Cyber gamers vie for world glory

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - More than 700 computer game enthusiasts are gathering in Singapore to take part in the world's biggest competition for computer and video games.
Players from 67 countries will compete in about 1,000 matches at the World Cyber Games on Sunday, hoping for a share of $435,000 in prize money. For 19-year old Michael "Chocoyote" Opree from Germany, winning is a matter of form and preparation rather than luck.

"There is no real secret. You have to be on form on the day you play," he said. "Go have a lot of sleep so you can concentrate on the day and really look for (your) challengers. Get to know something about them, how they play, their game-style, their crosses, their tactics."

Austrian Verena Vlajo, the only female participant, told a local newspaper she was not worried about the gender imbalance.

"It's cool to be the first and only woman here, but I'm just a gamer like everybody else," Vlajo, 24, told The Straits Times.

Michael "Method" So, a 21-year-old representing Team 3D from the United States in the Counter Strike finals, said the games were a natural step in his gaming career. "I picked up gaming just by playing for fun. As I kept playing, I found out about these tournaments. And I just kept going to them and I was winning."

Started in South Korea in 2000, the games were held in San Francisco last year. Event organizers International Cyber Marketing said Singapore was chosen this year because of its good Internet connectivity, efficient transport system and supportive government. Singapore -- which has one of the world's highest Internet penetration rates -- wants to boost its computer games industry and has organized a host of gaming activities and courted game developers to set up shop on the island.

RIM Service Will Continue

RIM CEO Jim Balsillie promised that Blackberry service will continue even if the court issues an injunction against the company. RIM has developed a work-around using recently announced server software that will allow them to continue mail sync without violating any of the disputed patents. Although the workaround is referred to as a software upgrade, it is not clear if it is just server software, or if devices will need to be upgraded as well. The company has not yet implemented the new solution because they are still confirming it does not violate NTP's patents, however they are preparing to switch if an injunction is issued.

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T-Mobile Expands

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In addition to purchasing new spectrum in next year's auction, T-Mobile may acquire smaller carriers to expand their network. When Deutsche Telekom confirmed they would be keeping T-Mobile, they re-affirmed their promise of $2 billion to the subsidiary for new spectrum. Yesterday a T-Mobile executive said the company may add acquisitions of smaller carriers into the mix. CFO Thomas Winkler says growth through both means is almost assured, and that the carrier now has to decide how best to divide their budget between acquisitions and auctions.

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My new toys

I picked up this Logitech 5.1 Surround and DAMN do they sound good!

ATI's USB 2.0 Tuner card for watching TV while online!


These SWEET Acoustic Reasearch Wireless Headphones!

And I'm waiting on my new 19" Ultrashrp to get here!


I just love electronics. Give me a few grand and 20 minutes on the web and my house will look like Best Buy in no time. My home office is where I spend most of my time, so I might as well make a place I enjoy.

So I've been Tagged

Well I usually don't go for the tags or mimi's but I'll amuse you.

"five weird habits of yourself"

1. I have to be the one to drive, I seldom let anyone else drive.

2. I curse in different languages (usually German).

3. The second I walk in my house I loose the shoes, I'd go barefoot for life if I could get away with it.

4. All of my clothes in my closets must face the same way.

5. I cannot sleep if my feet are hot.

Just a sidenote

I am starting to hate this template!

This polka dot on black design has got to go. It's starting to look like something a pyscho depressive would wear to a funeral. I need Flames!! (the whole Pyro thing)

I've looked a few options but I'm not paying someone for a piece of code just to change the appearance a little.

Anyway, so tonight at a class we had a very "cheerful" fellow subbing, class didn't last long at all. It feels nice to be home at a descent time. But get this, I go into my office and look what I walked in on.

Turns out my newest house guest from Canada loves Irish beer, go figure. Well this will not do! He needs to find his own brand or pitch in on this shit. It's not cheap at nearly $10 a six pack. Everything's cool though, He appoligized (well that's what it appeared he was doing) and went right back to his place under my Irish hat....... EIN MINUTEN BITA (yeah my German is a little rusty), this rat is not Canadian at all, he's Irish! Damn, well it looks like I will need to give him a fitting Irish name.

Any suggestions?

Finally Winter is coming!

If you hadn't already guessed it, I hate the heat. I love the cold crisp air, sitting on the front porch on a cold morning wrapped in my house coat and drinking my coffee. Here in Alabama we seem to only have two seasons. Summer and Winter. Fall seems to be a memory. Yesterday, the high was in the 70's and today the highs was in the 40's. Big jump for one day but at least my favorite season is upon us.

Maybe this year we could have some snow.

Nip/Tuck = TV crack

Man I am hooked on this show. Even when it isn't that good, I watch it every week. I don't think I have missed a single episode. At least this passes the time until 24 starts back again.

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Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.

Wafian High-End HD-DVR

CineForm and Wafian will be introducing the HR-1 HD video recorder. This DVR is capable of storing up to 18 hours of HD video in either 720p or 1080i/p. This rack-mountable media center contains two hard drives in a mirrored or striped RAID array. It also has an integrated touch-panel LCD, gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, FireWire and has HD-SDI and DVI outputs. This will run about $15,000 and is targeted more towards on-set filming and production and should become available in January.

Wafian HR-1 records

Using Google For Murder??

Seemingly, the words "neck," "snap," "break" and "hold" where those searched for on Google by a man who (it is alleged) shortly afterwards killed his wife. Robert Petrick is charged with murdering his wife, Janine Sutphen, nearly two years after her body was found floating in a Raleigh lake. Evidence of the computer search has been found on computers belonging to Petrick. He also apparently searched for information on lake levels, water currents and boat ramps.

A Cheap Revolution

Coming not as a surprise, Nintendo's next-gen console, the Revolution, will be the lowest priced of all new consoles being released this cycle. The XBox 360, weighing in at upwards of $399, isn't easy to swallow for some, and Nintendo has been finding difficulty competeting against Sony and Microsoft. A low price on the Revolution may give Nintendo the advantage they need.

"Value has been a key card for us this generation and we'll continue to play it," Fils-Aime told me. "Do I expect us to be at a lower price point than our competition? Yes I do. Have we determined a price yet? No we haven't."

Nintendo also has stated that they believe consumers will want enjoyable games over flashy games with high tech features. Whether or not this is true is hard to say, as companies have shown in the past that boring, but pretty, games, can often sell well. The exact price of the Revolution isn't known, but it will probably be in the $150-200 range.

Teen's gaming binge prompts cyber cafe curfew

The tale of a worried mother who feared that her son had gone missing, when he had in fact been taking part in a 48-hr cyber café gaming binge has prompted politicians in Subanjaya to start a curfew for players of online computer games in cyber cafes. After hearing of the case, the authorities have decided to stop gamers' fun at midnight. Under rules due to come in next year, cyber-cafes will have to set up separate areas for gamers and other Internet users. Gaming areas will need a separate entertainment licence and will be required to close at midnight, even at weekends. Local lawmakers say they plan to deploy teams of officers to check on popular Internet spots.

Logitech's New Harmony Remote for Microsoft's Xbox 360

Logitech, today announced the Harmony Advanced Universal Remote Control for Xbox 360, providing gamers and home-entertainment enthusiasts with a single remote that can completely control their game console and any other components in their entertainment system. Specially designed for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment console from Microsoft, the newest Logitech Harmony remote joins what has become the most popular brand of advanced universal remotes in the U.S. marketplace.

With the Harmony remote, there's no need to juggle remote controls or press a dozen buttons to set up a TV, home-theater receiver, and Xbox 360 for gaming. When people push one button on the Harmony remote, the Xbox 360 and all of the appropriate electronics components are set to the required state for game play. Special console-specific buttons on the Harmony remote make it easy to navigate the Xbox 360 interface. The remote's white finish, chrome accents, cool green backlighting and ultra-slim design complement the understated but sophisticated design of the Xbox 360.

The Harmony for Xbox 360 remote control will be available in the U.S. beginning in late November for a suggested retail price of $129.99 in the U.S. If purchased with the Xbox 360 before March 31, 2006, there is a $30 manufacturer's mail-in rebate available.

Just a thought

I've got to say I am really a little concerned about an old friend of mine. I may not know the situation that said person is going through, but I can only picture it as a dark and lonely place. I have had my moments of loneliness and depression, but I grow numb from being lonely and depression only last as long as a deep breath.

"Just deal with it" is my mantra these days and I realize that there are things we cannot change. I would love to go back in time and fix the things I've broken, and stop myself from falling, but alas, that falls in the realm of impossible and I have to simple deal with it.

Sometimes being surrounded by friends is only a way to hide the darkness that clouds our minds and hearts.

I know there is probably some way I could help. Be it a phone call or email, but here lately, the only thing I have been able to accomplish is working, going to school and the occasional sleep.

I'm not using this as an excuse; I know I should make time to reconnect with old friends.

Just know I am always around.

What's this?

Every year when it start to turn cold, mice decided to make their way into our homes. I understand, it's cold out there and they just want to be warm, but get this!

So I get this package today in the mail.

This little guy came all the from Canada to get out of the cold!


He made himself right at home and found him a place under my favorite hat. I guess I'll let him stay, at least for the winter. I can't just kick him out after such a long trip.

Thanks Lex!

This is Ashley

I'm posting from wes's cell phone.... He is such a nerd... Ha ha you know your loved.... By jesus. Yeah I know I'm mean well gotta run love ya. Ashley
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Toshiba and NEC to collaborate

Toshiba and NEC have agreed to collaborate, working together on developing new production techniques that can reduce cost and increase efficiency, working on such projects as chip circuitry widths of 65 and 45 nanometres.

"As advances in semiconductor process technologies become more complex, time consuming and expensive, the joint development will allow the companies to share burdens and accelerate development, while raising system LSI performance and quality," they said in a joint statement.

Microsoft's Windows Defender

Currently in beta for months, a new anti-spyware program will be available in future from Microsoft dubbed Windows Defender. A part of Windows Vista, Defender will help deflect rootkits, keystroke loggers and other forms of malware.

"We believe the Windows Defender name allows us to differentiate our functionality and is more suggestive of the protection offered to our customers against spyware and other potentially unwanted software," the spokesperson said. "It describes the functionality of our anti-spyware features in a more positive way."

Users of Windows XP will also be able to get the software via an update. Jason Garms, Microsoft group program manager, said that Defender would apply to spyware threats all the great detection technology currently being used in antivirus engines.

Popular Science Names Xbox 360 Top Tech Home Entertainment Innovation of 2005

Every year, the editors of Popular Science magazine review thousands of new products and technologies in pursuit of 100 breakthroughs that merit the magazine's highest honor, the Best of What's New award.

Winning the Home Entertainment category is the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. This is what Popular Science said about the upcoming console:

The first of the next-generation gaming consoles, the new Xbox 360 is not just about games -- the 360 is poised to take over the living room as well. The 360 is the first Media Center extender that receives and plays back HDTV from Media Center PCs, and it comes with a free lifetime subscription to the Xbox Live online service.

The full list, descriptions and images of all 100 Best of What's New Winners is in the December issue of Popular Science, on newsstands November 15, 2005

UK Online provides super-fast broadband

UK Online has become the first UK Internet provider to offer super-fast broadband across the UK, providing ADSL2+ technology with speeds of up to 22Mbps. The speed, of course, depends on how far someone lives from a telephone exchange, and also on the quality of their phone line, but this is quite a boost to be sure!

"While some customers will get 22Mbps or even more, up to 24Mbps, the quality of their phone line and distance from the exchange will dictate their maximum speed," said general manager Chris Stening.

The service should be available to around 4.4m homes in urban areas across the UK, with expanded coverage in the pipeline.