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Hitman: Absolution goes on a tour of the Chicago Public Library, shoots it up
In Hitman: Absolution, while Agent 47 is getting his Dewey Decimal on, a fleet of cops charge into Chicago's main library to take him out. But 47 isn't having it, as you might imagine. Find out how he gives the pigs the slip in this thorough gameplay walkthrough.
Steve Jobs banner in the Windy City a nice tribute (Updated)
We've seen all sorts of Steve Jobs tributes over the last few days, with most Apple Stores worldwide being showered with flowers, personal messages, and even old Macs. TUAW reader James Risley saw a unique tribute to Steve in Chicago -- two of the ubiquitous street banners in that city, showing the now-iconic portrait of Jobs on one side, and the new "Steve Jobs Apple logo" by Jonathan Mak on the other. Risley whipped out his iPhone and took this shot for posterity. Both banners say "Steve Jobs, 1955 - 2011", but on the black banner is a touch that only a Mac fan could appreciate. It's a progress bar, like that seen when you're listening to a song in iTunes It's a horizontal scroll bar, starting in 1955 and stopped short in 2011. Above the progress scroll bar is the song title -- "Thanks, Steve." Risley only saw one banner, which was put up on October 7. This is probably a personal tribute for Jobs, but it's nice that the City of Chicago allowed it to be raised in his honor. Thanks to TUAW reader Jeffrey for pointing out that it was a scroll bar and not a progress bar. Update: The "culprits" who put up the personal tribute to Steve are from ImageFiction of Chicago. Eric from ImageFiction reports that "the city didn't allow it or disallow it, we just did it! Just like Steve would like it." Check out the gallery of photos below, courtesy of ImageFiction. %Gallery-136172%
AT&T flips 4G LTE live, nearly 97 percent of America wonders where the party is
According to Ma Bell, AT&T covers 97 percent of all Americans. Of course, that's including those "one bar of EDGE" places that are uncovered so far as reality's concerned, but regardless of all that -- there's no denying that AT&T's LTE launch is on the subdued side. With Verizon rolling out five times more LTE markets this month than AT&T is even launching with, the country's largest GSM carrier definitely has some catching up to do. Regardless of the standings, the company appears to have (quietly) gone live with five LTE markets as of today, with Chicago, Atlanta, San Antonio, Dallas / Fort Worth and Houston getting first dibs. The source link below takes you to the new coverage map, as well as to a promise from the carrier to expand "4G LTE" (not to be confused with the other 4G, more accurately known as HSPA+) to 15 major metropolitan areas by the year's end. Notice how rural areas aren't mentioned, despite plenty of grandstanding near D.C.? Don't worry, guys -- it's just Rethinking Possible. [Thanks, Marcus]
Nissan's Leaf rollout speeds up in Chicago this fall
Oprah may have left town and packed up her "You get a car!" philanthropic ways, but that's not stopping Nissan from injecting the windy city with a little auto excitement. Responding to an overwhelming customer demand for its all-electric Leaf vehicles, the Japanese car maker is accelerating the line's rollout to Chicago residents, with the first models to be available this fall. The launch will be bolstered by a planned 280 EV charging stations, funded in part by a pledged $1 million from the state and an additional $1 million grant. If you're living in the second city to our north and haven't yet hitched your ride to the electric hatchback caravan, now might be the time.
Arris' cable technology teases us with 4.5Gbps download speeds
Think your cable connection's fast? Arris thinks it could be a lot faster. At today's NCTA Cable Show in Chicago, the company will demo a new system that can support download speeds of 4.5Gbps, and upload rates of 575Mbps. To achieve this, Arris devoted more of its DOCSIS 3.0 cable channels to broadband (128 downstream, 24 upstream), sourced through a C4 cable module (pictured on the left). Of course, this would leave less space for conventional TV channels, but we're guessing the accelerated streaming speeds would more than make up for it. Unfortunately, the prototype is still in the proof-of-concept phase, so it may be a while before you reap its benefits. Head past the break for the full PR.
Chicago's Adler Planetarium to start projecting 8K by 8K images from this July, put cinema screens to shame
Okay, so it's not quite 8K video, we're not there yet, but the Adler Planetarium and its brand new Grainger Sky Theater are about to show us what 64 megapixel images look like on a big screen. Described as the "largest single seamless digital image in the world," the picture inside the planetarium will come from 20 projectors hooked up to 45 computers processing data, and should provide the most lucid and captivating view unto our universe that one can get without actually exiting the Earth's atmosphere. The new show kicks off on July 8th, having been put together with aid from NASA and IBM among others. Jump past the break for the full press release.
MacTech Boot Camp revving up for Dallas, coming to Boston, LA and Chicago later this year
Our friends at the MacTech Boot Camp series of conferences for Mac consultants and IT techs are rolling right into 2011. They've got a session planned in Dallas for April 27, and then they're headed up to Boston for another event on May 18. We're told there's still room at the Dallas event, and the usual pricing has been lowered to $395, so you TUAW readers can follow this special discount link to see the show for just $295. Sessions include a packed schedule of panels and demos, lots and lots of networking, and included meals and refreshments -- if you've never been to one of these and do any consulting or IT work with Macs, they're definitely worth seeing. You can even get certified at the events -- Apple Certification Testing is taking place the day before each session, and there's also a proctor-moderated group study session included before that, so you can do some last-minute cramming with your fellow pupils. Testing for MacTech Boot Camp attendees is only $199, which is significantly cheaper than usual. Finally, early bird registration is still underway for the sessions later on this year -- the conference will be in Los Angeles on July 27, and in Chicago on August 31. If you're in either of those cities, definitely consider attending. TUAW is a media sponsor of the MacTech Boot Camp conferences.
Cryptozoic invites you to Darkmoon Faire Chicago this weekend, April 1-3
Cryptozoic invites all WoW and TCG players out to Darkmoon Faire Chicago this weekend, April 1-3, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. This is Cryptozoic's first Epic Con, their new traveling gaming convention for all games, not just the trading card games. There is going to be plenty of fun awaiting attendees, so hit the jump for all of the activities planned this weekend.
Nintendo rolls a 3DS Demo Pod across US, gets gamers salivating for March 27th launch
The perks of living in a big city, eh? Citizens of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco are being treated to some three-dimensional March madness from the guys and gals at Nintendo. For the remainder of this month, Ninty's 3DS handheld will be available to try and play in so-called Demo Pods (see above) at strategic locations in each marquee city. The Mii Maker app, nintendogs + cats, Madden NFL Football, Aslphalt 3D, and a selection of other games will be preloaded and waiting for you, letting you have a taste of what's to come on March 27th. See Nintendo's PR after the break for the full details.
Ford Focus Electric confirmed to not support fast charging, EV fragmentation looms large
Thought that fragmentation was reserved for the mobile OS realm? Think again. With the first (and second) waves of electric vehicles dribbling out to the streets, an obvious problem is becoming even more obvious. The city of Chicago is fixing to install 73 fast-charging EV stations by the end of the year, but two of the most commonly driven ones won't be able to take advantage. Chevy's Volt and Ford's Focus Electric will only support the slower Level 2 charging, leaving those faster ones for Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i MiEV owners to enjoy. As if that weren't headache-inducing enough, a slew of other automakers are reportedly planning to "sign on to a new standard for fast charging that would be incompatible with Chicago's infrastructure," and if you think the Windy City is alone in this mess, you're wrong. We've already heard of similar issues in the nation's capitol, and Jack Pokrzywa, manager of global ground vehicle standards for SAE International, still doesn't seem convinced that auto producers are really ready and willing to commit to a single fast-charging standard. HD DVD vs. Blu-ray was one thing, but thousands of vehicle chargers crowding up our cities once they become obsolete in a year? That's so not green.
Record number of aircraft 'laser events' gives us one more reason to hate LA
Are you that kid aiming his father's laser pointer at people walking along city sidewalks? Yeah, well stop it -- now. What you might consider a harmless prank can have serious repercussions when aimed at the cockpit of an approaching jetliner. What seems like good fun at the time can temporarily blind a pilot attempting to land nearly a million pounds of life, metal, and fuel. According to the numbers just released by the FAA, 2010 saw a record number of reports of lasers pointed at aircraft -- "almost double" the number of reports from 2009. Of the 2,800 incidents reported nationwide, the Los Angeles area reported the most with 201 incidents, followed by Chicago (98), Phoenix (80, half of which were probably UFO related), and San Jose (80 -- nerds!). Top 20 list after the break.
Steve Wiebe publicly attempting to best his own Donkey Kong high score
After much back and forth earlier this year, currently, Steve Wiebe is sitting comfortably atop Twin Galaxies' worldwide leaderboard in Donkey Kong. But that's not enough for Chicago's Logan Hardware. The soon to be re-opened hardware store has hired Wiebe to not just teach a Donkey Kong class, but also to spend nearly five hours attempting to best his own high score on January 15. The public is free to attend the attempt, whereas the class costs $12 -- if you're looking to snap a pic with Wiebe or to have him sign your ultra limited edition laserdisc copy of King of Kong, ponying up the $12 is probably your best option. If that weren't enough, Logan's throwing in a free t-shirt and the chance to ask Wiebe what he really thinks of Billy Mitchell's hot sauce brand. And, surely, the answer to that last question is priceless.
iPads join tongue depressors and latex gloves as a hospital fixture
The next time you visit a hospital or medical clinic for a routine check or emergency, don't be surprised if the doctor shows up with an iPad in hand. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that in several Windy City hospitals, the iPad is making inroads in a big way. The Loyola University Medical Center has given Apple's tablet to all of its orthopedic residents as a pilot program, while the University of Chicago Medical Center is expanding an existing pilot by providing iPads to all of their internal medicine residents. What are the iPads used for? At the University of Chicago, plastic surgeon Dr. Julie Park shows breast-cancer patients what they may look like after reconstructive surgery. At the Metro South Medical Center, many of the emergency room doctors purchased their own iPads once they found out that they could access the hospital's medical record system from the devices. One Metro South doctor was quoted as saying that the iPads resolved one of the traditional problems with moving from paper to electronic records -- having to go to a desktop computer to order lab tests or update patient notes. Since the iPad is used as a portal device to the record system at Metro South, no patient info is stored on the device. Both the medical record system and iPad are password-protected as well, keeping secure information safe from prying eyes. If you're using an iPad in a hospital or other medical venue, let us know how it's working out by leaving a comment. [via MacDailyNews]
New Apple Store opens in Australia, and a sneak preview of the new Chicago store
Apple celebrated the opening of another retail store in Australia, the fifth such store in the state of New South Wales, and the tenth in the country. The Charlestown Apple Store had a grand opening today at 5:00pm, and TUAW reader Paul L. was on hand for the festivities, replete with the usual blue-shirted employees and lines of customers. He says he waited in line and got a black store opening t-shirt for his troubles, but unfortunately, there's no word on which of yesterday's big announcements, if any, were on display in-store. Elsewhere in the world of Apple retail, the Chicago Tribune's blog site has a great sneak preview of that Chicago Apple Store that's opening up this weekend. This is that store at the North/Clybourn stop that Apple spent $4 million on, with the city's blessing, to not only design a new three-sided Apple Store, but also completely renovate the El stop nearby. Turns out the store is a "Significant Store" for the company -- rather than just imitate the normal design, Chicago's new store was specifically designed for the area that it's in. Sounds fascinating -- the store in Chicago officially opens to the public on Saturday. I'd love to go if I was still in town (I actually used to help manage the Borders directly across the street from it), but since I've moved out to the West Coast, we'll have to recruit some of you readers. If you go to the Chicago store opening this weekend, be sure to send pics and tell us how it all went.
Apple Stores: St. Louis pictures, Chicago opening
TUAW reader Justin W. went to the grand (re-)opening of the (larger) Apple Store in the St. Louis Galleria mall this past weekend, and he's shared some pictures of the event over on Flickr for us. As you can see, it looks like things were hopping, with plenty of blue-shirted employees overseeing a nice tide of customers. There were also some t-shirts passed out, and Justin says he picked up a few bumper cases as well. Thanks for sending those in photos, Justin! If you're in Chicago, it looks like there's another opening going on up there this weekend. The Apple Store at North and Clybourn (this is the same one that cost Apple $4 million to renovate the El stop on that corner) will finally open this Saturday, October 23rd. The grand opening will be held at 10am, and I bet it'll be an exciting one -- any new products put on sale for the event Wednesday will probably be on display front and center this weekend. As usual, if you go, be sure to take pictures and tell us how it went!
Apple Store news: Openings in Chicago and Edinburgh
As autumn approaches, an Apple Store in Chicago nears completion while another in Edinburgh is still in the planning stages. In Chicago, a future Lincoln Park store got dressed up a bit with festive barricades. Specifically, autumn-colored "leaves" have been added, spelling out the words "Lincoln Park Apple Store." Text below the famous Apple logo reads "A vibrant opening. Fall 2010." Many believe that this store will open some time this month. This isn't the first time Apple has decorated a store that's under construction. In Boston the barricades resembled Fenway Park's Green Monster, and in Paris barricades depicted a luxurious theatrical curtain. That's nice, as typically those things are an eyesore. Meanwhile, plans are progressing in Edinburgh, Scotland, where Apple is reportedly in discussions with the city's planning officials to finalize plans for a new store's design, construction, etc. In fact, Herald Scotland suggests that it could all be finalized within a few weeks. Apple already has two stores up and running in Scotland.
Mario-themed tifo display heats up Chicago Fire soccer game
Last Saturday, the Chicago Fire played a fairly disheartening game against the Seattle Sounders at home, though the proceedings were brightened significantly by a delightful, Mario-themed tifo display. We're not sure what Mario has to do with the two clubs, but -- oh, wait! Fireballs! Of course.
Windy City Rumble: Highlights from the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Chicago Fight Club
The wristband pictured above isn't just a charming, retro-stylized fashion accessory -- it was our ticket into one of the most exclusive events held in Chicago last evening: The Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club. We didn't see a lot of you guys there (tsk, tsk), so we've gathered up our favorite photos taken during the proceedings and placed them in the gallery below. Basically, we'd like to be your wristband into the event. And, since it took place last night, we guess we'd like to be your time machine, too. We tried as best we could to capture the feel of the event in photos -- like the excitement of the frequent, close matches where fortunes were reversed in the final seconds of a bout; or the surreality of seeing people cover themselves in fake shiners and busted lips. There was also general confusion around a decapitated Servbot head, which, we're almost certain, we never saw anybody wear during the evening. Was it some kind of warning? We may never know. %Gallery-103118%
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club uppercutting Chicago next Wednesday
Us mid-westerners have it pretty rough when it comes to having video game events stop by our neck of the woods. Fortunately, Capcom has chosen to end this pattern of neglect, announcing today that a Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club event will be held in Chicago next Wednesday.
NHL uses BD-Live to connect Blackhawks fans via championship Blu-ray discs
One of this week's Blu-ray releases was the NHL Stanley Cup Champions 2009-2010 disc from Warner, and it's surprisingly packing a few BD-Live extras courtesy of Imagion AG and Giant Interactive. As one of the discs released with their BD-Connect features, fans (or bandwagon jumpers -- c'mon, no one was rooting for the Blackhawks when they were losing) can expect downloadable content including dynamically updated news from Blackhawks TV and league sources every time they pop the disc in to relive the glory of last season. That's an ambitious start for the NHL's first Blu-ray release, we guess hockey has realized how important its high-def fans are.
