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Peaceful Video Games May Mean Happier Kids, Study Shows



Called mind-melting, violence-inducing time-killers, video games have gotten a pretty bad rap. Often overlooked are the potential advantages to having an immersive (and fun) entertainment experience. Yet, the Economist is now reporting that several different findings to be released this summer all that suggest "pro-social" games, or those that aren't based on blowing up or gunning down, actually encourage helpful and cooperative behavior.

The first study, conducted by Iowa State University, had 161 American children play helpful, violent, and neutral games, and then make decisions for their classmates. Kids who played the proactive selections made helpful decisions, while the destructive gamers picked the opposite for their peers. Similarly, a study from the University of Sussex showed that children who had played 'Lemmings' were more likely to imagine positive scenarios for problem sets than were kids who played 'Tetris.'

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Video Games

Taking a Ride on Tony Hawk's New Wireless Skateboard

Getting Our Feet On the New Tony Hawk Ride
The 'Tony Hawk' franchise of skateboard games is one of the most popular and longest-running series of games in history. Lately, though, after ten iterations, it's become one of the most stale. That all changes with 'Tony Hawk Ride,' the upcoming release due this October that replaces all those fiddly button combos with a wireless skateboard that looks -- and more importantly -- acts like the real thing. We got a chance to try it out.

The controller is a black plastic wedge shaped like a skateboard, but it's thicker to accommodate some motion-sensors, AA batteries, and four infra-red cameras. The device lets you lean left and right to turn in the game and perform classic skate tricks like ollies, grinds, and kick flips just by moving the board. No, you never actually jump with it or flip it around, so living room injuries should be few, but it does simulate the feel of skateboarding. And yes, it requires some of the skill.

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Video Games

UFC Fighter Cut From Video Game Due to Wild Hairdo



Ultimate Fighting Championship's UFC 2009 Undisputed is the first game from the series in five years, and it's already running into some hairy territory. Despite its notable good reviews, the anticipated game is already getting flack for cutting popular lightweight Clay Guida -- all because of his 'do.

According to Joystiq (which, from what we gather, heard about the story as originally printed in Fight! Magazine), Guida's trademarked locks are causing "clipping problems" for the video game's producers at THQ. They offered the fighter money to get a haircut, but he apparently refused and consequently got axed from the game.

Note: This is PS3 and Xbox360, we are talking about. They couldn't spare a couple of pixels for some 3D hair? Particularly considering the quality of the above graphics? If we were to let unruly locks dictate playing capacity, we'd lose some crucial greats, including Troy Polamalu, Cloud Strife, and even Knuckles the Echidna. [From: Joystiq, via Fight! Magazine]

Audio/Video, Video Games

Rumored Xbox 360 Add-On to Allow Full Body Motion Control


Since the introduction of the Nintendo Wii and its continuously phenomenal financial success, rumors of similarly motion-controlled add-ons for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 have repeatedly found their ways online. The latest news, coming from a tipster supposedly in the know, says that Microsoft will enter the motion arena not with a remote-like device such as that found on the Wii, but with a sensor bar that can detect full body movements as well as sound. This sensor bar is said to allow for broad movements, like kicking and punching, to more minuscule hand gestures, including pinching, scrolling, and grabbing. Video-conferencing capabilities are also said to be available, using the sensor bar's included camera.

Ironically, many of these rumored features, as forward-thinking as they sound, are quite old in concept. Sony actually implemented many of them with its EyeToy camera on the PlayStation 2, and refined them slightly for the PlayStation 3 with the PlayStation Eye. Fully-body detection with onscreen interaction, a camera for conferencing, and a built-in microphone are standard features with the EyeToy. What Sony's past venture lacks, though, is overall precision (particularly in uneven lighting situations) and compelling software. If Microsoft is able to dial the accuracy to Wii-like levels, and avoid producing simple novelty software, it might just have a chance at chipping away at Nintendo's market share. Head on over to Engadget for the full details. [From: Engadget]

Editor's Picks

The Daily Engadget: Game Boy Turns 20, Robot Theater, Jawbone Prime

Our friends over at Engadget obsessively cover everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics, which is why we've decided to compile a daily roundup of their top stuff (or, at least, what we think is tops). For more details on any of these stories, click on the Engadget links.


Meet Probo, the Huggable, Trauma(tic) Robot
Probo (pictured above) is a huggable Belgian robot designed to comfort children who have been through traumatic experiences. Unfortunately, this android (backed by Bill Gates and developed at the University of Brussels) might end up doing the opposite, especially when he's missing his skin. What's more, we can't decide if Probo looks drunk or deeply depressed when he's turned on. Neither seem to be of much use for cheering up kids. Check out the creepily awesome video here.


AT&T Hanging Up on CallVantage Phone Service
Sorry, AT&T CallVantage users, it looks like you're going to have to find another VoiP (Voice Over Internet) provider to convert those pretty voices to zeroes and ones (maybe Skype?). Yesterday, AT&T announced that it will discontinue its Internet phone service, and subscribers will have until the end of the year to switch to another AT&T service or find a new provider.

Nintendo Game Boy Turns 20
Boy, does it make us feel old to announce that Nintendo's Game Boy handheld game system just celebrated its 20th birthday. It seems like just yesterday we were jamming AA batteries into it and struggling through level after level of 'Tetris' on family road trips. In celebration of 20 great years of Nintendo handheld tradition (all the way up to last week's launch of the Nintendo DSi), Engadget dug up this great commercial for the original.




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Video Games

Why You Shouldn't Toss Your Broken Xbox 360 Just Yet


Having trouble with your Xbox 360? Well, join the club. Plenty of people have tossed their consoles, figuring them for dead. But what they probably didn't know is that they could have gotten their favorite toy repaired or replaced, for cheap or for free.

From a post by our friends at Geeksugar, we learned how easy it can be to get back on the gaming horse. First off, if you've encountered the dreaded "Red Ring of Death" malfunction, all hope is not lost. Microsoft will replace your machine for up to three years after the purchase date. This is opposed to the one year warranty on all other repairs. Hopefully, you saved your receipt.

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Video Games

Amazon Now Selling Xbox Live Arcade Games


Amazon.com might still make most of its money by shipping physical items to your door, but it's clear that the online retail giant knows the future of media is digital -- not only is it pushing the Kindle and services like Amazon Video On Demand, it's expanding its downloadable video game catalog to include Xbox Live Arcade games today. The process seems a little clunky at the moment -- you buy a code from Amazon that you have enter into your Xbox -- and it's not exactly easy to compare prices, since Amazon charges you real money instead of Xbox Live points, but we're not going to complain too much about anything that increases gamer choice. (Using real money actually seems like a benefit to us -- we've never really loved the idea of points.) The service is live now, anyone going to do a little shopping?

[Via Joystiq]

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Video Games

Man Files $1M Lawsuit Against US Airways for Lost Xbox


A Yale student is suing US Airways for $1 million in compensation for his lost Xbox 360 and the emotional toll of attempting to recover it. He claims he had an Xbox 360 with a "specialized hard drive" and other fancy components worth more than $1,000 (is that the kind with the really, really loud drive noise?) in his checked luggage, and when he went to pick up his luggage it was considerably lighter than before, with the Xbox 360 and components found as the only thing missing.

Sounds like no-fun-at-all, and the "run-around" he got with speaking to five different airline employees sounds equally painful, but we're not sure how that all adds up to $1,000,000 -- the maximum allowable by law in his state. US Airways says that not only does the federal limit of liability for lost luggage top out at $3,300, but that electronics checked in luggage are specifically excluded from liability. How kind. [Via Joystiq]

Video Games

Woman Banned From Xbox Live for Identifying as Lesbian



A former Xbox Live user has been banned by Microsoft because her profile stated that she was a lesbian, according to a report in The Consumerist.

Identifying herself only as Teresa, the woman told her story in an e-mail to the site, reading, "[My] account was suspended because I had said in my profile that I was a lesbian." This should not come as a total surprise to anybody who recalls the story of the (admittedly) unfortunately named Richard Gaywood, who was banned from the service last year due to his user name -- 'RichardGaywood.' But this story goes one step further, as Teresa claims she was being harassed online by other gamers. In her e-mail, she wrote, "They followed me into the games and told all the other players to turn me in because they didn't want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap."

Following The Consumerist's lead, reporters from Ars Technica went to Microsoft for comment. Read the company's surprising official response after the break:

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Video Games

Red 'Resident Evil 5' Xbox 360 Unveiled!


Looks like that red Resident Evil 5 Xbox 360 bundle wasn't just some tripped out figment of your imagination. Just moments ago, the package popped up for Xbox Live subscribers, detailing a handsome red Xbox 360 Elite with a 120GB hard drive, 'Resident Evil 5,' 'Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix,' and a few other odds and ends (like a handful of cables). There's an indication that you can pre-order the kit, but at this point, we're not aware of any place to follow through. We'll keep our eyes peeled, of course.

Update: According to the German press release we just received, the limited edition bundle will hit Europe on March 13th for €299 -- likely $399 Stateside. Gallery updated with official press pictures.

Update 2: Boom! Pre-order at Best Buy for $399. [Thanks, Ivan]

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Computers, Video Games

Angry Gamers Knocking Xbox Live Opponents Offline

Angry Gamers Knocking Xbox Live Opponents OfflineIn the world of online games there is nobody so feared as the griefer. A griefer is someone who seems to enjoy playing online just for the joy of bringing others misery -- not by beating them at whatever game they're playing, but by being as annoying as possible, spewing profanity through voice chat or shooting teammates' characters. Now griefers with a bit of hacking know-how have a new tool at their disposal: a denial of service attack to knock their opponents completely offline.

By monitoring Internet traffic, gamers can determine the IP addresses of their opponents. If there's someone they don't like, they can launch a denial of service attack against him, flooding his connection and effectively forcing him offline. Some hackers are offering services (for a fee) that will enable gamers to quickly and easily identify their opponents, and are leasing access to collections of computers that can be used to launch those attacks.

This doesn't seem to be a flaw in Xbox Live itself, as the same exploit could likely be used against gamers on Sony's PSN network and possibly in the Wii's online play as well. What can you do to defend yourself? Using some sort of Internet router to hide your network behind a protective barrier would likely help, but ultimately there's not a lot you can do -- other than know who you're playing against online. [From: BBC News]

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Video Games

Hello Kitty Xbox 360 Dazzles While You Frag


You may remember deviantART member Ricepuppet from his days dressing up his Xbox 360 in Domo-kun stylings. He's back, combining our love for console paint jobs with all things Hello Kitty. No matching controller this time, but there's more than enough stars, shades of pink, and cuteness to make up for it. The Sanrio charmer isn't the only new mod he's got, we also spotted consoles adorned with 'Halo Wars,' Sonic the Hedgehog, and Chocobos (of 'Final Fantasy' fame). Now how about we see some of that HK love plastered on a 'Rock Band' drum set?

Read - Hello Kitty mod
Read - Go Go Sonic mod
Read - Halo Wars mod
Read - Chocobo racing mod

Video Games

Teenager Accused of Raping 12-Year-Old Boy He Met on Xbox Live

Nineteen-year-old Codey R. Hawks of Parma, Ohio has been arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old boy after meeting him via Xbox online live.

On January 15, according to Cleveland's NBC affiliate, Hawks allegedly traveled to the boy's residence in Michigan, staying there with him for some time. Having been arrested Monday and charged with rape and sexual imposition, Hawks is currently being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail.

While these allegations are still very much just that -- allegations -- this story is only the latest knot in a recent string of developments concerning teenagers, video games and violence. Despite a recent study concluding that violent games do not lead to violent behavior, the recent stories of the 'Halo 3' killer and the Xbox taco-slapper may suggest otherwise. [From: NewsNet5 via Alley Insider]

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Car Tech, Video Games

Driver Adds XBox Controls to Steering Wheel of Car


Some Xbox 360 mods are the product of serious craftsmanship, some are rather silly, and some -- like this Suzuki automobile console / Xbox 360 game console hybrid -- really give one pause. This isn't the sort of thing that one spends moments / hours / weeks on, after which he reflects for a moment ("Aren't I rather clever?"), and then hides it safely in the closet (or sells it on eBay). No, this is an automobile. We're guessing that the slight cringe of embarrassment he's going to feel when picking up his date for the cotillion will be outweighed by the safety and security he feels knowing that he can always play 'Super Smash Bros. Brawl' -- even on the road.

According to the photo's description on Flickr, this car features not one but two Xbox 360s, two projectors, and two flat screens. The game controllers are availabe at a moment's notice -- including one in the steering wheel, one in front of the gear shifter -- and one of the 360s is set in the dashboard. Oy vey. [Via On 10]

Video Games

Collectible Video Games Made Worthless by Digital Re-Releases

If you own a Wii, Xbox 360, or PS3, and you haven't tried any of the many downloadable games that they offer, you're seriously missing out! Each system has a collection of fun and simple games available to download, usually for $10 or less. Many are new, but a large number of them are re-releases of classic titles, and some of of those were games that had become quite rare. That's good news for those who missed a chance to own them the first time around, but bad news for serious game collectors.

Certain games, like the Dreamcast title Rez HD, had been selling for upwards of $50, the same as new despite being a 10-year-old game, but after the game was re-released electronically for the 360 those games are now going for just $15 or less. That's more than it would cost to download the game, but not by much, and a huge loss for anyone who was hoping to retire on a box full of classic titles. Surely there will always be some willing to pay extra to get the original games in their original format, but clearly they are in the minority. [From: arstechnica]

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Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

    Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
    When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.

     

    Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
    In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.

     

    Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
    Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.

     

    Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
    Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.

     

    17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
    When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.

     

    Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
    Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."

     

    Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
    Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?

     

Latest Reviews from CNET.com

CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

Top Product Reviews

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    Incredibly well-featured 7.1-channel receiver; excellent sound quality; three HDMI inputs; converts analog video to HDMI output; upconverts analog video to 720p/1080i HD resolution; iPod and USB MP3 player connectivity; Internet radio and MP3/WMA streaming audio via built-in Ethernet port; XM Satellite Radio compatible; touch-screen remote; multizone, multisource operation; browser-based control via home network; accurate autocalibration routine. Full Review

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    The Turbo Charge Tc2 portable cell phone charger successfully delivers emergency power to your cell phone. It's easy to use and comes with a couple of surprising features. Full Review

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    A minor specification update results in some significant performance gains; graphics upgrade an option on this 24-inch model; sleek, polished design didn't receive an update, but we won't start clamoring for a new design until the current one is at least 12 months old. Full Review

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    One of the fastest PCs we've tested; a PCI Express RAID card helps media encoding performance; typically immaculate Velocity Micro assembly; strong, three-year warranty. Full Review

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