MaryPoppins
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BlackBerry design chief says 2012 phones will be 'charming, whimsical and fun'
Todd Wood, RIM's senior vice president of industrial design has teased next year's BlackBerry handsets, describing them as "charming, whimsical and fun." Admittedly, those last two words aren't closely associated with BB devices of the past, but the manufacture will certainly be on the charm offensive after those service outages last month. In an interview with Pocket-Lint, the Wood explained how this year's range was influenced by Bellagio in Italy. This is apparently inspired the style licks -- like the 'fretted' keyboard -- on phones like the Bold 9930 and the barely-announced Bold 9790. Next year's models, presumably arriving with a software refresh in the form of BBX, will be drawn from ideas at a design workshop held in Malmo, Sweden. While we can't imagine seeing a Nordic wood-encased Bold, nor the disappearance of RIM's talismanic keyboard, hopefully the change in design focus will bring a bit of texture and spice to BB's next roll of the smartphone dice.
CEA's E3 replacement that never was
Today in a parallel universe, the Consumer Electronics Association announced their own gaming event in the ashes of E3. It takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center (the old home of E3) from July 11 to 14 with one day devoted to press, a day and a half devoted to trade audience, and a day and a half for the general public.The difference between this world and our own, however, is that the CEA decided at the last minute to cancel its plans for said expo. Prompted by Min-E3's recent announcements and the overlapping dates, Senior VP of Events and Conferences Karen Chupka decided that the industry did not need their help right now, but would consider returning if future intervention was needed. She then grabbed her bottomless purse and with her magic umbrella flew up and away from the gaming industry's villa at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane.The CEA, a trade organization best known for the Consumer Electronics Expo, had already reserved floor space for Atlantic Inc., Auravision, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Intel. The World Series of Video Games was to host an event that placed its 2006 champions against members of the press. Too bad the event is canceled; we would have made them cry over a game of Super Smash Bros. Melee.** Don't hold us to that.
Umbrella Chronicles: Wii's Resident Evil or memoirs of a flying nanny?
CVG reports, via Famitsu, that Capcom will name Wii's upcoming Resident Evil title 'Umbrella Chronicles,' suggesting a focus on ruthless biotech company Umbrella Corporation -- or instead, a connection to the flying English nanny known as Mary Poppins. How's it go? 'A spoonful of sugar helps the T-virus go down' ... er ... something ...CVG suggests, with reservation, that Chronicles will trace Umbrella's sordid past leading up to the events of Resident Evil 4 and will attempt to tie together certain elements of previous Resident Evil titles. As such, Chronicles would likely feature key locales from past games -- and perhaps new ones, like #17 Cherry-Tree Lane. Capcom is expected to blow the lid off 'dis sucka at TGS. Stay tuned -- we'll be there.
