pacific

Devils at the Gate: Pacific War HD offers little skill or excitement

Devils at the Gate: Pacific War HD tries to be a defense game in which you battle the enemy to defend your turf. The problem is that there really is no skill or gameplay involved; you just tap where the game tells you to and it plays out while you watch.

To begin Devils at the Gate, you're first asked to enter your name. From there, it takes you to the main page where the Setting feature lets you adjust the music and sound effect noises -- you can also adjust them while playing the game. This is good … Read more

Where to watch Tuesday's total solar eclipse

Did you know a total solar eclipse occurs tomorrow? Unfortunately, unless you live around certain areas in Australia or find yourself floating in the South Pacific Ocean, you won't really see the full effect -- unless you observe the phenomenon online.

If you want to catch the rare moment where the moon passes between Earth and the sun, Space.com recommends tuning in to the Slooh space camera Web site or a live feed by Tourism Tropical North Queensland on UStream. … Read more

Defend against enemy onslaughts on iOS

My gaming addiction tends to go in phases. Sometimes I like puzzle games, then I'll move on to shooting games. After that, I might switch to racing games or go on to classic arcade. Whatever the flavor of the week is, I like to really get into it to see what the App Store has to offer.

The recent release of a classic iOS game sequel got me back into playing tower defense strategy games. There is something about finding just the right combination of turrets to pass challenging levels that appeals to me right now. After playing the sequel for a bit, I started to check out a few other games. If you like tower defense, this collection is for you.

This week's collection of iOS apps are my favorite tower defense games of the moment. The first has been around for awhile, but continues to be a go-to game when I'm playing tower defense. The second adds unique game elements that change the gameplay by keeping you busy. The third is a sequel to one of the most popular iOS tower defense games of all time.… Read more

VIA Motors, PG&E partner on the Chevy Volt of work trucks

San Francisco, Calif.--VIA Motors claimed a "first" today with the delivery of a pair of work trucks for use in California's Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) fleet. These were no regular pickups, because although they are based on the Chevrolet Silverado, the trucks that VIA built are extended-range electric vehicles (eREV).

If you are familiar with the way the Chevrolet Volt works, you should have no trouble wrapping your head around the way VIA's eREV trucks function. For the first 40 miles of operation, the eREV truck is motivated solely by … Read more

'Sophisticated' attack targets two Energy Dept. labs

The Web sites of the Energy Department's Pacific Northwest National Lab and Jefferson National Lab were down today in the aftermath of "sophisticated" attacks, a spokesman at one of the labs told CNET.

The Richland, Wash.-based Pacific Northwest National Lab shut down its public Web site, Internet access, and e-mail service after the attack last Friday, spokesman Greg Koller said, adding that the Jefferson National Lab in Newport News, Va., was hit with a similar attack.

"No classified information has been compromised. About 20 percent we do here is classified," Koller said. "We … Read more

Message in a bottle, high-tech style

For nearly a year, a glass bottle has been heading west on the high seas, bringing with it a message of the precariousness of the oceans. And at every step of its long journey, it has told the world where it is. Meet the message in a bottle, high-tech edition.

For 17 years, California artist Jay Little has been putting traditional messages in standard bottles and sending them seaward, hoping that they would one day encounter someone and create a new relationship. But for each of more than 200 attempts, it was all analog: Until someone found one of the … Read more

Nielsen: U.S. smartphone ownership higher among minorities

Almost a third (31 percent) of all mobile phone users in the United States own smartphones, but their adoption is higher among specific minority groups, says a report out today from Nielsen.

Based on a survey conducted in December, Nielsen found that 27 percent of white mobile phone users in the U.S. currently own smartphones. But that rate was lower than the 45 percent of Hispanics, 45 percent of Asians/Pacific Islanders, and 33 percent of African-American mobile users polled who said they have a smartphone.

The adoption rates for smartphone ownership are also rising, especially among minority groups. … Read more

South Korea to be first with nationwide WiMax

A project between Intel and Korea Telecom is aiming to turn South Korea into the first country with nationwide WiMax coverage.

The two companies announced today the expansion of their effort to roll out WiMax-based high-speed Internet service throughout South Korea.

Currently available in Seoul, Inchon, and Suwon, the expanded service will reach five new cities as of tomorrow--Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, and Ulsan--and also cover the expressways of Gyeongbu, Jungbu, Honam, and Yeongdong.

The expanded service, dubbed a "mobile wonderland" by Korea Telecom, will offer a "3W" network, so named because it will consist of … Read more

Chrysler Group embarks on a 10-week trek across the U.S.

Chrysler is taking its act on the road--10 vehicles, 10 weeks, 50 stops.

The marketing tour is to reach out to the 22,000 employees who work for Chrysler Group affiliate companies and suppliers such as Case New Holland, Comau, 3M, Union Pacific Railroad and Mohawk Industries.

The mobile showroom will feature the 2011 models of Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Dodge Caliber, Ram 1500, and 2011 Ram 2500. And the 2010 models of the Chrysler 300S, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Journey, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Viper ACR.

The cross-country tour launched last week and will continue through … Read more

Hyundai Sonata garners first-ever AutoPacific President's Award

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata today was awarded the the first-ever President's Award from automotive consulting firm AutoPacific.

AutoPacific surveyed 975 drivers of the all-new 2011 Sonata and had them rate their cars in 48 separate categories ranging from the basics of comfort and convenience, to performance and environmental friendliness. The Sonata's top score surpasses anything AutoPacific has ever recorded in any product category, the firm said in a news release.

"Quite frankly, we were blown away by the results," said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. "The sheer magnitude of the 2011 Sonata's score made … Read more