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Ngmoco releases We City
Ngmoco has introduced its third title in the "We" series. We City arrives after We Rule and We Farm as the same kind of social simulation game. This time around, players will be building and creating their own cities, but other than the setting and the graphics, not too much has changed. Just like the other We titles, you can build farms to grow harvests (in this case, factories that build products), houses for citizens to give you rent, stores for your Plus+ friends to come and put orders in, and various types of decorations and custom items to paint your kingdom, sorry farm, sorry city as you see fit. What's called Mojo and Gro in the other two games is called Zap here, and it's available for the usual microtransactions, or some for free as you level up. Colleges are the one big innovation here -- you can build colleges and universities to do research for you, and those bits of research can unlock new buildings and items. It's kind of a shame that Ngmoco didn't go too far off of the beaten path -- especially with NimbleBit's Pocket Frogs showing that you can do different (and really fun) things with freemium, it's disappointing to see another "We" game with only the names and graphics changed out. But then again, I guess I can't blame them for going with what works. We City is available for free now on both the iPhone and the iPad. If you've played the other games, you know what you're in for, and if you've never seen Ngmoco's freemium model in action, here's your chance to check it out.
College students help NASA by crashing satellite into the Arctic
Our idea of a great evening in college was listening to some Operation Ivy and drinking a few brews before heading home to secretly pore over A Literature of Their Own. Other college kids, however, have more on their plates than that, such as those who currently work at LASP -- the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. LASP is partially staffed by undergraduates at Colorado University, providing a low-cost alternative to more experienced labor, while giving students the kind of hands-on experience not normally available to them. One recent task, for instance, involved the crashing of ICESat, a NASA decommissioned satellite, into the Arctic. Most of it burned up in the atmosphere, while some smaller parts made their way to the Barents Sea. The mission was considered successful and, as for the students who carried it out? Well, let's just say that their nerd credentials are now rock solid.
ESA reports 300 institutions offering game design classes
Once again, the number of institutions offering gaming industry-centric courses has seen a significant year-over-year increase. According to a study from the Entertainment Software Association, game design, art and programming courses will be taught in 300 of America's colleges, universities and trade schools during this academic year. Unsurprisingly, California plays host to a majority of these institutions with 40 in-state schools offering game programs, with New York and Texas trailing behind with 26 and 21 schools, respectively. We guess that's why most games take place in cities like Los Angeles, New York City and Fort Worth. (Wait, you've never played a video game set in Fort Worth? Dude, you need to get with the program.)
California universities use iPads to report news, diagnose heart conditions; Penn State students are like, 'what's an iPad?'
As you know, colleges and universities love throwing in "free" gadgets to justify bumping up their enrollment fees. To this end, USC Annenberg has announced a new program to provide j-school students with iPads, digital cameras, and audio recorders to help them report the news. Now, don't get us wrong: we appreciate the importance (and we're big fans of) "the journalism," and if an upgrade from those long, skinny notepads to modern consumer electronics helps facilitate a new crop of Woodwards 'n Bernsteins, then so be it. But are these kids really supposed to type their front-line reportage with the on-screen keyboard? And haven't most students had access to proper laptops for years now? In other "iPad in education" news, UC Irvine's iMedEd Initiative is providing first year medical students with "a comprehensive, iPad-based curriculum," according to PhysOrg. The devices are equipped with all the necessary apps for note-taking, recording audio, and faculty will develop podcasts and archiving lectures. Our favorite part of all this? The "digital stethoscope," which interfaces with the tablet for listening to and recording a patient's heartbeat. Once recorded, it can be compared to a library of over 3,000 heart sounds that typify specific heart conditions. Thornton Melon never had it so good! [Thanks, Matt F]
Computer 'glitch' causes university to send out false acceptance letters
Middlesex University in the United Kingdom has confirmed that a problem with its "internal mailing system" cause acceptance letters to be sent out to 2,500 applicants who have, in fact, not yet been accepted. Anyone who's ever waited for such letters can probably imagine the insanity of being accepted to a school, only to be told a day or so later that a "glitch" caused the letter to be sent "in error." The University says it's not yet completed its review process of the applicants, so it's safe to assume that some of them will eventually be formally accepted, while everybody else? Well... they'll always have that letter The Onion sent them, won't they?
Barnes & Noble releases NOOKstudy for e-Textbooks
As promised, Barnes & Noble has released their NOOKstudy app for both Windows and OS X computers -- you can get the app for free on their webpage now, and then use it to download textbooks for school this fall (either buying them at a discount compared to the real paper copies, or just checking out a free trial). The app comes with some study guides and over 500,000 books for free, and B&N says it has over a million e-textbooks up for sale already. It'll be interesting to see how a system like this takes off this fall as students go back to school -- I always thought textbooks were a huge hassle when I was in college (and I even made it through a few classes without ever buying them), and I think digital copies would certainly seem a little easier. Too bad for the resellers, though -- I know they make a killing selling used books every year, and a market like this is a definite threat to that one. [via Engadget]
Penny Arcade Scholarship now accepting applications
Wondering what it feels like to be on the receiving end of the benevolence frequently exhibited by the creators of Penny Arcade? If you're a college student with starry-eyed ambitions to change the video game industry for the better, you might be able to bask in the warm light of their generosity by receiving the fourth annual Penny Arcade Scholarship, a $10,000 academic grant set aside for a special student with a GPA over 3.3 and the aforementioned revolutionary aspirations. Applications for the scholarship are currently being accepted and must be sent in by May 30, along with two letters of recommendation, an academic transcript, an essay on how you plan to change the industry and your photograph, which will only be seen publicly if you're the winner, as displayed on the scholarship's page. It's not like the Penny Arcade guys are basing their decision on prettiness or anything. [Via GamePolitics]
Twelve iPhone apps for students
It's been a while since we were in school, but with spring break almost done with, it's time to settle back into that last long stretch of school before it warms up and summer starts. You've got your handy iPod touch or iPhone with you on campus, and of course, you'll download some games, music, and apps that help you figure out where to go Saturday night, but there are also dozens of useful apps for the college student that are sure to be beneficial to you and your education. Here's twelve good ones to check out. Chemical Touch Lite College chemistry is never easy, and students will be required to memorize the periodic table of elements and use chemistry mathematical formulas. Chemical Touch Lite will let you do exactly that -- it has a fully interactive periodic table of elements, as well as information on all of the elements and their symbols. It won't guarantee you an A, but it will help you remember Au (and all of the other elements you need to know). Eleven more after the break!
UK Folding Plug takes home design award, emerges in USB-infused flavor
It's far and away one of the most genius concepts we've seen in the past year, and we couldn't possibly be happier for one Min-Kyu Choi. Said designer, who recently graduated from the Royal College of Art, was recently showered with laud after the above-pictured Folding Plug nabbed the gold in the Brit Insurance Design contest. Unfortunately, we're still no closer to understanding when some moneyed manufacturer will pick this up and start producing it, but hopefully this prize will reinforce its awesomeness and catch someone's eye. In related news, we're also seeing for the first time a Folding Plug version with USB ports on the exterior, which would be just about perfect for UK-based gadget junkies. Here's hoping this dream doesn't die just before reaching the conveyor belt, yeah?
Toy Story 3 and the Mac
One of the things I missed in the news last week due to being so busy at Macworld (along with most of the Olympics, though we did get to watch the opening ceremony at a post-show dinner) was the brand new Toy Story 3 trailer -- Pixar's latest movie has Buzz and Woody in a third adventure, and while I won't spoil the details, it does appear that Apple plays a big part in the movie. Macenstein has a quick breakdown of all of the places that Macs appear in the new trailer, with cameos by both Safari and iTunes, and director Lee Unkrich actually tweeted a picture of his editing session for the movie on a MacBook Pro (in Avid Media Composer) at 36,000 feet! Of course, Steve Jobs was the owner and CEO of Pixar for twenty years, and he now is the largest individual Disney shareholder with a seat on the company's board of directors. Pixar always produces excellent films -- Toy Story was the studio's first big feature as a studio, so it'll be interesting to see what happens with the franchise after moving on to more mature pictures like Finding Nemo and Up. As always, when the movie comes out on June 18th, we'll have to keep an eye out for nods in Apple's direction.
One Shots: Let me stand next to your fire
When it comes to the Bright Wizards in Warhammer Online, they must travel to the storied city of Altdorf if they intend to learn the crafting of fire. As you can imagine, this is a crazy place to go to school, as one never knows when the entire school might erupt into flames due to a student letting their spell get the better of them. Thankfully, we don't have to brave the danger since our occasional One Shots contributor, Yavvy, decided to send this great image of Warhammer Online's towering Bright Wizard's College along to us. All the fun, none of the singed eyebrows! When you're running around in your MMO of choice, why not grab a screenshot and send it along to us? We love to see what you're all up to -- and it's easy to do. Just email your image to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll share it with the world and give you the credit. %Gallery-9798%
DigiPen expands, increasing graduating class size by a third
[Image credit: Wade Rockett] Being a premier college for game developers seeking out bachelor's and master's degrees in mind-bending, DigiPen recently announced plans to expand its campus to a larger location in Redmond, Washington. A 100,000 square-foot ex-Microsoft building will house the expanded facilities -- said to include "tiered-seating auditoriums, classrooms, art studios, electronic labs, a large work area for students to study and collaborate on projects, library, cafeteria with a professional kitchen, student recreation room and a general store" -- and the opening is set to take place as early as this Summer. Redmond Mayor John Marchione points to the school's financial and culture benefits to the region in the press release, saying, "DigiPen is a tremendous asset to the Redmond community, with considerable contributions to education, the arts and our local economy." The Seattle Times points out that this move brings with it an increase in the school's matriculated roster from 900 to 1,200, bringing DigiPen one small step closer to total global domination.
iPhone apps for the college student
So you're in college and just got a fancy new iPhone for the holidays. Sure, Flight Control and maybe the TUAW app are already on your home screen, but a few "educational" apps may help mom and dad feel like they got their money's worth. Here's a breakdown of some of the best iPhone applications for the college student. iStudiez Pro [iTunes Link] One of the hardest parts of college is keeping everything organized. Between classes, homeworks and exams, it's a lot to remember. iStudiez Pro is a great application that helps make life a little easier. Organize all your classes, exams and professors into a simple easy to understand interface that tells you what you have to do and when. The $2.99 application offers a few different schedule views and a "Today" view that shows you what you have ahead of you for the day. Alarm Clock Pro [iTunes Link] If it wasn't for your phone, you might not ever make it to class. Alarm Clock Pro creates a great looking digital alarm clock that trumps anything the iPhone's default alarm clock can offer. With customizable themes, the app allows you to wake up to an iTunes playlist and includes a built-in flashlight. A free version is also available which waters down customization options and doesn't include the ability to wake up to music. Outside [iTunes Link] Living in a college dorm has it's perks and it's downfalls. Certainly, not having the ability to quickly run outside to see what the weather is like is a big negative. Outside is a new application that answers your burning "What's it like out there" question you'd otherwise be asking your roommate. The $1.99 application has a inventive interface that looks out of a window and gives you basic information about the weather where you are. In addition, the app supports push notifications to alert you when the weather calls for gloves, an umbrella or even a t-shirt. ZipCar [iTunes Link] If you're lucky enough to be on one of the growing number of campuses that have a ZipCar program, they you have to check out their awesome iPhone application. Easily find, reserve and track available zip cars with just a few taps. The free application can also help you find important locations and will even lock/unlock the car for you. Things [iTunes Link] Whether you like it or not, actions do really speak louder than words. Saying you'll meet with your professor about your exam grade or that you'll clean the common room is one thing, but remembering to actually do it? Well, that's a different story. Things is designed to keep you on track. More than just a to-list application, Things allows you to break up your responsibilities and organize tasks to help get them done. In addition, Things originated on the Mac and syncs flawlessly and quickly with the iPhone app, making sure what's done is done for good!
iTunes U breaks 100 million downloads
Apple's iTunes U has broken the 100 million download mark. iTunes U is a part of the iTunes Store featuring free lectures, language lessons, audiobooks, and more from over 175 higher education organizations including Princeton University, UCLA, Harvard University, MIT, NYU Medical School, Oxford, Cambridge, Georgetown, DePaul, Duke, and Yale University. According to Apple, one of the most popular universities on iTunes U has been Open University (iTunes link), the UK-based educational organization dedicated to distance learning whose programs include Arts and Humanities, Business and Management, Childhood and Youth, Health and Social Care, Law, Psychology, and Science. OU says they have around 150,000 undergraduate and more than 30,000 postgraduate students. In related news, if you've never watched Steve Jobs' Stanford University commencement speech give it a download [iTunes link]. It's emotional, it's raw, and it's when he revealed to the world he had cancer. You can also read the text of his speech here.
Ithaca College hosts panels and posters on MMO topics in Second Life
If you're a game theory/design nut, or you just really love talking about MMOs in an academic sense, or even listening to others talk about MMOs in an academic sense, then we've got the opportunity for you! This week is finals week for many universities around the country and Kim Chihuly's (real life's Kim Gregson) Games & Society class at Ithaca College is taking the opportunity to present their final posters and presentations inside of Second Life for the public. The presentations will cover a wide swath of topics from gold farming, to MMOs versus single player experiences, to Second Life versus Casual MMOs and much more. Each event will give the public the chance to ask the students questions and discuss their individual topics in an open forum. The the poster pavilion can be found here at this SLurl while the panel amphitheatre can be found at this link. Looking for the full schedule of events? We have it right after the break, or you can keep an eye on the Second Life Events page, under the heading of "discussion."
Miyamoto thinks his college degree wouldn't get him a job at Nintendo today
In the upcoming issue of Edge Magazine, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto discusses a variety of topics with the UK gaming magazine. Develop Online got their hands on a copy of the magazine already, revealing a rather ... revealing quote from the father of Donkey Kong. "Nintendo has become one of those companies that graduates from colleges and good universities really want to work for ... I often say to [Nintendo head] Mr. Iwata: 'If I was applying for a job here today, I, with my actual college degree, would probably not have been employed by Nintendo." Though he adds that he "might pick up on [applicants] and try to find out something really different within them which you can't judge just by a college degree," it worries us greatly that today's equivalent of the man who helped to birth some of the game industry's landmark franchises may end up unemployed or even dissuaded from game development altogether. All alone! Without a home! We imagine somewhat like a rolling stone! ... Our apologies. That was quite enough.
Crytek hooks up universities with free CryENGINE 3
If you're somebody attending one of the fine institutions that offer game development courses, you could very well find yourself using CryENGINE 3 soon. Crytek recently announced that it would grant free licenses for its purty new development platform to houses of higher education. It's not the first time the company has offered its goods on the arm for universities, as students also got access CryENGINE 2 back in the day. Just like the cigarette companies, Crytek's goal is to hook 'em while they're young, as R&D manager Ury Zhilinsky hopes that providing the engine free to schools will help students and teachers "become part of our larger CryENGINE community, so they can create their own innovations and train to become the developers of the future." You know, a future with plenty of CryENGINE 3 in it -- at least up until 2012, anyway. [Thanks, Casey]
Pear Note: note taking for the best of us
Though I graduated from college (Go Bears!) not so long ago, in computer years it seems like ages: notebook computers have almost completely replaced spiral-bound notebooks, and PowerPoint and Keynote are increasingly supplanting the chalkboard. The changing dynamics of teaching demand a change in the way students take notes and learn, and Useful Fruit's Pear Note (available for free trial for 30 days, or $39.99 for purchase) addresses these changing dynamics for students. It's like TiVo for note taking.
ESA: Record number of game development classes offered in U.S.
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/educational/Record_number_of_game_development_classes_offered_in_U_S'; According to a report recently published by the Entertainment Software Association, colleges in 37 states (and the District of Columbia) currently play host to 254 courses in video game design, art and programming. That may sound like a skimpy sum, but it's up from 200 programs offered last year. We'd tell you what percentage increase that represents, but we didn't take many math courses throughout our collegiate career. Rich Taylor, ESA's senior vice president of communications and industry affairs, said these figures are indicative of "the importance of the videogames industry, which is well-poised to create additional employment and professional opportunities in the coming years." We just see them as scholastic incubators for the next generation of Schafers, Carmacks and Wrights.
Engadget's back to school guide
It's that time of year again -- back to school has arrived. Plenty of you will be shoving off to college for the very first time, and Engadget's here to help you out. In the emotionally uproarious time that is now, you've probably realized there's truly an upside to higher education: it's a great excuse to get some new gear. And that's where we come in. No matter what your budget, we've got you covered, with recommendations and options galore. Whether you're going to be a new student in the brilliant world that is academia, or you're the proud parent / guardian of one, we've done some leg work to make the transition a little bit easier. We decided that choosing gadgets in three "budget" ranges would be most helpful to you, the reader, and we've chosen a kit of gear we think any student would do well to grab up for each -- covering laptops, netbooks, mobile phones, e-readers, laptop bags, and so on. Knowing that our readers re not one-size-fits-all, however, we've also chosen some alternate options in the categories where choice makes sense -- choice is, after all, part of what we love about gadgets -- without providing an overwhelming list. Of course, our choices aren't meant to be all-encompassing, but we think they'll provide a pretty good place to start your shopping! Read on for our recommendations -- we promise, they're very very, helpful. Oh -- did we mention we're going to be giving away a bunch of this gear, too? Keep your eyes on the site in the coming days for more on that, and hit the links below for our guide. Back to school guide: on the cheap Back to school guide: mid-range Back to school guide: money's no object
