been waiting over a year for Spore and at one point it seemed to be another Duke Nuk’em Forever (Never!) but it is here and this is the review. Spore is yet another product from the people who gave us “The Sims” but believe me when I say that Spore will not be a game that you just put down and never pick back up, and not even EA could screw this one up.

I never touched the “Creature Creator” but I had no problem playing this from the start, like “The Sims” the controls are simple and easy to use and they explain each evolutionary step as you take it. You can create any monstrosity you want and use it in the game and thanks to EA Online you can share them with friends, they could also be found inhabiting a planet on someone else’s game.

Don’t underestimate the enemy because the AI in Spore is nothing to laugh at. I won’t tell you how because it would be giving some of the gameplay away.

A lot of itemization has gone into this game, from building you empire to your various vehicles, if it’s yours then you can customize it how you please, that includes your creatures garments.

The combat system changes as you evolve, in early game it’s styled like the World of Warcraft battle system with different abilities that you can use, later on it becomes a “Command and Conquer/Starcraft” gameplay.

There are five stages to Spore and you will go through them all as you evolve from a single cell organism, growing legs and heading onto land, forming a tribe, civilization and the heading into space. Space exploration is where this game really opens up and takes a life of its own. Picking to be a carnivore or an herbivore and if you will be peaceful or a warlord will change the gameplay and what evolutionary parts you find.

Yes, there is an end to Spore…or is it a beginning? Well you need to find that out because I’m not telling. To discover the truth you need to head for the center of the Galaxy but that is no easy task considering the galaxy consist of over 500,000 planets.

The detail of each planet is amazing and no two are the same, but this does bring up a small issue of arriving to a planet and it still being wire mesh, this is really only a problem if you have a slow performing computer but this problem quickly fixes itself so it’s nothing to really worry about.

For the music lovers you are able to create some pieces of music for your city that you can loop, and with each city you can have a different tune.

This game truly has everything, yes that includes Pirates! I enjoyed every part of this game and I would give it a 10/10. This game isn’t short, I only completed it in a day because I speeded through it, but even a speed run will take well over ten hours to do.

Just a small warning, this game like many of EA’s games doesn’t include a autosave feature so save often you be like me and be set back two hours because of a crash.

Signing up is easy. It’s a network similar to Facebook (with much less spam). Plus, you can share feeds, add extra widgets and code in your page, and join groups relevant to your interests.

To get started, sign up. Then, start to build your network of fellow geeks. Here’s the TGM related geeks;
Candace Holly
The Geek Media’s geeks page (Rob)
The Geek Media group on geeks (Rob)

If you want to keep up to date on what is going on at TGM, sign up for our newsletter! You can sign up by going to this forum thread. Affiliates of TGM receive a separate newsletter. However, Affiliates can opt-in for the regular newsletter as well. Anyone can opt-out of the newsletter at any given time.

For now, we’re starting it small. You can opt-in by going to this forum thread or, you can e-mail us TheGeekMedia(at)gmail(dot)com .

If Pandora can’t come up with a solution to these issues then, one of the largest names in internet radio may end. That’s pretty sad if you stop to think about it. Hundreds of internet radio stations don’t pay royalties. Many of them should but, they are so small they fall under the radar.

Then, there are internet radio stations that use royalty free music. There are also stations that cater to a sub-genre of music. Those stations get their music directly from the small labels and artists they play.

What really gets to me about this issue is, Pandora actually helps the artist. Traditional radio does not give you the option to buy the music you hear. You have to find that music. Traditional radio also only plays certain songs by an artist. Places similar to Pandora (like last.fm) give you the chance to hear songs you would never hear on the radio and, artists you would never hear on the radio.

I’ve bought plenty of music thanks to Pandora and last.fm . I’ve also discovered plenty of new artists thanks to those two sites. I can not say the same for traditional radio. Yet, Pandora and stations like Pandora are seemingly punished for introducing people to good music, and helping the artists. Something isn’t right here.

This is yet another reason why the laws that previously worked for broadcasting need to see a change. There are two totally different types of media being distributed in today’s world. Traditional media and new media. The laws that take care of traditional media don’t work for new media. Services like Pandora need to stick around and continue to provide us with entertainment and good music.

You can watch the press conference here. At one point the mic cuts out and, some sound issues are present. It’s apparently raw footage from the KING5.com website.

The Geek Media is looking for members of the community who feel like getting a little geeky and want to (dare we say it?) blog! That’s right. We’re looking for you.

Here’s what we want out of the posts;
* Gaming, Tech, Web 2.0 and “Geek” news from around the world
* Articles that are editorial in nature dealing with the above news categories
* Reviews on new games, products, and gadgets
* Articles that are opinion dealing with the above news categories

If you feel like you want to write anything dealing with that, let us know! E-mail us at TheGeekMedia(at)gmail(dot)com with a couple of samples or a link to your own blog. We’ll take it from there.

Just a note; you are not required to post on a daily basis. Once every week or two is fine. Post as you see fit.

It’s a really interesting and novel idea that just might work! I know we’re interested to try out some other recipes that Adreena comes up with. We’re also enjoying watching machinima while we’re learning to cook.

Check out Cooking With Ethnea on WeGame.