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Nvidia intros Windows Mobile multimedia platform
Nvidia has taken the wraps of its MobileMedia platform for Windows Mobile 5.0-based devices at Taiwan's big Computex trade show, promising to bring high-quality digital TV and video, 3D graphics, and high fidelity audio to PDAs and smartphones. At the heart of the MobileMedia platform is Nvidia's GeForce 5500 chip, which supposedly delivers "console-class 3D gaming," although they convienently don't specify which console -- we're guessing it falls somewhere below an Xbox 360 but above a Sega Genesis. As it turns out, we've actually already seen a couple of the smartphones based on the Nvidia platform, although no one was spilling deets at the time. Modeo's DVB-H smartphone (seen here) is just one of the devices already announced that has Nvidia tech on the inside, as is Samsung's i310 smartphone, as well as an unnamed device from ReignCom. Nvidia also announced that they've hooked up with Intel and Freescale to develop reference designs for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices currently in development that should be unveiled later this year.
Microsoft calls PS3 online strat "plagiarism"
The turf war continues with Chris Lewis of Microsoft kicking up some dirt about Sony's online strategy for the PlayStation 3. In an interview with Eurogamer, Mr. Lewis accused Sony of stealing their idea and implementing it as their own."Plagiarism is a good thing - that in itself isn't such a problem, it's what the market wants. But we've known that's what the market wanted all along," he said. Adding that he thinks it's flattering, Chris stated that he's glad to see Sony bridging the gap and covering ground to catch up, but that he's a little hazy on the whole thing."How the pricing is going to work still to me seems very unclear." Well, if Sony sticks to their guns, then the answer is simple: it'll be free![Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
New Super Mario: Big in Japan
It's easy when you're big in Japan. Nintendo recently announced at a Japanese retailer meeting that New Super Mario Bros. sold through over 900,000 copies in its first 4 days of availability. Not a huge surprise, but another indicator that even Nintendo benefits from everything old being new again. Other successes in Japan, where the Eastern seas so blue, were Tetris DS which sold 800,000 in 4 weeks and of course, the DS Lite itself. In the month of April alone, Nintendo shifted 950,000 Lites. It looks like this whole "double screen" thing is going to work out for them after all. [Apologies for the Alphaville lyrics used throughout this post. Thanks Feek!]
Sun and Samsung team up to enable Java app multi-tasking
In an exciting development for Java-enabled cellphone owners, and a bit of an embarrassing reminder of the Palm operating system's major limitation, Sun and Samsung have just announced a new platform that will allow regular handsets to multi-task certain applications. Called Multi-tasking VM Ware, or MVM, the new platform is built on the standard Java API, which will let existing Java applications run simultaneously even on non-smartphone models. Although we don't know when this technology will hit the market, considering that the lack of multi-tasking is one of the biggest drawbacks of most phones, it should prove to be a popular feature once available. [Note: subscription required for "Read" link].
New video up at Super Mario Bros. site
Watch the acrobatically inclined Italian plumber perform amazing leaps and powerful butt-stomps in this video that, if anything, reminds us that this game simply can't come out soon enough. Sure, the game shamelessly profits from nostalgia and fails to provide much in the way of innovation, but it seems to radiate pure, unbridled fun from every shell-kicking, block-busting orifice. New Super Mario Bros. releases 15 May.
Update to Mario site [Update 1]
Some of you might have had your pointers poised atop your designated browser's refresh button while staring at the official New Super Mario Bros. minisite, waiting with fevered anticipation for something to change. It was these fine readers that sent us the news of a small overhaul to the site, which received an upgrade in the form of a new video and placeholders for what we assume are future videos to arrive in the weekly intervals of 5/01, 5/08, and the final release date of 5/15. The video shows Mario ingesting a concentrated dose of mushroom and becoming larger than life, destroying everything in a way that only a mutated lizard haunting the country of Japan would. We also see Mario eagerly lap up a smaller, blue mushroom that manages to shrink the plumber down to an almost weightless, water-walking size that increases his jumping ability. The requisite fire flower is present as well, so all you pyromaniacs will take pleasure in watching Mario lay waste with it. Finally, a smaller segment shows a water level in which Mario is wearing a large shell and collecting red coins whilst dodging sharks. [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!] [Update: Fixed the release date, which I accidentally typed as 5/12.]
More New Super Mario Bros. screens
Here we have some more screens for you all to drool over on the long overdue New Super Mario Bros. Of the new screens, the inclusion of a snapshot of one of Super Mario 64 DS' more fun minigames brings joy, but the included snapshot on the right has to be the most interesting. Taking heavy inspiration from one of the most popular time-wasters Snowcraft, this minigame looks like it should fit in fine and be one fun time. Other screenshots show one of Bowser's dispic children and what appears to be the world map, a map which features 8 game worlds on a route that leads you to the "Big B's" castle. [Via Joystiq]
Apple turning Windows into the new Classic?
John Gruber has posted an interesting analysis of Apple's treatment of Windows in light of Boot Camp and the rampant speculation as to the possibility of Windows virtualization built into Mac OS X 10.5, due out this fall.While many publications are cranking out guesses (regardless of their education) as to what Boot Camp means to Apple and the future of Mac OS X, Gruber's analysis brings some clarity to the noise as he delves into the various ways that Apple has marketed Boot Camp's abilities, including the interesting language they used on Boot Camp's site, which we briefly pointed out at the product's release.Check out John's analysis if you're interested in a thorough analysis from a respected Apple pundit on what all this Boot Camp business means.
New Super Mario Bros redelayed?
Reader zverg writes us saying that the buy-it-all site Amazon.com recently sent him an email notification as to when he could expect his preordered New Super Mario Bros. game to arrive. This date was a disasterous June 12th to ship and June 14th to arrive. The game's official site still shows a release of May 15th. So given the rollercoaster release scheduling this title has gone through, can we expect it to be pushed back again? We sure hope not.
Preview: New Super Mario Bros.
1up has posted a preview of Mario's latest return to block-busting, mushroom-mashing, princess-procuring platforming and the qualities observed are quite promising. Everything old is new again. Perhaps unsurprisingly, New Super Mario Bros. still plays and feels exactly the way you'd want and expect it to, even despite the addition of Mario Kart's nefarious blue shell and a mushroom that unleashes Mariozilla upon an unsuspecting world. Actually, the preview does make it seem like becoming giant Mario makes things a tad too easy. It's an awesome sight as far as giant plumbers are concerned, but the act of running from one end of the level to the other with nothing to stop your progress seems less enticing. Hopefully that particular mushroom won't be abused in the game proper. New Super Mario Bros. is currently slated for release on 15 March May (unless Nintendo rudely changes the date again).
Super Console Wars puts spin on mascot Gamepires
We've seen Mario in the Matrix, Luigi as a Braveheart, and what we thought was everything in between. Well, hold up, 'cuz now we've seen everything: classic game icons have been mashed up with Star Wars.Super Console Wars: The Gamepire Strikes Gold is that hybrid that with good and evil roles spread out onto each platform and various gaming mascots, ranging from Mario clone troopers vs. Princess Zelda to a VMU droid and GPU-enabled android (erm, peripheral).About two-thirds of the way through the 20-minute video, you're gently encouraged to wear 3D glasses to enhance your video viewing, but even without glasses, the parody stands as an amusing take-off of gaming standards, pop culture, and retro reminiscing. Obi-Wan Shinobi, indeed.[Thanks, Cradrock]See also: Super Mario Reloaded Ready for an "Oldschool Revolution"?
Game developers react to Boot Camp
Inside Mac Games has a nice roundup of reactions from various Mac OS X game developers on the news of Boot Camp. Reactions on the whole are positive concerning the opportunities that Boot Camp offers, and speculation from the likes of Aspyr, MacSoft, Freeverse and Ambrosia are hopeful that this will help boost the Mac gaming platform even faster.Check out the roundup, as there are some great comments from individuals at these companies that touch on where they think the market is headed, and what we can expect in the not-too-distant future of Mac gaming.
New Super Mario Bros. releasing May 15th (again)
It seems our earlier report of the game being pushed back to May 21st, which stated as much directly on the game's website, was false and the game's site is now displaying the previous release date, that of May 15th. Considering the recent EGM scan confirming a DS Lite launch stateside this May, we're thinking the Lite could launch over here now as early as May 15th! [Thanks Jason C!] [Update: Fixed a minor date mistake. Thanks for the correction Bennet McLean!]
New Super Mario Bros. pushed back again
A quick glance at the New Super Mario Bros. mini-site will show the game has been pushed back yet again. Considering the recent delay the game has received, can we be expected to trust this date? Should we assume there to be another delay on the horizon? We'll just have to salivate over all these screenshots and fantasize of traversing the game's 80 levels just all that much longer.
Mario Bros. and Big Brain Academy delayed
IGN reports that New Super Mario Bros. has been delayed until 15 May, about a week after its original street date. Though we're not pleased in the slightest, we now realize that Nintendo is undoubtedly averting a PR disaster by preventing journalists from playing the game during their E3 press conference. Even Reggie's confidence might be rattled should one of his rousing speeches be greeted by a series of beeps and boops emanating from a group of people furiously hunched over their Nintendo portables. More bad news for those hoping to extend their cognitive abilities, as Big Brain Academy has also been delayed until 5 June. No reasons were given for this delay either, but at least Brain Age should be available by then to keep our minds from completely degenerating into useless pulp.
New Super Mario Bros. to feature 80 levels
Which is a bit ridiculous, really. Sometimes "ridiculous" works, however, and we can't see any problem with using that term when it comes to a portly plumber crushing sentient mushrooms, blasting fireballs from his palms and disappearing down mysterious pipes. Jeux France now reports (via the latest issue of Nintendo Power) that Mario's forthcoming return to the world of platforming (after a brief hiatus in the land of sports) will feature no less than 80 levels, as well as a return of all the mini-games from Super Mario 64 DS. Given how long it took us to get over that Pair-a-Gone addiction last time, this could potentially be viewed as bad news. Follow the link for some scans of the magazine, more screenshots of New Super Mario Bros. and an ugly reminder that the accursed month of April still stands between us and the game's early May release date. [Via Joystiq]
Don't look at these new Super Mario screenshots
As tempting as it may be, you must restrain yourself from following this link to brand new, uh, New Super Mario Bros. screenshots. And don't even think about checking out these cool character renders at the British Gaming Blog. Trust us, you'll be better off living a life without the constant pining and relentless desire to flatten Goombas on your DS. After viewing this gallery of fireball-flinging, block-bashing, shell-skipping goodness, it's quite likely that your thoughts will simply become dominated by Nintendo's portly plumber. Following that, you'll simply start swelling into a throbbing ball of anger as you realize that the game is only due for release in May. Do you know who's keeping you from enjoying New Super Mario Bros.? It's April. If you were to go on a violent spree of calendar defacing, know that we'd fully back you up. Curse you, April! Curse you! [Thanks Jah75157 and JonathanEx!]
New Super Mario boxart
Online everything-ever retailing giant, Amazon, has posted what appears to be the final boxart of Mario and Luigi's latest and not remotely old adventure, New Super Mario Bros. Depicting hapless Goombas thrown aside by the massive boots of Nintendo's portly plumber, along with a moderately-sized Luigi fleeing for his considerably less popular life, it's quite the enticing piece of art. Also note that the game doesn't have an ESRB rating yet. Judging by the cover's glorification of anti-mushroom violence, we're expecting a hard "M" for "Mature." Keep your children away from this death stomping simulator starting this May. [Thanks Bbasya!]
Cross-platform Firefox on a stick
A USB stick, that is. Our pal Jordan Running over at DownloadSquad found a cross-platform version of Firefox you can install on an external drive, such as a USB flash drive, iPod shuffle, or iPod nano, that can be plugged into and run on both Windows and OS X. There's some simple file editing involved, but once you get over that minor hump you'll have one fully portable copy of Firefox - including all your search history, settings, extensions and bookmarks - ready to roll in your pocket that can run on Windows and OS X.One word of caution: I'm pretty sure that not *all* Firefox extensions are going to work between Windows and OS X. Some extensions are platform independent, others most certainly are not. Your portable Firefox should run just fine on both OS's, but the platform dependent extensions will simply be disabled.
