sonic

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise might have been created by Sega, but reports are swirling that Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, the latest in the famed franchise, won't be developed by Sega after all.

According to reports, Sonic 4 will be developed by a Japanese developer named Dimps. The news was originally reported by Destructoid.

The evidence that Dimps, rather than Sega, would be developing Sonic 4 came from Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace site where the game is listed. The listing says that Sega is publishing Sonic 4, but Dimps will be developing the game.

It shouldn'… Read more

Last year, Sega announced that it was working on Project Needlemouse, its code name for a reinvention of the popular Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. After a long wait, Sega has finally unveiled that Project Needlemouse is in fact, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. (See embedded video.)

Unlike Sonic's more recent 3D (mis)adventures, Sega's next Sonic game is a direct follow-up to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which launched on the Sega Genesis back in 1994.

According to Sega associate brand manager Ken Balough, who recently sat down with GameSpot to talk about the game, Sonic the Hedgehog … Read more

Regardless of how you feel about playing games on an iPhone--or iPad for that matter--Sega is bringing classic Genesis titles to the platform. We first told you about the Ultimate Genesis Collection app two weeks ago; here's a follow-up with some exclusive hands-on impressions.

Like most games that originated in the world of controllers, the Ultimate Genesis Collection relies on virtual buttons placed on the sides of the screen. You also have the option to play games in their original aspect ratio, which will put a graphic border around the game screen.

Sonic the Hedgehog looked great, though we did notice a slight dip in frame rate. There's a certain magic missing from the iPhone version that the classic was able to generate, most likely because the virtual controls aren't as solid as we would have liked. Precise controls are a must in games like Sonic, so it's going to take a lot of getting used to for those familiar with the speed of the original. A game like Ecco the Dolphin seemed slightly better in terms of control (it's a slower game), though a learning curve is still present here. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Last year, I reviewed two 3D monitors: the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ and the ViewSonic FuHzion VX2265wm. While the ViewSonic monitor delivered a 3D experience comparative with the Samsung, its overall worse performance and lack of an onscreen display meant that, pound for pound, it just wasn't worth the investment.

At CES 2010, the company announced it's trying 3D again with the debut of the 23.6-inch V3D241wm-LED monitor. This time, the monitor had a 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution--up from the 1,680x1,050-pixel resolution of the FuHzion VX2265wm.

The V3D241wm has … Read more

LAS VEGAS--ViewSonic says its new PCs are smarter and greener. Let's just see about this.

First, the 13.3-inch VNB131 ViewBook Pro, a notebook featuring a ULV SU7300 Intel Core 2 Duo processor that comes with Windows 7 Home Premium OS installed. With a purported 1-inch thickness, the system also includes a 320GB hard drive, 2GB internal memory, and a removable DVD RW Super Multi ODD into an aluminum alloy chassis.

Other features include:

The … Read more

LAS VEGAS--You can't swing a CES badge around without knocking over a LED TV this week, it seems. ViewSonic isn't doing much to help the situation as the debuted four new LED HDTVs during the show.

First up are the 18.5-inch VT1900LED and 32-inch VT3200LED. Both are 720p, Energy Star 5.0 compliant and offer a response time of 5ms.

The 42-inch VT4200LED and 23-inch VT2300LED feature full HD 1080p panel resolution, delivering the ultimate visual experience for HD movies and Internet content. In addition, the VT4200LED delivers 120Hz operation, fast 4ms response time, and a 100,… Read more

LAS VEGAS--Can't have a corporate presentation or a movie-in-the-driveway night without a projector, right? Well, I guess you could, but it would probably not be worth the trouble. Luckily for us, companies continue to push projector technology forward.

Case in point, the ViewSonic PJD6531. A wide-screen 120Hz and 3D-ready DLP projector that uses BrilliantColor tech?nology to purportedly produce more vibrant colors.

According to the specs, the projector delivers 3,000 lumens with a 1,280x800 WXGA, 16:9 native wide resolution. So, given that resolution, no quite ideal for projecting Avatar on Blu-ray several months from now, which … Read more

LAS VEGAS--We all know of ViewSonic's display pedigree, but in this business, it pays to branch out. ViewSonic recently dipped its toe into the personal media player waters, or what it calls MovieBooks, and are continuing to support the format at CES 2010 with the debut of two new MovieBooks.

First, the VPD550T features a 5-inch 800x480-pixel high-resolution LCD touch screen, and can output video in 1080p to a supported source. The device, which includes 8GB of storage space, also supports the playing of music and viewing of photos. This is in addition to digital book support and voice … Read more