Author Archives: Chris Morris

iPhone 4 sets sales record

Posted on by

The iPhone 4, which went on sale Thursday, has set a new bar for Apple products. The company sold 1.7 million units of the device in its first 72 hours of availability – a number it could have vastly exceeded if it had been able to keep up with supply. 

The sales numbers come from pre-orders and sales at Apple stores nationwide. But the company gets a second bite at the apple today, when the iPhone 4 goes on sale at AT&T stores. Demand is so strong that people lined up outside of the cell phone carrier’s retail locations this morning, so they could finally get their hands on the phone. Some lines reportedly were over 100 people long.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Where are the new consoles?

Posted on by

It has been a staple in the video game industry for generations now: roughly every five years, the major console manufacturers roll out new systems, packing graphics that are even more eye-popping and features we couldn’t have previously imagined. The core gaming world immediately goes crazy for early previews of next generation titles, scrutinizing every frame of released video. And the countdown begins for the next generation.

Not this time, though.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Are you ready for your close-up?

Posted on by

The original YooStar was a product that screamed to be called a game – only its creators adamantly resisted the label, saying it was an interactive social experience. Now under new management, the company is embracing its play roots and coming to consoles in the near future. 

The concept is a simple one: Movie karaoke. Users are able to take famous film scenes and swap themselves in for one or both of the actors on screen. (The well-known “it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses” scene from “The Blues Brothers” is a popular choice.) With the dawn of Microsoft’s Kinect controller, though, it’s easier than ever to jump in – and YooStar may finally live up to its potential. (The game will also be published for the PlayStation 3.)

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

The second half of Apple’s one-two punch

Posted on by

If you have even a passing curiosity in the tech world, you probably heard that the iPhone hits stores today. And even if you didn’t, there’s a fair chance you passed a long line of people at your local Apple store. 

This fourth phone from the company in four years is already a phenomenon. Pre-orders were 10 times higher than previous products, including last year’s 3GS. (600,000 preorders were logged on the first day.) It got so bad, in fact, that Apple’s site had to keep moving back the ship date for people ordering online, as it was unable to keep up with demand.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Vuvuzelas invade YouTube

Posted on by

Oh YouTube… not you too.

The Vuvuzela – which has sprung to fame thanks to the World Cup – has popped up on the viral video service, bringing its droning angry buzz sound with it. A new button slipped onto the site’s videos recently, letting masochists add the sound to videos they watch.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

How Ubisoft and Michael Jackson came together to make a game

Posted on by

With the one year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s sudden death approaching, Ubisoft announced last week that it would be releasing “Michael Jackson: The Game” later this year.

It’s a title that makes sense, especially as the dance genre seems ready to explode, but we were curious: How did the French publisher and the King of Pop come together in the first place? It turns out to be a pretty interesting story.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

eReaders: Barnes & Noble gets serious

Posted on by

Barnes & Noble’s nook eReader has hardly been struggling, but the company’s device hasn’t exactly been top of mind for most shoppers. The iPad and Amazon Kindle tend to leap to most people’s minds first. Today, the company is taking steps to change that. 

It’s doing so in a way that makes a lot of sense: Cost. Barnes & Noble has announced a new version of the nook that eschews the 3G connection and only uses Wi-Fi. They’ve smartly priced it at $149.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Spector: ‘Epic Mickey’ changes didn’t come from Disney

Posted on by

Warren Spector has lots of reasons to be happy. He was a featured presented at this year’s Nintendo press conference and his latest title “Epic Mickey” was one of the standout games of the just completed E3. 

And, for the most part, Spector is a pretty happy guy – but he has a bone to pick with the rumor mill.

Read more at Variety’s The Cut Scene blog

Gamers in a groove at E3

Posted on by

Five years ago, videogame publishers decided they were spending entirely too much time and money on their annual trade shows and dramatically scaled back the events — with fewer attendees and none of the largess for which the shows had become legendary.

But as it turns out, largess is a key component for an industry that thrives on energy and adrenaline. So this year, the circus was back in town.

Read more at Daily Variety