Dizzy
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Sinclair ZX Spectrum turns 30, gets immortalized as a Google Doodle
Today's Google UK doodle celebrates both St. Georges Day and the little home computer that became a British phenomenon, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. To be competitive with the rival Commodore 64, the 16KB of RAM-packing machine retailed for just £130 ($210 in today's money), punched well above its own weight and was often the first computer bought by techno-phobic families. Designed to be as programmer-friendly as possible, the founders of Shiny, Rare and Blitz Games studios all cut their teeth on the computer that introduced the world to Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy and Dizzy. It lasted a full decade in production, selling five million units before Amstrad purchased the money-losing unit and closed it down. Despite its demise, it's still got a loyal following from a generation of fans, something we doubt can be said about the Amstrad machines that replaced it.
Codemasters teases Dizzy revival (ask your European friends)
A mysterious website, "eggcitingnews.com," popped up overnight, featuring an egg carton bearing the vintage Codemasters logo, and something inside with big cartoon eyes and a red mitten. "Guess who's back?" the caption reads. The domain is owned by Codemasters. This all appears to be leading up to the return of Codemasters' one-time franchise character, Dizzy. While Dizzy was most prominent in America as the star of a few unlicensed NES games published by Camerica, including two for the Aladdin Deck Enhancer, the walking egg was genuinely popular in Europe. His games are essentially adventure games, involving wandering around 2D landscapes, solving puzzles, and saving the "Yolkfolk." It's unclear from this teaser site exactly what Codies has planned. It could be as simple as a GOG-style re-release, or it could be an HD remake of a Dizzy game, or even a completely new game. We just can't glean much information from a picture of an egg carton.
Samsung's 30-inch 3D AMOLED TV won't make you dizzy, will leave you poor and silly
Feeling that 3D craze yet? No? Well what if we told you that Samsung was bringing stereoscopic 3D to its magnificent AMOLED panels touting a million-to-1 contrast? Today in Japan it's showing off its 30-inch AMOLED 3D television with Full HD panel measuring just 2.5-mm thick. Although much is lost in the Korean language press release, Sammy is claiming that itd panel plus shutter-glasses technology helps to reduce the dizziness felt by some 3D viewers. The set's just a prototype at the moment but its price will certainly invoke financial vertigo whenever it might hit the manufacturing lines. One more very serious picture after the break.
Scobleizer wasn't wrong about products at WWDC; this just wasn't the right time
Some are upset at The Scobleizer, as his predictions of a 'dizzying' amount of post-WWDC Apple products and wish for an Apple Store sleepover didn't exactly come true. Scoble even went so far as to apologize on his blog Tuesday, offering a theory as to why our credit cards aren't getting maxed on a fleet of new Apple gadgets: he proposes that Apple didn't bring the goods because they didn't want to screw up their back-to-school sales. If Apple dropped something huge now, they might not have been able to supply enough product in time for all those young whipper-snappers to go back to school. It sounds plausible enough, but I propose a different theory.This is the World Wide Developer Conference, not the World Wide Consumer Gadgets Conference. This is an event first and foremost for the developers, so Apple can get them (and also the press) excited about what's coming down the pipeline in terms of developer-related OS improvements, innovations and new tools, as well as pro hardware like the Mac Pro. Events like January's Macworld and out-of-the-blue, invite-only media blitzes are where Apple drops their crazy new products for the masses.So I don't think the Scobleizer was wrong, I just think his predictions were shooting a little early. Don't worry, y'all will get your shot at an Apple Store sleepover yet.Thanks Jonas!
