VA
Latest
Design the 18th century wig of your dreams
If you've got a few hours to kill, London's prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum has just launched an app called "Design a Wig" that lets you design a magnificent 18th century perruque. Even if you've never remotely desired to do such a thing, it's pretty addictive. You start by drawing a crest of hair in any shape you want, add frilly accessories like fans, ribbons or even an entire ship, top it off with powder and Adzooks! You've got yourself a society-ready wig.
Video games are tackling mental health with mixed results
Mental illness occupies a strange place in video games. After centuries of misdiagnosis and misinterpretation, we've begun to comprehend the reasons behind disorders and their prevalence in modern society. Recent research shows that roughly one in five American adults suffers from some form of mental health issue each year. When it comes to the media, though, these conditions are frequently misrepresented and misunderstood, and video games in particular lean on lazy stereotypes and tropes. Mental illness is used as a motivation for villainy, thrown in as an "interesting" game mechanic or mischaracterized as the sum and whole of a character's personality. There's a worryingly pervasive stigma surrounding mental conditions, and as one of our most dominant art forms, video games need to do a better job in portraying them.
Laptop destroyed over Snowden leaks is now an art exhibit
Remember how, after the initial Snowden revelations, the Guardian newspaper was forced to destroy all of its computers that held the whistleblower's leaked documents? It was a strange moment; a small group of editors, under the watchful eye of two GCHQ officials, laying waste to hard drives and other internal components with industrial angle grinders and drills. Now, some of the remains -- a busted MacBook Air and a Western Digital hard drive, to be precise -- are on display at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London. It forms part of a new exhibition called "All of This Belongs to You," which runs from now until July 19th. The hardware itself isn't particularly old or unusual, but its role in cybersecurity journalism and the Snowden leaks should make it a provocative exhibit nonetheless.
London museum turns 3D-printed Liberator guns into works of art
Home to some of the world's rarest pieces of art, London's Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum has just added a modern, yet controversial piece to its collection: the world's first 3D-printed weapon. The museum has managed to get its hands on the two prototype Liberator pistols which were successfully fired by their creator Cody Wilson back in May, offering London's culture lovers the chance to view the original $25 do-it-yourself plastic firearm in all its glory. The gun has come under fire for supposedly aiding terrorist threats, leading the State Department to demand Defense Distributed take down online copies of the Liberator's schematics. The V&A could have simply printed their own models, downloading the blueprints like 100,000 other people, but Wilson claims the originals add a sense of authenticity. One of the models is so authentic, it'll go on show with half of its right side blown off, because, y'know, guns.
Original voice actors return for DuckTales Remastered
The full voice cast of the original DuckTales cartoon will reprise their respective roles for the newly announced nostalgiapocalypse DuckTales Remastered, Capcom senior vice-president Christian Svensson revealed in a Capcom Unity forum thread yesterday."We have ALL the original voice actors from the show," Svensson said, including Scrooge voice actor Alan Young, who "still came into the studio and did his thing like a pro. The voice work really adds a lot to the package.""Scrooge's voice actor," as a quick aside, is a man named Alan Young, who's been in the entertainment industry since the 1940s. Before he endeared himself to the hearts of millions as a penny-pinching old duck, Young's original claim to fame was as Wilbur Post, the star of Mister Ed. We wonder if Young knew at the time that talking animals would become a running theme for his 70-odd years in show business?Update: Joystiq has been contacted by a representative for Alan Young, who clarified the details of Mr. Young's entertainment career.
Acer outs T232HL and T272HL touchscreen displays, on sale this month for $500-plus
It must be Big Touchscreen Day over at Acer headquarters. In addition to announcing a pair of all-in-one desktops, the company is trotting out two touch-enabled monitors, available in 23- and 27-inch sizes. Though both have 1080p resolution, the 23-inch T232HL uses IPS technology to achieve wide viewing angles, while the larger T272HL has a Vertical Alignment (VA) panel. Otherwise, the specs are near-identical: a 100 million to 1 contrast ratio, 5ms response time and a trio of inputs that includes VGA, DVI and HDMI. As for design, you'll notice they have a similar industrial design as the new all-in-ones, with thin frames, edge-to-edge displays and a see-through stand. Both will be available this month, with the 23-incher going for $500 and the 27-inch model selling for $700.
Iiyama introduces XB2472HD-B and X2775HDS-B VA-based desktop displays
Japanese monitor maker Iiyama just blessed the market with a new pair of panels sporting a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 8ms response and a special ECO mode that reduces power consumption by up to 60-percent. The 24-inch XB2472HD-B and 27-inch X2775HDS-B both rely on an LED-backlit VA display (better than your bargain LCD, but not quite as nice as an IPS display) and have your standard trio of HDMI, DVI and VGA inputs. The primary difference between the two screens is the 24-incher's slightly higher brightness (300cd/m2 versus 250cd/m2) and the 27-inch model's 4-port USB hub and integrated speakers. The XB2472HD-B should start shipping by the end of the month for ¥24,800 ($323) with the X2775HDS-B to follow in September for around ¥34,800 ($453).
ASUS debuts, showcases new 3D and IPS-based Designo displays
If it ain't broke, don't fix it; ASUS has taken this old adage to heart, offering up some moderate, but worthwhile changes to its latest consumer and 3D monitor lines. Retaining the award-winning style of its Designo series, the outfit is launching a trio of new 22-, 23-, and 24-inch IPS and VA panel displays -- each vaunting a 178-degree viewing angle, 1920 x 1080 resolution as well as more accurate color reproduction and a higher contrast ratio than previous models. Too bad this change didn't carry over to ASUS' 3D line -- despite adding an integrated IR transmitter for NVIDIA 3D Vision, the 1080p 27-inch LED VG278H sports a backlit TN panel (boo), same as its predecessor. But hey, at least the integrated transmitter ought to free up some desk space... right? No official price on these just yet, but check out the more coverage link below for a spate of eyes-on impressions. [Thanks, TheLostSwede]
BenQ debuts high-end EW2430, EW2430V LED monitors
BenQ's monitors may have all come from the same glossy black plastic mold as of late, but the company's stepped things up a bit for its new 24-inch EW2430 and EW2430V "Vertical Alignment" LED monitors, which pack some high-end specs and some more refined looks to match. Chief among those specs is the VA LED panel used in each monitor, which promises a native 3,000:1 contrast ratio, minimal light leaking, an improved viewing angle, and a true 8-bit color range, among other benefits. You'll also get a full range of ports (including two HDMI and four USB on each), a pair of 2W speakers, and some added features like "Smart Focus," "Super Resolution," and "3D Noise Reduction" on the EW2430V model. Still no word on pricing, but you can look for both monitors to hit Europe and the Asia Pacific region this month, with a worldwide release set to follow sometime thereafter.
DirecTV not done yet, brings HD locals to Norfolk-Newport News, VA / Charleston, SC
Just when you thought DirecTV was through after announcing HD locals for two more of its market today, in comes a couple of new reports confirming that both the Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina DMAs were gifted as well. For the former, customers can look forward to seeing their local ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS affiliates in high-def, while the latter region gets all of those plus WMMP (MyNetworkTV). Any others you'd like to toss our way while you're at it? We've got a list of HD-starved DMAs just begging over here.Read - Norfolk-Newport News, VA rolloutRead - Charleston, SC rollout
Virgin America cleared for take-off, CEO forced to resign
We'd heard rumblings that Virgin America was indeed lobbying for the US Department of Transportation's blessing to take off from American soil, and after getting a hands-on experience that was second to none, we couldn't help but hope for things to work out. Sure enough, VA has now been given the almighty thumbs-up to operate in the United States. Interestingly, the final approval was only granted after "several additional conditions" were finally agreed to, one of which will leave the current CEO sans a job. Unfortunately for Mr. Fred Reid, "US law restricts foreign ownership in airlines to 25-percent of voting stock," and apparently, the DOT didn't take too kindly to Reid's "longstanding association with foreign investors," most notably Virgin Group's Richard Branson. Nevertheless, the current head man will stay on board for another six months, and while a replacement has yet to be named, the airline hopes to get its birds in the air sometime this summer. Initially, flights will travel from its home base (SFO) to New York (JFK), and while there's no definite timetable as to when routes will be expanded to hit other US cities, feel free to click through for the full lineup of locales that VA hopes to be servicing sooner rather than later.Read - Virgin America cleared for take-offRead - Fred Reid forced to resign as VA takes flight
Star Ocean remakes to feature extensive voice work
The newly unveiled Star Ocean remakes are getting a significant (and chatty) rehaul. According to GameSpot, these remakes will feature significant new content. Producer Yoshinori Yamagishi intends on making "the remake[s] to feel as though they're completely new games." According to the game's voice actors, they haven't been able to record dialog yet, because the scripts aren't finished yet -- tons of new scenarios and characters are being added to the game. For those interested, the Japanese vocal cast has been announced: Star Ocean: First Departure Ratix Farrence - Mamoru Miyano Milly Kiliet - Hitomi Nabatame Marvel Frozen - Houko Kuwashima Fear Mell - Megumi Toyoguchi Star Ocean: Second Evolution Claude C. Kenni - Daisuke Namikawa Rena Lanford - Nana Mizuki Dias Flac - Tomokazu Sugita Precis F. Neumann - Rie Kugimiya
Virgin America showcases pimped out aircraft, lobbies for US flights
If you've never heard of Richard Branson before today, you just might become one of his best friends after checking his aircraft. The billionaire in charge of Virgin Atlantic wants to bring the company's "passion for innovation and technology" to America, and while we've seen glimmers of hope for air travel within the States, it seems that VA's alternatives demolish the current US-based offerings (although there's word that the Panasonic eFx system will be hitting US flights in the future). Utilizing a somewhat cheesy lobbyist website, the airline is attempting to garner public support to allow them to reverse the US DOTs decision to disallow VA from taking flight on American soil. But regardless of politics, the real news here is the plane's interior; first class riders get a plush, leather seating area with a flipout LCD, while "normal" passengers still get a fairly comfy looking chair and a seat-mounted 9-inch touchscreen LCD. Moreover, each passenger gets their own 110-volt power outlet (adapters, be gone!), USB port, and Ethernet jack. The VA-engineered RED in-flight entertainment system only rivals SIA's KrisWorld system, and delivers music, gaming, movies, and even food choices right to your screen. While some may find this tough to believe, you'll even encounter a full QWERTY keyboard, live TV via Dish Network, on-board email / IM / chat, the ability to create playlists and transfer them to connecting flights, and pretty much anything else you'd need to not want to ever reach your destination. So if you're interested in helping Mr. Branson make a few more billion, and would like to fly the friendly skies in complete and total geek heaven, be sure to hit the read link to vouch your opinion, and click on through for a YouTube demonstration of all the aforementioned niceties.[Via NewTeeVee]
Gurumin to feature Japanese VA, and more details revealed
"We looked up "no-brainer" in the dictionary and there was a picture of Gurumin," said Mastiff in an interview with Siliconera. The publisher reveals a few interesting tidbits, like having the original Japanese voice acting available as a secret easter egg. Way cool---just in case the English VA doesn't work out so well. Mastiff also points out features that are available in the PSP version of the game that can't be found on the original PC version of the game:"Gurumin on the PSP not only features tons of extra content that wasn't available on the PC, like new costumes and a boss rush mode, but the controls have been polished for the PSP version, and the game delivers an action-RPG experience that simply can't be had anywhere else on the platform."Check out the rest of Siliconera's interview with Mastiff, and voice actor, Amber Hood.
Gurumin to feature accomplished VAs
Tara Strong, voice of Final Fantasy X's Rikku, joins a surprisingly strong voice acting cast for the upcoming PSP RPG Gurumin. Other VAs include Amber Hood (Psychonauts), Dee Bradley (Viewtiful Joe), Kim Mai Guest (Metal Gear Solid), Robin Atkin Downes (Prince of Persia), and more. The voice acting will be directed by Kris Zimmerman, the voice director of all the Metal Gear Solid games (all of which feature excellent voice acting).It's great to see a PSP RPG finally get some solid voice acting. We've had way too many quests with minimal voice acting-- hopefully, publisher Mastiff sets a standard for all PSP RPGs to come. We'll have more on the ultra-cute Gurumin in the future.[Via GameDaily]
