gaming

Nokia divulges details on new N-Gage platform

The rumors were true: Nokia's N-Gage is returning, but it will be a gaming platform available on several new phones rather than on a single gaming handset. Gaming blog Kotaku was among the first to report on the news, which Nokia will expand upon at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. Top mobile publishers such as EA, Glu Mobile and THQ Wireless are said to be on board, and Nokia is showcasing at least six N-Gage games, including versions of such well-known franchises as Brothers in Arms and FIFA 2008.

Nokia's press release specifically mentions that … Read more

Gaming by brainwaves alone

It may look like a medieval torture device, but the headgear pictured here is designed for gaming, of all things. And if you're paranoid about EMFs eating away at your brain, avert your eyes from this item now.

Called "Project Epoc," this neuro-technology apparatus includes "sensors that tune into your brain's natural electric signals, detecting player thoughts, feelings and expression," according to Ubergizmo. It also connects to consoles and computers, supposedly allowing your thought pulses to influence if not control the game at hand. (We're not making this up.)

But if you're … Read more

BitTorrent's game downloads: A big hoax

Update: BitTorrent's Games section is misleading. First of all, game downloads don't necessarily use BitTorrent. What you may get via the BitTorrent P2P network is a small (298K) installer program, which in turn runs a proprietary downloader application that gets the game code from a central server.

Second, although games are listed in the B.E.N. catalog as free, they are nothing of the sort. You get a free preview period to try the game. If you want to play it past that period, you have to pay up. Gangland, for example, is free only for 60 … Read more

A gadget to improve your memory

Ever heard of Gary Small? He's the neuroscientist who wrote the The Memory Bible, the best-seller that claims to improve your memory with five mental exercises. But what if you forget what to do?

Dr. Small has an answer for that too with his "Handheld Brain And Memory Fitness Trainer," which includes the brain games necessary to execute his program. On its LCD, the memory-challenged can play games that "simultaneously exercise the left-brain (verbal memory and logical skills) and the right-brain (visual memory)." It also monitors progress automatically along the way--a good thing, because that … Read more

Nvidia's certified Vista driver finalized, SLI support still in beta

Good news for everyone but SLI owners. Nvidia just released a Windows Vista-certified 100.65 graphics card driver for its GeForce 8800 cards. You can find the driver on Nvidia's site. That's great for those of you running Vista and a single GeForce 8800 card. For anyone who has an Nvidia SLI mode of any flavor, you're still stuck in beta mode for now. We haven't played with the new driver yet, so we can't say just how beta the SLI support is. Nvidia's driver notes indicate that full SLI support will come in … Read more

My relationship skills need help...from THIS?

This little Tamagotchi-like device, called the "Virtual Boyfriend," promises to help "practice your relationship skills." Okay, I'm not denying that my dating prowess might need a little bit of tweaking here and there, but this is just a bit much. Rather than raising a pet, you have to learn how to treat a boyfriend right--presents, dates, and, uh, "wild passion." (What?!?) Ooh, and there's a twist, since the Virtual Boyfriend can make "decisions" too (how novel!) so it can get unpredictable and exciting!

Thanks, but no thanks. I think … Read more

Gaming mouse: I blink, therefore I am

I guess I could call the R2 Gaming Mouse Mark II a flashy device, but I would never go with such an obvious pun. Ever.

Still, the blinking LEDs were the first thing that caught my eye when I spotted this gadget for $59.99 on ThinkGeek. And they're programmable, so you can make them pulse to the unique beat of your own first-person shooting.

The apparent appeal of this mouse, besides its disco aura, is that it's customizable beyond the lights--a definite plus for gamers. Using the PAL 2.0 programming language, players can assign different functions … Read more

Weekend Webware: Waste time with Line Rider

If you haven’t tried the Flash game Line Rider, you should. Created by Bostjan Cadez back in September 2006, the “game” is basically a free-form track editor. You draw a course for a sled rider to follow, press play, and then watch the little guy follow your “line” along its gravitational path. Sound fun? Try it out, play with it, then prepare to be amazed.

You can find countless Line Rider videos on YouTube, but no one yet compares to TechDawg (whose own site seems to be down right now). Take a look at “TD & Sons,” an impressive … Read more

Unsheathe your games like a samurai

This item falls squarely under the category of major geekdom, but we're here to serve, not to judge. So we herewith offer the "Card Saber DS"--a sleeve that holds three DS games and a cartridge, according to Ubergizmo. Yes, it's not the most practical thing, but it costs only about $7. Besides, there's no price on the ability to unsheathe your games like a samurai. And it would go splendidly with your MP3 Lightsaber.