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Why young-adult video games are thriving
In the recent hit game Inside, you play a child on the run through a mysterious and horrifying surveillance state straight out of 1984. Oxenfree stars a group of teenagers with a complicated history arriving at a spooky island for an ill-advised camping trip. Life Is Strange puts you in the shoes of a young girl at a boarding school with burgeoning time-warp powers and messed-up friends. The common thread among these three highly acclaimed indie games is obvious: They star youthful protagonists facing confusing coming-of-age moments in worlds tinted by magic and mystery. They're what you might call "young adult" video games.
Late mid-week shocker: young adults get their 'news' from the 'net, not from television
In what is undoubtedly a shocking and groundbreaking revelation, the Pew Research Center has conducted a recent study which has caused it to conclude that young adults now get their news predominantly from the internet, rather than from television (and even less from ham radio). According to the study, which the center seems to have been conducting yearly for a while now, 67 percent of adults under 30 said in 2010 that the 'net was their primary source of news, up from 34 percent in 2007. Curiously, respondents could choose up to two 'main' news sources, so 52 percent report that television is a main news source in 2010, down from 68 percent in 2007. While none of this probably comes as any surprise to any of you, our readers, it does tend to explain that strange and ever-growing tendency we've noticed in our friends of talking about things like Groupon, Facebook, and some meme some webpage made up to sell something as if they were talking about actual news.
MSI trots out colorful VR220 YA Edition ultraportable
MSI's got a fever, and evidently the only cure is more notebook. With the novelty of the heralded Wind slowly fading, the outfit has stepped in with the altogether riveting VW220 YA Edition ultraportable -- and in four delightful hues, no less. Aside from sporting a Denim Blue, Coral Pink, Wasabi Green or Empire Black exterior, the 12.1-incher also includes a WXGA (1,280 x 800) panel, dual-core Pentium CPU, Intel's GMA 4500M graphics set, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, dual stereo speakers, gigabit Ethernet, an optional TV tuner, WiFi / Bluetooth, a 3-in-1 card reader, VGA output and three USB 2.0 ports. You'll also find a SuperMulti DVD drive, a capacious 250GB hard drive, a ho hum 1.3-megapixel webcam and an 8-cell battery. All told, the 4-pound rig looks pretty good on paper for just $699.99, and the full release is after the break for your perusal.
