 Star Wars Battlefront 2 goes gold
As promised, Star Wars Battlefront 2 has just gone gold according to Ve3d, just in time for the super-launch of both the game and the Star Wars Episode III DVD on November 1st. Star Wars Battlefront 2 will be available for PS2, Xbox and the PC.
Star Wars Battlefront II takes the best-selling Star Wars video game of all time one Imperial-walker step forward with all-new space combat, playable Jedi, and never-before-played environments straight out of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Fans of the original Star Wars Battlefront will also enjoy an all-new single-player experience that takes players through an epic, story-based saga centered around Darth Vader's personal stormtroopers, the 501st Legion.
Star Wars Battlefront II is published by LucasArts and developed by Pandemic Studios. For more information, please visit the official product website at www.swbattlefront2.com
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 28, 2005, 11:48 am
Playstation 3 to Ship with Parental Controls
Sony has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of minors from the effects of violent videogames with the announcement of in-built parental controls for its next generation PS3 console.
Sony joined Japan's biggest retailers, publishers and developers in a discussion with the Tokyo government last week, designed to establish a universal approach to the issue of violent videogames and their alleged associated effects on children.
The city's government, along with several prefectural governments across Japan, is considering a wide-reaching change to its current rating system and preventing the sale of certain software to minors, in a similar fashion to European practices.
Microsoft, also present at the talks, has already confirmed that its forthcoming Xbox 360 console will have an adaptable parental control systems in place, allowing parents to dictate what content can be played on the console.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 28, 2005, 11:48 am
News Source : GamesIndustry.biz
 Orange Launches C600 and M3000
Orange today announced the launch of the SPV C600 smartphone and the SPV M3000, a wireless PDA. Both devices support high speed data access by using EDGE technology.
The SPV C600 allows customers to access their email, use their calendar and synchronise data with their desktop, as well as making calls and sending text messages in the usual way. The SPV M3000 offers customers the same ability to do business effectively while on the move, with the addition of a high quality PDA screen and a full keyboard.
Orange is the first operator in Europe to deliver a Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0-based smartphone. It's expected that T-Mobile and O2 will be launching their equivalents before Christmas.
The SPV C600 also has a break-through high resolution colour screen (320x240 pixel colour screen), a 1.3 mega pixel camera and a 64MB internal memory. To help busy executives relax, it also features an MP3 and WAV music player and Windows Media Player 10 Mobile.
The SPV C600 will be available in France, UK, Netherlands and Switzerland from the end of October and in Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Poland from the first week of November.
The SPV M3000 offers mobile versions of familiar applications such as Microsoft Outlook as well as Internet Explorer? Mobile, plus the convenience of using the same file formats (such .doc, .xls, .ppt). Combined with 128MB internal memory and support for additional external memory, it makes the SPV M3000 a powerful mini-computer for business users on the move. In addition to fast EDGE (up to 247 kbps), the SPV M3000 also supports WiFi connectivity (802.11b) to give users broadband mobile access. It also offers a 1.3 mega pixel camera and camcorder.
The SPV M3000 will be available in France from the end of October and in Poland, Netherlands, Slovakia and Romania from the first week of November.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 28, 2005, 11:46 am
News Source : Orange UK
Talisman Desktop 2.9.2900
"Talisman Desktop" (Talisman) is a desktop alternative and shell-replacement for Windows 9x/ME and NT/2000/XP, capable of transforming your desktop into an interface organized as you like. The program's basic purpose: Launch other applications in a new interface, instead of the standard Windows desktop. But the opportunities presented by "Talisman" are much broader. The program does not limit your computer fantasies - draw anything you like and arrange it as your imagination tells you to. When you get tired of looking at the same screen - change it all over again.
If you are in a good mood - throw flowers and favorite photos on the screen. If you're not feeling so bright - leave the black screen with lonely Norton Commander or winking Bill Gates. Create invisible buttons - they will open those places and the pictures, known only to you. Construct galleries of the best pictures and photos. Simply create your own little world, created by and for you, instead of staring at the same lines of icons on your desktop, year after year.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 26, 2005, 12:20 pm
News Source : Neowin
Download : Talisman Desktop
Grisoft Releases AVG Anti-Virus 7.1
Grisoft announces the release of AVG Anti-Virus 7.1, the latest version of its award-winning AVG Anti-Virus software. All current AVG customers will be able to download the upgrade to the new 7.1 version through the standard update process. To ensure that all customers are able to take advantage of the full functionality offered by AVG 7.1 as soon as possible, the upgrade will be available as two updates: a "Recommended Update" available today, which will include program components, and a second update available on Monday, October 24, which will include additional components.
Among the most important new features you will find:
* Detection of potentially unwanted applications.
* Support for Windows XP 64-bit Edition
* Additional configuration options for the AVG Resident Shield
* Improved support for screen reader programs
* Further reduction of update package size
* Improved automatic configuration wizard for the AVG Firewall
* And more – extended email scanning options, additional event history logging, extended system area test options
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 26, 2005, 12:14 pm
News Source : Neowin
Download : AVG Trial
Opera 9.0 Preview 1 Available for Download
Opera has released the future version of their popular desktop browser, which was set free in September, available for public consumption. The browser showcases some of the planned new features and improved standards compliancy. Opera 9 is codenamed Merlin.
One of the major changes is the new advanced configuration interface that can be accessed by entering opera:config into the address bar, which will display a page to manually edit opera's preferential values. This version also features Rich Text editing support, which appears to work in Google's popular email service, GMail. The promised new IMAP back-end has been built-in into the M2 mail client, along with the browser's support for XSLT, Canvas 2D, and Web Forms 2.0.
BitTorrent support has been put back in this preview release, a feature Opera pulled from the older preview releases and thus didn't make it to the final 8.0. This feature works in a very subtle manner with minimal resource footprint.
This Preview release is meant by Opera as a way to get bug reports and general feedback from the users, especially those involving Speed & Stability, IDing as Opera by default, render regressions since 8.5 and connecting to secure sites using TLS 1.1. Forums and Newsgroups are open for user input.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 26, 2005, 12:13 pm
News Source : Neowin
Download : Opera 9.0 Preview
 NVIDIA Forceware 81.85 WHQL
While some NVIDIA users are already using the 81.85 beta release, those more leary of the "b" word can now find a WHQL version for download.
Release Highlights:
* WHQL Certified driver.
* Adds support for GeForce 6600 VE, GeForce 6150, and GeForce 6100.
* Mixed vendor support for NVIDIA SLI.
* TV-Out/HD-out support for NVIDIA SLI.
* Added support for VSync on Direct3D games when running NVIDIA SLI.
* Performance enhancements for dual-core CPUs.
* PureVideo high definition MPEG-2 de-interlacing support.
* Usability enhancements when connecting to an HDTV.
* Microsoft? DirectX? 9.0c and OpenGL? 2.0 support
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 26, 2005, 12:11 pm
News Source : Neowin
Download : Forceware 81.85
Winamp 5.11 Released
Nullsoft Winamp is a fast, flexible, high-fidelity media player for Windows. Winamp supports playback of many audio (MP3, OGG, AAC, WAV, MOD, XM, S3M, IT, MIDI, etc) and video types (AVI, ASF, MPEG, NSV), custom appearances called skins (supporting both classic Winamp 1.x/2.x skins and Winamp 3 freeform skins), audio visualization and audio effect plug-ins (including two industry dominating visualization plug-ins), an advanced media library, Internet radio and TV support, CD ripping, and CD burning.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 26, 2005, 12:10 pm
News Source : Neowin
 iTunes 6.01
Apple has released a small update to their recently released iTunes 6 media player. The update is listed as having "several stability improvements over iTunes 6" with no specific details. This update is available for both Windows and Mac, with the OS X version being available in Software Update. A direct download link is provided below to avoid Apple's mailing list signup form.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 12:41 pm
News Source : Neowin
Download : iTunes 6.01
 ATI Catalyst 5.10a Beta Drivers
ATI today released a beta version of this month's Catalyst 5.10 release. This hotfix includes the reported "tool" which allows for 35% performance increases in Doom 3 benchmark tests. The hotfix reportedly also includes fixes for Quake 4 and X1K series users running Serious Sam 2 Note that this beta driver is only for Windows XP and includes ATI's Catalyst Control Center.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:29 am
News Source : Neowin
Junk Computers Litter Developing Nations
According to a report by environmental group the Basel Action Network, much of the used computer equipment sent to developing nations for use in homes, schools, and business is not usable in its current condition and in many cases irreparable. The report charges that the old and faulty equipment is being donated or sold to these countries by United States recycling companies as a means of dodging the expense of recycling it properly.
The report, which focuses mainly on Nigeria in western Africa, claims that in many cases these attempts to "bridge the digital divide" in developing nations turn into little more than toxic waste pipelines. These actions force Nigeria and other countries such as China, India, and Pakistan to handle a disproportionate amount of the world's toxic waste. In a visit to the port city of Lagos in Nigeria, the group said that despite emerging technology industries the country lacked an infrastructure for electronics recycling. As a result, much of the imported equipment ended up in landfills, where toxins in the devices can seep into groundwater and produce other unhealthy conditions.
The average CRT computer monitor can contain as much as eight pounds of lead and uses plastics treated with toxic fire retardant chemicals. To prevent such toxins from ended up in landfills, the group is trying to push regulations which would require such recycling companies to properly test sold or donated equipment and label it before shipping.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:28 am
News Source : New York Times
 Company makes claims on XML patents
Charlotte, N.C.-based Scientigop owns two patents (No. 5,842,213 and No. 6,393,426) covering the transfer of "data in neutral forms." These patents, one of which was applied for in 1997, are infringed upon by the data-formatting standard XML, Scientigo executives assert.
Scientigo intends to "monetize" this intellectual property, Scientigo CEO Doyal Bryant said this week.
Rather than seek royalties itself, Scientigo has forged a tentative agreement with an intellectual-property licensing firm that will handle contracts with third parties, Bryant said. A final agreement could be announced early next week, he said.
"We're not interested in having us against the world. We're just looking for ways to leverage an asset; we have pretty concrete proof that makes us feel comfortable saying it is an asset," Bryant said.
special report
Scientigo's claims are the latest to crop up in an industry that is sharply divided over the role of patents.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:28 am
News Source : C-Net News
Major Book Publishers Sue Google
Google Inc. on Wednesday was sued by a major publishing association for digitizing library books without the permissions of copyright holders, the second such suit filed against the search engine giant.
The Association of American Publishers, based in Washington, D.C., sued the Mountain View, Calif., company on behalf of members The McGraw-Hill Companies, Pearson Education, Penguin Group (USA), Simon & Schuster and John Wiley & Sons. The suit seeks a court declaration that Google infringes the rights of copyright holders when it scans entire books and stores the digitized versions in its massive database. The trade group also wants a court order requiring Google to first obtain permission from copyright holders.
Patricia Schroeder, AAP president and a former Colorado congresswoman, said the suit was filed after talks broke down. The AAP had proposed that Google use each book's unique ID number to determine if the work is under copyright, and then seek permission from the book's owner. For more than 30 years, most books have carried an ISBN identification number, which is machine readable.
Google, according to Schroeder, refused.
"If Google can scan every book in the English language, surely they can utilize ISBNs," Schroeder said in a statement. "By rejecting the reasonable ISBN solution, Google left our members no choice but to file this suit.”
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:27 am
News Source : Information Week
 Suit filed over Nano scratches
Claiming that the iPod Nano has a widespread propensity for scratching easily, lawyers this week filed a class action suit against Apple Computer on behalf of those who have purchased the diminutive music player. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday on behalf of all those who have bought a Nano, alleges that Apple violated state consumer protection statutes, as well as express and implied warranties. The complaint charges that Apple knew that there were design problems with the Nano.
"These Nanos scratch excessively during normal usage, rendering the screen on the Nanos unreadable," according to the complaint, which was filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., by attorneys with Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro in Seattle and Columbus, Ohio-based David P. Meyer & Associates. The suit seeks to have the complaint certified as a class action claim and asks for "damages in the amount of monies paid for Nanos," as well as unspecified actual, statutory and punitive damages.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:25 am
News Source : C-Net News
Sony's Blu-Ray Gains Another Ally
It has been reported today that Sony's next generation optical media, Blu-Ray, has gained another ally in the ever changing format battle. The newest supporter of Sony's format is Warner Bros, one of the largest film studios. Although Warner Bros have also outlined future support for the main rival to Blu-Ray, Toshiba's HD DVD, just as their studio rival Paramount Home Entertainment have.
HD DVD has some important key supporters also, such as Microsoft and Intel. Bill Gates has said that he believes the content protection of Blu-Ray discs is very anti-consumer, as previously posted here at Neowin. Talks were taking place earlier this year to have a compromise format, thus avoiding the potential repeat of a VHS/Betamax type showdown, but these talks broke down. Now each company is pushing for more supporters in a bid to become the dominant format in your PC, living room and games console.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:24 am
News Source : Blu-Ray Website
Google's Third Quarter Results Higher Than Expected
Google's rapidly rising profits soared to new heights in the third quarter as its internet-leading search engine churned out a sevenfold earnings increase that blew past analyst expectations. The Mountain View, California-based company said Thursday that it made $381.2 million, during the three months ended in September. That compared with net income of $52 million, a year ago. Last year's results included a $201 million charge to account for a legal settlement with rival Yahoo.
Google's revenue for the quarter totaled $1.58 billion, nearly doubling from $805.9 million last year. After subtracting the commissions that Google paid to other websites in its advertising network, the revenue stood at $1.05 billion, exceeding the Wall Street estimate of $944 million.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:24 am
News Source : Google Press Release
OpenOffice.org 2.0 Is Here
OpenOffice.org 2.0 is the productivity suite that individuals, governments, and corporations around the world have been expecting for the last two years. Easy to use and fluidly interoperable with every major office suite, OpenOffice.org 2.0 realises the potential of open source. Besides a powerful new database module and advanced XML capabilities, OpenOffice.org natively supports the internationally standardised OpenDocument format, which several countries, as well as the U.S. state of Massachusetts, have established as the default for office documents. More than any other suite, OpenOffice.org 2.0 gives users around the globe the tools to be engaged and productive members of their society.
Available in 36 languages, with more on the way, and able to run natively on Windows, GNU/Linux, Sun Solaris, Mac OS X (X11) and several other platforms, OpenOffice.org banishes software segregation and isolation and dramatically levels the playing field. And, with its support for the OASIS Standard OpenDocument format, OpenOffice.org eliminates the fear of vendor lock in or format obsolescence. The OpenDocument format can be used by any office application, ensuring that documents can be viewed, edited and printed for generations to come. OpenOffice.org 2.0 is a breath of hope for small economies that can now have a local language office suite well adapted to their needs and to their economical possibilities, reducing their dependency on the interests of proprietary software vendors.
"OpenOffice.org is on a path toward being the most popular office suite the world has ever seen; providing users with safety, choice, and an opportunity to participate in one of the broadest community efforts the Internet has ever seen. As a member of that community, I'd like to offer my heartiest congratulations." - Jonathan Schwartz - President and CEO of Sun Microsystems.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 25, 2005, 11:18 am
News Source : Open Office
Call of Duty 2 Gold
Call of Duty 2 has gone gold and will ship for the PC on October 25th according to Infinity Ward's Grant Collier. Activision and Infinity Ward's sequel to the wildly successful Call of Duty and Call of Duty: United Offensive will be using a brand new engine instead of relying on id Software's Quake 3 engine as the previous game and expansion did. Those that missed it should check out the game's SP demo. Call of Duty 2 will also be an Xbox 360 launch title, so gamers without a powerful gaming PC saving their cash for a 360 will also get in on the action.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 11, 2005, 2:39 pm
News Source : Blues News
Trojan Sucks Life From PSPs
A new Trojan horse claims to help make PlayStation Portable run homegrown software, but instead the malicious code turns Sony's game player into a useless "brick." The malicious program, which Symantec has labeled "Trojan.PSPBrick," is aimed at a crowd of "modders," or people who seek to hack the portable device so that it can run custom code and official game cartridges.
The new Trojan claims to be software that can roll back a Sony upgrade that has made the device harder to hack. When people install it, the malicious software actually deletes key files and renders the PSP inoperable. "Basically the (PSP) is completely inoperable, and you've lost your device," said Eric Chien, the principal software engineer at Symantec Security Response. "It's called 'bricking." However, Chien said the program is not likely to affect a wide audience, because most PSP owners aren't looking to alter their machines.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: October 11, 2005, 2:37 pm
News Source : Neowin
Black and White 2 Goes Gold
Lionhead Studios, headed up by the legendary Peter Molyneux of Theme Park and Fable fame, today announced that the sequel to their 2001 hit "Black and White" is complete and has been declared gold.
Black and White 2 is a game in which you play the overseer of a 3D world, in which you control "The Creature." Using your character you may choose to wage massive wars, create settlements or research technological advancements. Ultimately the gameplay is dictated by moral character and Black and White 2's new engine should provide surprises and enjoyment for every type of player.
Black and White 2 should be in stores before the holiday season.
News Posted by : DoDgEtHiS On
: September 20, 2005, 4:30 pm
News Source : Neowin
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