Author Archives: Chris Morris

Buy now? Or save later?

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When Dead Space 2 hit store shelves on January 25, it cost roughly $60 — no matter where you bought it. By mid-February, you could find it on sale at some big online retailers like Amazon.com and BestBuy.com for anywhere between $40-$50. Meanwhile, more than three months after the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops, that game hadn’t gotten a penny cheaper. What gives?

The pricing of videogames might seem entirely random, but there is a logic to it. And understanding that logic can actually explain why we’re seeing so many games with “2” and “3” at the end of their titles these days.

Read more in the May issue of Official Xbox Magazine

What Does the PlayStation Network Hack Mean For You?

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Sony’s acknowledgement that hackers have compromised its PlayStation Network put 70 million subscribers on alert — and left a lot of people with a lot of questions.

The security breach has many people worried about identity theft and, if they had made a digital purchase on the console, whether their credit card information is safe. Finding the answers can be a challenge, so here’s what you need to know about what the attack means for you.

Read more at CNBC.com

Playstation Network user info breached

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A hacker attack on the online arm of Sony’s PlayStation 3 has compromised the personal information of 70 million members.

Sony, in a statement on its company blog, announced the extent of the breach on its PlayStation Network and Qriocity systems Monday, adding that it was still uncertain if any credit card information tied to those accounts was accessed as well. Sony shut down the PlayStation Network six days ago after discovering the breach, but Monday’s announcement was the first that gave substantial information about the scope of the intrusion.

Read more at Daily Variety

Sony unveils pair of ‘PlayStation Tablets’

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Just months after moving the PlayStation into the cell phone world, Sony is adding tablet computers to its repertoire.

The company has launched its first tablets — both of which will come equipped with the PlayStation Suite allowing owners to play first generation PlayStation games. Like the Xperia Play (aka the ‘PlayStation Phone’), the tablets use the Android operating system. They’re expected to hit store shelves this fall.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

PlayStation Network hack worse than anyone expected

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After six days of silence, Sony has revealed more about the security breach of its PlayStation Network – and it’s much worse than expected.

The company says hackers obtained personal information for all of the service’s 70 million subscribers. Still unclear is whether the credit card information on file with the service was compromised.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Sony: PlayStation Breach Involves 70 Million Subscribers

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Six days after a security breach of its PlayStation Network, Sony said Tuesday that the incursion was much worse than expected and hackers had obtained personal information on 70 million subscribers.

The company, in a blog entry posted Tuesday afternoon, added it is still unsure if the intruder also obtained credit card data for members who have that on file with the service, which provides online functionality for the PlayStation 3.

Read more at CNBC.com

App Review: Facebook for iPad with Chat – Pica HD

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Facebook for iPad with Chat – Pica HD is, basically, a customized version of Facebook’s rather anemic touch site. Sure, you can navigate between your news feed, profiles, and inbox easily enough — and even choose a custom theme — but the shortcuts taken by the developer are quickly apparent. Chat, for instance, doesn’t stick with your chosen theme, and scrolling through your available friends list is not an intuitive process. Search was also hit and miss (mostly miss) during our testing. In addition, some links and buttons have issues with unresponsiveness. If they aren’t tapped in just the right spot, the action won’t register. And the inability to pinch and zoom photos is glaringly obvious. It is, at best, a so-so app that shows little to no ambition in moving Facebook forward on iDevices.

Read more at Common Sense Media

EA COO jumps ship

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Video game industry veteran John Schappert, who has served as chief operating officer at Electronic Arts for the past two years, has quietly left the company.

Schappert’s last day was yesterday – and media reports indicate he plans to join social gamers maker (and EA rival) Zynga in an undisclosed role.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

App Review: Dungeon Hunter 2

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Diablo has spawned some really, really bad clones. Thankfully, Gameloft (which has made a business of cloning well-known titles for the app world) dodges that bullet with Dungeon Hunter 2. While it’s nowhere as good as its source material, the game is less graphic. It is an enjoyable action/RPG with a fairly lengthy campaign, which you can play with others over local and online co-op. The game has an open world design, letting players travel and quest where they want, but suffers from some basic errors — like the main character often gets stuck while walking about, the graphics are sub-par, and the price is really too high compared to other apps. It’s far from perfect, but for RPG fans looking for an app alternative with a little depth, this one’s worth the try – especially if it’s on sale.

Read more at Common Sense Media

App Review: Stupidness 2 PRO

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It would be easy to accuse Stupidness 2 PRO of living up to its name, but that would be lazy and misleading. The app does include some good brain-teasers — and it smartly includes hints for people who can’t figure out a solution (at the cost of IQ points). However, many of the puzzle solutions are random and seem meant only to showcase the iDevice’s abilities (like the gyroscope or multitouch).  Additionally, it’s a very short app. Some users can breeze through it in 10-15 minutes, which makes the price tag — even at 99 cents — questionable. Unless you’re hopelessly addicted to these sorts of puzzles, the free version should suffice just fine.

Read more at Common Sense Media