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Today’s Poll: Will Steve Jobs Appear at the Verizon Presser?

Most of the tech world has accepted that Verizon will announce the iPhone 4 at its press conference tomorrow. Some believe that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be on hand and some don’t. On one hand, it’s a pretty huge partnership and the date is quirky cool (1/11/11 at 11AM!). On the other hand, some believe that Jobs is saving himself for new product announcements like that iPad 2 and iPhone 5; these people believe that an old product on a new network doesn’t merit an appearance by his royal highness grandmaster Steve Jobs.

What do you think? Kindly vote in today’s poll and discuss!

[poll id=”94″]

This Week’s Videogame Releases

We’re barely into 2011 and there are already some excellent games coming out. There are three very interesting titles shipping this week…and I want them all! First up is DC Universe Online. I still have dreams of forming The Super Buddies, Part Deux with some of you. Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded bundles some KH episodic content that was released in Japan. As a fan of the series, I’m psyched to play more of Sora’s adventures. Last, but not least, is Prinny 2, the sequel to a super-funny and super-challenging platformer based on those lovable demonic Disgaea penguins.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #281: When Games Make You Look Insane

Do you do anything as a gamer that seems wacky to non-gamers? There are lots of ways that gaming makes us seem insane to those not familiar with our glorious hobby. I just had a weekend of “insane” gaming…and it seemed perfectly normal to me.

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, Edin Dzeko joining Manchester City, Porsche’s hybrid sports car, or politicizing the Arizona shootings, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Do you do anything as a gamer that seems wacky to non-gamers? Maybe there’s a certain sub-genre of gaming that you enjoy in a way that seems bizarre to your fellow gamers. There are lots of ways that gaming makes us seem insane to those not familiar with our glorious hobby. I just had a weekend of “insane” gaming…and it seemed perfectly normal to me.

I finally got around to picking up my shiny Raikou from GameStop. I forgot that I had a downloadable Jirachi on my Pokemon Pearl cartridge too. Like any self-respecting Pokemon trainer, I spent about 90 minutes getting an acceptable nature and IVs on my Jirachi. For those not familiar with the process, I received my Jirachi, checked its stats, and kept resetting the game until I got one that I was happy with. After that was done, I spent another 60 minutes soft resetting the game until I got a Raikou with strong IVs.

Hardcore Pokemon players understand why I spent two and a half hours getting the right stats. Some non-Pokemon gamers will “get” it too, but I imagine there are many that would find the effort excessive and unusual. Explaining the concept of “soft resetting” to non-gamers? Forget about it. Most people would think that it’s nuts.

Do you do anything as a gamer that the “normals” would find unusual, inexplicable, or insane? Is there an aspect of gaming that you enjoy but couldn’t explain to non-gamers? (And yes, one of the reasons I wrote this story was to justify my zealous Pokemon gaming.)

Verizon to Announce iPhone 4 on January 11?

The word on the street is that Verizon is set to announce that the iPhone 4 will join its lineup in February. The company is holding a press conference on Tuesday January 11, 2011 and The Wall Street Journal says that it’s to unveil the iPhone. Meanwhile, AllThingsDigital has it on good authority that his royal lord worshipfulness grand highness Steve Jobs will be on hand to christen the partnership.

After years of speculation, it looks like the iPhone will finally be on Verizon’s network. Any of you planning to buy one? Do you think an iPhone 4 on Verizon is appealing with the iPhone 5 just months away? How do you think this will impact America’s mobile phone market? Will polarities shift? How about the Earth’s rotation?

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The Chaperone Trailer Starring Triple H

You must watch the trailer for The Chaperone starring WWE Superstar Triple H (Paul Levesque). It’s one of the worst trailers I’ve seen in years. Hunter has been one of the most consistent WWE wrestlers for the last 15 years. As a movie lead, his career is off to a remarkably crappy start.

On a side note, why don’t more WWE fans find it strange that wrestlers that suffer “severe” injuries and disappear for months return with a movie in the pipe?

What’s Your Favorite Pixar Movie?

I finally got around to seeing Up…and I loved it. It’s a Pixar movie, duh! My taste in Pixar movies is a little bit different from most of my friends’. I prefer Pete Docter’s stuff over Andrew Stanton’s, for example (Monsters Inc. is so underrated). At the end of the day, my favorite Pixar film is The Incredibles — great storytelling, fantastic emotion, and awesome music by Michael Giacchino. How about you? What’s your favorite Pixar flick?

Killzone 3 Story Trailer (Malcolm McDowell, Ray Winstone)

Here’s an excellent Killzone 3 trailer that focuses on the game’s story. Hearing Malcom McDowell’s voice should remind me of his excellent performance in A Clockwork Orange…but I keep hearing him as Terrance McQuewick in Entourage. Anyway, check out the clip and let me know what you think (please)!

Razer Onza Xbox 360 Controller Available this Month (Finally!)

I’ve been excited for the release of Razer’s Onza controller for Xbox 360 since last year. Packed with excellent features for precision gaming, the Onza is a cut above the standard Xbox 360 gamepad. At CES 2011, Razer announced that the Onza will be available for pre-order on January 17, 2011. Here are some details from the press release:

Built for the hardcore competitive gamer, the Razer Onza Tournament Edition offers superior customizability with adjustable resistance analog sticks. Onza’s tagline Resistance is Futile means nothing stands in your way for exceptional precision. Twist the analog sticks in one direction to make them more resistant for steadier control, or twist in the opposite direction for quicker, fluid movements.

The Razer Onza Standard Edition features Multi-Function Buttons (MFB) on the controller’s shoulders which allow remapping of critical buttons to any location under your fingertips. Not only does this increase efficiency of game control, but aids those with disabilities unable to reach specific functions on a crappy standard controller. Razer lets everybody play. Both Standard and Tournament Editions feature MFB, Hyperesponse technology, PC compatibility, and a 15 foot cable for the ultimate pleasure in Xbox gaming.

The Onza Tournament Edition will retail for $49.99, while the Onza Standard Edition will cost $39.99. Any of you interested in these controllers?

Coffee Talk #280: Your Most Wanted Games of 2011

2010 was a fantastic year for gaming and 2011 looks even better! What are some of the games you’re looking forward to in 2011? Here’s my personal top five…

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, why America cares about the Kardashians, Floyd Mayweather getting hassled by his HOA, or the miracle of Ted Williams, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

2010 was a fantastic year for gaming and 2011 looks even better! What are some of the games you’re looking forward to in 2011? Here’s my personal top-five list:

  1. Dragon Age II — I love BioWare. I love fantasty RPGs. Of course this is on the top of my list.
  2. Diablo III — I love Blizzard. I love action-RPGs. Oh, you know….
  3. The Last Guardian — As a huge Ico fan, I’m really looking forward to the game’s visuals and emotional storytelling.
  4. Portal 2 — I have no doubt that this one will rock. I’m fairly sure that this will be even better than the original.
  5. Journey — Some day, love will find you. Oops. Wrong Journey. I loved Flower and I can’t wait to see what thatgamecompany has in store with Journey.

Games that just missed the list include The 3rd Birthday, The Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword, Batman: Arkham City, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution.

Now it’s your turn! What are your most wanted games of 2011?