TipSheet : Technology

Games: I Need a Hero—For Hire

N'Gai Croal — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:48:21 GMT

Let's Roll: Metal Gear Solid 4
Konami Digital Entertainment

Grand Theft Auto IV and Wii Fit have scored headlines for shifting public opinions about videogames by deftly tackling the respective subjects that inspired them: crime and fitness. Now comes Metal Gear Solid 4 ($60; konami.com), whose major themes derive from a most unlikely place: President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell address warning against the dangers of the military-industrial complex.

Well before last October’s hearings into possible abuses by real-world contractors like Blackwater, game designers became fascinated with the character of the hired gun, including such pro-mercenary titles as Raven Software’s Soldier of Fortune (2000) and Pandemic’s Mercenaries (2005). The appeal is perhaps obvious, but psychologically telling: placing you in the role of a merc gives you access to all the cool ordnance you’d find in the glut of Army games out there, but without having to deal with the annoying hierarchical command structure that comes with the armed forces.

MGS 4 isn’t the only game looking skeptically at the post-9/11 corporatization of military functions—clips and quotes from Eisenhower’s 1961 speech were prominently featured in the trailers for both Army of Two ($60; ea.com) and Cipher Complex (not yet released; ciphercomplex.com)—but it’s by far the most thoughtful, even if its premise is not particularly original. Yes, a villain from the previous games turns up in the Middle East with yet another plan for global domination and, yes, only your lone hero—the prematurely aging Solid Snake—can stop him. But creator Hideo Kojima clearly has more on his mind than a repeat of the hide-seek-and-shoot mechanics that have made him the master of the genre he calls “tactical stealth action,” which emphasizes patience and strategy over the simple pleasures of run-and-gun.

Now, we hate to draw lazy parallels between games and other media, so we’ll just list some of the influences we observed during our play-through of much of MGS 4’s first two chapters: the paranoid style of historian Richard Hofstadter; the covert-ops fetish of authors Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum; the grit and moral ambiguity of filmmaker Sergio Leone. Had Kojima simply larded the game with world-weary, Antiwar 101 dialogue (sample voice-over: “War has changed. It’s no longer about nations, ideologies or ethnicity. It’s an endless series of proxy battles, fought by mercenaries and machines”), we’d just give him a gold star. But Kojima didn’t become an industry luminary solely for his games’ signature: lengthy Socratic dialogues, in which two soldiers—Snake and one of his rivals—debate the nature of conflict, loyalty and human nature. He’s also a master of interactivity, and MGS 4 may be his best marriage of theme and gameplay yet.

The previous Metal Gear Solid games took place in remote enemy bases and outposts that were relatively underpopulated, save for the opponents and an ally or two. You acquired weapons and matériel by relieving enemies of their gear, or through exploration. MGS 4, however, is set on battlefields around the world crawling with both enemy PMCs (private military companies) and rebel forces. The latter will help you if you assist them—or turn on you if you attack them.

With a larger number of enemies in MGS 4 than in the earlier versions, there’s much more weaponry left behind by dead or disabled PMCs and rebels for you to pick up. But you can’t use all the booty right away: the ID-secured weapons of the PMCs are useless without the aid of a new character to the game. His name is Drebin, and he’s a “gun launderer” who’ll buy, sell and unlock ID-protected guns for anyone with money: state armies, PMCs, terrorists, paramilitaries and you.

It’s all part of what’s referred to in the game as the “war economy” (echoes of President Eisenhower). The price of weaponry fluctuates according to that economy, which rises and falls based upon the intensity of fighting in the area: stay out of your enemies’ sight, and the price of acquiring new gear will remain lower than if you cause a ruckus by shooting at everything. The result is that MGS 4’s gameplay vocabulary and rhetoric reinforce each other to achieve what games do best: radically simplify complex systems—in this case, post-9/11 hot zones—in order to entertain and possibly inform. So while no one could or should mistake MGS 4 for a presidential address, it’s another welcome sign that games can be more than just fun.

Get Your Workout in Gear

Tara Weingarten — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:23:33 GMT

Working out shouldn’t be effortless, but the right equipment or accessory can make it less of a hassle. TIP SHEET found that these products gave our fitness routine a boost.

Walkvest: As you progress in your exercise and weightloss program, it’s harder to improve as quickly. The Walkvest, made famous recently by actress Valerie Bertinelli, who used it to shed pounds, allows you to add half-pound weights, up to eight pounds, to make your walking or running regimen more challenging ($59.90; walkvest.com).

Goody: If you often have to stop mid-workout to adjust your hair band or clip, what good is it? Goody’s StayPut collection really does just that. Its hair bands ($3.99) have 52 percent more holding power than a regular band, and the quarter-inch and half-inch claws ($3.99 to $4.99) grip probably longer than you can on those barbells (goody.com).

AquaJogger: Exercising in water is fun, puts less strain on joints and, the best part, you can’t feel yourself sweat. The most effective water-weights system we found comes from AquaJogger. A package that includes a buoyancy belt, which suspends you at shoulder height in deep water, two hand and two ankle weights and a get-started DVD is $89.95 (aquajogger.com).

Murad Vitamins: Some experts say that no fitness program is complete without supplements. Murad’s daily packets make it easy while you’re on the run with preselected vitamins that purport to maximize cellular hydration and strengthen connective tissue ($135 for a four-week supply; murad.com).

iTrain.com: Cheaper than a gym membership but just as effective. Download up to 200 workout programs that combine music with professional fitness instruction so you won’t have to go it alone. From 99 cents per workout.

Sennheiser Headphones: Anyone who jogs or runs knows how tough it is to keep ear buds in place, but Sennheiser, the German maker of great noise-canceling headsets, has a pair that do a swell job. The OMX70 Sport stereo clip-on headphones are adjustable for a better fit and moisture-resistant, so you can sweat and not short-circuit ($49.95; sennheiserusa.com).

I Now Pronounce You … Online

Newsweek — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:19:40 GMT

By Miyoko Ohtake

Arranging a wedding can be a headache. But a growing number of Web sites are helping to ease the pain by letting couples plan their weddings online. Wedding Web sites allow the bride and groom to post event details, maps and directions; biographies about the couple and wedding party, and links to hotels and gift registries. They also let guests RSVP and vote in customized polls to pick the first song the couple will dance to or which drink to serve at the reception.

The sites offer contracts (for a fee) that can go as long as a year, but JoAnn Gregoli, a New York-based wedding planner, says it’s best to opt for monthly contracts. “You don’t want to sign a year contract for a wedding in six months,” she says.

Weddingwindow.com offers monthly deals for $10.99. Couples can upload unlimited photos and use extensive planning tools, which include a vendor manager and gift and budget trackers.

For $79 for six months, wedshare.com provides planning tools, including a seating chart, and allows you to upload unlimited video.

Myevent.com charges $9.95 per month. It has a gift-return and exchange man- ager and includes an archival CD of the Web site.

For the few not yet connected to the Net, you can always print out the pages and send them via snail mail. But some in the industry believe it’s only a matter of time before weddings go completely paperless. “We’re in the era of Facebook and MySpace,” Gregoli says. “Within five years, wedding Web sites are going to be the only thing used.”

Helmets, Camera, Action!

Newsweek — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:15:02 GMT

By Paul Tolme

March 10, 2008 issue

Star in your own action sports video with a wearable, miniature camcorder. Helmet cams are the latest must-have gizmo for adrenaline junkies, who post their exploits online and e-mail clips to friends. They mount to your head, handlebars, surfboard or kayak, leaving hands free for rip cords or ski poles.

The POV.1 features a lipstick-size camera, a wireless remote, a microphone and editing software that allows you to organize and upload clips to video-sharing sites ($700; vio-pov.com). The Digital Hero 3 has waterproof housing, shoots 56 minutes of video and sound and features a slide-show mode that takes a picture every five seconds ($140 to $180; goprocamera.com). Built for simplicity, the VholdR features aluminum housing, one on-off switch and no cables, and weighs 4.8 ounces ($350; vholdr.com). Already own a camcorder? Hoyttech.com sells lipstick cameras that can attach to your camcorder such as the EconoSport HelmetCam kit ($190). Helmetcameracentral.com sells a variety of brands and includes product reviews. Post images on YouTube or upload them to rip.tv and watch the spills and thrills.

Dial ‘A’ for Annoyance

Newsweek — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:56:42 GMT

By Linda Stern

Customer call centers tend to do one thing efficiently: frustrate complaining customers. Beat them at their own game with these tips from “Gotcha Capitalism” by Bob Sullivan (Ballantine Books. $14.95):

Start by checking the Web site gethuman.com for the secret code that will get you to a live rep more quickly. Call during regular business hours, when the best employees are manning the phones. And consider pressing the number for Spanish, as you’re likely to get a bilingual operator faster than you would by waiting for an English-only agent. Or call the sales office instead. Once you get through, jot down the rep’s name or operator number, and then state your case simply. Ask if he or she has the authority to solve the problem for you. If not, ask to be switched to a supervisor who does. Take that, “hold” music!

Hot Air From Apple

Steven Levy — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:56:31 GMT

No one expected Steve Jobs to top last year’s iPhone at his keynote speech at last week’s Macworld Expo. And he didn’t. But the Apple CEO did show off a set of products that will keep the Mac momentum going.

The fanboy crowd in San Francisco roared loudest at the MacBook Air. A gorgeous three-pound computer with a sleek aluminum skin, so thin that you could slip it under a door, it’s the Kate Moss of laptops. At $1,799 it has limited storage, a nonremovable battery and no DVD drive, but stylish road warriors will love it.

Jobs also announced iTunes movie rentals. All six major studios will offer their films for rental at $2.99 (for older films) and $3.99 (for recent releases, 30 days after the DVD comes out). High-def versions will cost a buck more. The rental process is the same as purchasing a song or TV show, but once you click RENT MOVIE you have 30 days to start a 24-hour window for watching the flick, either on your computer, iPod or iPhone.

Rentals will also work on Apple TV Take Two, a revamped version of the company’s not-very-successful living-room media server. The newer model is cheaper ($229) and doesn’t require a computer.

But maybe the cleverest new product is Time Capsule, a combination Wi-Fi base station and hard disk drive that automatically makes backups of your files that will be eternally retrievable using the Time Machine feature of Apple’s Leopard operating system. At $299 (for 500 gigs of storage) or $499 (for twice that—a terabyte!) it just might save your skin one day.

The Right Stuff

N'Gai Croal — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 17:06:39 GMT

...

Photos courtesy of (from left): Belkin, Neonode, Polaroid, iHome*

By N'Gai Croal
Jan. 21, 2008 issue

Even if you factor in the jaded streak that runs through most tech journalists, the oft-exchanged phrase at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show, “More of the same,” was a legitimate assessment of the gadgets on display. That said, we did manage to dig up some products worth highlighting. One was Jook, a hardware add-on for digital audio players that would permit you to broadcast your music wirelessly to other Jook-enabled music devices within 30 feet, or to listen to music being broadcast by other users and tag songs for purchase the next time you dock your player with your PC. Another was Seagate’s D.A.V.E., a Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-enabled pocket-size hard drive that allows you to access any audio or video files on it from devices as varied as iPhones, laptops, car stereos and more. Here are some other products that caught our eye.

* Belkin Surge Protector, $50: This remote-controlled power strip lets you shut off devices without ducking under your desk.
* Neonode N2 Mobile Phone (price not announced): Its infrared-based touchscreen is more rugged than that of an iPhone or Palm. The device also plays music and movies.
* Polaroid Mobile Photo Printer, $150: Connect phones and cameras via Bluetooth or USB for two- by three-inch prints
* iHome iP47 Clock Radio, $150: iPod players with built in alarm clocks aren’t new, but the speakerphone for iPhones is genius. You can also stream MP3s to the iP47 from any Bluetooth device.

Just Like a Rock Star

N'Gai Croal — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:46:50 GMT

Almost famous: Shoppers play the videogame Rock Band at the MTV Store in midtown Manhattan
Photograph by Timothy Fadek—Polaris for Newsweek.

There are few things that strike fear into the hearts of holiday shoppers as effectively as trying to shop for videogames. Many grown-ups aren’t particularly knowledgeable about games, which means that they regularly run the risk of buying a game that the recipient either doesn’t want or already owns. On top of that, sometimes buying just a stand-alone disc- or cartridge-based game doesn’t feel like a big-enough gesture (the box is so small!). Fortunately, there are a number of hardware-based gaming options that, depending on your budget, definitely make a statement about just how much you care.

Two of the hottest options are the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock bundle ($80 to $100, PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii; redoctane.com) and Rock Band ($170, Xbox 360 and PS3; rockbandstore.com). The original Guitar Hero was a surprise smash in 2005; Guitar Hero III continues the tradition of challenging players to match button presses on the included faux guitar with the matching on-screen icons. Just strapping on the guitar is enough to make you feel like a rock star, but letting your fingers fly across the buttons and tilting the neck up to trigger “star power” and drive your fans wild completes the dream.

Rock Band, however, cranks the fantasy up a notch by adding drums and a microphone to the mix (it also supports a second guitar for that special bassist in your life). The guitarists strum, the drummer drums, the singer warbles—think karaoke, but it detects what key you’re singing in—and it all adds up to one fantastic experience. At first, you’ll probably be using the overdrive power-up to save other band members from failing out and taking your entire band with them. But once you get the hang of it, overdrive becomes the nitrous that boosts your well-oiled machine to arena-rattling heights as you and your mates go on a virtual tour from Boston to Reykjavik and a slew of points in between.

If you’re shopping for someone who’d rather just sing than play mock instruments, consider the Ceramic White PlayStation 2 bundle ($150; gamestop.com). It includes Sony’s ubiquitous seven-year-old console, a pair of microphones and a copy of SingStar Pop, a slick karaoke game that includes both music videos and songs by such performers as Alicia Keys, Rihanna, U2 and Gorillaz. And for those who’d prefer to dance, Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution is available for multiple consoles, including Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party for the darn-near-impossible-to-find Wii ($70, Wii; bestbuy.com). What’s unique about the Wii version is that it not only makes use of the dance pad for your toe-tapping moves, but also the Wii remote and nunchuck for a variety of upper-body gestures.

You may find it next to impossible to persuade the Xbox 360 owner you’re shopping for to put down his or her copy of Halo 3 long enough to open up presents, or even bathe. But when less-trigger-happy friends come over, Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action ($60, Xbox 360; amazon.com) should entertain them without any digital bloodletting. Complete with four wireless game-show-style buzzers, it’s the videogame version of the popular DVD trivia series, with this one focusing on movie-related questions. There’s also Buzz! The Mega Quiz ($30, PS2; target.com), whose questions extend beyond movies to music, TV and sports, and Buzz! Junior Jungle Party ($30, PS2), targeted toward kids. And we’ll throw in a final stocking stuffer: the Wii Zapper ($25, Wii; circuitcity.com), a shotgun-shaped housing for a Wii remote and nunchuk that includes Link’s Crossbow Training. If you think of holiday shopping as a game, we hope we’ve given you the cheat codes you need to win.

Battle of the Bands

Newsweek — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:02:29 GMT

Nov. 12, 2007 issue

Who hasn’t had a rock-star fantasy? Indulge yours with the latest guitar-slinging videogames as Activision’s Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (from $90 to $100) takes on Harmonix’s Rock Band ($160 to $170).

Gameplay: In Guitar Hero III, you can shred on four difficulty levels. In Rock Band, four players jam together on vocals, drums, guitar and bass and bandmates can opt for different difficulty levels.

Tunes: Guitar Hero III rocks 73 songs, including “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Even Flow.” Rock Band includes 58 classics, such as “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and “Creep.” Both will offer downloadable tracks.

Instruments: Guitar Hero’s wireless axe comes with detachable neck for easier portability. Rock Band includes a drum set, mic and guitar (also used for bass). Drums come with a foot pedal and a set of sticks.

Cool features: Guitar Hero’s “boss” battles pit you against guitar greats Slash and Tom Morello. Rock Band’s character creator lets you craft an on-stage persona with attitudes (punk, goth, etc.), tats and haircuts.

Bringing TV to Your Handheld

Newsweek — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 14:55:27 GMT

Nov. 5, 2007 issue

Thanks to a new wave of handheld, video-friendly devices, it’s never been easier to keep yourself (or the kids) entertained. But before you buy a portable boob tube, there are a few things to consider.

If you plan to eye lots of video, consider a display of at least three inches. In general, expect to squeeze about 20 to 60 hours of video into 16 gigs (most new players come with 8 or 16GB of memory). If that’s not enough, look for a player with a memory-card slot, or consider a hard-drive player. For the video itself, iPod owners can seamlessly download movies and TV shows from Apple’s iTunes Store, while other devices play videos bought from services like Amazon Unbox, CinemaNow and Wal-Mart (though integration isn’t as smooth as Apple’s). Still unsure? Here’s a look at the latest portable video players:

The iPod touch features a roomy 3.5-inch-screen, built-in wireless and a slick touchscreen interface for navigation. ($299 for 8GB, $399 for 16GB; apple.com).

Samsung’s YP-P2 features its own three-inch widescreen touch-controlled display and stereo Bluetooth for wireless listening (the ability to handle cell-phone calls is coming soon). But with only 8 gigs and no expansion slot, you might hit the storage ceiling quickly ($200 for 4GB, $250 for 8GB; samsung.com).

Barely bigger than a bank card, Creative’s Zen has a 2.5-inch screen, but it was still large enough to enjoy an episode of “The Office” downloaded from Amazon. The controls and interface are iPod-simple, and with an SD card slot, storage is unlimited ($200 for 8GB, $250 for 16GB; us.creative.com).

SanDisk’s Sansa View is not as small as the Zen, but the 2.4-inch screen is about the smallest we’d go. It does claim to have the longest battery life—seven hours for video versus about five for the others. ($150 for 8GB, $200 for 16GB; sandisk.com).

Archos’s 605 Wifi sports a 4.3-inch screen, 30- to 160GB storage, and pop-out kickstand. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly buy or rent videos from CinemaNow. One drawback: downloads can take hours ($300 for 30GB, $400 for 160GB; archos.com). But at least you’ll have a great video library.

—Cathy Lu

When To Be Wary Of ‘Free Wi-Fi’

Linda Stern — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:32:48 GMT

Oct. 29, 2007 issue

All those coffeeshop, airport and hotel Wi-Fi networks are just so darned convenient ... maybe a little too convenient. Consumer groups are warning mobile computer users that some of those Wi-Fi networks may be fake, designed by hackers to look official while they snag passwords, credit-card numbers and other personal information. When you sign on to one of those fake networks, you’re on the Internet, but you’re getting there through someone else’s computer, and whoever owns that computer can monitor your every click.

Airport officials in Chicago, New York and elsewhere have reported finding dozens of ad hoc networks advertised as having free Wi-Fi connections in lounges and gate areas, though there’s no data on whether these networks were used fraudulently, or simply to allow travelers a free hookup. Nonetheless, it makes sense to play it safe, says the Better Business Bureau. Here’s how to protect yourself: look for posted signs that tell you the precise name of the hotspot; networks labeled FREE WI-FI are the most suspect. Set your computer so that it asks you for permission before it connects to a new network. If your computer reports two networks with the identical name, trust the one that is called a wireless network and not a “computer to computer” network. Turn off file-sharing when you’re on the road, so passersby can’t access your stored data. Don’t store key passwords on your laptop. And don’t do your banking or online shopping while you’re in public unless you’re confident that the network you’re riding is a secure one ... and the guy behind you isn’t reading over your shoulder.

PSP Loses Weight

Newsweek — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:00:06 GMT

Sept. 10, 2007 issue - Like Nintendo's DS last year, Sony's PlayStation Portable is getting a much-needed nip-and-tuck. The new PSP is only three quarters of an inch thick, down from nine tenths. And thanks in part to a slimmer battery, the device is shedding about 2.5 ounces, down to 6.7. Other upgrades include:

Play on your TV: By connecting a cable from the new video-out port to a TV, users can watch flicks or play games on a big screen ($20 component cable required).

Speed: With twice the memory of the original (now 64MB), games load faster.

Power upgrades: Instead of lugging an AC adapter, gamers can charge the PSP from their computer using a standard USB cable. They can also squeeze in the battery from an old PSP for backup on long trips.

Design tweaks: The speakers have been moved up to prevent hand muffling. The Wi-Fi switch is at the top of the unit to reduce accidental turnoffs. And the UMD tray that holds game and movie discs is easier to open and load.

New colors: Users now have their pick of hues: silver (available this week; $200 with Daxter game), black (late September; $170) and white with a Darth Vader theme (early October; $200 as part of Star Wars Battlefront bundle).

See them all at us.playstation.com/PSP.

—Cathy Lu

Unchain My iPod!

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:32:45 GMT

April 16, 2007 issue - Here's great news for digital-music fans: at a press conference last week, EMI, one of the four major labels, said that beginning next month it will let Apple sell its entire catalog on iTunes without the anti-piracy software known as digital-rights management, or DRM. Now iTunes songs can be played on devices other than the iPod, as well as allowing law-abiding customers to make all the personal copies they want. EMI says it's also negotiating with other online stores.

The bad news is that it will cost more. While you can still buy the current format (DRM-laden tracks for 99 cents), the new format, with no DRM and improved sound quality (near CD-level), sells for $1.29 per track. You can upgrade your old songs for the 30-cent difference. (If you buy an album, you get the new format for the same price.) Apple CEO Steve Jobs predicts other labels will follow.

--Steven Levy