GTA IV - GLITCHES! GLITCHES! GLITCHES!

Ok. Millions of people wait for the release of a game (one whose release was ALREADY delayed). They stand in line for hours and hours outside their local game store. A guy even dies while standing in line (someone was tired of waiting and decided to make their own version of Grand Theft Auto 4). All of this for what? A great game? WRONG!

As great of a game that this WOULD be, it's not turning out that way due to bugs (yeah, that's right. bugs with an 's'). So far, I don't think Xbox 360 users are having problems (but probably will soon), only PS3 users (that's what you get for buying a PS3! =P)

Anyway, we already know about the freezing glitch. Rockstar Games said that the freezing glitch would be fixed by deleting all your game's files and re-installing them. ANK! WRONG! While this DID work for some people, many gamers are still having the problem and are NOT happy about it.

Today, ANOTHER glitch came about (for PS3 gamers, of course) concerning the multiplayer and mobile feature. I haven't learned much on the problem yet, although I know it has something to do with users trying to use a mobile feature and them getting a reply reading that the game server was not found.

Also, for you people that are actually ABLE to play your game, here's some cheats (although you may not want to use them, you never know about these bugs):

TAKEN FROM HERE.

Here we give our low-down of some of the top cheats for GTA IV. All the cheat codes given below work on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Our crack band of thumb bandits have tried most of them, but there are one or two we haven't had the chance to check yet.

We recommend that you don't save the game after using a cheat in case it causes an unexpected glitch - we'd hate you to lose everything you've just spent the last 18 hours building up, and online gaming forums suggest that the use of some cheats can prevent you from earning gaming achievements. Still, maybe that's the reason for the saying "Cheats never prosper"...

Niko's mobile phone provides the perfect tool for cheating your way through the game. Bring the handset onscreen and then dial the following numbers to unleash some cool new features:

Dial GTA-555-0100 (482-555-0100) to restore Niko to full health and a complete complement of ammo.

Dial GUN-555-0150 (486-555-0100) to unlock some seriously heavy new weapons, including an RPG, grenades, a sniper rifle and a surprisingly handy baseball bat.

Dial COP-555-0100 (267-555-0100) to remove Niko's wanted level if you've got too many of Liberty City's finest on your tail.

Dial COP-555-0150 (267-555-0150) to add a star to Niko's wanted level if it's all proving just a bit too easy for your criminal mastermind.

Dial FLY-555-0100 (359-555-0100) to spawn a police helicopter.

Dial HOT-555-0100 (468-555-0100) to change the weather in Liberty City.

You can also call up a map that reveals the location of all weapons, health bonuses, armour, vehicles, stunt ramps, entertainment joints and pigeons. Simply wander into any of the in-game TW@ internet cafes, log onto a computer, and type in: www.whattheydonotwantyoutoknow.com.

And if you object to the idea of bolstering Liberty City's coffers every time you cross a toll road, there's any easy way to avoid the $5 charge - simply steal an emergency vehicle, hit the lights and siren, and obliging booth attendants will let you through the toll for free.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY G4!

The name says it all: HAPPY BIRTHDAY G4!!! For six years you've had our backs (especially bloggers). Keeping us up to date with all the latest news and announcements in the tech world. You truly are the geek's home. We love you and will be with you six MORE years (provided that Olivia Munn stays as a host of AOTS! ^_~)

GTA IV-A Bug Already? WTF?

So, how many of you Grand Theft Auto fans that are reading this played hooky from school, skipped work, or maybe even blew your girl/(guy? whoa if you're a girl and you play GTA, YOU ARE AWESOME GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER just kidding) off to play your new copy of GTA IV that you stood in line for hours last night to get? A bunch probably.

Well that's cool and all but a bug has ALREADY been found in the game. Users who are running GTA IV on a 60 GB PS3 console are having problems with the game freezing right after the introduction. But, FEAR NOT. I'm here for you. Luckily, I stay up to date so I always got your back!

Rockstar Games has gotten word of the chaos and probably heard all of the guys screaming from their living rooms/father's basement because they wanted to steal cars, kill people, and beat hookers with a baseball bat. Either way, they have a solution. They have announced that deleting all the game files and re-installing the game to your system will fix the bug. HAVE FUN!

GTA IV Ownage

Well I guess all the hardcore Grand Theft Auto fans are in line at the local GameStop waiting on 3 more hours to be up. It has been estimated by the guys in ties that GTA IV will sell around 7 million copies the first week. Those rich losers. Have fun shooting people and beating up hookers with baseball bats!!

Ben Heckendorn=1337357

Ok, so I'm a big Engadget fan. I check out the site very often. I was browsing around and came across a post on the first ever PS3 Laptop. I dug a little deeper and found many related posts on Gaming Console Laptops until I dug all the way and found the man behind all these masterpieces-Ben Heckendorn.

Ben Heckendorn is apparently someone who hardmods different things, most famously game consoles. He has many reported projects that are posted on Engadget. I'm going to share a few with you.

First off we have the Xbox 360p Laptop. Ben spent three months building it and it is a B-E-A-UTY! Here are a few specs:

*Custom Aluminum Laptop
*1,280 x 720 Westinghouse LCD
*A custom-built water cooling system to replace the 360's stock, bulky heat sinks
*WiFi
*USB Ports
*Converged Power Supply
*14 Pounds (>:()



You can check out the page of this project here.


Next we have Wii Laptop (This one was in partnership with Engadget). Here are the specs:

# 16:9 widescreen LCD, 7-inch diagonal.
# Stereo sound
# Gamecube controller port
# Built-in short range Sensor Bar
# Ports for using original Sensor Bar and A/V output jacks (for use on external display)
# Built-in power supply and compartment for power cord
# Dimensions: 8.5 x 7.7 x 2-inches

Here are some photos:








Moving on, we have the PS3 Laptop-a silky-shiny masterpiece by Ben. Ben worked on and off for nearly a year and a half to pull this baby off! Here's the specs:

* Original backwards compatible 60GB model
* 17-inch LCD HDTV screen: 720p
* HDMI-DVI connection (same as last Xbox 360 laptop)
* Built-in keyboard, USB ports, stereo speakers, headphone jack
* Size: 17 x 13.75 x 3-inches
* Weight: 16 pounds!



Next is the Xbox 360 Laptop mk2. I was unable to get the specs on this one except that it is thinner and significantly lighter than its predecessor.





There are PLENTY of other beauties that Ben has polished off, but you will have to look for yourself ;).

3G iPhone Coming! FINALLY!

FINALLY! No more waiting 5 minutes for your mail to load or to watch a video! Now you only have to wait FOUR minutes ;)! It's ABOUT TIME Apple. I read on engadget that they had gotten information and a few specs on the 3G-Compatible iPhone (dubbed iPhone 2) that is supposed to be coming soon.

Here's what Engadget learned:

* The first thing people will notice: the 2nd gen iPhone will be about the same size and shape as the first gen.
* It will, of course, have 3G. And proper GPS!
* The most noticeable physical difference is back of the phone is no longer metal -- the whole thing is glossy black, from top to bottom. The volume buttons are now chrome.
* Because it's got a little less metal to deal with, it doesn't have quite as many angular edges. The battery is (still) not removable.
* The phone itself will be slightly thicker than the first gen device.
* The headphone jack will no longer be recessed, and will finally be flush with the body.
* The device itself uses roughly the same size and resolution screen as the first generation product.
* No solid word on battery life or storage capacity.

It is expected (but not confirmed) to be released (or announced) sometime in or after July.

Also, a picture popped up on the internet some time ago that displayed a glossy black iPhone. Some people claimed that this was the 'iPhone 2', but it was not confirmed and is not very credible seeing as if it were the 'iPhone 2' Apple would get all traces of the image of the internet. It was pretty much ruled out as just a 3rd party iPhone Cover. But, since the 'iPhone 2' is going to be glossy black instead of metallic, this image can give you an idea of what the new beauty will look like:

Quake III On iPod Touch FTW!

A game developer from HermitWorks in Canada has demonstrated his 1337 coding skills by modifying the Quake III source and making it iPod Touch/iPhone compatible! HermitWorks had not gotten it 100% functional, and they haven't said whether or not they will release the source for it once they are finished, but let's pray to the gaming gods that they do!

Here's a video of the game developer running Quake III on 2 iPod Touches! Yeah, you read it right by the way. TWO iPod Touches! He got it working with network multiplayer! This guy is 1337.

Blog Evolve

Blog Evolve is a blog network website that has members that make posts on a BIG variety of topics ranging from A to Z. I've been a member there for a week or so and it's a really great site. One minute you may have a post on how to cook a certain casserole, and the next minute you have a post on a man swallowing a condom that he hid his drugs in to avoid going to prison (he died by the way). IT'S THAT VARYING!

So, if you're a blogger, you definitely need to check this site out. It helps promote your blog substantially. :)

Check it out here.

The Robots Are Coming! The Robots Are Coming!

While watching the latest 'Robot News' on Attack of the Show the other day, I learned about 3 new robots. These robots are all based on human-robot interaction and are a little creepy too.



First off, we have Nexi. Nexi one of four robots that has been made as part of a new MIT project. Nexi can have many different facial expressions that will change along with dialect. If you 'meet' Nexi, its face will wear a happy expression and it will say something like, "Hi, I am glad to meet you. Can you tell that I am glad to meet you?". Yeah...just a little bit creepy (*cough*a lot a bit*cough*). Here's a video of some interactions with Nexi:





So... moving on. Tired of your pets leaving you surprises in your house? Tired of having to buy loads of food for your pets? Call the pound and say hello to G-Dog, HPI Japan's newest creation. G-Dog responds to street-based dialect (i.e. "Yo what's up dog?). He may pee on your carpet just like normal pets, but having a robot for a pet instead of a real animal is just WAY cooler! G-Dog is not expected to be in the states for a while. The dogs get let out in Japan in July for about $1000 USD. Woof.



Last but not least (or maybe it is) is Philip's iCat. iCat is basically a torso and head that can move it's head in a normal-physics (or somewhat near it) neck rotation. The coolest thing about iCat is that it can play Tic-Tac-Toe with you! Finally! I don't have to talk to myself anymore! It has 6 different facial expressions as it plays with you. This is great! I don't have to imagine what my imaginary friend's face looks like every moment! This is truly a great day! Here's a video of what interacting with iCat is like:



Now finally, here is the actual segment of 'Robot News' from Thursday's "Attack of the Show!":

Wesley Snipes Gets Five Years

That's right. Wesley Snipes, Hollywood action star, is going to jail for tax evasion. I don't have much info on the subject except that but it was said that Snipes had attempted evasion at 15 million dollars.

Snipes attempted to redeem himself in the courtroom buy writing a check for 5 million on the spot. I guess he was hoping that they'd cut him some slack. It turns out they still gave him the same sentence of 5 years in jail! Sorry Snipes, but don't feel bad. I would have went to jail FOR you if you had given me 5 million GW's.... :)

Windows XP - WE STILL WANT IT!

Ok, so I know that some people are panicking because they still use Windows XP and they think that support for it is going to end in the near future.

Don't worry people. Microsoft has finally acknowledged that people still want XP and have announced that full support will remain until April of 2009. Limited support will remain until 2014. So don't worry guys. Plus, even if support is not here, there is still the internet. The internet (*cough* Google cough*) is your best support service even now.

Microsoft claims that they have not had a problem with people complaining about Vista. I think they are full of you-know-what. Everyone is complaining about Vista. It wouldn't be half-bad if it didn't eat your RAM! To have a relatively decent experience with Vista you have to have at LEAST 2 GB of RAM! Come on Microsoft, I would hope you could do better with that. If you ever read this, keep XP and just make tweaks to it and it only!

Yahoo=Brave

It seems Microsoft is STILL trying to obtain Yahoo and it appears Yahoo is having a hard time keeping them off their back but they have so far. It was said that Yahoo rejected Microsoft's $46 billion dollar offer, saying that wasn't enough. Microsoft has now threatened to go after Yahoo's stockholders (I'm not sure exactly what they're doing, as I don't really care about the stock market myself). From what I gather though, it's not a good thing.

I personally think that Yahoo is holding out and hoping that Google comes in and makes an offer. I think that Yahoo would go with Google for less money than Microsoft has offered them. Analysts are pondering the question of 'Would Yahoo and Google combined form a monopoly?'. I think that if Yahoo and Google combined, they will be an unstoppable monopoly of the internet, that's for sure. Google already practically runs the internet if you really think about it. I mean, they have AdWords, AdSense (which is used on probably more than 50% of websites on the web), Blogger, Google Docs, and so much more.

I think if Google would be willing to acquire Yahoo, it would help their business a bit. They could integrate Yahoo's games and music. That would definitely give Google a boost and make them even more powerful. I guess time will tell.

Zimbio

For all of you aspiring bloggers out there, or all you newbie bloggers (like me) that are trying to promote your blog; I found a great website called Zimbio. Zimbio is a news articles site that allows you to create an account and ping your blogs. Then it gathers the posts from your blogs and you can post them in "Wikizines". It's really cool and is a really great way to get your blog noticed.

Check it out at http://www.zimbio.com

Sorry About the Cloned Posts

Yeah...you have probably noticed that I posted the article on Microsoft's new project 'Live Mesh' four times. Well I use Blogger Mobile and I posted it last night, however, it didn't publish so I resent the MMS twice. After that, I gave up. When I got up this morning I posted it from my computer. Then finally, this afternoon, all three MMSs I had sent via Blogger Mobile finally processed so I have four duplicate posts now.

Microsoft Announces Live Mesh

Today Microsoft annouced a new service on the way called Live Mesh. The service will be offered through Windows Live and will be free to use.

Live Mesh is basically going to be like a virtual PC. Users can sync selected folders and files from their desktop to their online 'Virtual Desktop'.

Live Mesh is also going to have a 'Remote Connection' feature that will allow users to remote into other Live Mesh-enabled PCs that are online. Remote users will only have access to Live Mesh shared folders.

Microsoft has also said that they will be expanding Live Mesh to Macs and mobile phones in the future. Currently Live Mesh is in Beta [a big Beta, (10,000 testers)] and is only open to developers.

Microsoft Annuonces Live Mesh

Today Microsoft announced a new service on the way called Live Mesh. The service will be offered through Windows Live and will be free to use.

Live Mesh is basically going to be like virtual PC. Users can sync selected folders and files from their desktop to their online 'Virtual Desktop'.

Live Mesh is going to have a 'Remote Connection' feature that will allow users to remote into other Live Mesh-enabled PCs that are online. Remote users will only have access to Live Mesh shared folders.

Mircrosoft has also said that they will be expanding Live Mesh to Macs and mobile phones in the future. Currently, Live Mesh is in Beta [a big Beta, (10,000 testers)] and is only open to developers.

Microsoft Announces Live Mesh

Today Microsoft annouced a new service on the way called Live Mesh. The service will be offered through Windows Live and will be free to use.

Live Mesh is basically going to be like a virtual PC. Users can sync selected folders and files from their desktop to their online 'Virtual Desktop'.

Live Mesh is also going to have a 'Remote Connection' feature that will allow users to remote into other Live Mesh-enabled PCs that are online. Remote users will only have access to Live Mesh shared folders.

Microsoft has also said that they will be expanding Live Mesh to Macs and mobile phones in the future. Currently Live Mesh is in Beta [a big Beta, (10,000 testers)] and is only open to developers.

Microsoft Announces Live Mesh

Today Microsoft annouced a new service on the way called Live Mesh. The service will be offered through Windows Live and will be free to use.

Live Mesh is basically going to be like a virtual PC. Users can sync selected folders and files from their desktop to their online 'Virtual Desktop'.

Live Mesh is also going to have a 'Remote Connection' feature that will allow users to remote into other Live Mesh-enabled PCs that are online. Remote users will only have access to Live Mesh shared folders.

Microsoft has also said that they will be expanding Live Mesh to Macs and mobile phones in the future. Currently Live Mesh is in Beta [a big Beta, (10,000 testers)] and is only open to developers.

Most Ridiculous Halo 3 Betrayal

I also came across this on Digg. THIS IS INSANE! You HAVE to watch this! The guy is driving a tank. Then he gets blown up. Well then out of nowhere it says he betrayed someone! After looking through every spot of the map in the video recorder, he found that some debris from the tank hit his teammate! It is so hilarious to watch!

Grand Theft Auto IV Gameplay Footage Leaked Today

I came across this on Digg. Enjoy! ;)

NOTE*-For some reason, the video would not embed here on my site. Sorry about that.

Xbox Live Hacked?

Ok, so about thrity minutes ago I was sitting here in my room playing Halo 2 on Xbox Live. I was running around on Lockout with my sniper rifle gracefully when it happened. Just as I go to snipe somebody, I get the 'ol 'Xbox Live Not Found; Start Troubleshooter?' message. After spending 10 minutes reconfiguring my router, I was finally able to sign back in and join my buddy's party.

Turns out, everyone on Xbox Live (or possibly just everyone on Halo) lost their connection. So we just say 'leave it to Microsoft' and go on brutally killing each other and chatting. Then, while in the middle of a conversation, everyone gets booted off again. This time, I couldn't get back online. I signed in long enough to see that my clan had disappeared and that everyone on my friends list was offline. After screwing with my xbox and router for about 5 minutes, I finally said 'screw it' and now I'm writing this.

So what happened? Was Bungie hacked? Was Xbox Live hacked? Was it just a bug in the server? How can my deleted clan be explained? If this was a server error, Microsoft is probably going to get a LOT of flaming from websites and blogs (including this one). Guess we'll know tomorrow... I'll keep you updated with any information I get on the subject.

GCycle-G4's Plan to Reduce Wastes

I've been meaning to post an article on this and haven't got around to it-until now. G4 (simply put the best network on television [check them out by clicking here]), has teamed up with Earth 911 to bring you GCycle-G4's plan to reduce wastes. Basically, take all your old electronics to a GCycle spot instead of dumping them in a garbage can where they will become the next time bomb in a landfill.

Here's the full article taken from the website on what GCycling is all about:

We've all got old batteries, CDs, phones, and other gadgets that we either let collect dust or just toss in the trash without thinking twice about it. But dude, c'mon, It's not that hard to do the right thing. Especially since G4 has teamed up with Earth 911 to make recycling our old electronics as easy as possible. We call it GCycle. Because if we keep dumping our tech stuff into landfills, it's going to come back to bite us in the a**.

Dude, c'mon. It's not that hard. GCycle.

Earth 911 is an online-based national public service that provides community-specific recycle, reuse, and disposal resources. Our ultimate goal is to empower people to help protect and improve the environment. Find out more at earth911.org.

Ok people. Basically put, DON'T THROW YOUR OLD TECH ITEMS IN THE GARBAGE! TAKE THEM TO A GCYCLING SPOT AND GCYCLE!

To find a GCycling spot near you, click here.

The Earth Thanks You,
Sup3r501d13r

Unreal Tournament 3 for Xbox 360

Remember those great days of Unreal when it was the biggest thing on Xbox Live and you could spend countless hours running around in first-person view killing anything that moved? Ah, yes. Those were the good 'ol days. And thanks to an announcement made by Epic Games and Midway Games yesterday, now you Xbox 360 gamers will be able to relive that glory.

It was announced yesterday that Unreal Tournament 3 will be coming to the Xbox 360 this summer. The new version of the game will include two new characters, five new maps, a split-screen feature, and a butt-load of downloadable bonus material from the Marketplace. TAKE THAT BUNGIE!

Wii Game Sales Are Low

The Wii console came out around a year ago and it took the U.S. By storm. The console is still selling out daily in the U.S.

One interesting fact about the Wii phenomenon is that the console sales are above all other platforms, but the game sales are down drastically. After new games come out for the platform, sales plummet after only a few weeks.

Now according to G4, some analyst said that this is because the Wii consumers are 'less prone to buying new games than Xbox and Playstation users'. I think this is bull****. I think that every gamer is prone to buying new games. The fact that the Wii is not selling any games is not because of 'gamer psychology', it's because of the kick-butt "Wii Sports" that comes with the system. Sure, the platform's got a few big hits, but you can't argue: Wii Sports is the shiznit.

My Poetry Blog

Hi everyone. I just wanted to let you know that I have many sites, but one of the most visited sites is my poetry site and I would like to share that with you. Please visit it if you'd like and leave some comments on your favorites. All poems there were written by me and I update that blog once in a while with new ones. Enjoy!

http://www.poetrybyjc.blogspot.com

Xbox Live Using Dial-Up FTW!!

Ok, so I was looking through my RSS feeds and "The Feed" on G4 posted something about using an Xbox 360 to get on Xbox Live with a Dial-Up connection! So I read on, and it is totally awesome! It might be laggy as mess, but still, just getting on Xbox Live with Dial-Up: that's 1337.

TAKEN FROM Instructables.com:

In this day of highspeed fiber-optic data networks, there are still people who have no viable way to access the internet, other than using the accursed Dial-up service. I am one of them. My parent's house is too far out for companies like Embarq to consider providing DSL to the residents of my road.

As if that wasn't bad enough, I also own a Xbox 360. 80% of the awesomeness that makes up this console comes from online function, and with the lack of higher-speed internet, you won't get to enjoy that 80 percent.

....well, maybe 60% of the fun. I can help you get to 20% of it though. By making your PC share it's dialup connection with your Xbox 360 (or pretty much anything else with a Ethernet jack), you can access Live.

Make sure to check out that 2nd image too. It's a (56k) killer.

To pull this off, you'll need:
A PC with a working dialup connection, running Windows XP (Should work on Vista as well)
An Ethernet Cable, long enough to reach your Xbox (For the uninitiated, these have plugs that look like bigger phone cord plugs)
And an Xbox 360.

To pull it off, you need to connect the 360 to your PC using the Ethernet cable. Power up the 360 and the PC if they aren't already on. "Fire" up that dialup connection, and get ready to work the magic.

Open the Control Panel in Windows, then go to Network and Internet Connections.
Open Network Setup Wizard, press next.
Ignore the checklist and press next, then select "This computer connects directly to the Internet.".
Press next, and select your dialup connection as the way you connect to the Internet.
Press next again, and select "Local Area Connection" as your private connection.
Leave any names for your PC alone, and click next.
Leave the workgroup name alone, click Next.
Turn on file and printer sharing if you want to stream videos from your PC to the 360, click next.
Review the settings, and click next to apply them.
Let them apply, and select the last option that pops up, something like "I do not need to run Network Setup Wizard on the other computers."
Reboot your PC (then re-dial-up) if necessary.

Now that your PC is configuratified, go to the System blade and select Network Settings, and select open "Test Xbox LIVE Connection". It will run a test on the cable connection, I.P. addresses, and the like. When it gets to the Xbox LIVE test, it will ask you to download updates if it's successful. Go find something else to do (not on your 360 or online on your PC) while they download.

If all goes well, you should be able to make your profile LIVE-enabled. I can't remember how I did it, but I'm sure you'll figure it out (or post how to in a comment for me to splice in).

Right, just because you're on Live doesn't mean you have all the features available to you that highspeed gamers will.

No multiplayer, with or without a Gold account. The lag will make it worthless.
No movie-on-demand. To be specific, a SD movie will take over a week of nonstop downloading.

But you can still:
Download Live arcade games and demos
Download game demos if you wanna wait that long
Update your console and games
Get themes, gamerpics and all that jazz
And you can still access MSN messenger.

f you're reading this saying to yourself, "Self, this is useless", or "Self, these guys need to get off their n00b-asses and pay for highspeed", please refrain from commenting. This is for the people who for one reason or another cannot access highspeed internet, yet wish to update their console or get some XBLA games. It's hard enough for a 56K pimp without people trash-talking.

So if you thought this was useful or have questions, don't refrain from commenting, or adding me to your Live friends list. If the photo didn't tip you off, my GT is Radical Jake.

Instructables FTW!
-Dr. Professor Jake "Biggs" Turner.

To view this article from the original source, click here.

April 21st Podcast

Alright guys, I made my first podcast today using a horrible program called text2speech. My microphone broke. Hopefully I'll have a new one soon. Note that this program says "This is a demo version" a LOT. But the overall podcast sounds hilarious with text2speech, so I guess it will at least make you laugh instead of shout very angrily at me. :)

Enjoy [you won't enjoy, but I'm still hoping you will ;-)]

Click here.

GTA IV Ads Banned in Chicago

Due to extreme violence in Chicago, Illinois, the city officials have decided to ban any Grand Theft Auto 4 ads in a stand to prevent violence and crime. I don't think this is really going to make a difference. I'm pretty sure Chicago was a violent city long before Vice City even came out. But whatever, it's their city.

No Gears of War 2 Demo

Sorry guys, but the guys in charge of the Gears of War project over at Epic Games got up this morning in a pissy mood and decided to deprive us of a demo of Gears of War 2. No, just kidding. It's not because of that reason. Here's a quote from associate producer Tanya Jessen:

"[There are] no plans for a demo," associate producer Tanya Jessen told Shacknews. "The reason being that it's been such a fast turnaround. A two year production cycle, for a game of this caliber, is really short."

Guess we'll just have to occupy ourselves with something else (might I suggest a Yo-Yo lol) until it comes out. Then we can man up, fork out the money, and hope for the best.

iTunes-99-Cent Songs No More?

Oh no!!! Stop this madness!!! Most people don't even buy their music these days, but those that do are probably not happy that it was rently announced that iTunes Music Singles Downloads may have to jack up their prices from 99 cents because of governement tax. The government claims that this will bring in much more revenue for them if this goes through. I highly doubt this seeing as most people use P2P. Duh.

Van Der Led's WM2 Mobile Phone Watch

Yes! That's right! There's finally a watch that is a cell phone! The Van Der Led's WM2 Mobile Watch is a new innovation to mobile phone technology. Here's the specs:

-A 1.3-Inch screen display
-A 1.3 Megapixel camera
-Bluetooth Stereo Headset Support (A2DP)
-Device USB Port with support for up to 1GB in MP3s
-$475

Dang. That last spec is a bit of a bummer. But oh well. We can dream...We can dream.

What About Yahoo?

Yahoo! has been around for years. It was the first major search engine/email provider that I remember. I remember spending countless hours as a child playing games on it.

But then others came along such as Ask Jeeves, AOL, and Google. Let's just face it: Ask Jeeves and AOL wish they were as big as Google. Google has taken the internet by storm and pretty much control it if you really think about it.

Yahoo! has been looking to sell out recently. The company is too small to survive on their own and if they wish to survive, then they need to merge with another company. They have been talking with Microsoft, Google, and even AOL. Microsoft is trying to buy Yahoo! to aid the ever-failing Vista Operating System, but word is that Yahoo! doesn't want to go with Microsoft.

Here's the video from Attack of the Show's "The Loop" on the subject:

Skyfire Mobile Browser

Are you sick of limited compatibility of YouTube Mobile? Are you tired of seeing every webpage you load on your mobile in that 'scaled-down' version? Want to see every page as it was meant to be? Here's your answer:

Say hello to Skyfire. Skyfire is a fully-functional mobile browser that came around back in January. It is still currently in beta stage, so you have to sign up to use it, but trust me, it's completely worth it.

Skyfire renders pages quickly on your mobile. It has a beautful GUI, and best of all, it fully supports quicktime and flash media so the 'normal' YouTube is finally possible!

I can see the smile on your face. But here's the thing: that smile is either fixing to get bigger, or it's fixing to go away. The catch to this awesomeness is that is only currently supported by Windows Mobile 5 or 6. Other platforms should be supported soon. So I guess us BlackBerry users can just suck it up and wait :(.

For you lucky dogs that have Windows Mobile, head on over to the site and sign up for the download.

http://www.skyfire.com

Happy 4-20!!!!

Today is April 20th, also known as '4-20 (four-twenty)'. What is so special about 4-20? Simply put, it's National Weed-Smoking Day!!! Woohoo!!! So go out, have fun, and don't get caught man. Lol.

Also, if you're stuck in the house like me, be sure and catch G4's 4-20 special, starting at 12:00 P.M. Central time. They've got the classic "Half Baked" movie and Attack of the Show Jamaican 4-20 special! :)

ALSO! Correction on my "The Block" post. The season does not air in May, it airs today as part of G4's 4-20 special. Sorry about that.

Gears of War Comic Series

Yep! That's right! Epic Games is teaming up with DC Comics to bring you the action-packed Gears of War comic book series. The first issue is set to release in October. I'll keep you updated.

Mocospace Has It All

You probably haven't heard of it. If you have, you've probably seen it in a Google Ad and just haven't bothered to click it. Well that was your mistake.

Mocospace is a social networking site similar to MySpace. In my opinion, it is way better.

Mocospace has it all- Chat rooms for every type of person, Forums on all types of topics, games, bloggin, wallpapers, and more.

The twist about Mocospace is it is fully functional through a mobile phone via WAP. All aspects you would be able to enjoy on a computer can alse be access by going to the website on your mobile.

So what are you waiting for? Join now!

http://www.mocospace.com

Unreal Tournament Extras

Epci Games' "Unreal Tournament" for Xbox 360 has some extras coming up for it. A two player split-screen mode is coming and there will also be a 'Gears of War Nugget'. These extras will be available for download in the Xbox Live Marketplace soon.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

The Mortal Kombat series is having a new addition added to it's arsenal. Mortal Kombat VS. DC Universe is set to release in May. All the classic Mortal Kombat characters will be returning and we will be seeing characters from the DC Comics Universe such as Batman.

The Block is Back

Hit MTV series "The Block" featuring a hotel for snowboarders, had a great first season. The episodes were pretty random with a grand mixture of snowboarding and partying.

However, The Block is coming back for season 2 with a whole new twist. Not much is known except that it will be 'boot-camp" theme. I'm not sure about much of what's going to happen, but I saw the sneak peek of season 2 and it was HILARIOUS.

The Block Season 2 airs in May.

Is Blogging In Trouble?

Blogging Network Gawker recently sold three of their top blogs (Idolator, Wokette, and Gridskipper) because they forsee a 'blogging recession'. They say with today's economy, advertising is more difficult, therefore making money via AdSense and other ad-related income routes may decrease. Gawker had the same fear in 2006, and it turned out they were wrong. Gawker president says he hopes they're wrong again.

Rock Band Full Album Downloads

Rock Band entered into the gaming world about 5 months ago and it was an instant hit. The ability to rock out to your favorite tunes with your friends was an experience everyone loved. But now, Rock Band is going to be even better than before with Full Album Downloads coming soon. The first album will be "Screaming for Vengeance" by Judas Priest and will be available for download on April 22nd via Xbox Live Marketplace for $14.99. Or you can purchase the tracks separately for $1.99 a piece. Not bad Microsoft.

Does Google have the answer?

Today Google supposedly claimed that they finally have the answer to pirated content on YouTube. All you guys that put everything on YouTube, you may want to make sure that you know where the content you are uploading is from and that everyone (including the makers) are ok with EVERYONE seeing it.

Blockbuster Being Sued

Famed movie rental store, Blockbuster, recently teamed up with Facebook and made a Blockbuster application. (Woohoo! Another annoying invitation I can have waiting for me next time I sign in! Way to go losers!) Anyway, a woman is suing Blockbuster over the fact that her private rental data was displayed on the application (how I am not sure). Sucks to be Blockbuster. =P

CNN may be Chinese Hacking Group Target

Famous american news metwork, CNN, may be attacked by a group of chinese hackers tomorrow (April 19th) as part of a movement in China. Many Chinese protest that the western world falsely proclaims China's events and news. Many big protests are taking place tomorrow. The internet attack on the news network may just be an additive to the protest. GO CHINESE HACKERS!!! W00T! Lol :)

Kevin FTW!

During Attack of the Show's Around the Net today, one topic on there was about some bird having some disease that makes his body have no feathers. But any way, host Olivia Munn admitted that she grows feathers (lolz). Kevin got two feathers from down her shirt (lucky bastard). Maybe he'll sell them on eBay... XD

Halo 2 is Still Alive!!!

Yes! You heard it right! There are still people playing Halo 2! In case you don't know what Halo 2 is, it is basically Halo 3, except for the fact that it actually takes skill and practice to be good at it. So stop by the used-games shelf at your local Gamestop and pick up a copy of Halo 2 and actually say you have a game that requires a brain. ;-)

Is Hollywood Turning Japanese?

With all the hype of upcoming blockbuster "Speed Racer", anime fans are going crazy and wanting more anime-based films.

Films like Akira, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Ghost in the Shell are all being made into major films by major directors, producers, and actors such as M. Night Shaiyaman and Leonardo DeCaprio.

It seems Hollywood is turning Japanese. With all the anime-based films in the making, american movie-goers may very well look in depth into anime once they see an anime-based movie.

One big problem producers are having is trying to keep the fanbase of all these anime shows entertained and happy while also attracting the mainstream of anime lovers and movie-goers alike. It seems tough, but I think America will eventually be in the theatre watching anime as much as movies.

NBC Arguing with Apple

NBC News is arguing over Apple over the subject of their downloadable NBC T.V. Shows that are available on the iTunes Store. NBC is wanting something so that consumers can not upload pirated/shared music onto their iPods due to the face of a loss of money over NBC T.V. Shows.

The Perfect Shirt

I found this shirt the other day and thought it perfectly went with me lol. If only there was a TRH shirt... Lol (*hint hint*) ;-)

I Have The Flu =[

I Somehow, I have caught the flu in April. I have no idea how I got it, I just nearly coughed up a lung the other night and kept coughing lol. How do I look? Lol. I got a shot in the butt! \/\/[][]+ \/\/[][]+

Multimedia message

This is me testing out my new Blogger Mobile! W00t W00t!!! \/\/[][]+ \/\/[][]+

Blog

New TRH Site is Up!!!!

The new TRH site is up and running. It looks a LOT better now. It's so smexi it makes me dr00l lol just kidding. But anyway, for those of you who know what it is, check it out by going to the main page (don't type 'index.php' or 'index.html'. I'm not going to post a link because I know we are trying to keep GoogleBot out.

T35

Some of you guys may wonder what a good hosting site is. Here's the answer: http://www.t35.com. They have unlimited storage and bandwidth for free! Enjoy! :)

Hacking Hare

TRH founder haxor.much has set up a 'Hacker's Google' site to aid in searching for specific computer-related topics. To check it out, go to http://www.hackinghare.com.

Hacker's Google

TRH's founder, haxor.much, has made a new search site powered by Google that will search specific sites for hacking topics. To try this out visit http://www.hackinghare.com.

A7X Videos

New TRH Site

TRH Admins are now working on a new site. It will be supported by PHPFusion so expect it to look really smexi. lol TRH's forums will remain the same but as far as news and downloads etc., they will be displayed on the new site.

BSDPunk's Blog

Hey everyone. My buddy BSDPunk from TRH has a really great blog. Check out the link on the sidebar to check out the awesomeness!!! XD

Paramore Splitting Up?!?!?

Punk/Emo rock band Paramore has announced that they will be dismembering after their current tour. No official reasons have been announced by the band or record company, but there are a couple of big rumors going around the internet:

1- Lead Singer Haley and Bassist Jeremy have ended their relationship.
2- Lead Singer Haley is pregnant.

Believe what you want to belive.

R.I.P. Paramore!!!!

Gary McKinnon, World's Greatest Hacker

A London man described as the "world's biggest computer hacker" has been arrested.

Gary McKinnon, 39, was seized by the Met's extradition unit at his Wood Green home.

The unemployed former computer engineer is accused of causing the US government $1billion of damage by breaking into its most secure computers at the Pentagon and Nasa. He is likely to be extradited to America to face eight counts of computer crime in 14 states and could be jailed for 70 years.

The former Highgate Wood comprehensive-pupil was granted bail today at Bow Street Magistrates' Court.

Most of the alleged hacking took place in 2001 and 2002. At one stage the US thought it was the work of the al Qaeda terror network.

Friends said that he broke into the networks from his home computer to try to prove his theory that the US was covering up the existence of UFOs.

He is accused of a series of hacking offences including deleting "critical" files from military computers. The US authorities said the cost of tracking him down and correcting the alleged problems was more than £570,000. The offences could also see him fined up to £950,000 if found guilty on all charges.

He was arrested yesterday evening but the US first issued an indictment against him in November 2002.

Prosecutor Paul McNulty alleged that McKinnon, known online as "Solo," had perpetrated "the biggest hack of military computers ever". He was named as the chief suspect after a series of electronic break-ins occurred over 12 months at 92 separate US military and Nasa networks.

McKinnon was also accused of hacking into the networks of six private companies and organisations.

It is alleged that he used software available on the internet to scan tens of thousands of computers on US military networks from his home PC, looking for machines that might be exposed due to flaws in the Windows operating system.

Many of the computers he broke into were protected by easy-to-guess passwords, investigators said. In some cases, McKinnon allegedly shut down the computer systems he invaded.

The charge sheet alleges that he hacked into an army computer at Fort Myer, Virginia, where he obtained codes, information and commands before deleting about 1,300 user accounts.

Other systems he hacked into included the Pentagon's network and US army, navy and air force computers.

Reports when he was first indicted said that McKinnon found his career as a computer engineer tedious.

One message updating old schoolfriends on a website read simply: "Computers (Yawn)".

Friends said he was desperate to prove that the Americans had mounted a huge cover-up to deny his belief that aliens had visited earth.

Andrew Edwards, who has known McKinnon since their days together at Highgate Wood comprehensive, said in 2002: "Gary told me all he was doing was looking for proof of a cover-up over UFOs.

"He's been interested in UFOs for some time and believes the Americans are holding back information - although he didn't find any proof."

Outside court, his solicitor Karen Todner said he was disappointed it had taken the authorities this long to bring him to court.

She said: "This decision for extradition is driven by the American government. Mr McKinnon intends to contest this case most vigorously.

"Of particular concern to him is the treatment of other British nationals under the American judicial system which inspires little confidence.

"We believe that as a British national, he should be tried here in our courts by a British jury and not in the US."

Here's the videos of McKinnon's interviews.




UFO - Hacker Gary Mckinnon Interview 5-5-06 Part 1 - video powered by Metacafe



UFO - Hacker Gary Mckinnon Interview 5-5-06 Part 2 - video powered by Metacafe