studios

Photos: Robots at work and play in Japan

Where do all the coolest robots hang out? Japan, of course.

The 2007 International Robot Exhibition sponsored by the Japan Robot Association claims to be the largest robotics trade show in the world. The show, which runs November 28 to December 1, serves as a venue for everything from tiny robot toys and educational tools to giant industrial robots that manufacture cars.

This headless-looking robot is actually fully intact. The E-nuvo walk robot from Japan-based ZMP could be thought of as the Japanese version of a Lego Mindstorms robot. Only this line of learning robots, which is offered in basic, … Read more

Microsoft releases Visual Studio 2008 and .Net Framework 3.5

Microsoft on Monday made its flagship development tool, Visual Studio 2008, available for download to its developer subscribers.

The product line include several editions, ranging from the low-end Visual Studio 2005 Express for students and hobbyists to Visual Studio Team System, a suite with a server geared at teams of programmers.

Formally code-named Orcas, Visual Studio has features for developer productivity, workflow, data handling, and front-end development for Windows Vista.

The release includes technology called Language Integrated Query (LINQ) which is aimed at making it easier to build applications that tap into different data sources.

The product also includes visual … Read more

From 'Matrix' to the living room, sans head plugs

The last time we saw a set-up like this, we were trying to figure out how to spell Nebuchadnezzar without much luck. But this takes the concept behind the "G-Tech Neber" to an entirely new level, out of the clinical category and into the living room.

Despite its Pottery Barn-inspired name, the "Maya Single" media apparatus impressively features an architecturally designed chair with strategically positioned 60-watt speakers, subwoofer, and 32- or 26-inch screen perched precariously by a metal arm hanging overhead, all accented with natural wood trim, according to T3. The sound system definitely puts it … Read more

Jessops offers lighting studio in a bag

The old saying is that photography is painting with light. Controlling the amount of light in your pictures is essential, especially indoors. That's where the Portaflash Digital Studio Kit from Jessops comes in.

It's a studio in a bag, designed to make high-quality images accessible to anyone with a camera, a little space, and 300 pounds to spare (about $618).

The kit comes with two lighting stands, two silver/white reversible 32-inch brollies and Series 3 tilt brolly brackets. Digital slave triggers and synchronization leads allow you to link the lights to your camera's flash. Power cables … Read more

ActiveGrid resurrected as WaveMaker

I suppose "resurrected" is a bit harsh, since ActiveGrid never really died. More than anything else, ActiveGrid had a hard time explaining just what it was meant to do/be. I'm not very technical, so maybe it was just me, but I heard it explained as an application server and various other things. The true meaning never settled as an easy-to-explain elevator pitch for me.

Now ActiveGrid is back, but this time it's called WaveMaker and its mission is much clearer: help migrate noncompliant client/server applications to the Web. It also has a new CEO/management team, new technology, and a new market: Fortune 2000 developers.

This seems intuitively to be a Very Good Thing (applications are no longer resisting the Web's gravitational pull, and gravity always wins), but it becomes even more so when one considers some blog commentary from WaveMaker CEO Chris Keene:… Read more

Hurricane Chris podcast

There's a new king of ringtones, and he's only 18 years old. Riding the success of his summer smash single "A Bay Bay," Shreveport, Louisiana rapper Hurricane Chris has gone on to sell an astounding 3 million ringtones. Oh, and he also recently released his debut album, 51/50 Ratchet, on Polo Grounds Music/J Records. Luckily for us, his newfound success didn't deter him from joining us for a podcast interview inside our renowned Studio C.

Microsoft to release Visual Studio 2008 this month

Microsoft said on Monday it will release the latest version of its flagship development tool Visual Studio 2008 by the end of November.

The company also announced that it has changed the licensing terms for Visual Studio 2008 to allow its partners to build add-on products that work with operating systems other than Microsoft Windows.

It is also allowing its Premiere-level partners to view the source code of Visual Studio 2008 for debugging.

Also, Microsoft announced the community technology preview of its Sync Framework, a software kit designed to make it easier to build peer-to-peer applications.

It also released Popfly … Read more

Virgin Mobile unveils Studio V

Virgin Mobile yesterday announced a new feature that lets its subscribers take personalization on their phones to a new level. Studio V will allow users to create their own ringtones and wallpapers in an online community. Virgin Mobile gives you a ringtone mixer to create your work and you'll be able to manipulate photos and graphics to your liking.

The pricing scheme is a little quirky. Though you'll be able to use Studio V for free, you'll have to pay to download your own content to your phone. Wallpapers will be $1.99 each and ringtones are $… Read more

Electronic Arts pays $860 million for BioWare, Pandemic Studios

This story has been updated from its original version.

In order to get back on top of the video games market, Electronic Arts is willing to pay a hefty price. Namely, $860 million.

The Redwood City, Calif.-based publisher announced on Thursday afternoon that it had agreed to acquire VG Holdings, the parent company of two game development companies, BioWare and Pandemic Studios, from private equity firm Elevation Partners.

This deal, expected to close in January and originally reported by the Wall Street Journal, is the largest in EA's 25-year history.

For more coverage from CNET News.com's … Read more

Virtual Worlds conference: Differentiation from 'Second Life'

SAN JOSE, Calif.--I'm down at the Virtual Worlds conference here, and one of the most interesting things I've noticed is that everyone is trying to differentiate themselves from Second Life.

It actually makes sense. The attendees of this conference are largely people who are only recently coming to the concept of virtual worlds, and if there's one everyone's heard of, it's Second Life.

So, this differentiation is happening in two ways.

First, in panels, like the one I'm sitting in right now, titled "Blurring the lines between virtual and real worlds," … Read more