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Brazilian RC helicopter cellphone delivery service busted
What do you do when your cellphone-smuggling carrier pigeons get caught on their way to the big house? Why, you go higher tech, of course. Those texting-crazed Brazlian ultra-max prisoners hatched a new plot to fly a radio controlled helicopter up over the wall of a prison, dropping diaper-swaddled handsets into the awaiting hands of criminal non-masterminds on the inside. Unfortunately for them, police foiled the plan when they pulled over the accomplices on the outside, confiscating the chopper, a suite of phones, and arresting the four who were paid just $5,000 to get the plan airborne. Our suggestion for their next attempt? Jetpacks.[Photo courtesy of AP]
The Pirate Bay founders sentenced to prison, website soldiers on
In what's being described as a landmark verdict, four men responsible for assisting throngs of dubious internet users to download all sorts of copyrighted material are being ushered off to prison cells for twelve whole months. The Stockholm district court in Sweden found the defendants guilty not of hosting materially illegally, but of "providing a website with sophisticated search functions, simple download and storage capabilities, and a tracker linked to the website [that helped users commit copyright violations]." As expected, the foursome seems unaffected by the ruling, with Peter Sunde (shown) tweeting that "it used to be only movies, now even verdicts are out before the official release." After jail, the crew will be forced by pay 30 million kronor ($3.56 million) to a number of entertainment companies, which is far less than those firms were hoping for. Curiously, we're told that the verdict didn't include an order to shut down The Pirate Bay website, and you can pretty much bank on an appeal being filed in record time.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Devious carrier pigeon caught trying to smuggle cellphone parts into prison
Back in late March and early April, when we first heard the terrifying tale of two shifty, hapless carrier pigeons intercepted while attempting to smuggle cellphone parts to inmates in a high-security Brazilian prison, we thought it was merely an isolated incident. Well, now that another pigeon has been caught -- this time outside a Columbian prison with a tiny suitcase full of cellphone components strapped to its back -- we have to face the truth: carrier pigeons are probably evil by nature. The Columbian authorities say that the pigeons are likely being raised inside the prison, then sent to the outside to collect the contraband handsets before doing what pigeons do best -- returning home. The officials also admit they are relatively powerless to combat the problem, though the intercepted bird is now imprisoned at a local animal shelter. So... how long until a different carrier pigeon is intercepted trying to sneak a teensy KRZR into the incarcerated, winged criminal?
LG, Chunghwa Picture Tubes execs to serve jail time for LCD price fixing conspiracy
LG and Chunghwa Picture Tubes already confessed to being involved in a scandalous LCD price fixing conspiracy, and now the US Department of Justice is laying down the hammer on four of the dirty-handed executives. Chang Suk Chung (LG), Chieng-Hon "Frank" Lin (Chunghwa), Chih-Chun "C.C." Liu (Chunghwa) and Hsueh-Lung "Brian" Lee (Chunghwa) have all entered plea agreements which will see them serving a "term of imprisonment" as well as paying a criminal fine and assisting the US government in its ongoing TFT-LCD investigation. 'Course, those pleas must all be approved by the court, but it's pretty safe to say these fellows will be spending a least a moment or two behind steel bars. Fun, fun.[Via DigitalTrends]
Prison phone jamming demo canceled, inmates promptly order more pizza
There's been a little bit of drama brewing out in DC lately, and for good reason: prisoners' ability to order pizza, drugs, and hits from the comfort of their cells is at risk. After ordering an in-prison signal blocking demo using equipment provided by infrastructure firm CellAntenna, the Washington DC Department of Corrections promptly earned the wrath of the CTIA which took its complaint to the FCC, arguing that such a demo violates the law. The FCC twiddled its thumbs (as federal agencies tend to do), so the association went to court where it sued to block CellAntenna from doing its thing. Before it had a chance to respond, though, the jail canceled its demo -- problem solved. The CTIA agrees that prisoners aren't the type of folks you want toting phones, but suggests that blocking signals from prisons altogether isn't the right way to solve the problem; if we were a guard, we'd probably agree.
Recon Scout gets new job at prison, isn't any fun to hang out with
You may remember this little dumbell-looking Recon Scout drone we saw last year, when it had just been implemented in the military. If you'll recall, the robot selflessly allows itself to be thrown into wild and unpredictable situations deemed "too risky" for people, then transmits grainy video back to an Operator Control Unit. Well, it turns out that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was interested in this rugged bastion of self-sacrifice, too. They can apparently envision all kinds of nightmare scenarios where prisoners have weapons and no human wants any part of it -- which is why they've agreed to a rental contract where they get ten devices and developer ReconRobotics gets feedback from the Department in exchange. Seriously though, aren't there any jubilant tasks we could set this guy to? He's getting to be such a killjoy.
TV pirate gets 14 months in federal slammer for rebroadcasting DISH Network material
If you really needed proof that the statement "crime doesn't pay" had at least a semblance of truth behind it, here's your sign. Known satellite TV pirate Glenn White has been sentenced to a 14 month stint in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally rebroadcasting DISH Network's programming. As the story goes, Mr. White was doing business in Wagram, North Carolina under the name Wagram Cable, but rather than distributing material in a legal manner, he chose to crack DISH's encryption and then monetize it. Big mistake. Oh, and DISH Network actually put this out on a press release in order to let the public know it "will continue to fight those who aid or participate in illegally breaking into encrypted DISH Network TV channels and set-top boxes." Don't say it didn't warn you.[Image courtesy of FlatPanelTV]
Dogs used to sniff out cellphones in prison, arf arf!
Maryland has switched to canine power to sniff out illegal cells in its penal system since the "ask nicely" policy just isn't working out for them. The pooches have their work cut out for them if they hope to stem the flow of the estimated 800 sets that get into prisons yearly. The worry isn't that a small black market accessory market will spring up, but rather that the people behind bars can carry on the business that landed them in prison in the first place. Cell phones apparently get behind bars by being smuggled in boxes, food, shoes, and any other place imaginable and currently fetch about $400 for the privilege of ownership. The state currently has three pooches on the payroll, a Belgian Malinois, a German shepherd mix, and were trained up in as little as six weeks. With only a couple months behind their collars, the pups have already bagged some two-dozen phones. Not a bad bit of work, we're hoping they're available for rent in the coming months, we've lost countless sets around here and would love to get 'am all back.
Wii keeps prisoners alive
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/UK_child_murderer_spends_his_days_on_Wii_with_prison_staff'; 34-year-old Ian Huntley, who was convicted of the murders of two young girls in England, is apparently spending his evenings doing something you probably do as well -- he's playing Wii. In an effort to keep Huntley alive (he's attempted suicide multiple times), The People reports that Huntley has a Wii, as well as other luxuries, in his cell to keep him happy. Huntley had a GameCube, but complained that Nintendo's last console was out of date, and asked for months for a Wii. He even gets to enjoy a little multiplayer -- prison guards have been ordered to play along. As we figure visits to the ol' exercise yard are out, since Huntley's been attacked by other inmates before -- we can't help but wonder if he won't start pestering them for Wii Fit next.
England, Wales prisoners lose access to 18-rated games
The Prison Service in England and Wales will not allow prisoners to play 18-rated games after September 30. The BBC reports that well-behaved residents and those at risk of suicide will still be allowed to play games -- we hope the suicide folks aren't playing Persona.The government apparently spent £10k ($19,763 USD) last year on consoles and games for inmates. Effective immediately, inmates will have to buy their own consoles and games. Those who can't afford the video game distraction are sure to occupy their time with more constructive ventures ... like shiv production.[Via GI.biz]
Nintendo helps make a better prison guard
We can imagine what makes for a good prison guard: somebody who has seen the show Oz and is skilled in the ways of the nightstick. What else could a wannabe prison guard need? Nintendo, apparently.At North Branch Correctional Institution, prison Warden John A. Rowley mentioned that the state-of-the-art touch-screen system that the prison uses to control the population is, apparently, very similar to that of the DS. He commented that "Nintendo was a great tool to train today's officers." We couldn't agree more, since the DS is not only a great handheld system for gaming, but also a cheap way to introduce folks to the interface of a touch-screen, not to mention how to effectively use a stylus.So, while the Warden comments that Nintendo helped train his guards, we think the system can go further. It can train grandparents on how to use a PDA (or you can turn it into one for them), among other things. What a great little system![Via Kotaku]
Anti-Aliased: Crime and punishment in MMOs
You're grinding in World of Warcraft's Stranglethorn Vale (voted most ganktastic by our friends at WoW Insider) when a level 70 druid finds it hilarious to moonfire your lowbie buttocks and camp your corpse for the next eight hours. You're grinding in Lineage II when suddenly someone completely rips you apart with Demon Sword Zariche, and the proceeds to do it over and over again. Face of Mankind players saw the days of other players killing player character police officers "just because it was fun and easy". Final Fantasy XI players dealt with the controversy of monster player killing, known as an MPK. Diablo had the problem of people raising you, killing you, raising you, killing you, raising you, killing you, raising you, killing you... I think you got the point.Griefing is a problem in MMOs -- a very big problem. As more users enter our wonderful worlds of fantasy and intrigue, more and more of them think it's hilarious to make others suffer and waste time. So why is this phenomenon occuring, and what can developers do about it?
Collect calls from prison to cellphones now possible, vast number changes expected
The next time you get popped for a crime you didn't commit and end up in the Big House, you're going to be real glad NCIC Inmate Telephone Services rolled into existence. The greatest dream of felons everywhere has finally come to fruition: you can now make collect calls to cellphones while you're serving your time. And hey, this isn't just some minor advance -- no, this is "lightning in a bottle," arguably on par with the first moon landing, finding a cure for cancer, or hitting that crazy high note at the end of "Happiness Is a Warm Gun." With a 20 percent call-completion rate, you don't have to defer your dreams -- rob a bank today, you'll definitely be able to make pricey collect calls to loved ones from jail![Image courtesy Celebrity Blackberry Sightings]
WRUP: Take the weekend off edition
If you were looking for something new to play, then this isn't your week. There's pretty much nothing out there, so unless you've been saving a game for a rainy day (or a week that saw no new interesting game releases), then we suggest you break the emergency glass and have at it. Or, here's a novel idea: don't play any games.Wait, wait, hear us out. We're not saying to stop playing games entirely, but maybe taking a weekend off won't be such a bad thing? Clean the gutters like you've been putting off, or go take in a play or movie. Why don't you spend some time with your family or write that Aunt you have in prison? We're sure she would appreciate the attention.For all of you who find the idea of not playing a single game over the course of a weekend preposterous, what will you be playing?
New Champions Online location info: Stronghold
Now that the cat's outta the bag, more information about Champions Online is starting to trickle out. The developers are starting to present great background information like hero and villain profiles, game features, and world history, like this page on CO's mega-security prison, Stronghold.Man, if you'd told me in the 80s that I'd be playing my hero alongside my buddies on the computer against the villains that, up until now, existed only as a picture on the page, I'd have said you were a neo maxi zoom dweebie. Or some other 80s reference. Whatever, I can't even think straight anymore, I'm so excited.
Controversy: UK immigrant detainees play Wii while waiting
According to a report in the UK Telegraph, detainees at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center in Berkshire are being given Nintendo Wiis while awaiting deportation for "offenses including rape and murder." There is also a claim that if something goes wrong with the console the staff will go to the nearest Argos to pick up a replacement -- wow, they've got Wiis just lying about for replacement purposes there?The whole report really comes off as a sensationalist hack job. There are numerous quotes of outrage over the amenities the detainees have, but at the end of the day the prisoners are still locked up and not out in society. Government officials say the story's allegations of plasma screens in cells aren't true, and that there is one plasma in the common room with small televisions in each cell. If the Telegraph really wanted to up the scare factor it should have claimed the prisoners were all playing Manhunt 2 on their Wiis and "practicing." Just ignore that Manhunt 2 is still banned in the UK though, it gets in the way of the sensationalism.
Illegal immigrants in the UK get to have fun with Wii before being shipped off
If any of you have seen that film Children of Men, you probably noticed the horrible treatment this imaginary England of the future imposed on illegal immigrants. Well, it just might be the opposite here in reality, as word hits that deportees in detainment get some play time with Nintendo's latest console before being shipped off.These detainees are currently shacked up at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre in Berkshire, where they enjoy a TV in every cell and some other amenities (we wonder if they're giving each other tats). This is, of course, questionable, as to whether these folk deserve such luxuries is obviously cause for debate. It's even being reported that some of the folks here are rapists and murderers.See also: Steal Nintendo and go to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect $200[Via CVG]
UK jails considering RFID implants for prisoners
Ah -- dead, eerily-prescient, 20th century authors... they just can't stop proving you right, can they? In a decidedly Orwellian turn, British authorities are considering a proposal to implant "machine-readable" RFID tags under the skin of some prison inmates as part of a plan to free up space in the country's overcrowded prisons. Just like the nightmare world described in your favorite cautionary tales, the chips would enable authorities to track the location of implantees using satellite and radio-wave technology. The program would build off of the current ankle-tagging currently in place, and according to a official from the Ministry of Justice who finds the plan double-plus good, "All the options are on the table, and this is one we would like to pursue." Of course, the controversial concept does have its detractors, Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, says that, "If the Home Office doesn't understand why implanting a chip in someone is worse than an ankle bracelet, they don't need a human-rights lawyer; they need a common-sense bypass." Shortly following this statement, however, Shami was taken to an interrogation room and outfitted with a rat-hood, and all record of her existence was erased from state records.[Via Slashdot]
Texting, talking at the wheel could land Brits in jail
We already knew that UK motorists caught driving while texting (or vice-versa) could face a penalty of two whole years in the slammer, but now it seems that merely talking while controlling a motor vehicle could land you in the exact same predicament. Reportedly, British drivers caught chatting on a handset or sending an SMS while on the road "could be jailed" under new guidelines that are expected to be published. In the most extreme cases, they could be tagged with "dangerous driving, which carries a two-year maximum sentence and an unlimited fine." Currently, these folks simply get slapped with an "automatic fine and three points on their license under the lesser charge of careless driving." But honestly, it's not like prison would be so bad for cellphone addicts -- after all, we hear some cells over there actually provide service.[Image courtesy of MotorTrend]
"Dietrich" sentenced to jail for Gizmondo crash
Trevor Michael Karney – aka, The Elusive Dietrich – has been sentenced to jail by an LA judge for misleading police in the 162MPH crash of that $1.5 million Gizmondo Ferrari Enzo. Besides lying to police about his involvement as a passenger, the 27-year old German playboy also fled to Ireland before sneaking back into the US through the Mexican border in search of some tasty bud and cool waves. The sentence? 30 days, which roughly translates to a punishment of tickling by virgins until the onset of bellyache by the time the appeals process is through.