Barnes & Noble Unveils “Nook” E-Reader–Amazon Kindle Beware?!?

Barnes and Noble Nook

The e-reader fight just got another player: the Barnes & Noble Nook. Set to leverage the brick-and-mortar retailer’s history and give it a much-needed boost in the digital world, the $259 Nook will compete with Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s various e-reader models. The Nook runs a version of Google Android, has both E Ink and LCD screens, and is connected through WiFi or AT&T 3G. Here are the specs:

  • Height: 7.7 inches
  • Width: 4.9 inches
  • Depth: 0.5 inches
  • Weight: 11.2 ounces (317 grams)
  • WiFi
  • AT&T 3G
  • 2GB internal storage, microSD slot
  • MP3 player
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Google Android OS

While it looks great on paper, there are a few things to note.

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Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Videos

Sony has posted a pair of excellent videos for the (what should be) excellent Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. I know a lot of PS3 gamers are going gaga for Uncharted 2 (and rightfully so), but I’ve always preferred Insomniac’s games and am super looking forward to this one. Anyway, check out the vids and let me know what you think (please)!

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Online Import Store NCSX Sells…Michael Jackson Packing Tape?!?

Michael Jackson packing tape

I’ve purchased quite a few videogames from National Console Support (NCSX), but the online retailer has gone from rare and quirky Japanese games to…Michael Jackson packing tape?!? It’s true! Ignition’s Shane Bettenhausen pointed this oddity out to me this morning. Here’s the official description:

Japanese manufacturer “Dive” purchased a license to create officially sanctioned Michael Jackson consumer products for the Japanese market and they unleashed a wave of preorder solicitations last night. One such product is the Michael Jackson Packing Tape which may be used to seal cardboard boxes, mailing tubes, and other containers with a little bit of MJ Moon-walking magic.

Each roll of tape holds 50 meters of semi-transparent tape which shows Michael Jackson performing the Moonwalk on nine sequential panels. The first panel features the initial backward thrust followed by shuffle steps, a lean-to, the toe-hold, and concludes with a dip on the final panel. Preorders are welcome to ship in November 2009 at JPY571 or US$7.90 from NCS.

This is just…wow. It’s so wacky that I might have to buy a roll or 12!

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Apple Introduces New Unibody MacBook for $999

Apple has unveiled a new 13-inch unibody MacBook for $999. The laptop is available today. Here are some highlights from Apple:

  • Durable Unibody Enclosure: Just 1.08-inches thin and 4.7 pounds, MacBook features a sleek, sturdy unibody design that slips easily into your bag or backpack.
  • Built-in 7-Hours Battery: The new built-in battery lasts up to 7 hours on a single charge.
  • Brilliant LED-backlit Display: Your photos, videos, games, and websites come alive on the new power-efficient, 13-inch LED-backlit widescreen display.
  • Glass Multi-Touch Trackpad: The spacious new trackpad gives you plenty of room to navigate and supports two-finger scroll, right-click, and Multi-Touch gestures.

Macbook unibody 2

This product will do some killer numbers. It has all the sexiness of the Mac at a sub-$1,000 price point. Other notebook manufacturers should be scared. The new MacBook will sell like crazy. I also love the timing of the announcement — just days away from the launch of Windows 7. Ha!

What do you think of the new MacBook? I think it’s the hotness!!! But perhaps you disagree. I wanna know!

Microsoft Exploring Xbox Live Affinity Program

It looks like Microsoft is going the Club Nintendo route and will be implementing an affinity program in the near future. Such programs can be used effectively to retain customers and build brand loyalty. Kotaku got its hands on one of the invites for the pilot. Here’s an excerpt:

This is an exclusive pilot rewards program. That means that the people who get in get stuff. Cool stuff. You want cool stuff, right? Sure you do, we all want stuff. Especially cool stuff. Well, you’ve only got until October 21, 2009 to let us know you want cool stuff, because after that, the doors close and someone else gets the cool stuff.

Xbox Affinity

I’m an absolute sucker for affinity programs. Whether it’s fast-food joints, grocery stores, airlines, etc., I almost always get a card and almost always spend more than I ought to trying to gain points. There’s a 99-percent chance that Microsoft will sucker me into this one too.

What do you think of programs like this and Club Nintendo? Do they make you more loyal to the company? Do you think Microsoft will loudly introduce some really cool benefits so that it can quietly raise the price of Xbox Live?

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Singaporean School Using Wii Sports for Physical Education

Wii Sports

North Vista Primary School in Singapore has introduced a new element to its physical education classes — the Nintendo Wii. Using Wii Sports, the school has students playing games for two weeks of the program. Principal Phua Kia Wang elaborated on the decision to add gaming consoles to gym class:

The usual games concept in PE seemed insufficient, and may not be relevant when the kids go home. For instance, when they go home, does everyone have a basketball court (to play in)? Will they have the people to make up the teams to play with? We don’t want what we teach in school to be so isolated from real life.

Does anyone else find it hilarious that a principal is using the Wii so that kids don’t feel isolated from “real life”? Ha! Wang does have a point though — in cities like Singapore, a lot of kids have easier/more access to a Wii than a basketball court or tennis court. While I loved gym class as a boy, I would have had way more fun in “playing games” class — I’d ace that mofo for sure!

Source via Game Politics

Coffee Talk #7: PS3 vs. Xbox 360 — The Race to #2

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, Joe Girardi’s interesting bullpen management, the sexy Motorola Droid for Verizon, or what games you’ll be buying this week, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

By now, most of you will have had time to think about the September 2009 NPD Group console sales figures. Sony did very well for itself, selling loads of systems thanks to the PS3 price cut and the introduction of the PlayStation 3 Slim. While the Nintendo Wii will end up being the sales winner this console generation (barring some catastrophe like Romulans attacking Earth to steal every Wii on the planet), some feel that second place is up for grabs.

PS3 vs Xbox 360

Xbots will argue that the 360 has way too big a lead in North America. The company will continue to sell its exclusives and sell more third-party games thanks to a larger installed base. Improvements to Xbox Live will cement the console’s position of having the best online console-gaming experience.

Members of the Sony Defense Force will point out that this is a marathon, not a sprint. This console generation is far from over and Sony has superior first-party games lined up for 2010. With the console’s price cut, the PS3’s capabilities — Blu-ray playback, built-in Wifi, etc. — clearly make it a better value than the 360. With better games and better hardware that’s now at a competitive price, it’s only a matter of time until the PS3 surpasses the Xbox 360.

Certainly there are still too many variables, too many years, and too many unannounced games that will shape the remaining years of this generation, but it’s still fun to play analyst. So pretend for a few minutes that you’re Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter or EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich. I want to know which console you think will end up grabbing the silver medal this console generation. Do you think it’ll be Microsoft’s Xbox 360 or Sony’s PlayStation 3? Pick a side and state your case (please!).

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Tarver Games’ Ghosts Attack Teaser Video

A few days ago, I asked you for questions for an iPhone developer that’s being headed up by a “top guy” with extensive console experience. The developer is Tarver Games. The man is Chris Cross. The game is Ghosts Attack. Some of you might be familiar with Cross as a former game design director at EA, responsible for numerous Medal of Honor titles. After a successful run on consoles, he’s turning his attention to Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch.

Ghosts Attack is being positioned as the Tarver’s flagship title for iPhone. One of the most interesting features about it is that it uses Google Maps to dynamically create levels that resemble your current surroundings. I’ll be chatting with Chris soon to learn more about the game and to ask him your questions. For now, check out this trailer and let me know what you think (please)!

Oddworld Inhabitants Invade PlayStation Network

Oddworld Abe

A pair of Oddworld classics for the PlayStation are coming to PSN on 10/22 — Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee and Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus!!! I’m a huge fan of these two games and the developer, Oddworld Inhabitants, so I was thrilled to read company co-founder Lorne Lanning on the PlayStation Blog. He wrote:

It was only about six years ago that I told our agent at the time, “Larry, don’t you get it!? Our classic Abe games are history. The systems that played them are gone and they aren’t coming back. Ours is a disposable medium and we don’t have a Turner Classics channel.” He looked at me with this defeated expression and said, “Dude, that’s the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard you say.” He believed me, and I too believed it at the time.

Six years later and I have to admit it’s great being proved wrong.

It’s great to have two of the most imaginative and entertaining PSone games on PSN. Any of you guys and gals going to download them? I highly recommend it.

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T-Mobile’s Project Dark is Coming! What the Hell is It?!?

T-Mobile Project Dark

T-Mobile’s Project Dark is supposed to be huge…if you can understand what the hell it’s all about. First thing’s first — Project Dark revolves around a pair of new plans that are supposed to be significantly cheaper than the competition’s. The other big feature of Project Dark is that one of the plans will not require the customary two-year agreement and will allow you to pay for a phone over 20 months. This information is based off of leaks collected by Boy Genius Report; while the BGR scans look accurate, things are subject to change before Project Dark’s October 25th launch.

Still not clear on things? Don’t worry, Project Dark is confusing. Thankfully, Tmonews has simplified the two basic plans:

Even More — Contract required, subsidized phone
Even More Plus — No contract required, lowest rates, no phone subsidy, phone can be paid in 20 installments

The exact price will depend on how many minutes you require. Rumors of a $60 all-you-can-eat plan with unlimited voice, text, and data have been floating around. Sexy hardware (perhaps the Nokia N900) to launch the campaign has also been rumored.

Now that you know more about Project Dark, are any of you interested in jumping ship to T-Mobile? Or are you sticking to your current carrier?

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