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Early Nintendo brochure shows us the childhood we could have had, the knitting we never did
We all know what the Nintendo Entertainment System looks like, right? Well, if a butterfly had flapped its wings in a slightly different manner, things could have apparently been quite different. Former Director of Game Creative at Nintendo America, Howard Phillips, has recently uploaded some images taken from a 1985 brochure for a precursor to the NES called the AVS (Advanced Video System). While a glance at some vintage-looking hardware that never came to be -- such as the wireless controller -- is a retrospective tease, it was the marketing material from a couple of years later that really snags the attention: an advert for a knitting machine peripheral. The image shows the NES we know and love, with a controller in a dock, attached to a knitting device turning-out what we can only assume are some leg-warmers. Not wanting to alienate its largely male audience, however, the tagline reads "Now you're knitting with power." Given that it never came to market, though, we guess that not quite everything was acceptable in the eighties.
WikiLeaks' Spy Files shed light on the corporate side of government surveillance
WikiLeaks' latest batch of documents hit the web this week, providing the world with a scarily thorough breakdown of a thoroughly scary industry -- government surveillance. The organization's trove, known as the Spy Files, includes a total of 287 files on surveillance products from 160 companies, as well as secret brochures and presentations that these firms use to market their technologies to government agencies. As Ars Technica reports, many of these products are designed to get around standard privacy guards installed in consumer devices, while some even act like malware. DigiTask, for example, is a German company that produces and markets software capable of circumventing a device's SSL encryption and transmitting all instant messages, emails and recorded web activity to clients (i.e., law enforcement agencies). This "remote forensic software" also sports keystroke logging capabilities, and can capture screenshots, as well. Included among DigiTask's other products is the WifiCatcher -- a portable device capable of culling data from users linked up to a public WiFi network. US-based SS8, Italy's Hacking Team and France's Vupen produce similar Trojan-like malware capable of documenting a phone or computer's "every use, movement, and even the sights and sounds of the room it is in," according to the publication. Speaking at City University in London yesterday, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his organization decided to unleash the Spy Files as "a mass attack on the mass surveillance industry," adding that the technologies described could easily transform participating governments into a "totalitarian surveillance state." The documents, released on the heels of the Wall Street Journal's corroborative "Surveillance Catalog" report, were published alongside a preface from WikiLeaks, justifying its imperative to excavate such an "unregulated" industry. "Intelligence agencies, military forces, and police authorities are able to silently, and on mass, and [sic] secretly intercept calls and take over computers without the help or knowledge of the telecommunication providers," wrote Wikileaks in its report. "In the last ten years systems for indiscriminate, mass surveillance have become the norm." The organization says this initial document dump is only the first in a larger series of related files, scheduled for future release. You can comb through them for yourself, at the source link below.
Sharp FX Plus for AT&T caught on Walmart brochure, shows off its Froyo side
Just as paper adds fuel to a fire, so does an official Walmart brochure with images of new phones. The latest exclusive to come out of Wally World is the Sharp FX Plus (Google lawsuit, anyone?), an Android 2.2-powered follow-up to last year's blip on the AT&T radar. The photo confirms that this is indeed identical to the puzzling Sharp Android slider that appeared in fuzzy renders two months ago, only with an AT&T logo on the bottom to make it look all the more official. The brochure indicates the FX Plus will feature Froyo pre-installed (upgradeable to Gingerbread soon enough, we assume), a 3.2-inch display, and Audience's earSmart noise cancellation technology. It's unclear when we'll see it hit store shelves or how much it'll set us back; even if we knew, the phone isn't likely to deter a lot of keyboard lovers from getting something as desirable as the Samsung i927. At least AT&T's QWERTY Android lineup is filling out fast after a lengthy drought. [Thanks, Billy]
Rumor: GT5 listed for Q4 2009 release (update)
The time of arrival for Sony's gorgeous racer, Gran Turismo 5, has been one of gaming's greatest mysteries. However, if a recent pamphlet supposedly handed out at GamesCom 2009 is legit, this ancient riddle might just have a solution -- according to the leaflet, the game is coming in "4. Quartel 2009." Now, we don't exactly sprechen sie den Deutch, but we're fairly sure that translates to "Q4 2009."A bare bones version of the game was demoed at GamesCom 2009, and it will most certainly be the belle of the ball at Tokyo Game Show 2009 -- but we're an impatient lot. We've contacted Sony to see if they can shed some light on the rumored brochure, and the sweet, sweet GT5 release date details contained therein. Update: A SCEE representative confirmed the brochure is legitimate. However, considering recent trends, we still have our doubts on if Sony can deliver on such a (surprisingly) quick release.[Via GTPlanet, Thanks, Marius!]
Spacetime Studios releases PDF brochure for Blackstar
The Blackstar media wagon keeps on chugging as Spacetime Studios releases a 14 page preview PDF brochure of what's inside their upcoming space/action MMO.The brochure details the two warring factions, the United Colonies Defense Force (UCDF) and the Scorn Empire, some of their spaceships, stations, and classes, and the state of the B* universe when the game opens. More surprisingly, the brochure also covers some of the factions that have broken away from the UCDF and Scorn, as well as some of the threats that players will find in the universe. There's also more inside if you go and check it out for yourself!The entire PDF file is full of the beautiful concept art that makes Blackstar stand out from the other MMOs on the market, especially EVE Online. From what we've seen here at Massively, that beautiful concept art is already transitioning into a beautiful world, and we're eagerly awaiting more footage of what looks to be a (pun quite intended) stellar MMO, despite their publisher difficulties. Way to keep pushing onwards, guys.
Apple to release new in-store brochures, t-shirts
I'm delighted to see ifoAppleStore reporting that Apple will be releasing a new series of brochures and employee t-shirts in their retail stores to advertise the wide range of creative capabilities their Macs and software offer to consumers. The cover of the 12-page brochure (pictured) seems largely focused on advertising all the content-creating doors their award-winning iLife suite opens, while the inside of the brochure features various Apple Store employees wearing t-shirts with help-related slogans such as "I can help you go from shutterbug to photocaster."Other strong Apple Store advantages that the brochures boast are the various Creative, Genius and Mac Specialist employees staffed at the stores who are trained to accommodate the various interests, hobbies and professions that Mac users have. The brochures advertise many more unique facets of the Apple Store and Mac-buying experience, such as their free workshops and on-line Concierge appointment scheduling service. While I haven't been in an Apple Store in a while, all I remember from my past experience is advertising that was almost entirely focused on making me buy an iPod. It's great to see Apple putting their best foot forward with a campaign like this.[Thanks Benjamin Bowles]
