Video: OnLive demonstrated at Columbia University »

You remember OnLive , right? The service, which lets you play any game remotely on a distant server, has produced much skepticism and much interest, and is now in public beta . We got a good look at it back in March when we were at GDC, and it appears that things are much the same. However, the combination of crowd noise and my bad playing made for a less-than-optimal viewing experience. This video is much clearer and much longer (it’s essentially a guest lecture at Columbia), so if you’re still interested in the OnLive thing, it may be for you. This video deals with some of the technical issues that have been brought up. I haven’t watched the whole thing (skipped around to get the interesting bits) but he does address some of the compression and packet loss issues they have to deal with. I remember being told it’s about 4-5Mb/s for 720p/60FPS, which actually seems a bit low for streaming video, but with a specialized codec and stream they seem to have made it work, even with tricky bits like crisscrossing lines and slow gradients. They have a routing technique that they claim reduces latency as well, but can they really guarantee

Game Boy hacked into a TI-83. That is all »

It’s one of those mods just for modding’s sake, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t awesome. Can you imagine rocking this thing in Math class? I mean, I got by with Drug War, Cave, and racing game that was pretty much Cave: Vertical Edition. If I’d had Link’s Awakening or Pokemon up in there… well, I would have played a lot less cards. As a side note, I love that hackers like this guy are capable of complicated hardware transplants, but can’t seem to build a tripod . [via The Daily What and Technabob ]

Zero Punctuation on Demon’s Souls: it’s too hard! »

This week, Yahtzee takes on the game that is, to me, the best reason to buy a PS3 right now: Demon’s Souls .This innovative title was hailed widely by critics as a return to the old-school “you die now” style of gaming many of us grew up with, but it doesn’t sit quite right with Yahtzee. Of course, he doesn’t mention the controls, graphics, depth, or anything other than the fact that it’s groin-punchingly hard, so you can bet he thought all that was great and just didn’t want to say so.

FTC accuses Intel of ‘strengthening its monopoly,” slaps it with a lawsuit »

Looks like Intel is in a bit of Dutch. The Federal Trade Commission sued the company for using its position in the market “to stifle competition and strengthen its monopoly.” Not good, no. This may seem strange in the wake of the $1.25 billion settlement between Intel and AMD, the Barcelona to Intel’s Real Madrid. But that hasn’t stopped the FTC from saying that Intel: has engaged in a deliberate campaign to hamstring competitive threats to its monopoly. It’s been running roughshod over the principles of fair play and the laws protecting competition on the merits. There’s not too much wiggle room in that statement, now is there? Of course, Intel has fired back and said that the FTC’s case is “misguided and unwarranted.” This will drag on for some time. So what are the FTC’s major complaints? One of the main things is that Intel feels that, in the future, GPUs will be just as important as CPUs going forward. To that end, Intel will make it so that GPUs from rival companies don’t play nicely with its CPUs. The fear is that Intel could make it so difficult for rival GPU manufacturers to create properly working GPUs that Intel could, one day, produce a GPU that immediately puts all the others guys out of business. I wonder if Intel will ever develop the anti-competitive reputation that dogged Microsoft back in the day, if not to this day. On a lighter note, here’s Conan visiting Intel’s headquarters a little while ago.

CrunchDeals: Xbox 360, Modern Warfare 2, 12 months of Xbox Live for $249 »

CrunchDeals: Assassin’s Creed II for $40 »

Amazon.com has dropped the price of Assassin’s Creed II for Xbox 360 and PS3 down to $39.78, today only. According to the product description: The world of the assassin is one cloaked in shadow and steeped in danger. Ensnared in a web of revenge and conspiracy, the assassin embraces power at its most elemental, acting as the dividing line between life and death. As an assassin confronted by perilous new challenges and difficult choices, what path will you choose? Kind of puts your own life in perspective, huh? Unless you’re a modern day assassin, in which case this game probably won’t interest you all that much. Assassin’s Creed II [Amazon.com]

Nintendo’s 2010 lineup features new games, colorful Wii remotes »

Nintendo has gone ahead and let loose some information concerning its early 2010 lineup of games and accessories. For starters, from February 14 onward there will be two new Wii Remote colors: pink and blue. These new controllers will feature the Wii MotionPlus add-on standard. Black and white Wii Remotes will still be available as well. As for games across all of Nintendo’s systems, here’s a partial list of Wii, DS(i), and downloadable titles that we can expect in the early part of next year: Wii 2K Sports Major League Baseball 2K10 March Activision How To Train Your Dragon March 23 The American Game Factory, Inc. Build-A-Bear Workshop – Friendship Valley March 17 Atlus U.S.A., Inc. Shiren the Wanderer ™ Feb. 9 Capcom TATSUNOKO VS. CAPCOM ™ : ULTIMATE ALL-STARS Jan. 26 City Interactive USA Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII Feb. 16 Chicken Riot Feb. 9 Collision Studios City Builder February D3Publisher Family Party: 30 Great Games ™ Winter Fun February Deep Silver, Inc. Let’s Play Ballerina March Let’s Play Garden March Disney Interactive Studios Alice in Wonderland March Hudson Entertainment Rooms: The Main Building Spring Calling Spring Konami Walk it Out Jan. 10 Yu Gi Oh! Duel Trancer Q1 DanceDanceRevolution Q1 Majesco Entertainment Data East Arcade Classics January The Daring Game of Girls February Pizza Delivery Boy March Nintendo Endless Ocean: Blue World Feb. 22 SEGA of America Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll ™ Feb. 9 Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing ™ March SouthPeak Games Sled Shred ™ featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team Feb. 1 Fast Food Panic ™ Jan. 5 Storm City Entertainment Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral February UFO Interactive Games, Inc. Arcade Shooter: Ilvelo Q1 Rock Blast Q1 Jaja’s Adventure Q1 Ubisoft No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle late January Sleepover Party Jan. 12 Racquet Sports March Red Steel 2 Q1 XSEED Games The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces Jan. 5 FRAGILE DREAMS: FAREWELL RUINS OF THE MOON March 16 WiiWare Akaoni Studio S.L. Zombie Panic in Wonderland Q1 Broken Rules And Yet It Moves Q1 Capcom Phoenix Wright ™ :Ace Attorney ™ January Mega Man ® 10 March Ghostfire Games Rage of the Gladiator Q1 Hudson Entertainment Military Madness: Nectaris ® Q1 Nabi Studios Toribash Q1 Nintendo WarioWare ™ D.I.Y. Showcase Q1 Press Play ApS Max & the Magic Marker Q1 Team Meat Super Meat Boy Q1 Nintendo DS/DSi 2K Sports Major League Baseball 2K10 March Activision Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief ™ Feb. 2 How To Train Your Dragon March 23 Aksys Games World Cup of Pool Feb. 9 The American Game Factory, Inc. Build-A-Bear Workshop – Welcome to Hugsville March 17 Atlus U.S.A., Inc. Shin Megami Tensei ® : Strange Journey ™ March 10 Capcom Entertainment, Inc. Ace Attorney Investigations ™ : Miles Edgeworth Feb. 16 City Interactive USA Animal Country: Life on the Farm Feb. 16 Art of Murder March 16 Deep Silver, Inc. Let’s Play Flight Attendant March Let’s Play Ballerina March Let’s Play Garden March Disney Interactive Studios Sonny With a Chance Spring Alice in Wonderland March GameMill Publishing Escape the Museum Jan. 12 Hidden Mysteries: Buckingham Palace Feb. 9 Hudson Entertainment Rooms: The Main Building Spring DECA SPORTS ™ Spring Konami Scene It! Twilight Q1 Puzzle Chronicles Jan. 10 Majesco Entertainment Super Speed Machines February The Daring Game for Girls February Dawn of Heroes February ATV Revolution March Nintendo Glory of Heracles Jan. 18 Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version March 14 WarioWare: D.I.Y. March 28 America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking March 28 Natsume Inc. Squishy Tank ™ February Cheer We Go! ™ March PopCap Games Bejeweled Twist ™ Q1 SEGA of America Sands of Destruction ™ Jan. 12 Infinite Space ™ March Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing ™ March Sonic Classic Collection ™ Spring SouthPeak Games Crime Scene ™ Feb. 1 Dementium II ™ Feb. 2 Fast Food Panic ™ Jan. 5 Sushi Go Round ™ Feb. 1 Montessori Music ™ March 1 Storm City Entertainment Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral February Myst February ATV Quad Kings March T.A.C Heroes: The Big Red One March TECMO Monster Rancher ® DS March AGAIN ™ March Telegames, Inc. Puzzle Overload ™ Spring Solitaire Overload Plus ™ Spring THQ Daniel X: The Ultimate Power Jan. 12 Tomy Corporation Lovely Lisa ™ and Friends (enhanced Nintendo DSi content) February Ubisoft Imagine Reporter Jan. 20 Imagine Party Planner Jan. 13 Imagine Sweet 16 Feb. 10 Imagine Gymnast March 10 XSEED Games KORG DS-10 Plus Jan. 19 Ragnarok ™ DS Feb. 16 Nintendo DSiWare EA Downtown Texas Hold’em Poker Q1 Surviving High School ™ Q1 Gameloft Legends of Exidia Q1 Let’s Golf Q1 Real Soccer ™ 2010 Q1 Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A. Q1 Nintendo Trajectile ™ Jan. 4 Number Battle ™ Jan. 25 Starship Defense ™ Jan. 18 Touch Solitaire Jan. 11 X-Scape ™ February Link ’n’ Launch ™ February Subatomic Studios Fieldrunners Q1 WayForward Shantae: Risky’s Revenge Q1 [ Press Release ]

JVC has two more sound bars from you to pick from: TH-BA3 and TH-BS7 »

Didn’t Nickelodeon used to give away JVC boomboxes and whatnot on its game shows back in the day? (I’m primarily talking to twenty-somethings here, yes.) Imagine you were a contestant on Double Dare, and you manage to find the flag inside the big nose filled with goo, and you win this, the TH-BA3. It’s a sound bar, which are a heck of a lot easier to incorporate into a small space than a complete surround sound system. The TH-BA3 ($550) is the world’s first dual wireless sound bar. That means both the speakers and the subwoofer are totally wireless—handy if you or yours hate to see wires strewn about. It’s a 5.1 sound system, one that works with Dolby Digital, DTS, and Pro Logic II. There’s more! JVC has one more sound bar, the TH-BS7 ($600). Whereas the TH-BA3’s big deal is that it’s dual wireless, the TH-BS7 is quite tiny at 1.4 inches. This one is only 4.1-channels, but works with all the aforementioned codes. Both are available now . Anyone else remember What Would You Do and Wild & Crazy Kids?

Bag Week: Kata CS-17 camera satchel »

Name one messenger bag that effectively combines a notebook bag and a camera case? Obviously the bag pictured above. The Kata CS-17. Info : The Kata CS-17 Holds up to a 17-inch notebook Padded, removable pouch can hold a DSLR & 2 lens Constucted out of nylon Weather cover $140 MSRP Pros Dual purpose notebook/camera case Top zipper allows quick, discrete access Relatively inexpensive Cons Not the best looking bag Big Bird designed the inside If you’ve ever tried to fit your DSLR into a normal messenger bag, you totally understand the draw to this bag. Other bags just aren’t designed to hold a large camera and a notebook at the same time. I’ve always ended up pushing the notebook as far to one side of the bag as possible so the camera’s lens will fit down the side of the bag next to the computer. It definitely doesn’t make you feel comfortable. But with this bag your camera can be safely stored in its own padded pouch with room for two accessories like flashes or lenses. The computer is housed in its own padded spot too. Accessing the contents can be done by unzipping the large, front flap or through a somewhat hidden top zipper.  If the bag wasn’t so damn ugly, it would be perfect for a blogger running around CES. I’m not loving the bag’s look. It reminds me of something from the trendy and teal 90’s. I’m even turned off by Kata’s logo. And the inside is way too yellow. Throw a Transformer’s logo on it and it would be Bumblebee. But that’s Kata. All the company’s bags have a yellow interior and I better get used to it; I have two more bags from Kata to review this week. Wrap-up The concept behind this bag is solid. It effectively holds both a notebook and a DSLR at the same time. But I’m not into the look. Say what you will, but I totally feel that’s important especially when a bag costs $140. Hey, maybe you’re still into pleated khakis and light blue polo shirts. If that’s you, and you have to tout both a big camera and a notebook, buy this bag.

27-inch iMacs sucking wind, orders backing up »

The 27-inch iMac, darling of all and sundry, are having some shipping issues. Orders are currently backed up two weeks and the litany of problems, including broken displays and busted hard drives, shows us that this model wasn’t quite fully baked. CNET has Apple saying that they apologize for the inconvenience but there have been enough problems to warrant a clever problem tracking website along with a Flash web app for display testing . Anyone else having problems?