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Sony introduces BRAVIA V4500 LCD HDTVs in Europe
Look out world, er, Europe, as Sony is debuting a new trio of LCD HDTVs in your neck of the woods. The BRAVIA V4500 line consists of a 26-, 32- and 37-inch model, each of which posses a WXGA (1,360 x 768) panel and the company's own BRAVIA ENGINE 2 technology. You'll also find a 33,000:1 contrast ratio on the smaller two, and the whole lot packs 178-degree viewing angles, BRAVIA Sync and a built-in HD tuner for snagging DVB-T / DVB-C signals where available. There's also the Picture Frame Mode for turning your set into a digital art canvas (USB port included for image viewing), and the three HDMI inputs ensure that your PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and hacked up Atari Jaguar won't be fighting for sockets. Unfortunately, mum's the word on a price / release date. %Gallery-22140%
Grand Line Auto: A diverse gathering (Broken Arrow edition)
Given the nearly unquantifiable level of anticipation building up to the midnight unveiling of Rockstar's opus, it seemed prudent to roll up to the local Broken Arrow, OK Gamestop well in advance of the game's release. All of the preparation went for naught, however, as the store kept its doors open all night as enthusiasts congregated inside, joked in the secret language that only we nerds can appreciate, and not-so-quietly chatted about the game they would very soon be playing.
Grand Line Auto: Waiting for GTA IV (Baltimore suburbs edition)
Believe it or not, the police car in that photo actually belongs to an off-duty Anne Arundel County police officer looking to pick up a copy of the anticipated crime simulator for himself. But that doesn't mean there wasn't active law enforcement involved with the Grand Theft Auto 4 launch festivities at this Laurel, MD Gamestop. Keep reading for more pictures and a full account of the line-waiting experience as GTA4-eve finally bled into GTA4-day.
See how badly Japan wants the Bape DS Lite
There's no doubt in our minds that the Bape DS is a hot little number, but we'd never wait on a line like this for one. At first, the line seems somewhat modest, but then the camera keeps on turning around more and more corners. We should have guessed as much, seeing how the video is over two minutes long. To see exactly how much Japanese gamers love special edition DSes, check out the clip embedded above for yourselves. [Via GameLife]
Curing Tabula Rasa's aggro problems
Over the weekend, we took up developer Kagasumi's call to try out Tabula Rasa's new patch 1.7, and the enhanced, killer AI that came along with it. You can read our impressions of the change here, but the short version is that the wider aggro sharing on test takes away all the strategy and decision-making of combat and replaces it with an unsurvivable zergfest.While we assumed the only choices were between a smaller or wider aggro sharing radius, Planet TR poster Line has written up a pretty thorough post exploring another possibility. It doesn't make sense, Line says, for enemies to be able to locate a player the instant he gains aggro of one enemy within a certain radius. Enemies should at least have to use an ability (which could be stopped by the player) to draw the attention of nearby allies, and that attention should be drawn to the threat's point of origin, not the player. What Line is describing, in essence, is the sort of AI routine more commonly seen in the shooter genre.Is it feasible to see this sort of code-heavy change this far into release? Maybe, maybe not. We do know it'd make the game considerably more engaging. And it'd be better than being zerged.
These people are playing Super Smash Bros. right now
This was the scene yesterday outside the Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku, as over 300 people suddenly decided to all go to the electronics retailer at the same time for ... some reason. It was a good day for Yodobashi (in terms of business, not of employee sanity) as a PS2 Haruhi game, Devil May Cry 4 and various other things also hit. But the true "event" game was Brawl, which led to many Wii system sales and probably the most GameCube controller sales in the last five years.With ownership of the game, of course, comes detailed writeups. Justin Epperson is writing about every aspect of the game for 1UP as he experiences it. He says of the Subspace Emissary single-player adventure that "At the rate we were playing, one hour of play time is around 10% completion." That's ... much bigger than the Melee adventure mode! In sadder news, he says that rule sets can only be edited when playing online with friends, and not with strangers. If you're hooked on the (Smash) Brothers, go read the article for lots of talk about stages, unlocks, stickers, and all the stuff that just seems cruel until we can play it.
Macworld 2008 Line Report
If you're like me and you love all things Apple, you might be in San Francisco waiting in line for the Steve Jobs keynote. I know I am. At the moment the line to get in is long and getting longer by the minute.However, people are in good spirits and, according to Mark, my new friend and fellow Apple enthusiast from New Zealand in line with me: "really looking forward to a great show." Sadly, there is no free wifi to be had and in anticipation of needing my precious Macbook Pro battery for inside, I'm writing this on my iPhone using AT&T's EDGE network. Even though progress is a bit slow, being able to bring you these thoughts like this is one of the major reasons people will line up early in the morning with a big smile on their face ready to experience the next great innovation from Jobs and company. What will they think of next? Stay tuned for more from us live at the Macworld 2008 keynote.Update: I've now moved inside and am waiting in the "second line". At least the floor has carpet this year and isn't quite so uncomfortable. Sitting here I've been chatting moe with some of the folks in line. My friend from New Zealand is not only a devoted Apple fan but is one of the few users of the iPhone in his native country. How, you may ask? He hacked it, of course. From what I can see it works just fine -- just no visual voicemail. In fact, untilo I showed him he didn't even know what he was missing. %Gallery-13819%
Crowds lining up for Super Mario Galaxy in Japan? Not so much
Siliconera's Spencer Yip took a short tour of electronic shops in Akihabara, Tokyo's famed shopping district, this morning to capture the masses that've skipped work and camped out in anticipation of today's Super Mario Galaxy release. Considering that this is one of Nintendo's biggest titles of the year and a much-hyped new entry to the company's most popular franchise, you would assume that the head count would surpass or at least rival the crowds that often gather for Dragon Quest titles, right?Well, according to what Spencer saw at the there stores he surveyed, while a few people queued up outside of shops to snatch themselves a copy, there weren't any of the huge lines that we've come to associate with major releases in Japan. In fact, a few of the guys in the photo above were actually waiting on Ace Combat 6 for the Xbox 360. Perhaps everyone is waiting to pick up Super Mario Galaxy after work? Or maybe everyone preordered the game in advance to avoid the lines?
In the line for passes at BlizzCon
I think we were just plain unlucky-- right at 5pm, we hit the big rush for BlizzCon passes, as the line started way outside the convention center, and slowly moved inside to the checkin area. But there was lots to see, including the WoW Radio guys doing their thing, the All Access pass (the guy I took the picture of was very suspicious of why I was so interested in a picture of Arthas at BlizzCon), and the official BlizzCon Staff t-shirt (featuring, yes, an item called the BlizzCon Staff).All that and more in the gallery below. Who knew something as boring as picking up a pass could be so exciting somewhat interesting?%Gallery-5482%
E3 2006's Wii line in real time
As we go ready for E3 2007, to many the Wii is just as elusive as it was back in May of 2006 -- before it was even released. With the festivities (or doldrums) all set to begin next week at Min-E3, it's time to take a little look back at the thing which really stood out at E3 2006: The Wii Line. From the beginning of every day at last year's E3 until closing that line of Nintendo Wii touching hopefuls snaked and stretched. The people at the back of the line spent half their day just waiting to get their hands on a Wiimote -- then they had to wait in another line once inside the Wii rotunda. So enjoy the video, which we've kept in real time (except for a tiny edit which takes out less than a second) to give the full impact and length of the monstrosity. Just let it wash over you and don't forget to check out the super special ending.
Line forms anew at San Francisco Apple Store
By 10:10AM local time -- just 10 minutes after opening -- this was the scene at Apple's downtown San Francisco outpost. You know, hundreds of iPhone owners waking up this morning and saying to themselves "zomg I need accessories" or "zomg this thing sucks, I'm returning it." Think of it as the "day after Christmas" effect.
iPhone multi-city lineblog
This is it, iDay. Nerds from coast to coast will be lining up at their local Apple and AT&T stores to snag what's essentially the most anticipated consumer electronics launch ever. So what else is there to do but live blog those lines in whichever cities we can? Check back throughout the day as the iJinx ensues in the final run-up to the iPhone. Update: things are really heating up at The Cube, the store is being filled with iPhones, as seen above, and the line has started to move. Keep an eye on this post (after the break) for the latest.Update 2: Here at last.
Knoxville is waiting for iPhones
Hey, it ain't no big thing! Just the biggest launch since Macintosh, the most fundamental deliberate shift of one of the most iconic companies to ever build an empire upon Earth, right? Honestly, I was pretty surprised to see any line here in Knoxville, Tennessee. But the West Town Apple Store had a pretty decent crowd, and even the little ol' AT&T store had a showing.But that Verizon guy? I really wanted to hug the poor dude. See the gallery for the gory details.%Gallery-4406%
Line Report: Broomfield, CO Flatiron Crossing
Unfortunately, I'm the in the minority non-linewaiting party here at TUAW today. The "real" job has claimed my soul until 5pm, and then I'll be heading off to the Michigan Ave. store in Chicago to grab some interviews and pictures. But until then, my old high school buddy Josh Gray is stepping in for me-- he visited the Flatiron Crossing Apple Store in Broomfield, CO and took this short but sweet Flickr set, including the little gem above.It doesn't look too crowded-- people are stretched out on the floor right now. But it is interesting that they've got the barrier headed all the way out of the mall. Jobs said they were opening the doors at 6 to let people from work have a chance to get there, and my guess is that as work lets out on this Friday afternoon, the lines will fill more and more.
Well. I'm in line. (Oakbrook Mall)
Alright. I'm here. I'm set. 5 a.m. No wasting time, man, no wasting time.I'm sitting in front of the Apple Store Oakbrook here in Oak Brook, IL., along with sixteen other crazies. The first in line, a nice lady by the name of Jamene Reynolds, got here at 3-freakin-a.m. The rest trickled in a little after that. It's no Michigan Avenue line, but it continues to grow with each passing minute. One kid's getting paid $15/hour, saving a space. Another says if he doesn't get an iPhone, "he'll have to go streaking" (but he may have been joking...?). iPhone Hysteria seems ripe.We managed to organize ourselves into a stable line -- the Apple Store employees are no help as of yet; they stand at the door, mocking us with their insider-ness -- and things seem orderly. And we're all excited.Stay tuned with TUAW and our beloved bros at Engadget for the bestest iPhone coverage on the 'net. Only thirteen hours to go. Let iDay (lame) begin![Update:] If anyone's at -- or will be at -- the Oakbrook store, I'm about the eighth person in line, wearing a black hoodie, probably sitting on the floor, and most likely fiddling on my MacBook Pro. Feel free to say hi! I forgot how boring these lines actually are.
iPhone madness hit or miss in Chicago
We just stopped by the Chicago Apple flagship store and were greeted by chaos -- at least 35 to 40 people in line and a media frenzy of interviews taking place. Tyler Tessmann, the first guy in line, had gotten there at 2:30 and was holding court with NBC 5, while the rest of the media patiently waited to pounce. The store seemed busy but ready -- employees told us that most of the prep was done, and that the store was closing down tomorrow just to manage to crowd flow.
Not much going on at San Fran's Apple Store
So far, the throngs of iPhone-demanding humanity beating on the glass shells of Apple Stores across the globe haven't materialized -- at least not here in Apple's backyard. At this point, the line consists of about one woman, four gentlemen, and three clowns. For whatever reason, we were expecting more (way more) people and generally fewer clowns. Are the contract requirements and price keeping the buying public at bay? We'll know tomorrow! Stay tuned for more updates live from the San Francisco outpost.%Gallery-4371%
iLoser retains place in line, crisis averted
Rarely does a reader-submitted tip appear so urgent that we feel the immediate need to leave the comfort of our cushy home office, but when we heard that Greg the iPhone Camper [a.k.a. New Jersey highway maintenance worker and professional line sitter Greg Packer] -- affectionately dubbed "iLoser" in the media -- had been dragged out of line at Apple's Fifth Avenue store along with the rest of the wackos hopefuls, we were obligated to spring into action and investigate. Well it turns out that the reports of Greg's preemptive removal were greatly exaggerated, as the man himself was right there yucking it up with reporters and curious passers-by just like he has been since Tuesday morning. Keep on reading for more pictures of this unlikely internet celeb, along with a few shots of the madhouse that the corner of 58th and 5th has become...
Featured Friday Video: Line Rider does Super Mario Bros.
Ever since the announcement of Line Rider for the Wii and DS, we haven't heard much else on the title. As such, our eager fanboy minds turn to speculation, as we imagine how big the lines will be and how awesome the riding action will look. Since we're only left to imagine how this title is to be, we turn to the internet for more videos on the game. The included mash-up of Line Rider and Super Mario Bros. past the post break does a good job of calming us down and putting a smile on our face.
London police gear up for midnight PS3 launch
In the wake of the somewhat chaotic crowds surrounding the U.S. PS3 launch, London police are taking steps to make sure the midnight sale at Virgin Megastore's marquee Oxford Street location goes smoothly. GamesIndustry.biz reports Sony and Virgin are working with police to make sure the crowds of PS3 fans wont clog up the streets and subway station entrances on March 23. Police are also suggesting special precautions so gamers attending the midnight launch don't become "an advert for muggers," as an unnamed source on the Westminster Council put it. People queueing up should bring a friend and a mobile phone, carry as little cash as possible and carry the system home in an unmarked bag, a police spokesperson said.Don't want to worry about becoming mugger-bait? "Don't attend the launch event," the spokesperson suggested. "Pre-order your console and pick it up during the daytime." Hey, you Europeans have waited this long for the PS3, so what's a few more hours?
