Filed under: Videos and Screenshots, News

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One of the best PS3 games to come out this year never made it to the States. Hot Shots Golf 5 tore up the Japanese sales charts thanks to its attractive graphics, accessible gameplay and ultra-cute characters. PS3 Fanboy has learned that SCEA will finally release one of our favorite games in the States in March 2008. We’re certain that a downloadable demo will strike the PSN before that, though.

Check out new screenshots from the game in our gallery:

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Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

One flies, one runs and the other whips:

For a film that hasn’t released anything official in weeks, we all love to talk about Justice League of America. I’m convinced I’ll enjoy writing about this film more than I’ll enjoy watching it. So the AFI awards were held in Australia the other night, and Moviehole reports JLA director George Miller was in attendance to NOT talk about Justice League. Well, that’s not entirely the case — he did say the film was still very much on track, with filming to begin early next year. So … where’s the greenlight? Additionally, Miller said the film will have a different name when it goes before cameras. A different name? How do you make a Justice League film and not use the words ‘Justice League’ in the title? Either Miller was alluding to a fake title being used in order to hide the production (a la Rory’s First Kiss, aka The Dark Knight), or he’s out of his f**king mind. You make the call.

Will there be another Bourne film? A fourth installment? Ya know, the one where Jason Bourne forgets … his house keys! Coming Soon sat down with producer Frank Marshall, who was fairly optimistic when asked about a fourth Bourne flick. He says, “There were only three books written. I know they’ve written a fourth but it wasn’t written by Ludlum. Look, we would love to continue the franchise. We just need a great story, and we’re not going to do it unless we have a great story, but we are working on coming up with one, and Matt said to me, ‘Look, you hand me a great script, I’m in.’ Unfortunately, we’re not able to do any writing at the moment, but we’re all thinking about it.” Here’s my question: Why would they need a fourth book from Ludlum? It’s not like the first three were ever taken into consideration.

Finally, in another interview with Frank Marshall over at MTV (the man is sleeping around with every movie site, it appears), he finally revealed who Cate Blanchett and Ray Winstone will be playing in this summer’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Do you wanna know? Do you really wanna know? Okay, here goes: As far as Blanchett’s character, Marshall said she’s “playing the villainess in Indiana Jones” and that she “makes a great villain.” We all knew she was the villain, but there’s your confirmation. And Winstone? Marshall described his character, Mac, as “a sort of cross between villain Belloq and friend Sallah. He plays an archaeologist competitor to Indy. Friend and competitor.” Also confirmed was Jim Broadbent’s character, who will play a “Yale colleague of Dr. Jones that sort of replaces Marcus Brody.” Myself? I’ll be playing the guy who cannot wait to see this freaking thing.

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Filed under: Cellphones

We’ve been waiting so long for the Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) Forum to finalize something, we’d nearly given up hope. Turns out, all it took was a rousing announcement by Google and the formation of the Open Handset Alliance to get those gears a-turnin’. Okay, so maybe those events weren’t the catalyst, but whatever the case, Release 1.0 is ready to rock. With the specifications finally complete, LiPS is hoping to “enable mobile industry players to achieve basic interoperability for applications and services deployed on Linux-based phones,” and moreover, to allow services and compatible phones to be churned out even faster. Put simply, the entity “targets interoperability through real open standards and specifications, not de facto acceptance of single platform implementation.” Bold though that may be, we certainly like the sound of it, and according to LiPS Executive Director Bill Weinberg, the next step is to “complete an RFP for a hardware reference platform” and hook up with a number of hardware vendors to get the ball rolling. Fight on, LiPS!

[Via LinuxDevices]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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The TurboUSB from Buffalo is one USB flash drive that you ought to consider should your everyday work involve storing and moving tons of data from one computer to another. Featuring a whopping 32GB of storage real estate, Buffalo claims their TurboUSB flash drive is 20% faster than any other USB flash drive in the market currently - although I would take that claim with a grain of salt. One thing’s for sure though - spies in movies who are trying to perform an espionage task will find this pretty useful as they transfer a whole chunk of data within a small time frame.

Permalink | Comment | Uberbargain | Uberphones

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Filed under: Before the bell, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Deals, Google (GOOG), Apple Inc (AAPL), General Electric (GE), Pfizer (PFE), Intel (INTC), Ford Motor (F), XM Satellite Radio (XMSR), Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI), Walt Disney (DIS), Advanced Micro Dev (AMD), Merrill Lynch (MER), Bear Stearns Cos (BSC)

Before the bell: Futures higher ahead of data, despite OPEC decision

Merrill Lynch & Co. (NYSE: MER), Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB) and Bear Stearns Cos. (NYSE: BSC) have been subpoenaed by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo as part of an investigation of “related to the packaging and selling of debt tied to high-risk mortgages,” according to the Wall Street Journal [subscription required].

Two Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone news/tidbits this morning: France Telecom said its Orange division had already sold close to 30,000 iPhones in France since its launch there last week. If some were concerned about a cold shoulder from consumers in Europe, perhaps they had nothing to worry about.
Also, Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) released its list of top search terms in 2007 and the iPhone grabbed the No. 1 slot on a list of the fastest-rising search terms in the United States. Webkinz and TMZ took the No. 2 and 3 spots respectively.

Intel Corp (NASDAQ: INTC) was upgraded to Overweight from Market Weight at Thomas Weisel Partners. The broker believes 2008 could exceed expectations with Intel seeing PC strength and benign selling price pressure next year. However, the broker cut estimates on rival Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD). INTC shares are up 1.75% in premarket trading, AMD shares up 1.2%.

Hong Kong government is unhappy with Disneyland (NYSE: DIS). The government, which holds a majority stake of 57% in the $3.5 billion park in Hong Kong, said performance was unsatisfactory as it missed its attendance target for the second year in a row.

India’s Tata Motors has the edge in the bidding for Ford Motor’s (NYSE: F) Jaguar and Land Rover brands because of its size, its dealmaking record and its familiarity with the UK market, bankers and analysts say. CEO Alan Mulally has said Ford could announce the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover by the year-end or early next year. Ford shares are up 3.3% in premarket trading.

General Electric’s (NYSE: GE) Consumer Product Safety Commission said the company is recalling 92,000 combination wall and microwave ovens after at least 35 incidents of fire that damaged property. The door switch in the microwave oven can overheat and ignite plastic components in the appliance.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and biotechnology company Adolor Corp. (NASDAQ: ADLR) are partnering to develop two pain treatments for conditions that include inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, which stems from the nervous system. ADLR shares have spiked 20% in premarket trading (8:16 a.m.).

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: XMSR) continues its slide this morning, declining 1.4% in premarket trading after closing down 5.37% Tuesday following a Goldman Sachs downgrade of the shares. Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) shares, on the other hand, are recovering from yesterday’s 2.93% slide and are adding over 0.8% in premarket trading. Sirius’s CFO said Tuesday his company remains hopeful that it can close its acquisition of XM Satellite Radio by the end of the year. Royalties for the two companies are also set till 2012.

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There is news that Pakistani batsman Shoaib Akhtar will be very soon entering the league of bollywood actors.
Earlier he was offered the role of the villain in Mahesh Bhatt’s Gangster, but had refused the role.
When asked about it the cricketer came up with a quote that “ Everyone in life is an actor”.
Hmm before […]

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Filed under: Interviews, Celebrities

Jason Gray-Stanford may act like a dope on TV’s ‘Monk,’ where he plays Lieutenant Randall Disher, the dim-witted sidekick to OCD-plagued-ex-detective Adrian Monk(Tony Shalhoub), but he’s pretty savvy regarding gadgets. He pretty much answered our head off when we sent him our Switched Questionnaire, and it makes for a fun read. You can also catch Gray-Stanford on the special holiday episode of ‘Monk,’ which made its debut on the USA Network last week and is getting several repeats this week and next.

What gadgets do you always bring with you to the set (for down-time)?

First and foremost, the trusty iPod or “my Pod” as i call it. I never leave home without it. As you may or may not know, down time on set can sometimes be excruciatingly long, so what better way to pass the time by rockin’ out to sweet iPod tunes Now, let’s be honest — is the cell phone really even considered a gadget anymore, as it is soooo a part of our culture today? But let’s just say it is, and let’s just say, next to the Pod of i, that it [the cell phone]is an extension of my being. So many calls to make, so little time.

What cell phone do you have right now and what do you love/hate about it?

Currently, I roll with the first-generation BlackBerry Pearl — it’s a nice size and has all the bells and whistles, but I think the track ball can be a little dodgy. It’s also a wee bit brittle, so I don’t recommend dropping it too many times.

Who’s the last person you sent a text message to and what was it about?

Brad Pitt. I said “Hey Brad, it’s Jason… you don’t know me, but I think you’re cool. Can we hang out, you know, for breakfast, lunch, or whatever?” Sadly, I never heard anything back. Seriously, though, it was to my sister singing the praises of the Season One DVD of ‘Flight of the Conchords‘ — that sh#t rocks!!

Where do you go (site or service) pretty much every time you get online?

Well, this one’s easy — switched.com

What annoys you most about your iPod, cell phone, or laptop (or any other gadget)?

The most annoying thing without question is the simple fact that I have come to rely on my cell my iPod and my computer far too much. They are like my children — Celly, Poddy and Mac. Perhaps you yourself have uttered this phrase: “Wait, stop the car! I left my phone inside. I think it’s on the couch. It will only take a minute, but I’d better grab it. You know, just in case anyone important calls.”

Name one thing you wish your iPod/cellphone/laptop (any gadget) could do that it doesn’t do now?

I’m sure they will all do this soon, but i’d love it if I could just dictate what I needed to say and my computer would type it out automatically. My fingers are already tired from answering these questions. BTW, if this does exist, please send it to me for Christmas.

What gadget can you not wait to get your hands on?

I just got it! It’s the Flip Ultra, a video camera for the ultimate layman. It’s easy to use, has 60-minutes of video, runs on batteries, and plugs directly into your computer so you can edit, make photos etc.. with the greatest of ease.


You’re stranded on a desert island: What gadget do you bring?
I guess I’d bring my i pod. (and its charger). Oh, and an outlet. That’s a pretty common answer, I’m sure. If I were clever, however, I’d bring my cell phone, so I could call someone when I got bored and be rescued.

What’s the most-played song or artist on your iPod?

A Canadian band called the Tragically Hip. I am Canadian. Enough said.

BlackBerry, Sidekick, or Treo?

CrackBerry.

Did you get an iPhone yet?

No. Because if I did, I would no doubt wind up surfing the Net, listening to tunes, etc.. constantly — the ultimate one-stop shopping! I would without question shirk all responsibility and become destitute — well, except for my cool iPhone.

What’s the longest time you’ve ever spent playing a video game in one sitting and what game was it?

The game was ‘Metroid‘ and it was on Sega. It was a long two weeks with the chicken pocks. Let’s just say that I am a master. I have the calluses to prove it. I will never play again for fear of video game addiction [see shirking responsibility above].

Mac or PC?

Mac, because it is easier for a computer dummy like me to use, plain and simple.

Related Links:

• Emmy Rossum: Actor, Singer, Mac-Addict
• Slash Talks ‘Guitar Hero,’ His New Book, and Gadget Gifts
• The Closer’s Corey Reynolds Is Gadget-Crazy

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Filed under: Reviews

There were a lot of great titles shown off at Sony’s Gamers Day in May of this year, but one of the surprise hits was the PSN title, PAIN. Maybe it was just because it was so different than everything else shown at the event, but the ability to launch your character from a giant slingshot and bounce him around an active city seemed to grab the attention of quite a few of the journalists attending. Though praise was high, there were concerns even early on that there might just not be enough gameplay in PAIN. Sure the idea of smashing some Jackass-esque guy into a wall is fun, but would it be able to keep our attention for more than an hour or two? Seven months later, PAIN has been released to the general public and we have the answers to that question — unfortunately, it turns out that some of the fears about longevity were definitely warranted.

The basic gameplay of PAIN revolves around firing your character (a rather Xtreme looking fellow named Jarvis) out of the world’s largest slingshot and trying to cause as much havoc and chaos as possible across the city. Though it sounds pretty basic, there is actually a surprising amount of depth in just how you cause your destruction. Even before the launch, you can adjust the angle and power of the slingshot using the analog sticks. It’s once you’ve launched yourself into the air that you realize there is more going on that just sitting back and watching your guy smash into walls and monkeys.

After you’ve fired your guy towards the city, you can help guide him in any direction using the analog sticks, as well as change his poses for extra points and the ability to hit specific objects that you might not normally reach. You can also grab onto pretty much anything by pressing one of the face buttons in the direction of the item you want to latch onto. The timing can be a little tricky but it’s pretty satisfying flying through the air, grabbing a swinging girder, and whipping around to land on some cantankerous old lady.

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The biggest method for chaining together your destruction is the ‘Ooch’ meter. Once you’ve hit something, you can no longer use your analog sticks for movement — instead you use d-pad to yank your guy around, which allows you to set up combos such as bouncing back and forth between the lanes in the road as traffic continually runs you over. Once per launch, you can also shake the hell out of the controller to get the Super-Ooch meter which gives you considerably more distance and power to your Ooch-ing.

It is surprisingly fun tearing apart the city and trying for a new high score, but luckily that’s not all there is. There are about six different gameplay modes, including three single player ones and three multiplayer. In single player, in addition to the main mode of PAINdemonium (described above), there is Spank the Monkey and the Mime Toss. Spank the Monkey has you attempting to hit monkeys scattered all over the level as quickly as possible. This gets increasingly hard as they put the monkeys in harder and harder to reach areas, but is a good way for practicing accuracy and speed. Mime Toss has you grabbing onto a mime in mid-air and then hurtling him at the correct vector to slam him through panes of glass. It’s actually quite a bit of fun because it takes a good bit of skill and practice to really be able to spin around in the air with a mime and still throw him accurately.

Depending on whether or not you have roommates or friends close by, it’s multiplayer that gives PAIN its best replayibility. It is also one of the game’s biggest failings though — a complete lack of online play. Sure there are leaderboards for the main single player mode, but the inability to play PAIN online is nothing short of criminal. If you do have local friends though, multiplayer is quite a bit of fun. While nothing overly special, there is a Bowling mode, a H-O-R-S-E mode, and Explosions mode that tasks you with chaining together exploding crates. In particular, Bowling and H-O-R-S-E are good solid fun when you get a couple buddies around (preferably with plenty of beer as well). The modes aren’t incredibly deep, but offer a fun and light distraction from some of the more intense PS3 multiplayer titles.

Unfortunately, the lack of depth is a recurring theme in PAIN. You only get two characters (and one is locked until you play Bowling 12 times), and you only get one level with two configurations. The different game modes are fun, but aren’t going to be enough to keep you playing for weeks on end. It does include a fairly robust trophy/achievements/skill points system that rewards you for specific actions or scores, but unfortunately the lack of depth even hits the trophies as they rarely actually unlock anything — instead they’re just bragging rights.

The developers of PAIN have been open from the beginning that they’re planning on supporting the game with a robust line-up of DLC, which is evident right from the beginning with the option to already download two Christmas themed characters for a dollar a piece. There is also a billboard for a new level as well, which is a good sign for PAIN fans. Unfortunately, this just drives home the lack of original content all the more. There really should have been 2-3 levels at least, as well as four or more characters from the offset. Annoyingly, early previews talked about having four characters right off the bat. Who knows why they were cut, but it’s easy to be suspicious over their motives. DLC is great, but not when it is content that should have been in the game in the first place.

Overall, PAIN is a fun game with a great sense of humor (love the Big Lebowski references), tight control and solid graphics that is totally and completely hamstringed by a lack of content and curious omissions. It is also worth pointing out that it was a little buggy when it was launched, with the two DLC characters showing up in the game as available — but erroring out when you tried to use them. Also, if you click the Community link you are taken simply to their website which has a big video in the middle of it that the PS3 can’t run. It’s nothing huge, but brings down the presentation quite a bit when you have such obvious errors in the interface. In the end, the price of the new levels will be key to PAIN’s longevity, if they are priced more than about five dollars — forget about it. They need to be fairly cheap and Idol Minds needs to be pumping them out as quickly as possible. Otherwise, PAIN is just going to become one of those PSN titles that you play for a week (and love!) but then let gather virtual dust in your PSN Titles folder.

PS3 Fanboy score: 7.0

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Filed under: Vegetables, Recipes, On the Blogs

Since I started writing for Slashfood, I’ve discovered that people seem to just love bacon. Whenver I have a bacon-related post people seem to chime in with words about their love of all things bacon. So I saw this recipe and knew I had to post about it.

This is the classic example of two different foods that I love so I assume that if I put them together into one dish I’m going to love it even more. Of course, this doesn’t quite work with other foods that I love, like ice cream and baked beans, but you know what I mean. This comes from the great Cooking For 2 blog.

Continue reading Bacony Spinach Goodness

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And the winning Word of the Year is…

W00t.

So congrats, all you w00t voters, and no hard feelings, all you other-word voters. I’d have voted w00t myself if it was five years ago.

But hey. I know I’ve been gone for a long time. But the worst of my finals is over. I will need to pull no more all-nighters and then all-dayers and then write essays. I’ll probably need a few hundred hours of recuperation-sleep, but I’ll be back here and posting.

To make up for my absence to you all, here is something to make you happy.

It’s just the littlest kitten ever!

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