Rumor has it that Windows 7 will drop in the middle of next year, but last month Microsoft released a "preview" tester build of Windows 7. After living in the Windows 7 Preview for a week now, several features and niceties jumped out at me which promise to make Windows a better place to work come 2009.
Here are just a few of the things to look forward to in Windows 7.
10. Ding-dong, the Sidebar is dead.
One of the first things I hunted down and killed in Windows Vista was the Sidebar, which loaded by default and docked Vista's Gadgets to the right side of your desktop. In Windows 7, the sidebar is no more, and gadgets, should you want them, can roam free across the desktop. This time around, the gadgets feel less distracting to me—the CPU meter and calendar gadgets are my favourites, though this screenshot shows many more.
9. Calculator, WordPad, and Paint got overhauled.
It sucks that Windows 7 is stripping the built-... More »
Today the PlayStation Blog's PR Manager Jill Webber shared the following contest for those interested:
The PlayStation.Blog is getting into the Halloween spirit. We’re currently digging into our “spooky” catalog of games such as SIREN: Blood Curse, the “Skate to Victory” ghost level in LittleBigPlanet, the new All Hallow’s Eve ball pack and downloadable costumes in High Velocity Bowling, and the newly-released BUZZ! Quiz TV Horror Pack full of over 500 horror movie trivia questions. Check out a few of them below:
WHAT WAS THE SURNAME OF THE FAMILY WHO MOVED INTO THE HAUNTED HOUSE IN ‘THE AMITYVILLE HORROR’?
* LUTZ
* JONES
* MICHAELS
* WILLARD
WHO DIRECTED THE ORIGINAL 2004 ‘SAW’ FILM?
* JAMES WAN
* DARREN LYNN BOUSMAN
* DAVID HACKL
* LEIGH WHANNELL
IN ‘THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT’, THE FILMMAKERS BECOME LOST AFTER MIKE DOES WHAT TO THE MAP?
... More »
Per Grace Chen (Senior Manager, PLAYSTATION Store) today:
Hey, everyone. It’s time again for the PLAYSTATION Store weekly update.
Downloadable Games:
Fatal Inertia EX ($29.99)
Climb into the cockpit and experience a brave new world of combat racing. Fatal Inertia EX lets you battle at high-speed using an unconventional array of weapons designed around realistic principles of physics and magnetism.
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 906 MB
Add-on Game Content:
Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds Oceania Course ($4.99)
Download the new Oceania course now available for play in Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds. Take your favorite players and caddies and tee it up on this new, beautifully designed Oceania course and see if you have what it takes your game to a new level of play.
File size: 100 KB
Metal Gear Solid 4 Database (free)
The entire Metal Gear saga is now at your fingertips!
More »
The latest issue of Game Informer (July 2008) has a cover story for Sucker Punch's inFAMOUS. We haven't heard about this title since last year's E3, in which it wow'ed the crowd. Lets take a look at the breakdown.
• "inFAMOUS begins with a serene, panoramic skyview view of EMpire City on the title screen, with the words "press start flashing". ..once you push start, a massive explosion rips through the heart of the city. Six city blocks are consumed by flame...in the center, a man named Dylan staggers to his feet."
• Dylan doesn't know how he got his powers and starts out apathetic. He then becomes invest in the city...or you can choose not to be at all.
• Dylan can run up rooftops, scrambles across building archtecture, and can seek cover in unlikely nooks and crannies.
• Sucker Punch striving for simple controls to do not so simple things.
During LucasArts' special preview event at the Presidio last week, the game publisher gave media members a first look at Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. The game, which is scheduled to launch this June following the release of the movie "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," is based on the highly successful Lego Star Wars series.
In fact, the game is being developed by Lego Star Wars creator Traveller's Tales and uses the Lego Star Wars 2 game engine. The Original Adventures will include the first three Indiana Jones movies, and each film will get six levels.
LucasArts gave media members a tour of the beginning of the game, which starts with the opening of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in the Peruvian jungle. Like the Lego Star Wars titles, Lego Indiana Jones has some fun with its source material and isn't above spoofing the famous adventure series.
The cut scenes involving the Hovitos and the memorable golden idol swap ... More »
Poisonous spiders have been found in video game controller made in Mexico and South American countries. So far no deaths have been reported but seven people in the United States, and three in Japan, were treated for potentially deadly bites. That number is expected to rise in the next few months due to systems purchased as Christmas presents.
By far the most vicious creature found in the controllers is the Clawskull Screaming Spider. This little monster lies in wait between the cracks of the buttons for a sweaty finger to pass by. Then it sinks its jagged fangs into the flesh and tears at it until it rips off a section, leaving the bone exposed. Those that have been attacked say the pain is unimaginable. Although it’s named the "Screaming Spider," it’s incredible stealthy and silent. It’s the victim that does the screaming. You won’t know it’s there until part of your finger is missing.
Having video game components manufactured in Mexico and South ... More »
According to reports, a Japanese gamer has been able to rip the HD DVD exclusive Transformers and manage to successfully get it running on the PS3 via burning it on Blu-ray.
The steps involved to his success include the following - rip of a EVO file of the Transformers HD DVD, usage of EVOdemux to rebuild the necessary image, convert EVO file into BDMV format via TSremux and lastly burn onto BD-RE with Ulead.
The only major limitiation to his method so far is that subtitles don't transfer over.
A new release of iXtreme Firmware, for all versions of drive (except v78/79 hitachi, which maximus will release shortly). Includes: iXtreme1.4_Hitachi_C4EVA, Samsung iXtreme 1.4, Benq iXtreme v1.4m, and ixDef_1.4.
Note: Everyone is wondering why people were getting banned a few weeks back. Here is a short summary of our speculation:
There are specific timers within the challenge/response protocol that may be checked by MS to determine as criteria for banning. We believe they are measuring one or more to find discrepancies. While a lot of this is speculation, and a lot of data is inaccurate as far as replication due to different mechanics, there may be specific timers that can be easily read. One that we are focusing on has to do with the ... More »
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