Nintendo Boasts 25,000 Free WiFi Hotspots for 3DS

Nintendo has announced that starting June 7, 2011, Nintendo 3DS customers will be able to take advantage of more than 25,000 free WiFi hotspots. Free WiFi will be available at select shopping malls, Best Buy stores, and AT&T WiFi locations. Here’s a snippet from the press release:

As of June 7, a new alliance with Simon Property Group, the country’s largest owner, developer and manager of high-quality retail real estate, will provide Nintendo 3DS owners with complimentary wireless connections at nearly 200 Simon shopping malls throughout the country. Nintendo 3DS users can also access hotspots at more than 1,000 Best Buy stores. Through an expanded agreement with AT&T, Nintendo 3DS users will have access to nearly 24,000 of AT&T’s Wi-Fi hotspots.

It’s fantastic that Nintendo and its partners are offering this service. It encourages use of the 3DS and allows gamers to do more on the go.

What do you think of these partnerships? Does free WiFi make the 3DS more appealing to you?

AT&T Buys Support From NAACP, AFL-CIO, Etc.

AT&T senior executive vice president Jim Cicconi is very proud of all the support for the company’s proposed merger with T-Mobile. He raved about the support the merger is getting from organizations like the NAACP, the AFL-CIO, the Cattlemen’s Association, and more. Check it out:

So far the AFL-CIO and five major unions with a total membership of over 15 million workers have filed in support of our deal.  Support for the transaction is also coming from some of the most respected organizations in America, including iconic names like the NAACP and LULAC.  We have strong support from those representing people with disabilities and the disadvantaged.  Groups representing rural interests, including The National Grange, the Cattlemen’s Association, state chapters of the Farm Bureau, and the Rural Health Association are backing our deal.  The Sierra Club has publicly recognized the benefits of our transaction, and high tech industry leaders like Microsoft, Corning, and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group have all made clear their endorsements.

It’s funny that he completely failed to mention that AT&T has financial ties to numerous organizations “supporting” the merger. Cicconi would have you believe that the merger would be beneficial to numerous ethnic and social organizations. The reality is that the support was purchased. Thankfully The Washington Post is here to keep him honest. Here’s a clip from the newspaper’s findings:

Aside from money spent directly on lobbying government officials, industry observers say, AT&T is receiving support from several political leaders, trade groups and organizations such as the NAACP and at least one affiliate of the National Urban League. All have direct financial ties to the telecom giant.

Among the 14 governors listed by AT&T as supporters of the proposed merger is Bobby Jindal (R) of Louisiana. AT&T is a key sponsor of the Supriya Jindal Foundation, a charity of the governor’s wife.

The Urban League of Portland sent a similar letter to the FCC, saying the merger could help minorities gain faster access to broadband through a more robust, combined company. AT&T donated $125,000 to $249,999 last year to the National Urban League’s annual convention, the group said on its Web site.

I’m probably being naive, but I expect more from organizations like the NAACP and the National Urban League. It’s disappointing that they can be bought so easily. It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that executives like Cicconi are allowed to fool the public and tell half-truths about company support.

What do you think of the whole deal? Does it leave you feeling dirty? Does it make you feel that Jim Cicconi has a private sweatshop in his backyard?

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Coffee Talk #360: How E3 Has Changed Over the Years

E3 has changed a lot over the years. When it first started, console and PC games dominated the landscape. As the PC market declined and the console market boomed it became all about…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Justin Timberlake rumored to be dating Ashley Olsen, the underwhelming Windows 8 debut video, or dishonest PR people you want to smack, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’ve been to every Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) save for one (I was having too much fun in Thailand and accidentally stayed there). E3 has changed a lot over the years. When it first started, console and PC games dominated the show. As the PC market declined and the console market boomed, it became all about the latter. Journalists for enthusiasts videogame outlets were shocked by the emphasis on motion at E3 2010; all the casual games for Kinect, Move, and Wii had several people proclaiming that the unofficial theme of E3 2010 was “It’s Not for You!”.

E3 2011 has more changes in store. The popularity of Android, iOS, and Facebook games has changed the market. I was surprised by how many meeting requests I received from mobile and social game publishers. I understand that these segments of gaming offer the most new opportunities, the most growth, and new money, but I was still surprised by all the cash these publishers are dropping on E3 2011.

Sitting back in my rocking chair and smoking my pipe, it’s fun to think about how E3 has changed over the years. How about for you as a gaming enthusiast? Have you noticed any major changes in E3? How has the show changed for you? Do you still see it as the Super Bowl of gaming? Or have events like PAX taken away some of E3’s luster?

Microsoft to Buy Nokia’s Smartphone Division for $19-Billion?

The word on the street is that Microsoft is planning to buy Nokia’s smartphone division for the hefty sum of…wait for it…$19-billion. The rumor was tweeted by Mobile-Review’s Eldar Murtazin, who has a history of getting inside information and early products from Nokia. Here’s more on the matter from VentureBeat:

If the rumor does end up being true, Microsoft would be looking to acquire Nokia’s “Smart Devices” division, which houses all of the company’s smartphone operations. Nokia also has a “Mobile Phones” division, but that’s entirely focused on lower-end dumb phones.

Nokia communications director Mark Squires responded to Murtazin’s earlier report in a surprisingly direct way on Twitter: “We typically don’t comment on rumors. But we have to say that Eldar’s rumors are getting obviously less accurate with every passing moment,” he wrote.

Nokia’s vehement denial is unusual for a company that typically plays it cool. That combined with Microsoft’s talent for throwing large amounts of money at consumers products (Xbox, Zune) makes the rumor particularly interesting. While Microsoft had success licensing Windows Mobile, the market has changed drastically. Perhaps the company believes that tightly controlling the hardware, the operating system, and the software ecosystem is the way to go with its relatively new Windows Phone OS. (Microsoft copying the Apple model?!? No way!)

What do you guys and dolls think of this rumor? Is it all hot air from Murtazin? Or does Microsoft buying Nokia’s smartphone division make complete sense?

Source via VentureBeat

NBA Finals Hotness: Zuleyka Rivera (JJ Barea’s Girlfriend)

Dallas Mavericks guard JJ Barea is an impressive basketball player. It’s impressive that a man that’s 5’9″ consistently drives to the hoop while getting pounded by players that are taller than him by a foot or more. His speed is impressive. His shot making and crazy passes are impressive. All that aside, the most impressive thing about JJ Barea is that he’s dating Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006. Let us honor JJ’s amazing accomplishment by looking at photos of Zuleyka Rivera.

HTC Sensation Hits Wal-Mart on June 12, T-Mobile by June 15

T-Mobile has announced that the highly anticipated HTC Sensation will hit T-Mobile stores “by” June 15 and will arrive at select Wal-Mart locations on June 12. It will be one of the hottest Google Android phones this summer, packing an impressive laundry list of powerful features and gorgeous construction. Here’s a clip from the press release:

T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of the HTC Sensation 4G. Expected to be available by June 15, and exclusively from T-Mobile, the HTC Sensation 4G is T-Mobile’s most powerful smartphone, delivering the latest Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system with the hallmark HTC Sense experience and lightning-fast speeds with a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon processor paired with access to America’s Largest 4G Network.

“The HTC Sensation 4G defines the perfect balance of power and design. Its dual-core processor and qHD screen place it firmly in the superphone class, but its sleek machined aluminum housing and contoured display give it an in-hand feel unlike any superphone that has come before it,” said Jason Mackenzie, president of HTC Americas.

I was really impressed with the T-Mobile G2x, but I’m more excited by this phone. I’m a big fan of HTC Sense and I’m looking forward to Sense 3.0. The aluminum unibody construction sounds more to my liking than plastic used on the G2x. The bigger screen and higher resolution are also really appealing.

On the downside, it’s curious that the phone only has 1GB of internal storage. This is limiting and doesn’t permit the phone to take full advantage of the ext4 file system used by Gingerbread. The reviews of the European version mentioned that the screen has a nice size and the high resolution makes for great reading, but the color reproduction isn’t the best and the black levels are sub par.

Any of you tempted to pick up the HTC Sensation?

Coffee Talk #359: E3 Press Conference Battle Royal!!!

Before the E3 show floor opens, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony crank their hype machines to 11 and set the tone with their press conference. What I really want to know is which E3 2011 press…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, rumors of Blake Lively posing nude, bamboo combs, or your favorite mustard, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

One of the most fascinating (and expensive) parts of E3 is its press conference. A handful of large publishers hold pressers, but the ones that matter most are held by the console manufacturers. Before the show floor opens, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony crank their hype machines to 11 and set the tone for E3. This year will surely be the same. What I really want to know is (Lenny Kravitz) which E3 2011 press conference are you looking forward to the most and why?

Nintendo and Sony will definitely be showing off new hardware. What will Microsoft do to compete with that? Which console will have the most exclusives? How about the best ones? How many times will Sony say, “I’m sorry.”? These are all things to consider when making your choice. So kindly pick one in the poll and expand on your choice in the comments section.

[poll id=”119″]

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There are a pair of interesting games coming out this week. First up is Hunted: The Demon’s Forge. I’m looking forward to this action-RPG. It’s made by the peeps at inXile (The Bard’s Tale), a company founded by Interplay OG Brian Fargo. It looks like an evolved version of Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance (one of my favorite games last generation). Fighting fans looking for action on the go will want to check out BlazBlue Continuum Shift II. Hardcore fighters raved about the first game and the second looks like it will deliver complexity that most portable fighters lack.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Call of Duty Elite: To Pay or Not to Pay?

Activision has officially announced details on its Call of Duty Elite online service. Offering advanced stat tracking and social features, Call of Duty Elite will have a free version and a premium version with a monthly fee. The primary goal of the service (in my opinion, anyway) is to keep Call of Duty gamers away from other shooters by offering “sticky” features. Here are some bullet points from the press release:

  • Connect: Call of Duty Elite gives players unprecedented control over their multiplayer experience, transforming it into a true social network. Players can compete against friends, players of similar skill levels and players with similar interests, join groups, join clans, and play in organized tournaments. They can also track the performance, progress and activity of their entire network, both in the game itself, as well as through mobile and web interfaces. Elite will be an “always on” way for players to connect with the Call of Duty community.
  • Compete: Call of Duty Elite establishes the most exciting, competitive environment in a multiplayer game. Players will have available a constant stream of events and competitions, tiered to group them with those with similar abilities. Both in-game and real-world prizes will be rewarded to all skill levels.
  • Improve: Call of Duty Elite is like having a personal online coach. It provides players with a dynamic strategy guide that tracks their statistics and performances down to the most minute details. It can show gamers how they stack up against their friends or others in the community. Tools and information are provided so players can learn and up their game.

This is a brilliant move from Activision and a glimpse at the future of game publishing. The $60 buy-and-bye model is dying. DLC updates — both free and paid — help extend the lifespan of some games, but not others. Selling the socialization of gaming was the obvious next step, but it’s mostly uncharted territory for console game publishers. A unified system that allows you to stay in the game whether you’re on your console, work PC, mobile phone, tablet, etc. is genius for large, established franchises.

What do you think of Call of Duty Elite? Are you interested in the service? Would you be willing to pay for the premium service?

Sony NGP = PlayStation Vita?

Is PlayStation Vita the final name for the portable console codenamed NGP (Next Generation Portable)? Games Pundit found a bunch of evidence that points to Vita being the retail name for the product. Gamers are already hating and loving the name. I’m kind of indifferent to it; it reminds me of Vitamin Water and Vita Coco coconut water.

Do you like the name PlayStation Vita? Do you like the album African Child?

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