Walaika Haskins Archive

ZeeVee's Zinc Browser Gets Web TV Right
April 29, 2009

Seeking to help users organize and view TV content online, ZeeVee recently launched the latest iteration of its video browser. Currently in beta, the new Zinc browser, formerly named "Zviewer," has more than just a new name. Besides new content from existing video hubs, the browser has added more content providers, seriously expanding the scope of its online library.

Game Sales Sputter, 'GTA' Fails to Steal the Show
April 23, 2009

It's been a tough week for the gaming industry. NPD reported a 17 percent decline in console video game sales for March, and the "Grand Theft Auto IV: Chinatown Wars" debut was not so grand. Activision's upcoming "DJ Hero" stirred up legal issues, while "Fallout" developer Bethesda Softworks got busy with a new addition to the franchise.

Can Microsoft Win the Online Game?
April 16, 2009

It's been another busy week in the gaming world. Topping the news was the announcement that game designer Will Wright is leaving Electronic Arts to head up his entertainment think tank, Stupid Fun Club, full-time. Elsewhere, Take-Two may have another hit on its hands -- this time in downloadable form.

Nintendo's DSi Gathers Buyers While Wiis Gather Dust
April 09, 2009

Nintendo made headlines in the gaming industry this week with the U.S. release of a new device, the highly anticipated Nintendo DSi portable gaming system. The third iteration of the top-selling on-the-go video game machine features two built-in cameras and recorded sounds that users can alter.

Innovation in a World of E-Commerce Woe
April 08, 2009

It's been nearly a decade since the Internet bubble burst in 2001, and the intervening years have seen the rise of powerhouse companies such as Google, MySpace and Facebook, which have helped broaden the scope of what was once referred to as the "Information Superhighway." The Internet was once limited primarily to email communication, file transfers and other rather mundane purposes.

Transparency in Outsourcing, Part 2: Mum's the Word
April 07, 2009

As the ongoing global economic crisis continues to impact the technology sector, many employees who once thought their jobs were secure are being given pink slips and shown the door. Giants like Microsoft, IBM and Sun Microsystems have cut tens of thousands of jobs in just the first quarter of 2009, according to a recent report from Challenger, Gray and Christmas, a Chicago-based outplacement firm.

Wii Shoots for the Stars, PS2 Aims for the Basement
April 02, 2009

Even as the recession grinds on, the gaming industry continues to draw in consumers' entertainment dollars. Nintendo hit a console shipping milestone last week with the Wii, while retailer GameStop announced a monster of a sales quarter, and Sony made a price cut that may have some players scratching their heads.

Transparency in Outsourcing, Part 1: Silent Shrinkage
March 31, 2009

Layoffs are an unfortunate but predictable byproduct of an economy in decline. As the global economic crisis stretches into yet another month, companies in nearly all industries continue the painful process of purging employees in an effort to reduce costs. After the automotive and manufacturing sectors, one of the hardest hit areas of the economy has been the IT sector.

New Players Shake Up the Gaming Biz
March 26, 2009

It's Game Developers Conference time, and that means plenty of news -- some good; some great. Thus far, the most eye-catching announcements out of GDC '09 have come from two upstart hardware makers -- one trying to bring console gaming to users around the globe, the other aiming to take the console out of the gaming equation altogether.

Shortcovers E-Reader: An Unfinished Story
March 25, 2009

Over the past year or so, e-readers have suddenly become a must-have gadget. Amazon's Kindle e-reader was even named one of talk show host Oprah Winfrey's favorite things in 2008. With the recent release of the second iteration of the Kindle, electronic books and their accompanying devices are back in the news.

Apple Talks In-App Purchases, Game Devs Hear 'Cha-Ching'
March 19, 2009

This week, the gaming industry saw a challenger in the portable gaming market grow more powerful, and its name is iPhone. The platform's upcoming 3.0 software, which Apple previewed, includes new ways for game makers to make money, which may attract even more developers with even more serious offerings.

So You Want to Be a Game Designer, Part 2
March 16, 2009

It takes a village to make a video game. In the beginning, it is the game designer who develops the concept for the game, and while that designer may receive the lion's share of the glory, a video game would not be come to fruition without the skills and talents of scriptwriters, animator, programmers, sound engineers, musical composers, voiceover artists, producers, etc.

Will 'MadWorld' Take a Chainsaw to Wii's Goody-Two-Shoes Image?
March 12, 2009

This week, Nintendo once again topped the news in the world of video games, taking a risk with the exclusive release of a violent, Mature-rated game for the Wii, a console that generally supports wares of a more family-friendly variety. Meanwhile, Take-Two announced a big loss for the first quarter of 2009, while Amazon, apparently eager to recession-proof its business, announced a new game trade-in program.

So You Want to Be a Game Designer, Part 1
March 09, 2009

In the tech industry, there are few careers with a cool factor equal to the title "game developer." For a whole host of gamers, making a living out of creating video games is akin to finding the holy grail, winning the lottery or becoming a renowned actor or musician. For their legions of fans, the best game designers are nothing short of rock stars.

Windows Opens Vista SP2 Release Candidate to the Masses
March 05, 2009

Microsoft announced on Wednesday the availability of the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Release Candidate for the general public. The software was initially put on limited release a week ago to the company's TechNet and MSDN subscribers. The announcement means that anyone interested in testing the penultimate version before the final release of the service pack can download it now.

Nintendo's New Showcase, Microsoft's New Hit, Sony's New Order
March 05, 2009

This week Nintendo unveiled its lineup of upcoming titles for the year. Sony CEO Howard Stringer did some executive shuffling in an apparent effort to re-energize the consumer electronics company. Also, Microsoft got some good news from Japan, scoring a hit with its latest exclusive title, "Star Ocean: The Last Hope." There was some bad news for Gibson and THQ.

Social Disease: Worm Writhes Its Way Through Facebook
March 04, 2009

Facebook has apparently become a choice distribution channel for several malicious applications and a new variant of a pernicious piece of malware originally detected in 2008. The popular social networking site has been hit by at least three separate security issues in the last week -- two phony applications and the latest variety of the Koobface worm, according to security research firm Trend Micro.

Startup's Shape-Shifting Linux Netbook Boasts 15 Hours of Run Time
March 03, 2009

There appears to be a new netbook maker on the block. Always Innovating has announced a new touchscreen netbook that purports to offer users four devices in one. The new Touch Book from the Menlo Park, Calif.-based startup weighs in at less than two pounds with an 8.9-inch screen and has a battery life roughly three times longer than most netbooks, according to the company.

Facebook Wants Your Two Cents
February 27, 2009

A little more than a week after Facebook responded to a controversy surrounding its updated terms of service agreement by capitulating and reverting to the previous version, the company announced new procedures Thursday that will open governance of the service and its policy processes to input from users.

Windows Washing: Microsoft Talks Up Tweaks Following Public Beta
February 26, 2009

With its big round of public beta testing out of the way, Microsoft is apparently moving quickly to the next milestone on the Windows 7 upgrade path. On Thursday, the company revealed some of the changes users can expect to see in the upcoming Windows 7 Release Candidate -- possibly the penultimate stage prior to the release of a final product -- in its Engineering Windows 7 blog.