Not for just games

Dual core, quad core, cross fire? Er- what? Not just for playing video games or making them look good. High resolution and FPS aren’t the only thing high end gaming display graphics cards are being used for. How about cracking passwords? While it’s not uncommon for the Air Force to be using them to government purposes but the everyday person who needs to crack some wifi passwords start shopping for an ATI video card.

The ATI Radeon HD5970 can outperform a Core i7-960 by 20 times when it comes to hardcore processing power. AND at the fraction of the cost. I don’t know exactly if that’s a good thing to make this hardware available at the local computer store, easily accessible by anyone with devious intentions.

Spore: more to the game than just DRM issues

If you’re one of the gamers who eagerly awaited the game “Spore” you either love it or hate it. Personally I’m not a big sim-game person but I do have to admit that there are some very good elements to the game. For sim fans it offers several different levels of sim games in one, expect more hours of gameplay compared to regular simulation games. Most of the negative feedback stems from the DRM issues. Yes, DRM. You only get 3 installs, Internet activation required then you have to call EA to explain why you need a 4th. Just check out some of the customer reviews on Amazon.

Now the 1 star rating is a bit of a backlash and harsh. The game isn’t bad but it’s not amazing either. I expected a bit more from the game play for something that was 10 years in development. It’s an above average sim game, if you like the concept you’ll enjoy it regardless of what others say.

Corporate gaming promotes productivity

As a gamer, I think this is great news. Far too often playing computer games is given a bad reputation. It’s a great stress reliever, sharpens your mental abilities, and most of all it’s just plain fun. It’s not just a time waster or slacking off, it will provide returns in the long run. Trust me, you’d rather an employee go postal playing Halo than in RL. (see original post below)

“David Edery and Ethan Mollick argue that many skills and lessons from the gaming world are applicable in the business world. The smartest firms, the authors argue, will not only allow game-playing in the workplace, but will actively encourage it.

To CEOs who throw a tantrum every time they catch someone playing solitaire on an office PC, or who consider video games to be the exclusive preserve of pasty-faced teens, that may sound like daft advice.” (link)

Cowon brings the hotness with the S9 PMP

Cowon keeps getting better and better. The S9 brings the sleek, hot design with the expensive look and functionality of a PMP. Just depends on the price. If Cowon continues it’s aggressive pricing strategy the S9 should blow the next gen iPod out of the water.

Cowon S9

EA moving into movies

With the gaming industry growing so rapidly, and more people spending time with their consoles and PCs instead of going to movies or watching television, it’s no surprise that developers and publishers are interested in branching out into different forms of media. EA is jumping into Hollywood with both feet, having announced that the company signed with United Talent Agency to develop its properties for film and TV shows.

The history of game-based films is uneven, to say the least. Early misses like the Mario Bros. movie and Doom didn’t do much to help things, although the film adaptation of Silent Hill was surprisingly watchable. The first trailer for the Max Payne film also has fans cautiously optimistic. EA already has many deals in place, including a film version of The Sims with 20th Century Fox, and its new IP Dead Space is getting the royal treatment; the story of the game begins in a comic book series illustrated by Ben Templesmith, to be continued in a feature-length animated film, then finishing up with the game itself. Should these side-projects bring the game success, it’s probable a bigger-budget live-action movie would at least be discussed. (link)