Author Archives: Chris Morris

Is the best-selling video game losing steam?

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To CODAWthe surprise of absolutely no one, “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare” was the best-selling game in November.

The title, which is the crown jewel of the Activision Blizzard’s portfolio, represented one-quarter of the industry’s software sales at brick-and-mortar retailers last month, according to The NPD Group, which normally would be cause for celebration.

But the sales numbers posted by “Advanced Warfare,” which has been a critical hit, were 23 percent lower year over year than those posted by last year’s “Call of Duty: Ghosts,” according to Edward Williams of BMO Capital Markets. And “Ghosts” was a game critics took to task.

 

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How Wired Cities Can Weather The Next Blizzard

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A IOT-snowrare winter storm walloped Atlanta in late January, bringing the city to a standstill. Thousands of motorists found themselves stranded in their cars, while thousands more children spent the night in their classrooms as officials struggled to clear the roads.

It’s not a scene any city wants to repeat. But if the blizzard that dropped more than 70 inches of snow last month on Buffalo is any indicator, this winter could be brutal across the U.S. As a result, some cities are turning to the Internet of Everything to keep traffic moving and citizens informed.

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Biker heroes: Hells Angels guardians for kids?

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Shoppers Bikersat the Fresno, California, Wal-Mart this Black Friday could have been forgiven if they had a bit of trepidation while starting their holiday shopping.

Five days before the retail extravaganza, members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club began camping out at the store. The burly tattooed bikers, wearing their cuts, were an intimidating sight, and when sales began, they bought every bicycle in the store—more than 200—and promptly donated them to the Poverello House, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping the homeless and needy.

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The man who started a $100 billion industry dies

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Ralph RalphBaerObitBaer never meant to start a multibillion-dollar industry. He was just trying to get an idea out of his head and into the real world.

That idea, which went on to become the Magnavox Odyssey, served as a launching pad for game-makers, though—and virtually every developer and publisher today points to it as the moment the industry was born. Today, that industry is mourning the passing of Baer, who died at his New Hampshire home Saturday night at the age of 92.

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7 ways your everyday life is already cashless

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The CashlessSocietycashless society isn’t something set in some distant future. For many people, it’s here today.

More and more frequently, items and activities that used to have us handing over a $5 or $20 bill are being paid for in different ways. In fact, as the holiday travel period approaches, it’s entirely possible that you could take the family on vacation without ever once having to reach for your wallet.

Here are seven steps from a day in the life of the average, ordinary (and now cashless!) member of society.

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8 kids turned big-time philanthropists

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In KidsTurnedPhilanthropistsa world where more and more kids flaunt an air of entitlement, some parents are doing a great job at teaching their children to think beyond their own needs.

Philanthropy, of course, is about the act of raising money for others—not the dollar amount. But some kids have gone far beyond the lemonade stand to raise tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars—sometimes millions—for needy causes.

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Porn company to be official sponsor of eSports team

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One PorneSportsof the largest streaming porn sites is extending its reach into the video game world.

YouPorn, one of the portfolio holdings of MindGeek (formerly Manwin), has locked in a six-month sponsorship of the Madrid, Spain-based team known as Play2Win. The team will compete this Friday in the Gamergy competition in Madrid under the name Team YP.

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Tasteful adult gifts for that special someone

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Adult AdultGiftGuidetoys are hardly a traditional holiday gift.

But as America becomes more open about sexual matters and the adult novelty industry branches into new directions beyond the well-known classic form factor for these devices, some intimate gifts have gone from potentially creepy to classy.

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Great Black Friday deals you can get with bitcoin

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Not BitcoinBlackFridayevery Black Friday deal will require cash or credit cards. If you’re part of the bitcoin faithful, you can snag some great deals.

Now in its third year, “Bitcoin Black Friday” is an online shopping event, but one with a different flavor than Cyber Monday. Smaller merchants—and a handful of larger, well-known names that accept the digital currency—are offering special pricing on goods and services, which (in some cases) will beat the best deals of traditional retailers.

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Get ready for Bitcoin Black Friday deals

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Black BitcoinBFFriday is an event that has spawned all sorts of retail spin-offs.

First came Cyber Monday, a second bite at the apple from online retailers. Then there was the slow creep into Thanksgiving Day. Two years ago Bitcoin Black Friday made its debut, and it’s a holiday tradition that’s quickly gaining ground.

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