Author: Serkadis

Filed under: Gaming, Software, iPhone, iPod touch

Good news for the new year from Touch Arcade: Hironobu Sakaguchi is developing games for the iPhone. Just in case that name doesn’t ring a bell for you, maybe the games he’s helped create might: Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, and Xenogears. Yes, those of you who know your console RPG history will know that those are some of the best role-playing games ever made, and if you don’t know that, then walk away from whatever you’re doing right now and go play all of them — they’re brilliant.

Sakaguchi announced over on the blog for his latest company, Mistwalker, that his team was working on a brand new “blockbuster project” in 2010, and they’re also working on releasing something for the iPhone. He doesn’t share much at all about either, though he does say that we’ll see the iPhone project on the App Store soon. We can’t wait — having a legendary developer like this working on the iPhone platform just shows that while 2009 was a great year for iPhone gaming, 2010 has plenty of potential as well.

TUAWFinal Fantasy, Chrono Trigger creator working on an iPhone project originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How do you follow up on the “Eclipse of the Century” and a magic act that made Saturn’s rings disappear? The night sky had plenty of highlights to offer during the past year – but the year ahead promises to be just as stellar. You can look forward to an annular solar eclipse in January, a South Pacific brush with totality in July, a high-rising lunar eclipse in December, and more celestial sights in between. Here are some of the high points for skywatching in 2010:

…(read more)

We’re still trying to wrap our heads around what Lenovo’s just announced here, but it appears that the 3.8-pound IdeaPad U1 Hybrid is a 11.6-inch laptop with a retractable multitouch screen. It’s sort of like the Always Innovating Touchbook, but in our opinion a lot more interesting. When the screen is locked into its upright position in the laptop’s chassis, it’s powered by a CULV Intel Core 2 Duo processor and runs Windows 7 Home Premium. But when the screen is pulled from its shell it morphs into a Qualcomm Snapdragon powered-multitouch slate with a 16GB SSD that boots Lenovo’s customized Skylight Linux interface. Two processors and two operating systems? Hybrid is right. It seems like we’ll have to wait until June to buy the $999 device, but we’ve been promised a look at it in Vegas so stay tuned.

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid: laptop by day, unhinged tablet by night originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve just gotten the inside line on Garmin’s CES spread, and let’s just start this intel off on the right foot: it looks like we aren’t going to see a Nuvifone II at the show this year. Here’s what we’ve got in the pipe:

• Garmin Voice Studio: This might be the coolest announcement, but if you’ve got friends with compatible devices, it’s going to get old real quick. Basically, it’s a PC-based app that lets you record your own nav instructions (which we’re guessing is going to result in some extraordinarily NC17-rated Nuvis). The company is saying it’ll take about 20 minutes to complete a set of commands — and naturally, it won’t do text-to-speech for reading street names and the like. It won’t work on the Nuvi 3xx and 6xx series, but otherwise, you should be good to go.
• Zumo 665: Have a rider in the family? The 665 is Garmin’s latest motorcycle-centric nav unit, which appears to be little more than a 660 with the XM weather, radio (with A2DP out), and traffic on board. It’s got a slightly newer firmware build than the current 660 that adds additional map layouts and data fields; and don’t worry, 660 owners — you’ll get it in the Spring.
• ecoRoute HD: The long-discussed ecoRoute cable will be confirmed (again) at $149.99, this time for a launch somewhere between the first and second quarter of the year.
• Approach G3: This looks to be a downmarket version of the G5 for high-tech golfers looking for a little assistance on the green; MSRP comes in at $349 (compared to $449 for its big brother).

And as far as we can tell, that’s it. Start warming up your best navigation voices, folks.

Garmin’s CES lineup leaked: golf, cars, and do-it-yourself navigation voices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. and Israel’s relationship at fault

Charles Krauthammer faults President Obama for seeking an end to hostilities in our war with Islamic jihadists [“Yes, Mr. President, we’re at war,” Opinion, Jan. 2].

Since they “are openly pledged to war on America,” Krauthammer sees no possibility for peace. Nor does he see that the U.S. and Israel have openly pledged war against those in the Middle East who choose to resist their aggression. The truth is that Islamic jihadists kill us because we help Israel kill Muslims and we kill them ourselves. Neither side holds any moral high ground here. In fact, the U.S. and Israel have done most of the killing in the last decade. Both sides have been guilty of war crimes and terrorism. That is the reason for the standoff.

Krauthammer and others — mainly supporters of Israel — see this simply as a war against evil Islamic jihadists. This is not true. There are legitimate political issues on both sides that must be resolved to promote the peace. President Obama must find a way to rescue America from this downward spiral of death and destruction. This is especially the case since America is paying a very high price in lives, wealth and reputation. The real pity is that Israel is no more secure today than it was before the escalation of hostilities.

Unfortunately, Krauthammer’s views are also those of powerful domestic and foreign lobbyists in the U.S. They will try to destroy our president if he works for a peace they reject. We had better be ready to support him against such an onslaught.

— Malcolm D. McPhee, Sequim

Palestinian issue breeds terrorism

Charles Krauthammer wants a wider war with Islam so that Israel will be brought even closer to America. The terrorists have the Palestinian issue on their side. Had it not been for this issue, there would not be any terrorists.

We do not need a war with Islam. The president is doing the right thing when he attempts to criminalize terrorism. Terrorists should not be given the glory of war. The language of crime and punishment should be used in dealing with them. Their stature rises every time we call it a war.

— Dale McCracken, Renton

Ideology affronts Constitution, legal system

The opinion column by Charles Krauthammer pushes a very dangerous ideology. In his column, Krauthammer ridicules President Obama’s efforts to close the Guantánamo prison and suggests that terrorists should not be prosecuted under our legal system.

The Constitution of the United States has long been a model for how a country should be ruled. We are a nation based on the rule of law and the Constitution defines the foundation of our legal system. To ignore our laws because we are afraid of a small number of terrorists threatens the very basis of our culture.

Terrorists can attack us but they cannot destroy us. But people like Krauthammer can destroy what our Founding Fathers gave us. We are not “at war” with terrorism because terrorists are not a country that we can declare war on. They are international criminals who can be stopped only by good police work.

Our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not making us safer, rather they are drawing resources away from the only effective way of stopping terrorists. This most recent column is just another example of how clueless Krauthammer is. The Times should stop publishing this un-American trash.

— Gary Maxwell, Lynnwood

Different rules of engagement are required

No, Mr. Krauthammer, we are not at war with terrorism. To call it war invokes international laws on war and rules of engagement that do not apply to anti-terrorist actions. Misapplication of these laws and rules is what has been wrongly used to justify actions such as imprisonment of suspected terrorists essentially forever — without judiciary benefits — because we classify them as prisoners of war.

The term “war” should be reserved for its specific applications in international law, namely, armed conflict between nations using conventional armies, or internal civil actions aimed at governmental overthrow. Our struggle against terrorism is a new form of activity, which combines police and intelligence activities with targeted covert action not aimed at government overthrow, and different rules of engagement are required.

— James Maynard, Sammamish

The term ‘jihadist’ should be avoided

Although the choice of a word can be extremely important, especially in a country with the rule of law, there are many who feel that the term “jihadist” should be avoided. This word is exactly the one that these disturbed killers desire. It reinforces and justifies their ways.

Maybe President Obama has made a good decision in banishing the word from his lexicon.

— Steven Short, Mercer Island

A few months back, we wrote about Disney’s attempt to create a new kind of DRM called “keychest” that would supposedly let a “buyer” (really, limited use “renter”) access the content he or she paid for on a variety of devices. As I noted at the time, all this was really doing was giving you back your fair use rights on content, while wrapping it in additional DRM. Many noted that this was actually Disney’s attempt to respond to a wider industry initiative (that Disney is not a part of) called DECE for Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem. While many are excited about this, I still fail to see what the big deal is. With the Consumer Electronics Show underway this week, DECE is getting a ton of publicity, where it will be demoed. But it’s still the same old story. It’s giving you your fair use rights wrapped up in another layer of DRM that you have to hope never goes away. It’s good that the industry is finally realizing that locking you to a single device is a bad idea, but this isn’t the solution.

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By Andrew LaVallee, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

The Consumer Electronics Show starts Thursday and will feature thousands of technology vendors clamoring for attention. They’ll have their work cut out for them.

The Apple (AAPL) tablet, an Internet-connected, touch-screen device, has dominated the tech blogosphere in recent weeks, even though it hasn’t been formally announced by the secretive company. The Journal reported that Apple is in talks with TV networks for a related subscription service, and outlets have also discussed the possible component makers that will work with Apple.

Apple watchers expect the company–maybe even Steve Jobs, who has been closely involved with the tablet’s development–to unveil the tablet in three weeks (Jan. 27, according to All Things D), and while Apple won’t be at CES, you can bet that attendees and exhibitors will be talking about it.

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San Mateo, Calif.-based Glu Mobile (NSDQ: GLUU), which had been struggling to appoint a new CEO, says it has hired Niccolo de Masi as President and CEO. De Masi’s name rings a bell because he most recently served as CEO and president of San Francisco-based Hands-On Mobile, one of Glu’s competitors (and actually he is still listed as CEO on Hands-On’s website). Release.

Just about a month ago, Glu appointed its co-chairman William J. Miller to the position of interim president and CEO as it continued to look for a replacement for Greg Ballard, who was stepping down to pursue other opportunities. The board had been conducting a search for a permanent replacement for months, but had no luck. Miller was appointed because the mobile-game company was just entering their 2010 planning process, and it made sense to have a manager participate that would still be around in the new year. Miller said today in a release: “The Board of Directors of Glu is delighted that Niccolo will be joining us as Glu’s next president and CEO. We are convinced that he has exactly the right combination of energy, experience and skill to lead the company to a growing and profitable future.”

It’s unclear when de Masi’s last day was at Hands-On Mobile, or if there should be any concerns over him jumping ship for a competitor. Prior to Hands-On, he was the CEO of Monstermob Group from June 2006 to February 2007. “I am excited to join the Glu team, which I believe to be a world-class global enterprise,” he said. “I look forward to this new challenge, as we focus on utilizing the company’s scale to enhance our market share in both the traditional carrier business and new platforms, such as the iPhone and social networks.  I will work tirelessly to build upon the foundation that the Glu team has built and welcome this opportunity to lead Glu during what I believe will be a period of growth.”

Glu said de Masi has been awarded the chance to purchase 1,250,000 shares of Glu’s common stock pursuant to Glu’s 2008 Equity Inducement Plan. The stock option was granted to de Masi today and has an exercise price equal to the closing price of Glu’s common stock of $1.21 a share.

Related

• Hands-On Mobile Has More Layoffs Coming This Week

A previously unreleased duet between the late Michael Jackson and singer Lenny Kravitz made the rounds online Monday. Sony has since removed the single, entitled “Another Day,” from YouTube over copyright infringement claims, but Lenny hit Twitter to explain the history of the track and express his hope that it can be released for fans at some point in the future.

“The song was recorded by Michael and myself. I produced it for him,” the rocker divulged in a TwitVid Monday. “I wrote the song and I played all the instruments on the track. It was one of the most amazing musical experiences that I’ve ever had.”

“It was done by two people who had respect for each other and who love music. That was it. I’d like to see this thing get straightened out as soon as possible because I’d like for u you, the fans, people who love Michael, to be able to hear the track in its entirety, the way that it was meant to be, the way that Michael and I had intended it to be. That’s all being worked out… I’ll get back to you as soon as I have my information,” he said.

Lenny explained that he had nothing to do with the song being leaked online.

“As you know and have heard, the song, or part of the song leaked, but not by me,” Lenny said. “Mine has been locked up in a vault since we recorded it. The version that’s out is a minute and 30 seconds, roughly, of the track. [It’s] not mixed, but it is the track. The DJ who’s speaking over the track, I don’t know who that person is. I don’t know how they obtained it… but that person has nothing to do with the track.”

For the first time in decades, a controversial wolf hunt is underway in Sweden.  The Swedish Environment Protection Agency approved the limited cull of 27 wolves, or about 10 percent of the Swedish wolf population.  In October, the Swedish parliament voted to limit the wolf population to 210 animals for the next five years.

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(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Environment Committee chairman John F. McKeon sponsored to provide local governments and counties with up to $5 million in matching grants to convert contaminated sites into renewable energy projects was today …

What child has not sat starry-eyed around the fire, dreaming of the goodies to come on January 1—Public Domain Day? The thought of new books and movies and music coming out from copyright is enough to send sugarplums dancing through heads, unless you live in the US in 2010. In which case, you have nothing to celebrate, since nothing is entering the public domain this year.

Thanks to various copyright terms extensions over the last four decades, the US is living in the midst of a public domain “donut hole” under which no important works will come out of copyright protection. Before the 1976 Copyright Act reforms, copyright in the US lasted for 28 years, with another 28 if an extension was applied for. Under the old regime, works from 1953 would have entered the public domain this week, works like C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair and Saul Bellow’s The Adventures of Augie March.

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Say Cheese! Who knew the high-dysfunctional fomer First Family of Reality TV were besties with The Kardashian Klan? The Kardashians celebrated the holidays with Sharon and Kelly Osbourne at the Kardashian’s surburban L.A. home on Christmas Eve.

Kim and her mom Kris, stars of E!’s Keeping Up With The Kardashians, posed for a mother-daughter photo with Kelly and Sharon — who appeared on a family reality hit of their own with MTV’s The Osbournes –during last month’s festives.

“I had the best Christmas Eve this year! The whole family gathered at my mom’s house, which she had beautifully decorated, as she does every year,” Kim blogged Monday. “It was so great to have everyone together… all of us sisters, Rob, baby Mason, Brody, Burt and Brandon, Lamar… just perfect! We had so much fun messing around together and catching up!”

Fourteen-Week Weight Loss Challenge Begins Today

Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating (SSHE), the premier meal replacement company in the country, kicks off today its weight loss contest called Seattle Sutton’s 2010 Slim Down.

Seattle Sutton’s 2010 Slim Down contest is the first of its kind for the nearly 25-year old company that provides freshly prepared, portion-controlled meals to thousands of people from coast-to-coast each week.

The contest is a 14-week weight loss challenge beginning today through April 12, 2010 and will provide 10 lucky contestants with the 1,200-calorie SSHE meal plan.

Meals included in the contest are every breakfast, lunch and dinner for the contestants, a total of 294 meals in all, for the entire 98 days of the contest.

ACL Labs will measure contestants’ glucose (blood sugar), cholesterol and triglycerides at the beginning of the contest and at the conclusion to measure their improvement of health. Blood pressure will also be recorded at the beginning and end of the contest.

Contestants will be monitored weekly and weigh-in each week at their distributor locations when they pick up their SSHE meals.

The contestant who loses the most weight based on percentage of body weight loss will win the challenge. The two contestants who lose the second and third most weight based on percentage of body weight lost will also win prizes.

The 10 Seattle Sutton’s 2010 Slim Down finalists competing for improved health and great prizes are:

• Andrea L., 46 years old from Flossmoor, Ill.
• Denise A., 50 years old from Hazlecrest, Ill.
• Donna N., 64 years old from Bloomingdale, Ill.
• Heidi W., 23 years old from Chicago, Ill.
• Linda R., 50 years old from Palatine, Ill.
• Martha I., 61 years old from Chicago, Ill.
• Michael K., 41 years old from Spring Grove, Ill.
• Paul Q., 40 years old from Westmont, Ill.
• Phil P., 39 years old from Chicago, Ill.
• Tim G., 51 years old from Aurora, Ill.

The 10 finalists were chosen from thousands of entries accepted from October 5, 2009 through October 26, 2009 from web and mail entries. To learn more about the contest visit seattlesutton.com and read the official rules.

Or, follow along with the contestants, go to chicagonow.com/seattlesutton for up-to-date progress.

Prizes for the Seattle Sutton’s 2010 Slim Down contest for those who lose the most weight based on percentage of body weight lost are:

• Grand prize is a trip to Orlando for 4 days/3 nights to Universal Orlando Resort. The grand prize is for 4 people and includes roundtrip coach class airfare, ground transfers, hotel accommodations at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort and passes to Universal Studios Florida.
• First place prize is $1,000 cash.
• Second place prize is 5 weeks of SSHE 1200-calorie meal plan.

Seattle Sutton, founder and president of Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating said, “I’m overjoyed at the possibility of helping these 10 people change their lives for good. Healthy eating is essential in overall good health. Good health is the most important asset one has in life, without it, nothing else matters…your car, home or material possessions mean nothing without good health.”

“Taking on a weight loss challenge like this is very courageous, since habits can be difficult to break. But habits are breakable and health can be re-gained through healthy eating. I’ve seen it time and again through helping people with our freshly prepared meals and as a registered nurse,” Sutton said.

Sutton continued, “I’ll be rooting each and every one of our 10 finalists on. I want each of them to succeed and live a healthier life for them and their families.”

Seattle Sutton’s 2010 Slim Down contest is sponsored by SSHE in cooperation with the Tribune Media Group, and ACL Laboratories.

About Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating

Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating (SSHE), a family-owned, Illinois-based healthy meal replacement company offers a no-gimmick approach to convenient, healthy eating nationwide.

The meal program is scientifically designed and taste-tested. Founded by Seattle Sutton, RN, BSN, in 1985, SSHE helps to address patients’ desire to lose weight and improve overall health.

Seattle Sutton’s dedication to health continues today, since all SSHE menus are analyzed on an ongoing basis and adhere to recommended dietary guidelines.

SSHE prepares thousands of fresh meals weekly and its innovative approach has helped thousands of people achieve and maintain weight loss without planning, shopping or cooking for themselves.

For more information, seattlesutton.com or 1-800-442-DIET (3438).

For business-related inquiries, 1-888-442-DIET (3438).

Northbrook, Illinois firm purchases The Arbors of Brookdale in Naperville

Prime Property Investors, Ltd. Co-CEOs, Barbara J. Gaffen and Michael H. Zaransky announced the purchase of The Arbors of Brookdale in Naperville, Illinois, a 281 Unit, full amenity luxury Class A Garden Style Apartment Complex.

The fully stabilized property was 96% occupied at closing.

Gaffen stated, “This acquisition provides a significant opportunity to purchase a rarely available highly stable quality asset, in an excellent community, at a price level significantly below replacement cost.”

Zaransky added, “Emerging demographic trends coupled with unique market conditions have created a significant opportunity for increased cash flow and future appreciation in values for Class A suburban garden style apartment complexes.

The Chicago suburban MSA, and Naperville in particular, provides considerable upside due to a lack of new construction, significant barriers to entry, and projected growth in renter demand.”

Arbors of Brookdale is a thirty five building, plus club house and garages, complex, with a combined 281 separate private entrance apartment units. The total building square footage is approximately 317,705 square feet and the site lot size is 26 acres.

The property grounds are set in a unique arboretum of trees and fountain ponds and include 359 recently fully repaved surface parking spaces and 138 enclosed private parking garages with remote controlled overhead doors.

All apartment units feature highly desirable separate private entry doors, two exposure views, and triple pane double hung windows.

The 5,100 square foot Club House includes the on site management and leasing office, great room with fireplace and bar area, a business center, and a newly renovated and equipped full service fitness center and locker rooms with sauna.

The common areas are free Wi-Fi access equipped. Community amenities include an outdoor pool and large sundeck, heated indoor pool and hot tub, 2 tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, and two outdoor gazebos.

With a population of over 145,000, Naperville is located 25 miles west of downtown Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. During the past two decades, DuPage County has been widely recognized as the fastest growing county in the Midwest.

The DuPage County estimated population of 931,533 represents a 19% increase over 1990 figures. Growth in DuPage County is projected to remain strong for the foreseeable future.

In three of the last four years, Naperville was ranked in the top three by Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live in America edition.

Prime Property Investors, Ltd., based in Northbrook, Illinois, is a leading multi-family property investment firm with a specialized niche in Garden Style Conventional Suburban Apartment Complexes and Student Housing properties.

The nationwide Student Housing portfolio properties are branded as Prime Campus Housing and the Garden Style Conventional Apartment Complexes are branded as Prime Residential Communities.

Due to Prime’s tremendous growth, the company was recognized by Inc. Magazine for placement on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in America.

Additionally, Prime was ranked one of the 50 best companies in the nation to work for in the residential property industry in an independent survey by Professional Builder Magazine.

 

First read this.

Scratch(ed) and Dent(ed) RMBS – Posted by Tracy Alloway – Here’s something that might have escaped your radar during Christmas week — a mass downgrade of so-called `Scratch and Dent’ RMBS deals by ratings agency Fitch – FT Alphaville

Here are additional thoughts from MNC reader, Nom De Plumber …

Implications, especially for whole-loan portfolios:

1.  Seasoned cohorts have been converging with newer cohorts, as negative equity and strategic borrower behavior trump all.  

2.  Seasoned mortgages are really just failed extensions/modifications.

3.  Cure rates for even seasoned mortgages will continue to decline – meaning that 30-day delinquencies are increasingly just inevitable defaults.

4.  Historical roll-rate default modeling is an insufficient credit predictor, as economic policies create incentives for borrowers to game for cheap or free home usage.

5.  Scratch-and-dent loans should be priced heuristically per observable severities, not econometric projections of eventual re-performance or refinancing/sale prepayments.

Nom De Plumber is a Nom De Plume.

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 1.4.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This was one of the first traditional Italian meals my not-so-traditional Italian husband cooked for me back in our courtin’ days, and it remains one of my favorites. If you’ve been hankering after the heaps of local escarole at the market this time of year, this recipe is a great way to put them to use. Best part: This satisfying one-dish meal can be made in about 45 minutes.

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Could you disconnect, even if you wanted to? – Nick Gogerty – Here is an interesting map from William Easterly’s site AidWatch. It shows the distance from major cities as a function of geography and time.  Most of us are a few hours away from each other.
A few things to consider when looking at a network diagram like this:

People and things spread fast
Ideas spread faster
Feedback loops amplify and intensify certain things
Individuals can’t really opt out of this process easily   Designing Better Futures
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A Ponzi scheme that works –  The greatest strength of America is that people want to live there – The Economist
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Deflation – Larry Doyle – Although the American consumer is much more accustomed to inflation and the threat of inflation, I am increasingly convinced that the threat of deflation remains the greater challenge. This battle between macroeconomic deflationary forces versus governmental supported inflationary programs is THE ultimate issue facing our economy in 2010 and beyond – has logic – Sense on Cents
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Stimulating By Saving – John Tamny – Consumers aren’t spending as much this holiday season, and that’s a good thing. – … Most economists place consumption at the center of all economic activity, but it seems in doing so that they ignore what truly drives economic advances. Consumption is always going to occur–it is one reason we work–but we truly stimulate the economy when we save. … – Forbes

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James Grant: Let the Good Times Roll – Why James Grant Thinks the Economic Recovery Might Be More Robust Than Widely Expected – New York Magazine

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Bubble-onomics: 10 Predictions for 2010 – Andrew Butter -` 1: S&P 500  2: Oil   3: Gold   4: U.S. House Prices   5: U.K. House Prices   6: U.S. 10-Year and 30-Year Treasury Yields.   7: U.S. Commercial Property   8: Hong Kong Housing   9: Dubai Freehold   10: Shanghai Stock Market – Seeking Alpha
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FACTBOX: 10 big U.S. financial scandals of 2009 – The year of the Ponzi scheme will be followed by heightened regulation and more aggressive prosecutions, experts say. As 2010 approaches, regulators and prosecutors are scrambling to uncover and pursue more fraudsters, while lawmakers seek to close regulatory gaps and give officials more resources. – Reuters
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The economic statistic of the decade – Felix Salmon – Mike Mandel has four nominees for his “Economic Statistic of the Decade” award, including home prices (obvs), Chinese growth, and global trade. But the most startling one, for me, is US household borrowing … – Reuters Blogs