Tech Blog articles

Blockbuster expected to file for bankruptcy

TeddyK — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:02:22 GMT

When Netflix announced that it was bringing its streaming service to Canada this fall, some pundits were citing it as the death knell for Blockbuster and other video rental stores. There were reports two weeks ago that Blockbuster was prepared to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S., effectively ending any dominance the company once had in the video rental market.

Free and good? It’s for the birds!

bgrier — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:02:10 GMT

Occasionally you stumble across a cool tool or two that really make you wonder why you'd not seen them before.

In my case it was with the Myna audio editing software that's part of the Aviary suite. It's cool, it works well, it's online, and it's free!

Customer Service Face-off: Bell vs. Rogers Part 1

MathewKumar — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:49:53 GMT

I've been away for a while. Miss me? maybe not! But I've been away because I've been moving apartments, and as pretty much everyone has moved homes at some point in their lives, I imagine you can relate to just how difficult it is. So whatever companies can do to make things easier is much appreciated. For example, there's the task of moving over your internet, phone, TV service, and so on. How easy do the big two, Bell and Rogers, make it?

StarCraft II: 3 Million Sold In First Month

PaulH — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:38:38 GMT

Everyone expected StarCraft II to sell well, but three million copies in the first month proves that Blizzard's real-time strategy game still has lots of momentum.

PAX Report #3 Always bet on Duke

Graham — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:28:39 GMT

It's been over a decade, and I find myself in almost the same position I did over ten years ago: still waiting for Duke Nukem Forever. Unlike any other day in the last ten years, however, today is the day when I'll actually get to see-and play-the game dubbed vaporware of the decade. Even as I sit on the cold concrete of the Washington Convention Center I can't help but feel a thrill of unchecked excitement; even though the air smells slightly of unwashed gamers and it feels like this may bring about Ragnarok, the possibility of playing Duke Nukem Forever makes it worth it.

The line stretches onwards ahead of me. I'm not sure what time I would have to rouse myself to be at the front of this line. Like an old god awakening it begins to shift. I haven't long to wait now.

Heading into the hall it becomes clear that the wait will go on for the better part of the day. Hours pass. Nations rise and fall. The door finally opens; I am greeted by Randy Pitchford of Gearbox. This is unreal.

U.S. Video Game Industry Growing 7x Faster Than Economy

PaulH — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:40:08 GMT

Last year we looked at the explosive growth of the Canadian video game industry, but what about our neighbours to the south? According to a recent report from Economists Incorporated it appears the industry there is growing at much higher pace than the rest of the U.S. economy.

PAX Report #2 Get Your TRON on

Graham — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:26:01 GMT

I thought I recognized some of the guys at the TRON booth at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle; learning that Vancouver's own Propaganda Games was working on the title confirmed it. The last time I had seen many of the face here, Propaganda was winding down production of Turok and getting ready to launch it. While Turok's reception was lukewarm, hopes at Propaganda appear to be high for TRON: Evolution. It's clear that the studio thinks it has a hit on its hands.

TRON: Evolution has a lot to live up to. The cult classic film from the early eighties earned a huge following for its groundbreaking (and utterly unused after the fact) use of rotoscoping. Starring Bruce Boxleitner, David Warburton, and Jeff Bridges, TRON captured the imaginations of young gamers around the world. The concept of a world within computer networks has been revisited since TRON, but never with the style or the gravitas of that film.

Offline, yet intune!

bgrier — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:17:56 GMT

If you were looking for my weekly ‘This is the week that was’ post, please accept my apologies -- I was camping in the wilds of central Alberta with nary a cell tower within range. Which means I was offline for 3 days.

Which was actually kind of cool and refreshing because it ties in quite nicely to the subject this post...

iOS4.1 Saves iPhone 3G

buzzbishop — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:47:33 GMT

Apple loves to make things obsolete. With each new iPod design, the others are instantly deemed antique. With the new iOS4 released this year, the same was done to the iPhone 3G. Thankfully, it appears Apple has saved those of us with the ancient hardware. The iOS4.1 update is due this week and all will be right in the world.

At Microsoft's X’10 preview event – Fable III interview with Josh Atkins

rgbalex — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:14:21 GMT

In my final interview at Microsoft’s X’10 event in Toronto, I talk with Design Director Josh Atkins of Lionhead Studios about what to expect in Fable III, and the importance of storytelling in video games, from the writing to the voice talent.

One of the goals was to engage the player enough to actually put down the controller and think about the moral decisions they make.

“For us, the idea of a choice, it really has to make you care. It can’t just be so good/evil. It’s got to be something that pulls at you a lot more.”

Microsoft Releasing Two New Wireless Xbox 360 Controllers This Fall

PaulH — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:34:09 GMT

Readying for the busy holiday gaming season, Microsoft has revealed two brand new controllers in recent weeks that are set to release this fall for the Xbox 360.

Disney Sing It: Family Hits Review: Bibbidi Bobbidi Woooo!

PaulH — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:12:48 GMT

Everybody loves Disney songs, we just can't help it. It's like we were all born with these classic and contemporary tunes ingrained into our minds and every time they play it's impossible to not sing in your head or hum along. That's why I'm surprised it took Disney so long to release a karaoke game that includes many of our favourite Disney hits in one place, especially given that sing-along games have been around, or at least popularized, since 2003's Karaoke Revolution by Konami. Well, Disney Sing It: Family Hits has finally arrived, and if you're a PlayStation 3 or Wii owner you're in for quite the Disney musical treat.

Here's All 105 DJ Hero 2 Songs

PaulH — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:18:52 GMT

DJ Hero 2, which releases October 19, is packing an incredible 105 songs transformed into over 80 unique mixes from some of the top DJs in the world.

PAX Report #1: Guild Wars 2

Graham — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:28:16 GMT

ArenaNet knows what gamers want: real, relevant, playable gameplay–and their booth at the Penny Arcade Expo proves that they’re on board with it. Each demo terminal gives gamers the opportunity to play for up to 40 minutes and experience either the opening levels of the game or an advanced character. It doesn’t matter which option you pick, however, as both are equally epic.

Dark Horse Rising

Guild Wars has always been a bit of a dark horse in the MMO world; built as a pay-once, play forever model, it cut across the grain of many other MMOs, offering end users a massive amount of content, as well as featuring paid expansions.

The team at ArenaNet made a conscious decision to re-imagine everything without reservation. That means that Guild Wars 2 doesn’t look, feel, or play like any other MMO you’ve enjoyed in recent years.

A Case For Geo Hashtagging

buzzbishop — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:58:04 GMT

Calgary may not have as many Twitter superstars as places like San Francisco, Toronto or Vancouver but those that do use Twitter make it easy to follow the herd by hashtagging. Almost everything that happens in Calgary on Twitter is hashtagged #yyc - a great model that each local Twitter community should adopt.

The CD is Dead, Long Live The CD

buzzbishop — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:03:56 GMT

With just a few seconds of his keynote address this week, Steve Jobs through the first shovel of dirt on a device that was already dead. With a new logo for iTunes, sans CD, the company that took digital retailing of music mainstream completely buried the old way of doing things.

At Microsoft's X’10 preview event - Fallout: New Vegas

rgbalex — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:54:53 GMT

Taking place about 3 years after the events of Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas spans an area about the size of the Capital Wasteland, but it’s not quite the post apocalyptic environment.

Since Vegas wasn’t directly targeted in the attacks of the Great War, they still have power, which means there’s going to be a lot more colour in the new game.

A few things to head out with for Labour Day

trishussey — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:52:37 GMT

I'm going to take some time off this Labour Day weekend (on my Honeymoon to be exact), and while I'm not planning on doing any work, that doesn't mean I'm going to untether completely. It isn't just that I want to stay in touch, it's also that I like to write and jot things down, so I need a certain amount of tech with me to do that. Not to mention, I'll be taking pictures, so there is that gear too. Beyond my usual "what I carry in my man-bag" stuff for just being out and about, I'm tossing in:

Want to be spaced out? Get the NASA app for iPad

trishussey — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:12:05 GMT

If there are two things that always go together it's geeks and space. Well my fellow geeks, at least those with iPads, you have got to stop what you're doing and download the new NASA in HD iPad app. It's free, don't worry about that, and once you have the app in front of you if your first words aren't "wow" you need your head adjusted.

What the new Apple TV is missing

TeddyK — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:52:00 GMT

It’s about time Apple finally started taking the living room more seriously, even if the word “hobby” is still attached to it in a tongue-in-cheek way. And while cramming in some great functionality in a little box is great, there are still some things the new Apple TV appears to be missing.