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Seattle joins in, gets three new ones from Comcast
Granted, we had heard earlier this month that Comcast would be dishing out Science HD, Disney HD and ABC Family HD to a plethora of markets, but this note from Seattle / Tacoma, Washington looks to be our first sign of confirmation. As of April 23rd, subscribers in the Emerald City will receive the aforementioned trio, but there's no word on if it'll pick up any others à la just about everywhere else in America (okay, so that's a stretch). Anyone else getting just these three? Drop a note in comments if so.[Thanks, Gordon and Chet]
Seattle Comcast customers get a half dozen new HD channels
Great news for HD junkies in the great city of Seattle, Washington -- Comcast is getting set to add six newcomers to your lineup in just under a month. Reportedly, users are beginning to see messages on their set-top-boxes informing them that Discovery Channel HD, Animal Planet HD, TLC HD, Sci Fi HD, HGTV HD and Food Network HD will be arriving on March 4th. Ten new high-definition options in around three months? Sounds like just the thing to ease the sting of those heightened rates.[Thanks, Gordon and Vince]
PotBS: Seattle launch party
A little more than five years ago, Flying Lab Software began nudging their pirate ship into the treacherous shoals of software development. As they navigated through the vagaries of deadlines and beta tests, constantly circled by the ever-present threat of player ennui, they made their way into the Bay of Beta Testing, and users got their first glimpses of a new, immersive world. As of yesterday, Pirates of the Burning Sea is live, and now everyone has the opportunity to participate in a battle royale between the naval forces of France, Britain, Spain, and the hordes of pirates that roamed the Caribbean in this version of 1720.Massively had the opportunity to attend the Flying Lab PotBS launch party in Seattle, and also had the opportunity to sit down with some of the movers and shakers who brought you this phenomenal title. What does all of this mean? It means we managed to get some more information about future patches and expansion plans. Now that we're back home, we can tell you what the developers, the producers, and the CEO of the company told us. So get a firm grip on your tricorns and batten down your hatches, you swabs, the seas are fierce ahead.%Gallery-14155%
Non-Seattleites can now buy a limited DS that is irrelevant to non-Seattleites
Thanks to some enterprising eBayer, the limited-edition Seattle Mariners DS Lite is available outside of the confines of Safeco Field. We aren't really, uh, sports people, but we do know that extreme team fandom usually coincides with proximity, meaning that the people who are all about having the Seattle Mariners logo on a DS Lite probably live close enough to just go buy one. But that doesn't take into account the crazies who collect systems. Crazies, this auction is just for you. The good news is that eBayer diet_bill isn't asking any more than the $195.99 the unit costs inside Safeco Field. The bad news is that the picture he's using for the auction is the same one used when the Lite was first discovered back in May. It could be that this guy is a) too lazy to take his own picture, b) actually the same person that took it before. But with even the slightest amount of evidence that this isn't an actual picture of an actual product, we advise that you proceed with caution.[Via GameSniped]
Seattle / Tacoma Comcast users gain four more HD channels
Although there's been no official announcement from Comcast, it seems that subscribers in the Seattle / Tacoma region have recently been blessed with four more HD options. According to tipster Cameron, the operator informed customers via postcards that it would be adding A&E HD, History Channel HD, USA HD and National Geographic HD as of December 6th. Comically enough, Comcast also sent out a friendly letter informing users in the area of price hikes that were coming in 2008, but we suppose you've got to pay to play, eh? As for channel numbers, you can catch the aforementioned additions on 670, 671, 672 and 673, respectively.[Thanks, Cameron]
Mythos buzz and beta invites
Both Tobold and West Karana are buzzing about Mythos, the free-to-play hack and slash RPG from Flagship Studios subsidiary Flagship Seattle. It's supposed to be good, clean, monster-killing fun Diablo style, with random customizable dungeons (as in, ask for a solo dungeon and you got it, or ask for a group dungeon for your level, and you got it) and lots of fun spec choices and loot. I've played a bit of Dungeon Runners, and enjoyed it, but as fun as it is, it still sticks a little too closely to MMO conventions, and it seems like Mythos just might be the simple hack-and-slash refresher to the growing ever-more-complicated MMO genre.Unfortunately, the game is still in invite-only beta, but as we reported the other day, invites are getting spread around pretty fast, so your chance to check it out should be coming around soon. In the meantime, Flagship is accepting signups on their site. As we said before, it's not clear how the microtransactions they plan will work, but from everything we've heard about it, the free-to-play part of Mythos is more than worth a look.Update: Bildo claims in our comments that he's the one that turned everyone onto Mythos, and he's got a good writeup, too. Plus, he's apparently getting more beta invites soon, so we make nice!
World Cyber Games finals in Seattle this weekend
The World Cyber Games finals are being held in Seattle starting today and ending Sunday. The event is being held at the Qwest center and tickets are $10 per day. Opening ceremony starts at 6PM today. There's a whole slew of events going on and if there's anything you're really interested in seeing it's probably best to check out the schedule.Apparently Spike TV will be there putting something together for early November and GameTrailers is doing some video coverage as well. We've been informed that Rock Band will be playable at the event. If you live in the Seattle area, there's something to do this weekend, let us know how it goes.
Nintendo and Mariners hook up the fans
Nintendo, who you already know have quite the stake in the Mariners franchise, are celebrating with the fans on September 15th. As thanks to the fans, the first 1,500 attending patrons will be able to hook up to the Nintendo Fan Network for free. Not only that, but Nintendo will be hooking 16 lucky people up with limited-edition DS Lites, completely decked out with the Mariners' logo and autographed by select team members.Any of you west coast readers plan on attending the game on Saturday?
Shawn Blanc interviews Brent Simmons
Brent Simmons, creator of the beloved NetNewsWire RSS app, is a talkative guy. We've chatted with him quite a few times about various Mac issues, and late last week he gave another interview to Shawn Blanc over at his website.The interview is mostly about NetNewsWire-- the inspiration for its various features, and the development process Simmons goes through (he writes way more code than he ever uses, and calls himself an "anti-packrat"). There's also a picture of Simmons' workspace (above)-- he works on a Cinema display hooked up to a 17" iMac, with a 17" PowerBook around for PPC testing. He also has a HappyLite Sunshine Simulator right there-- I would think shining a light in my face every morning would wear me out, but he says it helps his Seattle existence, and if it gave us NNW (3.1 is on the way, we're told), I won't argue.Always a good guy, that Simmons, except that he's a little indecisive-- he told us his favorite feature was the Attention Report, and now he says it's the spacebar. Make up your mind!
Burglars swipe laptops, iPhones from Seattle Apple Store
Apparently not willing to wait for those rumored new ultraportable MacBooks, some burglars recently broke into the Apple Store at University Village in Seattle and made off with a number of laptops that had completed servicing, along with an "unknown stock" of refurbished iPhones. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, police arrived on the scene Monday morning and found a large hole in the ceiling of a technicians' room, with the entire office "in disarray." From the sound of it, it seems that the thieves may have been after more than just the laptops themselves, with at least one of the laptops reportedly "packed with personal information." No word on any leads just yet, but police say they might contact those who had their laptops stolen as part of the investigation.[Via Techmeme]
Thieves choose Blu-ray over HD DVD in mass disc heist
The high definition format war took an unexpected twist Sunday morning, when a group of thieves broke into a video store. What they took -- every Blu-ray movie in stock -- isn't as interesting as what they left behind. The gang ignored the HD DVD selection entirely, apparently deciding that only the BDA's baby was worth a five finger discount. Blockbuster choosing Blu-ray for its nationwide rollout is one thing, but being ignored when the price of acquisition is the low low price of free is a reality check for any fledgling standard. We suppose such early morning escapades are one way to build your library after getting the now lower-priced PS3, but it's not recommended. No word yet on if HD DVD fans are planning a coordinated group theft to reestablish the popularity of their chosen format.[Via DVD Dossier, thanks everyone who sent this in]
Nintendo's DS Lite orders food, shows replays at Safeco Field
Those looking for a little more interaction at Safeco Field this season need only bring their DS Lite and a few extra bucks. This season, Nintendo is trialing the Nintendo Fan Network at the home of the Seattle Mariners, which enables onlookers to "order food and drinks, watch the live television feed of the game, access stats and scores, and play trivia from the comfort of their seat." The quietly introduced pilot program has brought several kiosks to the park, which uploads a program to the DS Lite and enables the WiFi-equipped handheld to take part in the bonus festivities. Eventually, the Big N hopes to expand the system into other stadiums, but for now, Mariners fans can get in on the action for $5 per game, or $30 for ten games.[Image courtesy of Flickr]
Microsoft to buy a piece of Nintendo (land)
A 28-acre plot of land owned by Nintendo of America has just been sold to Microsoft, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Both Redmond, Washington-based companies are located close to one another, actually separated by this land.The deal will reportedly be finalized in the middle of this month, according to NOA's VP of marketing and corporate affairs Perrin Kaplan. The financial details have not been disclosed, but the land had previously been appraised for $23 million. According to Kaplan, there is no relation to the sale of the land and the recent decision to move its sales, advertising and marketing departments to New York. (NOA Headquarters is staying in Redmond.) Her comments echo what she said back in May when they confirmed the company was taking bids on the land. The employee shift has also sparked rumors that key players Kaplan, George Harrison and Beth Llewelyn were leaving the company. Those murmurings, rather unsurprisingly, were not addressed in the Seattle P-I report.[Via Gamespot, thanks hvnlysoldr]
PLAYSTATION Network planned expansions to benefit publishers
Phil Harrison wasn't the only Sony exec at the Online Game Developer's Conference in Seattle this week. Michael Shorrock, Sony's developer of third party developer relations, outlined more details on planned expansions for the PLAYSTATION Network. "It's designed to be a profitable eco-system for both developers and publishers," as well as "a marketing platform for games and content."Mr. Shorrock also outlined six key components of the PLAYSTATION Network, including a video on demand (VOD) service as well as their previously announced Home service. Apparently, Sony envisions publisher and developer "pavilions" within Home. For example, users could enter the Activision's pavilion through Home, and download or play games from the publisher's selection of content. Marketing and advertising also play part of that six-part expansion, though we sincerely hope not to be bombarded with game advertisements while we watch downloaded movies.Nevertheless, the designs make the future brighter, giving additional content to the non-gaming audience (which helps with any significant other). Rounding out the expansion plans, Mr. Shorrock also pointed to the company's desire to incorporate more wireless connectivity between the PS3 and its younger brother, the PSP. There are a lot of interesting ideas unfolding here. The future is looking bright. Now, where are my shades?
University of Washington's Raven to try surgery in simulated spacecraft
If you thought ASTRO and NextSat were the only two autonomous robots frolicking around in testing environments, Raven would certainly beg to differ, as NASA has recently announced that the University of Washington's mobile surgical robot will soon be off to tackle surgical tasks whilst underwater. The 12th NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations test will see the mechanical MD pick up the tools in a simulated spacecraft submerged near Key Largo, Florida, where the "mission will test current technology for sending remote-controlled surgical robotic systems into space." Thanks to a combination of wired and wireless networks, a trio of seasoned veterans back in Seattle will be dictating the movements remotely, as the bot attempts to "suture a piece of rubber and move blocks from one spindle to another." Interestingly, there was no word on whether Raven was scheduled to pick up the night shift at Seattle Grace upon its return from the depths.[Via MedLaunches]
Energy-efficient Deepglider scours the ocean for scientific data
The University of Washington's Deepglider won't go down as the first manmade projectile to scour the ocean for random (albeit useful) tidbits of information, but it does sport an ultra-modern frame and energy source that certainly sets it apart. Similar to the nuke detector, Edinburgh Duck, and the bevy of other submarines used for the benefit of mankind, this concoction is used to capture underwater data to aid researchers in discovering more about global warming and seafloor conditions, but its autonomous nature and carbon fiber enclosure gives it the ability to remain underwater "for up to a year" and sink to depths of nearly 9,000 feet. The 71-inch long, 138-pound device carries sensors to measure "oceanic conditions including salinity and temperature," and when not patrolling the seas based on satellite-driven controls, it can transmit the data remotely using the same signal path in reverse. Notably, the torpedo-like device boasts an energy-efficient, battery-powered design that allows it to stay submerged for ridiculous amounts of time without needing a recharge, and while we're not too sure if its researchers are too caught up in its unmatched diving abilities to notice how swank the power system is, they've apparently got a good thing going.
Machine used to unlock Xbox 360 Achievement Points
Just 60 of 'em. Yep, $60 for parts and a long day's worth of labor birthed the "xBot," a monstrous lil' bugger that latches onto the Xbox 360 controller and presses 'Start' and 'B' like, well, like a machine. Car mechanic David Harr assembled the xBot to unlock a pair of Perfect Dark Zero Achievements, which require playing 1,000 (offline) multiplayer matches in both Deathmatch and DarkOps modes -- each worth 30 points. Since matches don't need to be completed to register as "played," Harr calculated that it would take him roughly 40 hours to start, exit, and restart enough matches to unlock the Achievements; he would use just ten to assemble his xBot. Muahahahah!While some whine that Harr's 'workaround' is unethical, the Seattle mechanic argues, "This is not playing online on Xbox Live -- it is not playing against other people ... This is a one trick pony, getting you just 60 points. It's not stepping on anyone's toes." We say, let him have his 60 points.
Seattle Times columnist talks up the Wii [update 1]
Brier Dudley, a columnist with The Seattle Times, is anxious to get his hands on the Wii. In having played it last week, it seems it's the only thing on his mind. Making things worse is the knowledge that all of units allocated to the US are being brought through Seattle. If we were located in Seattle, we're pretty sure we'd plan an operation meant to liberate a few of those consoles.Being an arena of combat between Nintendo and Microsoft, the Seattle landscape employs numerous employees with both houses. Brier goes on to discuss the importance of the console to the area, as well as generally just hypes the console up, which is something we whole-heartedly support. Welcome to the team Brier, you're starting at third base.[Via Infendo][Update: Had a bit of a brain slip there. Thanks for the correction Spaz!]
Alexander sidelined, Madden curse to blame?
With word that Madden 07 cover athlete Shaun Alexander has sustained a left foot fracture, sidelining the Seahawk star for at least two weeks, comes renewed speculation about the existence of a 'Madden curse.' Indeed, since 2000, when EA began featuring athletes on the Madden cover, a series of unfortunate events, in varying degrees, has befallen the stars who allegedly risk their careers for EA's "dirty" money. Here's a brief history of the curse: 2000 - Barry Sanders abruptly retires before training camp (was he warned of the impending curse?) 2000 - Dorsey Levens is cut by Green Bay the following season 2001 - Eddie George enjoys career year, until costly turnover leads to Titan's playoff exit 2002 - Daunte Culpepper leads team to dismal 4–7 record before season-ending knee injury 2003 - Marshall Faulk suffers ankle injury; career diminishes thereafter 2004 - Michael Vick fractures right fibula in preseason game, just one day after Madden is released; sidelined for season 2005 - Ray Lewis fails to post a single interception (after grabbing 6 the previous year), and injury forces him to miss the final game of the season; the Ravens also fail to make the playoffs after winning the division in the 2003–2004 season 2006 - Donovan McNabb suffers sports hernia in first game and undergoes season-ending surgery in November; T.O. feud escalates; Eagles finish 6–10 after reaching the Super Bowl the previous year 2007 - Shaun Alexander fractures left foot in Week 3 ... [Thanks, Shadyrudy]
Post E3 interview with Iwata
During a brief Q & A with the Seattle Times during E3, Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata commented all things Nintendo from the Wii's challenges ahead to Sony's innovative motion-sensing controller.Q: Do you think Sony copied Nintendo with its new controller? A: (Laughs.) Actually before they made the announcement we already anticipated that they might do that, so I had to laugh. Even though I was laughing, it was with a grim face, I should add. (Laughs.) Having said that, please know that putting the motion-sensor technology into the classic-style controller is one thing. Putting the motion-sensor technology into the Wii remote as well as the "nunchuck" controller, where you can use both hands freely and independently, this is quite another thing. [Via Go Nintendo]
