EA

The 404 198: Where we put the taint in tainted love

Dan the Mantern is responsible for a majority of the stories in the rundown today, so don't hesitate to burn him at the stake if you don't like what you hear. Personally, I think today's show is hilarious: Craigslist crime, driving exams and racial stereotypes, video game pirates, and the evolution of the Chinese "impossible" space drive. Once again, it's East meets West on The 404!

Big thanks to our buddy Jeff Sparkman for today's show title. We are literally the taint on the massive organ that is CNET.com. Anyway, even though Dan helps us by suggesting the stories for the show, I managed to sneak one by him, and apparently Caroline McCarthy also caught wind. It seems like Craigslist just can't stay out of trouble. This time around, a man used the job listings to post an anonymous ad for construction workers and requested that they show up wearing a blue shirt, yellow vest, safety hat and a blue shirt. The man then proceeded to rob an armored car before stripping his clothing to reveal the exact same uniform, effectively allowing him to disappear into the sea of construction workers. He later reappeared to make his getaway by riding an innertube down the local lake. I love the fact that robbers are getting more creative with their schemes--Jason Bourne over here, did this guy just watch "Ocean's 11" or something? For all that Craigslist has given the internet community (apartments, bikes, jobs, casual "encounters"), I think we can let this one slide.

Episode 198 Download today's podcast … Read more

Take-Two opts to remain independent

After fighting off an unsolicited buyout offer and reviewing its options with other potential suitors over the past five months, Take-Two Interactive Software announced on Thursday it has decided to remain an independent company.

Take-Two, publisher of the popular video game franchise Grand Theft Auto and other titles, said it has completed its strategic review and determined that it would like to continue operating as an independent entity, following a couple of strong quarterly results.

"Take-Two's recent performance demonstrates our potential to create value for the long term. We have delivered solid financial results and expanded our portfolio … Read more

Green is the new black: Two new eco-friendly NEC displays

If you're in the market for an eco-friendly LCD computer monitor, these days you have a few choices. From LG to Lenovo and soon Dell, green is the new black when it comes to LCDs.

Now, NEC is adding to its own EA line of eco-friendly monitors. On Wednesday, it announced two new eco-friendly displays, the 24-inch MultiSync EA241WM wide-screen display and the 19-inch MultiSync EA191M standard-format display.

As with its previously announced 26-inch EA261WM and 22-inch EA221WM, NEC has registered MultiSync EA241WM and EA191M displays as EPEAT Gold and Silver, respectively. The EPEAT rating requires that the displays are Energy Star compliant. Products that earn the Energy Star designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Each of the new displays includes NEC's ECO Mode. According to NEC, in this mode you can lower power consumption and the amount of wasted heat released into the environment. Each display also includes a built-in carbon footprint meter which calculates and tracks carbon savings.

MultiSync EA241WM features:

1,000:1 contrast ratio 400 cd/m2 brightness 1920x1200-pixel native resolution Four-way adjustable stand (110mm height, tilt, swivel, pivot) New cabinet design with intuitive, multidirectional NaViKey Integrated four-port USB 2.0 hub Space-saving, down-firing speakers with headphone jack Dynamic Video Mode with five presets for real-time optimization of image quality Built-in carrying handle HDMI-capable via adapter, 720p and 1080p from DVI-D High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection, which is supported through the DVI-D connector for use with HDCP-equipped devices and encrypted content ECO Mode for significant power consumption savings Ambix, NaViSet and No Touch Auto Adjust Carbon footprint meter for tracking of carbon savings EPEAT Gold registered for EA241WM… Read more

Capitalism still alive: EA on Android games

With the open-source nature of Google's Android platform, there should be no shortage of games available when it goes live in a few weeks. If you're waiting for really high-profile games though, you'll have to keep waiting--for now.

According to a story posted at Pocket Gamer, EA has stated that they're planning to support Android when Android can support them. In other words, when they can make money from Android games, they'll begin developing them.

According to the Pocket Gamer article, EA states, "EA will support the Android platform, as any platform that can … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 818: The Zipless Squirt

It's an "in the wild" sort of show today: love on the bus, Zune-style; a Tesla in the wild; an anecdotal Netbook in the wild; and wild assumptions and paranoia about Internet tracking ensue as Rafe Needleman returns to BOL. Also, the birdman flies over the Channel. Awesome. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 818

Jack Thompson Disbarred http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/25/1822207 http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10051241-52.html

AT& T, Verizon to refrain from tracking users online http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092504135.html… Read more

EA hit with class action suit over 'Spore'

Electronic Arts may have attempted to appease angry customers by amending its digital rights management policy on Spore, but the company's DRM troubles aren't over yet.

Earlier this week, a class action suit was filed in the Northern District of California Court on behalf of Melissa Thomas and all other Spore purchasers. The suit contends that EA violated the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act and Unfair Competition Law by failing to inform consumers that by installing Spore, they also inadvertently install a program called SecuROM. SecuROM is a copy protection program that limits the number of times software … Read more

Olympus preannounces dSLR, Micro Four Thirds models

update 9/26:  It turns out that the product will not be named E-A1; that was just a random name that appeared in a graphic accompanying the press materials. So mentally replace each instance of "E-A1" in this post with "Olympus 4/3rd's DSLR concept."

Of all the major camera manufacturers, Olympus stands out as lacking a prosumer model. Between the approximately $600 E-520 and $1,500-ish E-3 lies a huge gap for competing with the likes of the Canon EOS Rebel XSi and 40D, the Nikon D90, and the Sony Alpha DLSR-A700. And … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 813: Gonads: It's a science word

Quit laughing. This is serious business, related to cell phone radiation and sperm motility and viability. Also today, we talk about the new, NEW Microsoft ads (again), EA backtracking on its unpopular decision and Mark Zuckerberg sticking with his, and whether weather will make a difference in PlayStation 3 sales. Our bet: no. With guest host Jeff Bakalar! Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 813

New Microsoft Commercials Are Live http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/18/new-microsoft-ads-are-live/

EA Relaxes Rules on Installing ‘Spore’ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178384121054773.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10046288-16.html

Zuckerberg: ‘Change … Read more

EA retools 'Spore' DRM activation features

Faced with growing criticism about the way its newly released game Spore is activated on computers, gaming publishing giant Electronic Arts did a little retooling of its own.

EA has increased the number of computers that can be loaded with the game to five from three, despite earlier precautions with its digital rights management (DRM) policy intended to reduce piracy of its copyrighted software.

Spore, released two weeks ago featuring unlikely creatures that can be tailored to the user's liking, has altered other DRM limitations embedded in the software, the company announced.

Frank Gibeau, EA Games Label president, said … Read more