StrafeRight Game & Hardware Reviews





StrafeRight Staff Articles & Editorials

Are Uber-PC Gaming Rigs Dead?



Quote:
The term netbook, coined by Intel, conveys little useful information about this category of machines. Sure, they all have wireless networking, but so does every other laptop. What the term originally helped to identify was a class of small, ultralightweight, cheap-as-dirt mobile PCs.

Netbooks are tiny – usually between half and two-thirds the size of a garden-variety laptop – and they typically weigh around 2.5 pounds. With their cool, slim designs, they outclass some fancy ultraportables. And best of all, these diminutive laptops start at around $200 (in some cases $100, when purchased as part of a mobile broadband promotional deal).
This is a very good read if you're in the market for a netbook. There are a lot of good suggestions on makes, models, specs and more.

Link - MSN



Quote:
Apple is advertising a rare job in its storied design department — and it’s a cool one.

Apple is looking for a computer modeling expert to make 3D renderings of concept products.

Whoever gets the job will be one of the first people in the world to get a peek at whatever Apple is working on. Only CEO Steve Jobs and a handful of top executives get to see products in development.
Quote:
Dezeenjobs: Apple in California are looking for a CAD sculptor/digital 3D modeler:

CAD Sculptor/Digital 3D Modeler

CAD sculptor/digital 3D modeler needed to create high quality CAD models used in the industrial design and development of new products. This is not a design position.

The CAD sculptor is responsible for interpreting and defining the design intent of the industrial designer using Alias software while working with mechanical engineering, manufacturing and tooling requirements. 3D CAD data is used to develop product concepts and details for appearance models and renderings as well as production level surfaces used for engineering and tooling.

This position requires an advanced understanding and use of 3D surface modeling software, preferably Alias Studio or Rhino. Also helpful if the candidate is familiar with rendering/ visualization software tools, various CAD file format translations, and mechanical design of molded plastic parts.

The CAD Sculpting team is integral to the design and development of current and future Apple products. Candidate must have excellent problem solving and interpersonal skills and must be deadline-driven. At least one to three years experience in industrial design, model making, and product design, or related field is desired; however, a recent graduate with the right skill set will be considered.

Proficiency in Alias Studio or a similar surface modeler is required, and an understanding of Unigraphics or other solid modeling CAD packages is preferred. BS or BA in Industrial Design, Transportation Design, 3D Animation/Modeling, Fine Arts or Engineering desirable.

Candidates must keep in mind that this is not a designer position nor is it a stepping-stone to a designer position.

Please submit resume and portfolio to cadjob@apple.com

Job Link: Dezeen » Blog Archive » CAD sculptor/digital 3D modeler at Apple
Article Link: Dream Job: Apple Advertising For 3D Modeler To Make Concept Products | Cult of Mac


The Pirate Bay: SOLD!


Jun 30, 2009 @ 10:53 PM by: Craig(21) Comments



Quote:
The Pirate Bay, one of the world's most well known file-sharing websites, has been sold to a Swedish firm called the Global Gaming Factory for just 60 million Swedish Krona (roughly $7.8 million USD or £4.6 million GBP).

According to a post on The Pirate Bay blog the current team behind the site recognise that the figure was a lot less than the site was actually worth, but claimed it was more important to find the right buyer than the right price.

"As all of you know, there's not been much news on the site for the past two-three years. It's the same site essentially. On the internets, stuff dies if it doesn't evolve. We don't want that to happen," the team said on the blog.

"If the new owners screw around with the site, nobody will keep using it. That's the biggest insurance one can have that the site will be run in the way that we all want to. And - you can now not only share files but shares with people. Everybody can indeed be the owner of The Pirate Bay now. That's awesome and will take the heat off us."
Strange days are ahead... and Demonoid just got another million hits a day. RIP TPB!

Link - Bit-Tech (Thanks Joe)




Quote:
Apple boldly advertises the slogan "It just works", but Apple has its share of issues just like any other tech company. Among the recent problems included Mac display issues (which have been ongoing for over a year) and iPhone signal issues (also a year old problem).

Now another familiar problem has been reported. Apple's hot new iPhone is not just getting hot figuratively, it's getting hot literally. Reports of Apple's handsets turning toasty and colorizing from white to a toasty brown or rosy pink have been widely reported.

Reportedly, the phones are more likely to overheat when playing games or using the GPS. The iPhone 3G S packs a much faster CPU and graphics processor than its predecessor, a likely source of the heating issues. However, Apple thus far has denied the reports and refused to comment that there is a problem with the handsets.
DailyTech - Report: Some iPhone 3G S Smartphones Overheating




Quote:
TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp is considering developing a cellphone-game gear hybrid in a bid to better compete with Apple Inc's highly popular iPod and iPhone, the Nikkei business daily said on Saturday.

The Japanese electronics and entertainment conglomerate launched its first Walkman three decades ago, dominating the portable music player market, but it has been running far behind the iPod and iPhone in recent years.

Sony plans to set up a project team as early as July to develop a new product that combines functions of its portable game player and Sony Ericsson's mobile phones, the Nikkei said.
Why not? I mean if you look at the position Sony is in (not a great one at this time), you have to assume they're looking for a homerun and are willing to throw up at least a few hail-Mary's to get it. I think this could be a very good product because both Sony and Ericcson make quality stuff. Though the x-factor with these phones as of late seems to be more of the services (app stores being the biggest) and not necessarily the hardware.

Link - Reuters


APB Interview


Jun 28, 2009 @ 9:37 AM by: joe(2) Comments


Perhaps the most significant game to come out of this year's E3 was APB, a completely different take on the MMO genre that is scheduled for release early next year. Below you'll find a brief excerpt from a lengthy Gamasutra interview with APB lead designer EJ Moreland.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gamasutra
I think a lot of games are -- I don't want to say "guilty of it", but they're not so good at picking what their limitations are. I think people get inspired and just go crazy...

EJ: I've certainly been guilty of doing that exact thing, in a variety of situations. It's something that, I think, as a developer, you learn more from your mistakes than you do successes.

So, as the lead designer, and as someone who's at the top of helping to shape the product, it's very important to me that we definitely explore those things, and look for the ones that are important enough to include. But at the end of the day, we need to bring that down to a very focused, very specific set of executed features.

The customization system is something we have to execute on well; the action game has to be done well. I mean, everyone thinks that you can release these types of online games, and, "Oh, it can be okay, because it's online, it's multiplayer, so it doesn't have to be as good as a single player experience." And we realize that there are trade-offs, but we want it to be the best it can be, and so it's all about execution at this point, for us.

It's why we just now started to talk about the game. We don't want to put it out there and let people see it until we feel like it's ready to be there.
Link: Gamasutra - Features - Leading The Design of APB

Via: Rock, Paper, Shotgun: Don't stop til you get enough. » The Sunday Papers


Page 1 of 16 1 2611 Last »