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JP Mangalindan

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Not Only Do They Have Youth, But Young Gamers Have Skills, Too

by JP Mangalindan on February 10, 2010 at 08:25 AM

If you grew up playing 'Pac-Man,' 'Space Invaders,' and 'Pole Position,' you'd think that, with all those years of gameplay under your belt, you'd have a leg up on younger gamers. That is, until you get your ass shredded in 'Modern Warfare 2' by the mortar fire of a pipsqueak young enough to be your son.

According to Wired, there's a reason for that. "The younger guys have much more refined motor skills, [having grown up] with more-advanced systems," David Walsh told the mag. At the ripe old age of 25, Walsh is the oldest member of Major League Gaming, and does bring up a valid point. While some of us grew up playing simplistic games like 'Pong,' kids these days are routinely exposed to games with intricate 3-D graphics, complex physics, and gameplay that requires sharp reflexes and multiple key or button presses. The result is that the current crop of kids develop better gaming skills at a younger age. Of course, it also doesn't hurt that they have more spare time than the older set.

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Your Big Screen Super Bowl Party May Be Illegal

by JP Mangalindan on February 5, 2010 at 04:50 PM

Everyone and their mama's mama will be tuning in this Sunday for the big game, and to that end, you might be planning a get-together with some buddies involving a few six-packs, snacks and of course, the TV. But is that Super Bowl shindig infringing upon copyright law?

That's what one Ars Technica writer wondered aloud after a friend mentioned he couldn't watch the Super Bowl on a TV 55-inches or larger without committing a federal offense. Turns out, to some extent, the friend was right. TV broadcasts and movies can only be displayed if "no such audiovisual device has a diagonal screen size greater than 55 inches, and any audio portion of the performance or display is communicated by means of a total of not more than 6 loudspeakers."

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Android Gets Ridiculously Cute Figurines

by JP Mangalindan on February 5, 2010 at 04:00 PM


Because we're fans of all things Google and its Android platform (and designer toys, too), we'll put this in the stack of things so freakishly adorable we've got to get them all.

Artist Andrew Bell and Google have partnered up to release a limited run of 12 standard Android figurines, with super-rare editions to follow. Each stands 3-inches tall and features articulating head and arms. The catch? These little bots will be blind-boxed, so you'll have no idea which design you're getting until you've actually opened it, unless you pony up for the case of 16. There's no price yet, but they start dropping the 10th of this month, so start saving, Google-philes. [From: Dyzplastic, via: dvice]
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Dad Kills 9-Month-Old Son and Self, Leaves Suicide Note on Facebook

by JP Mangalindan on February 4, 2010 at 01:35 PM

While it's becoming increasingly common for people to leave suicide notes on their Facebook pages, the circumstances surrounding Stephen Garcia's death in particular still gives us the creeps.

Distraught over the separation from his ex-girlfriend, the 25-year-old California native was apparently on a court-ordered visit with their 9-month-old son Wyatt when he drove to an isolated dirt trail in the San Bernardino Mountains and then killed the boy before killing himself in an undisclosed fashion.

Eight hours later, a suicide note, last will and testament, along with a photo collage of Garcia and his son, appeared on his Facebook profile.

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Cell Phone Driving Bans Have No Effect, Study Finds

by JP Mangalindan on January 31, 2010 at 04:01 PM

Given all the fuss over the need for laws banning cell phone use while driving, the latest study from the Highway Loss Data Institute will probably be as much of a shocker to you as it has been to experts. Despite the fact that researchers have found talking on cell phones has the same effect on drivers as alcohol, such laws have apparently had no effect on the number of accidents in New York, Connecticut, California, and D.C. where cell phone driving bans are in effect.

While the Highway Loss Data Institute is currently exploring its findings further to figure out why this is the case, they do offer up one theory: drivers in these regulated areas may instead be using hands-free devices, which have identical accident rates as their hand-held counterparts.

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CollegeHumor Renames 'Modern Warfare,' 'HOW DID YOU KNOW I WAS THERE?!?'

by JP Mangalindan on January 31, 2010 at 02:10 PM

If games were named after the phrases that gamers often say while playing, would you still recognize them? Cumbersome as the new monikers would sound, you probably would. CollegeHumor.com user and Boston College student Tommy (no last name given) took a stab at re-branding five big games: 'Modern Warfare 2' (shown above); 'FIFA 2010'; 'Rockband Beatles'; 'Madden 2010'; and 'Grand Theft Auto IV.'

While 'Little Darling... Mmmm Da Da Da Da Lonely Winter' certainly won't win any awards, but 'Shoot the Hookers,' might be on, er, target. Perhaps Rockstar Games should rethink that next 'Grand Theft Auto' title. See the rest of Tommy's rejiggered masterpieces after the jump. [From: College Humor]

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Dad Stabbed After Offering Son 'FIFA 2009' Tips

by JP Mangalindan on January 27, 2010 at 07:30 AM

It's one thing to vent your frustration with a video game by hurling a controller against the wall. Heck, even we've done that. But it's another thing entirely to do so by performing an act of violence.

According to Reuters, Italian father Fabrizio R. (no last name given) became the target of such an act last weekend after he'd offered his 16-year-old son Mario advice on how to improve his 'FIFA 2009' skills. When Mario didn't take the constructive criticism well, dad turned the TV off. Mario responded by stabbing him in the neck with a 15-inch kitchen knife. He then washed it clean in the kitchen sink, and isolated himself in his room. He didn't struggle when cops came to arrest him.

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Creators Behind MP3 Launch MusicDNA, a New Music Format

by JP Mangalindan on January 25, 2010 at 04:25 PM

Yesterday, the team behind the original MP3 file revealed a new digital music format, claiming that it will both outclass current digital music standards and encourage users to download their music legally.

In theory, MusicDNA has a lot going for it. Users who download songs in the new format will get -- in addition to the music itself -- bits like lyrics, album artwork, music videos, recent live performances, tour details, and any blogs or tweets posted by the artist. There's no word yet on pricing, but it's expected that downloads will cost up to twice as much as their MP3 equivalents when launched this spring.

The new digital music format comes a few months after the introduction of the iTunes LP, which offers interactive album artwork and other multimedia features. If it gains enough traction, it's possible that MusicDNA could become a powerful weapon in the arsenals of competitors like Amazon.

That's a big "if," though. While some independent labels, like Beggars Group, the label behind the Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, are onboard, the major labels are still MIA. And while we like the idea of all those extras features coming with songs, we're not sure they'll be enough to convince users to pony up more money, or in a lot of cases, any money at all. After all, it's hard to argue with a zero-dollar price tag.

Still, any development that could keep our favorite musicians employed and doing what they do best is a welcome one. [From: BBCNews and The Guardian]
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Augmented Reality 'Paper Rock Scissors' Takes Classic Game Virtual

by JP Mangalindan on January 24, 2010 at 01:30 PM

Think of 2009 as the year all this augmented reality business really hit its stride. There are the Adidas sneaks that let wearers wander around a virtual world, the 'District 9' military training sim, and even that John Mayer music video that let people make cameos.

This time, the latest AR effort comes from the Swedish mag T-post. On its site you can play a form of rock paper scissors all by your lonesome -- provided you don a special T-shirt (our preferred method), or print out the necessary PDF onto a piece of paper. Once everything is set up, users will see an animated hand extending from the center of the T-shirt, or piece of paper -- as shown in the demo video below. We're not too keen on the idea of Long-Hair Bjorgson playing the game on the toilet, but hey, the other "player" can't complain, right? [From: ubergizmo]

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Do Good Video Gamers Have Bigger Brains?

by JP Mangalindan on January 22, 2010 at 08:23 AM

We've known for a while now that video games can make players sharper, but only recently have scientists reached a better understanding of what specific parts of the brain actually affect our gaming aptitude.

In a recent study, researchers at the University of Illinois focused on an area of the brain called the striatum, which had been shown in past research with animals to serve as a "learning machine" during habit formation and skill acquisition. To test whether or not the striatum is involved in playing video games, researchers mapped out the brains of 39 human subjects, aged 18 to 28, via MRI, and gave each subject 20 hours of training with an 'Asteroids'-inspired arcade game designed specifically for the study. During gameplay, some players were instructed to focus solely on getting a high score, while others juggled several goals.

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Ninjas Unbox Google's Nexus One in Viral YouTube Vid

by JP Mangalindan on January 19, 2010 at 06:30 PM

Google clearly has a thing for ninjas. On the heels of its shinobi-focused Gmail theme and the helpful tip sheet "Become a Gmail ninja" comes an unboxing video that handily beats all efforts we've seen -- largely due to its stop-action-animated mini-ninjas slashing their way to a Nexus One. Made by YouTube director Patrick Bolvin, this Google-sponsored homage is clearly aimed at Android ... Read more »
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Joke Bomb Threat Tweet Gets Man Arrested

by JP Mangalindan on January 18, 2010 at 04:40 PM

Only a fool in this era of high-level security would fake a bomb threat, let alone Tweet about it, but that's pretty much what Paul Chambers did last week via Twitter. The Inquirer reports that the 26-year-old UK native was set to the fly to Ireland from the Robin Hood airport in Finningley, South Yorkshire until he realized the airport was closed because of snow. Obviously frustrated -- and ... Read more »
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Fastest Texters Crowned at First LG Mobile World Cup

by JP Mangalindan on January 15, 2010 at 05:45 PM

Now that most of us text at a decent rate (phone permitting, natch), it was inevitable that someone would go and make a competition out of it. Yesterday, LG did just that with the first ever Mobile World Cup Championship in New York City (video after the jump). The culmination of an eight-month competition started back in May 2009, first-prize winners Young-Ho Bae and Mok-Min Ha of Korea, ... Read more »
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Ricky Gervais Quits Twitter, Calling it 'Undignified'

by JP Mangalindan on January 15, 2010 at 04:02 PM

Ricky Gervais has admitted on his blog that he's part of the 60-percent of Twitter members who quit within a month of signing up. The 'Extras' funny guy opened an account in December to appease his bosses during the Golden Globes, who were hoping he'd Tweet while hosting the awards this Sunday. But after a few weeks of inane banter, he stopped, deciding that Twitter was "pointless." "I just ... Read more »
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'First Person Tetris' May Be Fun, But Hazardous to Your Health

by JP Mangalindan on January 14, 2010 at 04:40 PM

Ever since Alexey Pajitnov first assembled the game code back in the 1984, there have been countless versions of 'Tetris' introduced to countless game consoles. With each iteration, developers tried different takes on the original: 'The Next Tetris' included multiple piece previews; 'Tetris: The Grand Master' first allowed you to rotate pieces before they actually showed up on the main screen, ... Read more »
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