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Curt Schilling might pay back debt by selling baseball memorabilia
Curt Schilling is most recently famous for failing spectacularly at using loans from Rhode Island and investors to create a Kingdoms of Amalur MMO. As the founder of the now-bankrupt 38 studios and someone who personally guaranteed some $12 million worth of loans related to the studio, Schilling's lucky that he was famous for other stuff before stepping into game development. For example, Schilling was one of the best pitchers in American League baseball in 2004 and played for the Boston Red Sox, the only team in MLB history to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games. A bloody sock that he wore during that series is listed (along with World War II-era memorabilia, one of Lou Gehrig's baseball caps, his home, and a stake in a private equity firm) in a collateral filing.
Engineering a better bicycle with DBC City Bike Design
My day with Dan Sorger was winding down and the photographers were out joyriding on his bicycles when he beckoned me to look at something on his tiny, age-stained LCD monitor. Nestled in between a curling collection of Post-It notes was an anecdote about a wealthy Italian man which he began to read aloud, "Once upon a time, long ago ..." According to the story he had spent an exorbitant sum of money to modify his prized Alfa Romeo. As a result, his family tried to have him declared insane and wrest control of his fortune. As the trial got underway, the judge asked to see the vehicle in question and, once he set his eyes on the custom-crafted aluminum body, he dismissed the case, declaring, "The search for beauty is the most natural thing in man." The tale is allegedly the origin of storied automobile designer Ugo Zagato, but it's the judge who is the real star and it's his words that struck a chord with Dan, the founder and owner of DBC City Bike Design.
Sprint flipping the LTE switch in Boston and Chicago on September 21st?
Last we heard Sprint was prepping to launch its LTE network in 100 cities in the "coming months." Well, a tipster just sent along a some info that seems to indicate that Chicago and Boston will be online before September is out. According to the leaked memo, towers in the areas surrounding those cities should start lighting up soon, with both metropolitan centers set to become "discoverable" on September 21st. Now, that doesn't mean LTE will officially launch in those cities on that Friday, merely that 4G capable devices may start picking up the signals. From that day forward Sprint will be in pre-launch mode in Boston and Chicago, as they build out infrastructure to support the shift to a new wireless platform. [Thanks, anonymous]
Boston Festival of Indie Games starts on Sept. 22
A new show centered around the indie scene is set to kick off in Boston on September 22. The Boston Festival of Indie Games is taking submissions right now, gathering aspiring developers looking to show off their wares on the MIT campus this fall.Organized by MIT Game Lab and Boston Indies at the MIT Campus, the Boston Festival of Indie Games is open to the public and, aside from giving indie developers a soapbox to stand on, will present a digital art exhibit, film screenings, a 12-hour game jam session, guest speaker presentations and a special area to showcase games made within the MIT Game Lab. Some of the names to already sign on and judge submissions are Harmonix Senior Designer Tim Stellmach, Fire Hose Games Creative Director Eitan Glinert, Zynga Boston Creative Director Paul Neurath, and Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab US Executive Director Philip Tan.Awards will be given during the show based on public voting once cleared by the panel above. Those interested in submitting their digital game for showcase will have to pay a $10 fee if they are a student, or a $15 fee if they are a professional, by no later than August 10. If you're making something that doesn't fall into the digital category, you can submit it free of charge. Good luck!
Take a guided tour through the Boston of Assassin's Creed 3
You may have seen Assassin's Creed 3's Boston level demoed before, but you've certainly never seen it with the game's creative director walking you through every little detail. Ubisoft offers just that in the video we've dropped above.
Boston Festival of Indie Games coming from MIT Game Lab and Boston Indies this Sept.
On September 22, MIT Game Lab and Boston Indies will host the Boston Festival of Indie Games, on site at MIT. The day-long event will encompass all manner of homegrown gaming projects, from traditional video games, to board games, "live action games" and "interactive fiction." The festival will also include a 12-hour game jam, film screenings, a digital art exhibit and guest speakers. Naturally, games developed by the MIT Game Lab will also be showcased.Developers interested in having their wares on display at the festival can submit their games here once registration has opened, which should happen "soon." A $15 submission fee is required unless you're a student, in which case you can toss your hat in the ring for $10.The event itself, however, is free and open to the public.
Comcast VOD for TiVo Premieres expands to Boston, old Comcast TiVos shut off in August
Where we expected, although not precisely when, TiVo and Comcast have expanded their alliance to Boston starting today. That means TiVo Premieres in the area will be able to access the company's cable video on-demand, however it also marks an end to the old Motorola-built Comcast boxes that ran TiVo software. Confirming a note received by one of our commenters, the test units that started rolling out in a few areas back in '08 whill be shut off on or shortly after August 1st, and users are being encouraged to upgrade to a new Premiere unit. Whether you rep New England or are just waiting for an update on your neck of the woods, as usual TiVo's blog has more information or you can sign up at its Comcast portal to find out when Xfinity On Demand is coming your way.
LG Display's new five-inch 1080p smartphone display: it's real, and we've got video
We stopped by The Society for Information Display's (SID) 2012 convention in not-so-sunny Boston, Massachusetts to feast our eyes upon LG Display's latest creation: a five-inch display panel with Retina-smashing specs. We're talking about a screen that sports a 1920 x 1080 full HD (FHD) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and 440ppi density -- not to mention the Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS) technology. The Life's Good arm states that the window, which has not yet been paired with a smartphone, will provide "Full HDTV quality" on a phone for the first time. Seeing is believing, though, so have a look at our gallery then saunter past the break to read what the company's VP of IT and Mobile Development had to say about the future of screens. %Gallery-157218%
Comcast video on-demand comes to Boston area TiVo Premieres Monday
Now that Comcast has started delivering its video on-demand to TiVo Premieres, the company has now revealed the second area where access will be turned on is Boston, starting Monday. The news was announced in a tweet from Head of Corporate Communications Steve Wymer, and as Gizmo Lovers notes, was likely held back as Comcast announced its own X1 platform would launch soon in Boston as well. We're now more than a year past the original announcement, hopefully this is just the start of the rollout as it picks up the pace, if the two companies work well together maybe Comcast could be on the list for that six-tuner Pace box at some point. Update: And just like that.. it was not announced. Steve has indicated he was actually RTing someone else, and no date has been confirmed for the rollout of Comcast VOD on Beantown TiVos.
Comcast VOD coming to Boston TiVos, next gen X1 DVR platform could launch there too
Comcast already reported its Q1 results earlier today but on the earnings call CEO of the cable division Neil Smit revealed its next generation X1 cloud DVRs (previously called Xcalibur and promised for a wide rollout to "hundreds of thousands" of customers this year) will launch in a major market in the second quarter. Light Reading cites sources indicating field testing is already under way in Boston and that it could launch in May which fits all too well because The Cable Show will take place there May 21st. In case you've forgotten, the quad-tuner X1 DVRs have an all new UI with support for third party apps and social media tie-ins, and will reportedly precede the company's eventual push towards IP video. While that's the rumor, what we do know is that TiVo has completed the rollout of Comcast video on-demand support to Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area, and also let us know that Boston, coincidentally, will be next. Customers in other areas can sign up on TiVo's site at the link below for notifications when the feature goes live in their neck of the woods.%Gallery-124121%
Boeing 787 Dreamliner completes first Trans-Pacific passenger flight, lands in Boston as JAL 8
We've been fortunate enough to hitch a ride on Boeing's 787 within the Land of the Rising Sun, but now the Dreamliner has hopped the Pacific with passengers on board, departing Tokyo Narita and landing at Boston's Logan International Airport around noon on Sunday. The JAL service marks New England's first Asia route, enabled by the 787's efficient design which lets airlines fly to lower-demand cities without wasting fuel on empty seats. The 787 will be making the 6,869-mile journey four times a week through May 31st, at which point daily service will begin, with flight 7 departing Boston at 1:20PM and arriving in Tokyo at 4 the following afternoon. Passengers on flight 8 will leave Tokyo at 11:30AM and land in Boston at 11:20AM on the same day. This is likely to be your best opportunity to ride a US-bound Dreamliner until United begins service later this year, so hit up the source link to get your fix, priced upwards of $1,500 for dates throughout the summer.
MBTA and Masabi team up for first smartphone rail ticketing system in the US, launching in Boston this fall
In Boston this fall, you won't need to keep up with your train ticket anymore -- as long as you don't leave your smartphone at home. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Masabi have joined forces to bring a rail ticketing to handheld devices via iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps. Headquartered in London, Masabi has launched similar tech for transit companies in the UK, eliminating ticket lines for many smartphone-wielding passengers. Software will allow riders to purchase tickets and passes that are validated with a barcode scan by conductors equipped with mobile devices of their own. MBTA is looking to cut costs and provide added convenience with the new system instead of adding more ticketing kiosks to its stations. The aforementioned apps will be developed alongside focus groups and a small pilot group this summer with a full rollout to all MBTA customers expected to happen this fall. Looking for a bit more info? Hit the coverage and source links below to read on. [Image credit: Masabi on Flickr]
Win a trip to Turbine by making a LotRO fifth anniversary fan video
With the fifth anniversary of Lord of the Rings Online a little over a week away, Turbine has sprung a most excellent contest to reward the hardiest Hobbits and most fanatical Fellowshippers in the community. By creating and submitting a fan video, one lucky player will win a trip to visit Turbine's studio in Boston, Massachusetts. Entering the Who is the Biggest LotRO Fan Contest is pretty simple. To do so, you'll need to head over to the contest site, download a package of assets, and then create your own fan video celebrating the game's big milestone. Each player can submit one entry, due by May 4th, which is then judged on creativity, composition, and appropriateness to theme. While there will be 500 TP daily winners in the contest, the big grand prize is a trip for two to Boston, a three-day stay in a hotel, a tour of Turbine's offices, a lifetime membership to LotRO, and 1,000 TP.
WoW Insider's PAX East/Boston survival guide
Heading into Boston for PAX East? Well then, welcome -- you're visiting Fox Van Allen's hometown. Be sure to wipe your feet first. And pay no mind to that dude on the bicycle making the siren noise -- he's just part of the ambiance. If this is your first time at PAX East -- or really, your first time in Boston -- you might be a little bit overwhelmed by this fair city I call home. But don't be! Boston is one of the nicest, cleanest cities in the United States (no, seriously). It's also one of the safest. If you're spending every waking hour at the convention hall, you're seriously missing out.
The WoW Insider Show Live at PAX East
Are you heading to Boston for PAX East this year? Want to spend a little time hanging out with your best friends from WoW Insider? That's right! WoW Insider is doing a live version of the podcast at PAX East 2012. Featuring Mike Sacco, Mathew McCurley, Fox Van Allen, and editor-in-chief himself Alex Ziebart, we'll be doing a live panel with fun, questions, answers, prizes, and more. You don't want to miss out. Come see the WoW Insider Show Live! at PAX East in Boston: What: The WoW Insider Show Live! Podcast Where: Wyvern Theater, PAX East Boston 2012 When: Saturday, April 7, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The WoW Insider podcast comes to life as hosts Michael Sacco and Mathew McCurley, along with special guests, create a home away from Azeroth at PAX East. Join with the most popular World of Warcraft fansite for an hour of WoW news, views, laughter, and lots of WoW talk. There are more World of Warcraft fans at PAX than we can count, so come on down to talk all things WoW! Blizzard doesn't usually have a huge showing at gaming conventions like PAX Prime or PAX East, and with no BlizzCon happening in 2012, we've got to bring the community together ourselves. Come out and talk WoW -- you know everyone at PAX plays, anyway. Plus, prizes. Lots of prizes. Hope to see you all at PAX East!
Mass. Lt. Gov. wants game tax credits tied to job creation
Massachusetts is the fifth largest state for game industry employment in spite of better developer incentives in other states. Nearly 1,300 industry jobs exist in the Commonwealth, but a recent profile of Irrational Games by The Improper Bostonian covers how the state's grip on gaming could slip if it doesn't step up studio stimulus.A bill for game developer incentives has been floating around the Mass. legislature for about a year, but hasn't gained traction with lawmakers. The state currently provides heavy cuts for the movie industry, despite the game industry pumping more cash into local economies."It's ironic," Irrational Games' director of product development Tim Gerritsen said. "If you look at it, where do you want to put your money? We've got 120 permanent employees. They spend all their money here. They pay their rent here. They pay their taxes here. Do you want Dane Cook? He's here for two weeks doing a film, and he's gone.""When you talk about tax incentives, that's less revenue that you're receiving, so I think any kind of incentive would have to be linked to hard commitments from the private sector," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, who is coming off a win by keeping PAX East in Boston until 2023. The convention will also make donations totaling $325,000 over the next 11 years to MassDiGI.The state did lose a major studio last year when former Red Sox player Curt Schilling's 38 Studios moved to neighboring Rhode Island for a $75 million loan. The state isn't likely to lose established studios like Harmonix, Demiurge and Turbine. The problem comes founding or incubating new studios without concessions.
PAX East commits to Boston until 2023
PAX East organizers and the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) announced this morning that the popular video game convention will remain in Boston until 2023. Show organizers are hoping to grow attendance of the three-day show to 100,000, making it easily one of the largest public gaming conventions in the world (behind Gamescom and TGS).PAX East will also make a sizable donation to digital games education. Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDiGI) will receive a $50,000 contribution this year, along with an annual $25,000, for a total of $325,000 over the next 11 years."Over the last year, MassDiGI has worked towards building a strong public-private partnership across industry, academia, and government in support of the state's digital games cluster," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. "PAX East's commitment to bringing the largest East Coast video gaming convention to Boston and providing an annual donation to MassDiGI complements ongoing collaboration to increase economic activity within the state and foster knowledge-transfer between Massachusetts and the rest of the world."Beyond the academic cash, PAX East naturally brings in buckets of cash to the city through hotels and dining."We're thrilled to host PAX East for at least 10 more years," said James E. Rooney, executive director of the MCCA. "Hosting an event for the next decade that draws gamers from around the globe to Boston is fantastic, but the international attention it brings to the incredible technological advancements coming out of the Commonwealth is a win-win."
PSA: Vita meetups begin next week
We don't want you to miss your date with the PlayStation Vita, after it's gone to all the trouble of prettying up, polishing its screen and ... all right, this is getting creepy quick. We'll cut to the chase: the Vita "Social Club" events begin next Tuesday, January 17 in Chicago, Miami and NYC.
Boston schools producing iPhone apps
Readers who went to college in the pre-App Store days will likely remember what it was like to receive a college brochure when they were shopping for schools. It was so exciting to thumb through the pages of a bright and colorful brochure which was printed on thick, glossy paper. In the next several years, these brochures will become obsolete. Gradually, schools will use an iOS app or other digital media to both compete for prospective students and engage current students. BostInno, an online blog covering the city of Boston, took a look at iOS apps for several Bean Town colleges and universities including MIT, Babson, Berklee College of Music, Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, and Northeastern. We won't spoil the fun and tell you which one BostInno likes best, but we will share their conclusion that many schools have a long way to go with their apps. Apps offer many features over a static brochure, but many of the schools didn't leverage this advantage. The schools released apps that didn't engage users and were described as "boring." Some even had features, like a bus schedule, which just didn't work. Hopefully, these apps are early first efforts and will evolve as students begin to use them and offer suggestions for improvement.
Amtrak begins testing e-ticketing system, other futuristic things
It's been a long time coming, but it looks like Amtrak is finally ready to get with the times. This month, the human-carrier began testing a new e-ticketing system for passengers traveling along its Downeaster line, which extends from Maine to Boston. Under the trial, travelers can either print their tickets at home, or have them e-mailed as a barcode-laced PDF file for conductors to scan. Customers can also change their reservations at the last minute, without having to wait in line at the ticket counter and interact with other people. It's not exactly cutting-edge technology, but Amtrak attributes the delay to the unique nature of the railway, where conductors check tickets in transit and have to deal with a steady stream of passengers getting on and hopping off. As a result, the company had to find a scanning device reliable enough to handle this constant flow of organisms, though it looks as if it's nearing a solution. Amtrak plans to expand the trial to California in February, and if that goes well, the system could roll out on a nationwide basis as early as this summer.
