Hackers Can Unban Their Consoles

This game of one-upmanship between Sony and the PS3 modders is getting seriously heated. Responding to the news that Sony was permabanning modded consoles, a new hack claims to worm into the PSN and allow people to unban themselves. 

The hack can also be used to ban another console, although they'd need access to that console's ID, which would have to be obtained from a refurb warehouse/secondhand seller or willingly given up by an idiot. 

The mod scene is justifying its actions by calling Sony bullies and criticizing its strong-arm tactics. Sony, of course, is sticking by its EULA and claiming to protect its interests.

Whichever side you find righteous, there is no denying that this war is going to get even more bitter -- and likely more idiotic -- before it's all said and done. 

Original Article: http://www.destructoid.com/psn-hack-lets-users-unban-themselves-ban-others-194361.phtml

MMOFPS From Bungie

Since finishing up with the Halo franchise, Bungie has moved on to develop a new game for Activision Blizzard that we know absolutely nothing about. According to a new report, Bungie is staying within the realm of first-person shooters for its next game -- except it'll be a massively multiplayer FPS.

A source spoke with Kotaku claiming to be a contractor who, along with around 30 others, was let go from Bungie. Besides talking about the layoffs, he or she also shared some information about Bungie's next project: The MMOFPS will have a science fiction setting and be called 'Destiny,' although it currently carries the codename 'Tiger.'

The source says Bungie let go "every employee who wasn't full-time employed," including "producers, artists, programmers, most of the IT staff, and security." This was due to "performance related" issues, although an IT contractor who was also laid off supposedly received an email that pointed to "project sensitivity" and "budgetary concerns from our publisher" as the real reasons behind the layoffs.

Since the report was originally filed, Bungie has publicly denied that any such event ever took place. "Bungie has never been asked to lay off any employees or contract employees by our publisher, Activision-Blizzard, for any reason," a post on Bungie.net reads. "The talented professionals who grace our offices day in and day out are the lifeblood of Bungie -- our most cherished commodity ? and the unsubstantiated rumors posted today are in direct opposition to the culture and values that we believe make Bungie an exceptional place to work, and to call home." It's also noted that Bungie is currently hiring for a variety of positions.

With Bungie outright denying that any "layoffs or group firings of any kind" have taken place, it makes it difficult to believe the source's claim that an MMOFPS is the Halo developer's next game.GameSpot notes that Bungie writer and design director Joseph Staten made some comments last year that could be taken as an interest in working on an MMO.

"I think it's a shame that we spent so much time working on this world called Halo and then we only let people spend six or eight or 10 hours in it," Staten said. "Wouldn't it be great if we could make a world that was always there for you, with lots of stories to tell, like a big, infinite storytelling horizon? Man, that would be great."

That sounds like he might be talking about an MMO, where the story can continue being told indefinitely. But all that can really be taken as is interest on the part of one Bungie staffer -- it's not necessarily an indication of what the developer is working on.

For what it's worth, Bungie has said that it's developing a new engine for its next game. Last year it was also looking to hire individuals who had experience with "branching or non-linear" narratives, as well as a Player Investment Designer who would be "designing mechanics which drive in-game player reward and incentive" and working to provide players with long-term goals "to invest them in the world and their character."

Given that it still would be an FPS game on some level -- a genre that Bungie's become pretty comfortable with over the last decade -- an MMOFPS doesn't seem like such a stretch. Even so, for now, we'll have to keep this idea filed under 'rumor.' 

Original Article: http://www.1up.com/news/bungie-next-game-mmofps-destiny

Sony Tablet

Since the netbook craze has died down, tablet computers have become all the rage, thanks in large part to the iPad. Sony has yet to enter the market with a tablet of its own, though it's made it clear that it wants to claim at least the number two position behind the iPad. It will begin working towards that goal later this year with a tablet codenamed S1, according to Engadget. The device is planned to be branded as PlayStation Certified upon release.

The S1 will run on Android 3.0 and have a 9.4-inch screen. It's being customized by a variety of Sony divisions, including VAIO, Reader, Sony Ericsson, and PlayStation. The VAIO group is in charge but it's not expected to carry that title once finished. Sony's work has "created a user experience that rivals and at times improves upon the iPad's renowned experience." Sony's Qriocity on-demand service for music, videos, and movies is going to be a key element, as will games -- it'll come equipped with unspecified PlayStation One games and "PlayStation integration".

Engadget initially speculated that this might simply entail Remote Play -- the same functionality the PlayStation Portable carries which allows certain PS3 games to be played remotely on the PSP. Since the original report was filed, it's been confirmed through sources that the S1 will be PlayStation Certified. That's the same term being applied to Sony Ericsson's new Xperia Play phone which is meant to indicate that the device in question is capable of delivering a "PlayStation quality experience."

Pertinent technical details include the screen resolution of 1280x800 and its Tegra 2 processor, the same thing being carried by the upcoming Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and LG G-Slate. The only buttons the S1 currently carries are for volume control; everything else will be operated on the touchscreen, although the possibility of a Qriocity button is being considered.

The design is somewhat curious. Engadget has a mockup of what the tablet will look like (pictured above), as there are no actual pictures of the S1 currently available. "The tablet's 'wrap' design is meant to remind the owner of something personal in the way that it mimics an open paperback stuffed into the back pocket, or a magazine folded backward upon itself such that only a single page is visible to read," the report explains. "A design that also gives the tablet's display enough angle to comfortably touch-type when placed on a table." It's also meant to reduce the difficulty in using it with one hand.

The price for a Wi-Fi only version -- no word on storage or 3G support yet -- is currently set for $599. That's $100 more than the cheapest iPad (16GB, Wi-Fi only). Sony had been hoping to match the iPad's price. Its release date has been pushed back "several times" already, with it currently set to ship this September. As you'd expect, none of this is set in stone. It's teased that Sony has another tablet in the works, possibly with dual screens, as this patent that surfaced last year reveals.

Assuming the S1 does make it to market, this will be at least the second PlayStation Certified device to come out of Sony, joining the recently announced Xperia Play from Sony Ericsson. It also of course has its new proper handheld videogame system in the works currently known as the NGP. The S1 won't be PlayStation-branded if and when it's released, but this seems to be another sign that Sony is interested in expanding 'PlayStation' beyond the space we're used to seeing it occupy -- or, at least, capitalizing on the brand in order to help sell new devices. 

Original Article: http://www.1up.com/news/playstation-certified-tablet-coming-sony

16 Year Old Murders Mother Over Playstation Argument

When you've been a naughty little bastard and find yourself punished with a videogame ban, what's the appropriate response? Suck it up and do your time, or commit matricide? If you go with the former, you're not 16-year-old Kendall Anderson.

The boy had his PlayStation system confiscated as punishment for an undisclosed trespass and got into an argument with his mother, Rashida. He did what any ordinary lunatic would do and resolved to kill her in her sleep with a hammer. She survived after getting hit 20 times with a claw hammer, and Kendall tried to finish the job with a "cremation" in the kitchen oven. The Hansel & Gretel approach also failed to end the job, so he decided to drop the clever shit and beat her to death with a chair leg. Classy.

“If I could, I would not do it again. I really miss my mom ... she was the only person who cared for me,” said the killer, after confessing the murder to Philadelphia Police. 

He has been charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and abuse of a corpse.

Valve More Profitable Than Google and Apple Per Employee

Valve and its Steam service are obviously wildly successful. But as a company that refuses to ever offer up any financial information, it's difficult to figure out just how successful Valve really is.

In a Forbes profile of founder Gabe Newell, it's claimed that Valve's digital distribution store now owns between 50% and 70% of the $4 billion business that is downloadable PC games. Forbes cites IHS Screen Digest analyst Ed Barton, who suggests Valve's revenue in 2010 was in the "high hundreds of millions of dollars." Newell will only get as specific as saying that Valve is "tremendously profitable." He also stated that, per employee, Valve is profitable than Google or Apple.

The profile goes on to describe the story of how Newell almost went blind before getting surgery that granted him much-improved eyesight, as well as his current hobby of creating things like iPad stands, custom swords, and other 'geek accessories.'

Newell admitted that Valve has missed out on some trends that have been proven to be extremely profitable, including mobile, social, and motion control games. He qualified what could be construed as regret over the misses by saying, "If we tried to blaze new trails of our own and ride all the latest trends, we'd likely be bankrupt by now."

Valve will be launching its next game, Portal 2, in April. It also continues to provide a tremendous amount of support for Team Fortress 2. Last year it launched an in-game store where weapons and cosmetic items can be purchased. It also allows players to develop and sell their own items (with some making up to $20,000 per week).

Original Article: http://www.1up.com/news/valve-more-profitable-google-apple-per-employee

Killzone 3 Leaked

Not to be outdone by their PC counterparts, it seems a number of PS3 gamers are following Crysis 2 up with a little round of Killzone 3 piracy. Unable to wait for a little more than a week, Guerrilla's upcoming first-person-shooter has been ripped off and spunked up on torrent sites across the 'net. 

Keep it classy, guys!

People have been upset by this past week's look at PC piracy due to a lack of focus on consoles. Almost as if on cue, a number of console gamers have answered the call to try and prove they're as bad as anybody else. Well, congratulations on that count. Let us not think for a second that console gamers can't be complete shitheads too. Well done!

I guess we're going to see this more and more with the PS3, following the hacking that some dipshits claim was "just for homebrew." Look forward to more annoying Firmware updates. I can't wait for those to roll on down. 

Of course, you can argue this "won't damage its sale" because it is Killzone, but that's the point. Big-name sequels are about the only things that publishers want to put out now, because they can survive crap like this. Welcome to the industry that we all helped create.

Dual Screen Android Phone

Sprint wants you to believe that two screens are better than one. Its new Android-powered smartphone, the Echo, will feature two touchscreen surfaces in a hinged design.

Made by Japanese electronics manufacturer Kyocera, the phone’s dual 3.5-inch WVGA screens can be operated independent of one another or combine in “tablet mode” to add up to a single 4.7-inch integrated display (albeit one with a hinge in the middle).

The Echo’s highlights can be seen in the phone’s obvious multitasking potential. The phone can be operated like most other touchscreen smartphones in its single-screen mode, but in “Simul-task Mode” users can run separate apps on each screen — like, say, open a text on the upper screen while reading an email on the lower one. Tablet mode, says Sprint, works well for viewing videos and lists across a larger surface area. However, early reports from other blogs suggest that there are significant limitations to the Echo’s multitasking capabilities.

The phone will run on Sprint’s 3G network and comes with Wi-Fi hotspot capability, with support for up to five separate devices. Under the hood, the Echo is running on a 1-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 1 GB of RAM, and its 5-megapixel camera is capable of 720p HD video capture. It will run on version 2.2 (Froyo) of Google’s Android operating system.

There are some shortcomings. The Echo doesn’t run on the company’s 4G WiMax spectrum, which Sprint been promoting in its 2011 4G smartphone offerings, beginning with HTC’s Evo Shift and the Evo 4G in January. The company recently announced its $10 premium data-plan fee for all new 3G and 4G phones activated after Jan. 30.

It also lacks a dual-core processor. Whether its 1-GHz Snapdragon is beefy enough to handle the dual-screen multitasking of the phone remains to be seen.

Also still unknown is the phone’s battery life, although here’s a hint: Sprint is bundling it with a spare 1,370 mAh battery and a “low-profile” charging cradle that can also act as an external battery pack. In other words, you’re probably going to need that extra juice.

The Echo will cost $200 with a two-year Sprint service agreement (after a $100 mail-in rebate, mind you), and will be released in the spring.

Original Article: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/kyocera-echo/