manning

SAN FRANCISCO -- First-person shooter games don't appeal to Brendan Eich, Mozilla's chief technology guru and the guy who created JavaScript nearly two decades ago. He doesn't let his kids play them, either, he says. But he was so excited on Friday about showing off the potential of a new browser codec called ORBX.js at Autodesk's One Market Street offices here that he began playing Epic's Unreal Tournament 3 "Sanctuary" level in a room of 20 or so witnesses.

As Eich maneuvered somewhat awkwardly through the onslaught of opponents, Jules Urbach, CEO … Read more

On his Blackout Props Facebook page, Archie Whitehead introduces himself, saying, "Hi! I'm 17 and have just got into special effects, props, and costumes." By "just got into," he actually means, "I just build an awesome wearable Iron Man suit from scratch while you were busy surfing cat videos online."

The materials for the suit alone cost around $500. Some portions of the costume are made from foam rubber. Automotive spray paint gives it the glossy, just-built-by-a-billionaire look. Battle scars across the helmet hint at some epic conflict. It took several months to put the costume together.… Read more

Mad Man is the newest in a long line of apps channeling the faux retro arcade feel of the '70's when many games were about space, neon lights, and time limits. In this case, you are pitted against an opponent online and must move your light across the screen without it being hit by any of the obstacles, including your opponent. The result is quick and entertaining, though ultimately lacking due to some design decisions.

The interface is fun and easy to use. The game loads quickly, the music is suitably old-school, and the graphics are both bright and … Read more

Like most superhero fanboys, I'm pretty jazzed about "Iron Man 3," which opens one week from tomorrow.

And like most superhero movies of late, this one has an official game to accompany it. Gameloft's Iron Man 3 just landed for Android and iOS. And it's probably not what you'd expect.

Indeed, based on Gameloft's last movie tie-in, the Amazing Spider-Man game, you might envision something similar here: a running, jumping, and flying Tony Stark, with a mixture of ground- and air-based combat.

But this game takes its cues from Temple Run and throws … Read more

You could spend a lot of time and energy fashioning your own Iron Man armor, or you could just throw $8,500 over to Sideshow Collectibles and pick up a full-size suit right off the shelf.

The Tony Stark-size figure is a reproduction of the Iron Man Mark 42 suit from the upcoming "Iron Man 3." It's more than 7 feet tall and is painted with high-gloss automotive paint to give it that Iron Man shine. That's not all, of course. For your investment, you'll also get to enjoy LED light-up eyes, arc reactor, palms, and display base. That makes it a very expensive, but very cool, lamp.… Read more

You take a seat. The lights go dark. Tony Stark struts across the screen. What's that smell? It's Eau de Iron Man! That's what I imagine the experience will be like when "Iron Man 3" debuts in 4DX in Japan this year. The 4DX format aims for a more interactive experience than just sitting in your seat, passively absorbing a movie through your eyes and ears.

The 4DX format adds odd gadgets to the theater setting, such us tilting seats, bubble makers on the ceiling, fog, wind, strobe lighting, and odor effects (Smell-O-Vision!). It's like some mad scientist got ahold of a Regal cinema and went nuts customizing it. Naturally, 4DX theaters have to be specially equipped to handle all the extras.… Read more

Cosplay has never been so comfy as with the plush Mega Man helmet and arm cannon set. It's a costume and a pillow. Velcro the helmet to your head and lay down with your noggin on the soft Mega Buster. If you're lucky, you'll dream in a side-scroll.

We've seen plenty of pillows that will earn you stares if you use them out in public (I'm looking at you, Ostrich Pillow). This definitely falls into that category, but you get the added cache of retro gaming awesomeness. Some people will look at you, wondering what planet you came from. Others will want to give you a high five to your cannon arm and inquire about your high score.… Read more

Have you ever dreamed of being Tony Stark, with the ability to turn your body into a machine? Well, you now might just have the chance to be part robot, or at least the ability to create your own repulsor.

Advancer Technologies uses electromyography to help fans of the "Iron Man" movies have their very own hand armor. This type of science is typically used to test the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles. The glove is controlled by the wearer simply flexing and relaxing their forearm muscles. … Read more

You can now search among 2 million confidential, or formerly confidential, government documents courtesy of Wikileaks.

The whistle-blowing group has set up a new "public library of U.S. diplomacy" offering more than 1.7 million diplomatic files from 1973 to 1976. Dubbed "The Kissinger Cables," the files reveal diplomatic cables, intelligence reports, and congressional correspondence, many of which relate to then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

As expected, the documents focus on some hot-button issues, including U.S. involvement with dictatorships in Latin America and Greece and the 1973 "Yom Kippur war" … Read more