Last Friday night, California’s Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team entered editor Jason Chen’s home without him present, seizing four computers and two servers. They did so using a warrant by Judge of Superior Court of San Mateo. According to Gaby Darbyshire, COO of Gawker Media LLC, the search warrant to remove these computers was invalid under section 1524(g) of the California Penal Code.
How do you think this is all going to shake down? Should California file criminal charges? Should Apple file civil charges?
According to Engadget, RIM will be releasing BlackBerry OS 6 in Q3 2010. Although RIM’s BlackBerry phones are still the kings of the business world, they’ve been losing market share in the consumer smartphone space, where Apple’s iPhone and various Google Android devices are dominating. One of the biggest deficiencies in BlackBerry OS is its web browser, which is primitive and clunky compared to the WebKit browsers on Android and iPhone. OS 6 will address the browser issue and more. Here’s more from RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis courtesy of Engadget:
Lazaridis said that the company’s all-new WebKit-based browser is part and parcel with 6, pointing out that the rendering engine will have implications throughout the platform and the apps that run on it, not just on the browser alone; in other words, we wouldn’t expect a release of a WebKit browser from these guys for OS 5.0-based devices. Speaking of OS 5.0, the intention is that every device in RIM’s portfolio will eventually run 6, but not everything in the market today will necessarily be upgradeable — Lazaridis says that they’ll “do [their] best,” but he’s not making any guarantees.
If the site’s release date is accurate then RIM will still be in trouble in the consumer market. The company’s OS updates have been rolled out at a glacial pace, while Apple and Google have been rapidly improving their respective operating systems. I still expect RIM to dominate the enterprise market for a few years, but I doubt it can take market share back in the consumer space.
Here’s a pair of hot E3 2010 rumors: Microsoft will unveil an Xbox 360 Slim and Metal Gear Solid for Project Natal at E3 2010. According to Surfer Girl Strikes Back:
MS will reveal a slim 360 natal bundle at one of their two (yes, two) press conferences at this year’s e3.
What’s more the 360 will be getting a subtle rebrand, with a new logo and black as the new primary colour of the console. They feel that the new system needs to be black because a white Natal wouldn’t sit well next to the typical gloss black tv.
As for the MGS rumor, she teased:
And Natal? Let’s just say you’ll probably be both very surprised and very pleased by one of the games revealed… what is it?
Might Get Shot if I were to tell.
The letters M, G, and S were in red.
What do you think of these rumors? Which one excites you more?
EEDAR vice president of analyst services Jesse Divnich is the latest RPad.tv PadCast guest. My favorite analyst in the business discusses all sorts of videogame topics, answers reader questions, and reveals the super power he covets in this clip. Here’s the laundry list of talking points:
The Nintendo 3DS
Whether the PSPgo is a dead system
How awesome Sony’s E3 press conference would be if it were hosted by Kevin Butler
How the Apple iPad impacts the gaming market
Whether investors and venture capatilist have cooled on the console market in light of the hotness of mobile and social gaming
Whether Sega, as we once knew and loved it, is gone forever
DLC trends
E3 2010 predictions
What’s coming on 10/10/10
What super power he would chose and why
Give it a look, give it a listen, and leave any comments you have below.
Yes, today’s column was totally inspired by Naughty by Nature’s “O.P.P.”, which has been stuck in my head for the last hour. Anyway, I wanted to see what your issues were with DLC. Perhaps I’m getting soft in my advanced age, but I’m not really angry about things like DLC on day one or DLC on a retail disc being unlocked over time. “Features” like that piss some gamers off. I can see why, but I also see how these types of DLC are useful in halting used-game sales.
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, former light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek schooling Chris Arreola (a really fat heavyweight), Javier Vazquez sucking in Yankee pinstripes, or today’s BlackBerry announcements, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Yes, today’s column was totally inspired by Naughty by Nature’s “O.P.P.”, which has been stuck in my head for the last hour. Anyway, I wanted to see what your issues were with DLC. Perhaps I’m getting soft in my advanced age, but I’m not really angry about things like DLC on day one or DLC on a retail disc being unlocked over time. “Features” like that piss some gamers off. I can see why, but I also see how these types of DLC are useful in halting used-game sales.
Like I said, I don’t have a problem with these DLC deterrents, if you will (said like Dusty Rhodes). How do you feel about them? Do they irritate you? Do they make you not want to buy certain products? Or are they an acceptable nuisance? Maybe you’re like me and it doesn’t really bother you? Share your thoughts on the matter (please)!
Certified genius Stephen Hawking believes in alien life forms, but warns that that citizens of Earth shouldn’t go out of their way to find them. He recently told The Times:
To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational. The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like.
While finding a nice alien like A.L.F., E.T., or Starman sounds really cool, Hawking believes that there’s a high chance that any aliens earthlings encounter will be bastards:
We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach.
If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.
Do you agree with Hawking’s assessment? Do you even believe in aliens? Kindly take today’s poll and share your opinions on the matter.
Street Fighter High is the best video I’ve seen all month. It puts several of Super Street Fighter IV‘s world warriors in a high-school drama. Screw Glee. I want to watch more Street Fighter High! Highlights include a Ryu vs. Ken football rivalry, C. Viper dealing with teen pregnancy, Sakura’s crush on Ryu, Ryu’s crush on Chun Li, Chun Li’s crush on Guile, Cammy and Juri being the new girls in school, and Blanka not being able to get a date.
Tony Hawk games, Nintendo “Revolution” talk, Star Wars: Battlefront 2, and an epic lightsaber fight — there’s plenty for you to enjoy in this episode of Reset. It’s fun looking back at the Wii; I don’t know anyone that thought it would be the success it turned out to be, including my two distinguished panelists. The lightsaber fight with Ruby still cracks me up. Check it out!
Part 1 — Activision’s Tony Hawk titles have been thrilling gamers for years. The action-sports excitement continues with the upcoming Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland for consoles and Tony Hawk’s American Sk8land for Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. Ruby checks out both games and finds out what new features the pair brings to the skate park. And yes, this was filmed at the event where Raymond got in trouble for stealing beer.
Part 2 — Nintendo is trying something truly unique and different with the controller for its upcoming system, the Revolution. Eschewing the conventional gamepad, the Revolution will feature a wireless controller with motion sensors. It sounds wacky, but it might be the defining factor that will make Nintendo stand out from its competitors. Two industry experts — freelancers Christian Nutt and Chris Kohler — drop by Yahoo! Studios to reveal details on the controller and discuss the impact it will have on gaming.
Part 3 — Rebels and Gungans and Ewoks! Wow! Ruby engages in some Jedi training and checks out LucasArts’ exhilarating action game Star Wars: Battlefront 2. Our little Padawan gets the skinny on the game’s new features while interviewing in a Princess Leia steel bikini (just kidding…or so you think). In addition to the interview, Ruby and Raymond get up to some mischief at the event and take on Boba Fett.
. There’s some pretty good stuff here, including:
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