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Amgen, a global biotechnology company with manufacturing operations in Boulder and Longmont, is giving $1 million toward the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building, a state-of-the-art research and teaching facility under construction at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The first phase of the 257,000-square-foot building on CU-Boulder’s East Campus, northwest of Colorado Avenue and the Foothills Parkway, is slated for completion in late 2011. The facility will house the university’s Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology, or CIMB, the department of chemical and biological engineering, and the biochemistry division of the department of chemistry and biochemistry.

The building has been instrumental in helping CIMB recruit a “dream team” of scientists and engineers led by CU-Boulder Distinguished Professor Thomas Cech, a 1989 Nobel laureate in chemistry and former president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

“Dr. Cech has not only been a leader in his field, but has advanced opportunities for research for students throughout his career,” said Dave Bengston, vice president of Colorado site operations at Amgen. “Amgen’s grant demonstrates our confidence in Dr. Cech’s vision to further enhance research opportunities for undergraduates and aligns with our company’s commitment to advancing science education and biotechnology research.”

Amgen employs more than 900 people in Boulder County.

“Amgen’s gift comes at a critical time in the construction of CU’s new building, and it will allow full fit-out of laboratory space that would otherwise have been shell space,” Cech said. “Equally exciting is the fact that this gift strengthens Colorado’s already strong relationship with this premier biotechnology company.”

A total of 60 senior CU-Boulder faculty, 500 staff members and hundreds of students are expected to work toward biotechnology solutions in the new building.

With the Amgen gift, more than $25 million in private support has been raised for the building including a lead naming gift from CU-Boulder Distinguished Professor Marvin Caruthers, a member of Amgen’s first scientific advisory board. With a $60 million commitment from the university, this comprises more than half the building’s $145 million Phase I cost.

About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

In something of a repeat of the judicial system barring the videotaping and live broadcast of Joel Tenenbaum’s trial, the Supreme Court voted to bar video streaming of a controversial court case in California. The 5 – 4 ruling was supported mainly on procedural grounds — about how the courts couldn’t make such a “change” without giving more notice. It’s difficult to comprehend how that makes any sense. This is not a massive “change” in procedures or anything that affects how the judicial system works. It’s merely an attempt to provide more transparency to what goes on in the court rooms, which seems like an extremely laudable goal, no matter where you stand on the various cases where this issue has come up.

Of course, while officially the ruling was about procedural issues, the majority did also claim a fear that broadcasting the trial would put a chill on witnesses. This seems backwards. This is the public court system, and reporters are allowed to report on (most) cases, so anyone who testifies is going to be known to the public anyway and what they say will be reported on, too. How is that any different than if the video is recorded and broadcast in some manner? If there are special cases where video might create a real chilling effect, deal with those special cases, rather than pushing a blanket “no video rule.” As Justin Silverman wrote before the ruling came out, the idea that videos in the courtroom would lead to attacks on witnesses made no sense, since it was already illegal to attack witnesses and we have a legal system to deal with that:

What good is giving the press freedom if it is not allowed to use the tool of its trade? In this case, that tool is a video camera. Similarly, law enforcement has many tools of its trade, the most important being the law. In California, the law includes prohibiting the very acts Prop 8 supporters and–apparently–the Justices are so concerned about. Perhaps it’s too much to ask, but can we just let both journalists and police do their jobs?

By staying the broadcast of this trial–and impliedly finding that Prop 8 supporters will suffer “irreparable harm” absent a stay–the Supreme Court seems to be advocating curtailment of the press as a means of law enforcement. In a sense, there’s a backwards Heckler’s Veto at play: the Court is protecting the right of witnesses to speak by limiting the ways in which they will be heard and preventing retaliation by those who will not have heard them. Instead, those witnesses should take the stand knowing they will be given the largest forum possible in which to speak and the strongest protection against those who may retaliate when they do so.

And that retaliation is a big may. Among their reasons for requesting a stay, the petitioners say that “public broadcast can intimidate witnesses who might refuse to testify or alter their stories when they do testify if they fear retribution by someone who may be watching the broadcast.” Further, “all of the petitioners’ witnesses have expressed concern over the potential public broadcast of trial proceedings and some have stated that they will refuse to testify if the district court goes forward with its plan.”

In a controversial case such as this one, no doubt the unpopular speaker is a nervous one. But I’m skeptical that witnesses already committed to testifying will suddenly shy away because of the prospect of video dissemination. Do they not realize that, without a single camera, the San Jose Mercury News is reporting live accounts that include the names of those taking the stand? That special interest groups will be Twittering their testimony as they speak? That there are already websites identifying Prop 8 supporters and where they live? Banning a broadcast, I believe, will not change this. But to allow a broadcast, I’m certain, will further enlighten the debate….

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In his first State of the State address, Gov. Pat Quinn vowed to be Illinois’ “Building Governor” and continue his plan of action to create and retain good-paying jobs, revitalize the State’s economy and rebuild the public’s trust in its government.

“Make no little plans. This is a time for bold and determined action,” said Gov. Quinn.

“As Illinois’ ‘Building Governor,’ I am reinvigorating our State economy, creating and saving jobs statewide while rebuilding the people’s trust in their elected officials and government.”

The Governor’s speech addressed several key themes:

• Creating, Saving Jobs in Illinois: Governor Quinn reasserted his bold and comprehensive strategy dedicated to putting people back to work across Illinois.
  • Illinois’ job revival is being fueled by passage of Illinois Jobs Now!, the first major jobs and construction program in nearly a decade, which will create over 439,000 jobs over the next six years. To date, $1.5 billion in Illinois Jobs Now! projects are moving forward. These projects alone are estimated to create and retain over 11,000 direct and indirect jobs in Illinois.
  • Governor Quinn has also taken swift action to ensure that Illinois receives the maximum amount of funds available through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. As a result, Illinois has consistently ranked in the top five states for the number of transportation projects and the amount of federal stimulus dollars received. To date, Illinois has disbursed more than $5.6 billion creating thousands of direct jobs across the state.
  • The proposed sale of Thomson Correctional Center to the federal Bureau of Prisons is estimated by the White House Council of Economic Advisors to create up to 3,800 new jobs and more than $1 billion in economic activity over just the first years of operation for the hard-hit Northwest Illinois region.
• Investing in Illinois Economy and Businesses: Governor Quinn is committed to working with big and small business. He noted that the Quinn Administration has already finalized 55 business investment packages, designed to generate or save jobs. To date, these packages are creating more than 8,000 jobs and retaining more than 3,000 positions. These business development deals assist companies, which want to relocate or stay in Illinois. In addition, the Governor has proposed tools to help small businesses thrive, such as bolstering startup and micro-businesses by creating Angel Investment Tax Credits and expanding venture capital funding for seed and early-stage firms.
• Restoring Ethics and Integrity to State Government: Governor Quinn has increased governmental ethics, developed stricter boards and commissions requirements, enacted a stronger Freedom of Information Act, provided greater access to government decision-making and reaffirmed his commitment to pension reform. A longtime proponent of accountability in government, Governor Quinn advocated for and signed the first-ever recall law for a sitting governor. In addition, the Governor stood up for everyday people by signing the first-ever campaign contribution limits into law. Governor Quinn is also proposing a constitutional amendment that would allow citizens to propose ethical reforms and put them in a binding referendum.
• Preserving and Building Education: Illinois’ strong investment in education has been highlighted by President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan this year. Already, Illinois has received more than $2.5 billion in education funding through federal stimulus efforts, and the administration is competing for more money available through the federal “Race to the Top” funding program. Governor Quinn also won the battle to restore the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) after approximately 138,000 MAP grant recipients were to receive only 50 percent of their award, covering only the fall 2009 school term.
• Building Roads, Bridges, Transportation Hubs: Governor Quinn noted the Illinois Department of Transportation’s building effort is underway with $3.1 billion in committed projects in 2009. In addition, Illinois is becoming a major “inland port” with the development of Union Pacific’s new intermodal facility in Joliet that will create an estimated 7,000 jobs.
• Investing in Public Health and Safety: Governor Quinn stressed a number of new laws to guard public health and safety, including The Smoke Free Illinois Act, which ensures that residents can breathe fresh air while they are at work and in public places; the Dental Clinic Grant Program that increases access to dentists and affordability of treatment for low-income families in underserved areas; and legislation to combat childhood obesity. Governor Quinn also recently named health and civil rights advocate Dr. Quentin Young as Illinois’ first Public Health Advocate to develop programs to improve public health through education and assist residents in understanding healthcare coverage provisions
• Protecting Consumers: Governor Quinn highlighted laws that will provide consumers with greater services and protections. For example, insured people whose health claims are denied can now have those decisions reviewed and decided upon quickly by a qualified, independent doctor. In addition, more uninsured women will now be eligible for breast cancer screenings and treatment, and struggling homeowners will now receive a 90-day moratorium before a home foreclosure to give families the extra time they need to refinance or figure out a payment plan before losing their home.
• Fighting for Illinois Servicemembers, Veterans and their Families: Governor Quinn reiterated his commitment to Illinois servicemembers and vowed his continued support. He noted that programs like “Operation Employ Veterans” will help servicemen and servicewomen transition into civilian life by providing employment training and contact with potential employers. In addition, construction gets underway this year on a new 200-bed Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago, creating 200 local jobs.

In his State of the State address, Governor Quinn said Illinois is facing an unprecedented budgetary crisis.

He again vowed to address the crisis through a combination of major cuts and efficiencies; using strategic borrowing; accessing more federal funding; and enhancing revenues.

The Governor also thanked the General Assembly for moving forward on his plan to overhaul the Illinois Department of Corrections’ Meritorious Good Credit program.

Based on recommendations of former judge and criminal justice expert David A. Erickson, the Governor’s overhaul includes a provision to require state prison inmates to serve at least 60 days of their sentences before they could be considered for good-time credit off of their sentences.

After serving nearly a year in office, Governor Quinn said the citizens of Illinois now have greater confidence in their State government. Having endured the upheaval of the previous administration, which ended in the previous governor’s impeachment and removal from office, Illinois is on the road to recovery.

“While great progress has been made this first year, we have much more to do. By working together for the common good, we are on our way to building a stronger Illinois,” said Gov. Quinn.

Renault F1 Team will present their 2010 challenger before the official winter testing kick-off for the upcoming season of Formula One. More exactly, as confirmed by the Enstone based organization via a press release, the R30 will be made available to the media on January 31, less than 24 hours before the Valencia test.

Nevertheless, the French-Luxembourg team will make it to the Ricardo Tormo circuit on February 1st, as the car launch media event will take place at the very circuit where the … (read more)

If you had an Easy Bake Oven growing up and liked it for the fun of baking small batches of miniature dessets, but are now a little bit too old to appreciate the unique flave and texture of the teeny cake mixes that come with such a gadget (or are looking for something a little hotter than a lightbulb to do the baking), you might want to get yourself a Mini Cupcake Maker to play around with. The machine looks a bit like a George Foreman grill from the outside. Inside, it has 7 nonstick mini muffin cavities. Put your batter in, close the lid, and you’ll have a small batch of miniature cupcakes, muffins or brownies in just a couple of minutes. It’s also not a bad idea if you’re looking for a little more portion control and don’t want to make a dozen or two dozen cupcakes at a time, although since most recipes aren’t scaled for such an amount, you’ll have to experiment with halving recipes when you work with one of these.

I think that you’re still going to get the best results with a “real” oven, but if time and space are at a premium, one of these little gadgets might not turn out to be such a bad thing – especially if it means you can have freshly baked cupcakes at a moment’s notice!

Okay, so the headline is a mouthful. That repetitive “T” may not roll well off one’s tongue. But, the fact is that I’ve been talking about the Vision Industries Tyrano fuel cell plug-in hybrid truck since May 2009.

The original idea was to test and rollout the truck in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California in order to help cut down on smog in those locations. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger even gave the Tyrano his blessing and FedEx has started testing this same vehicle as well.

Now, Visions Industries has expanded the scope of its hydrogen truck offerings. Teaming up with Capacity of Texas, Incorporated, Vision Industries is producing the world’s first ZETT (zero emissions terminal tractor).

The ZETT will not be a recreation of the wheel, however, as Vision will not have to build this tractor from the ground up. Instead they will be using the Capacity of Texas PHETT (plug-in hybrid electric terminal tractor – the world’s first) as the jumping off point.

The Vision ZETT will be able to work two 8-hour shifts before refueling and when it does come time to refuel, this will take only 15 minutes. This is a huge advantage over any battery only terminal trucks.

With tougher U. S. emissions standards for trucks expected to be implemented by the government this year, Visions Industries is at the leading edge of helping specific industries comply with these anticipated standards.

Filed under: Sedan, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, GM, Hummer

Lost in the hoopla surrounding General Motors’ attempted sale/wind-down of Saab and Ford’s situation with Volvo and Geely has been any word surrounding the sale of Hummer to China’s Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery. Whatever the state of the Hummer transaction, it appears The General is done waiting. The Detroit News reports that GM plans to halt Hummer production at its Shreveport, LA assembly plant on Monday until a sale of the brand is complete. The factory builds the H3 and H3T (models that account for about 25-percent of the plant’s overall production) and the General says it’s premature to speculate how much the facility’s 1,120 workers will be affected.

Hummer dealers currently have a stockpile of about 2,100 H3 variants on lots – enough of a supply to last seven months at the model’s current take rate. Hummer spokesman Nick Richards told the DetNews that H3 production will ramp back up after the sale “once marketing kicks back in and there is new interest and enthusiasm.” Of course, if the Hummer sale ends anything like GM’s Saab and Saturn debacles, that date could be never.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: GM to idle Hummer production on Monday until China deal goes through originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I don’t know if this Cornucopia food printer—an MIT project that assembles ingredients in layers—will ever be a reality, but I’m sure lab cuisine chefs like Ferran Adrià are already lining up just based on the description:

Cornucopia’s cooking process starts with an array of food canisters, which refrigerate and store a user’s favorite ingredients. These are piped into a mixer and extruder head that can accurately deposit elaborate combinations of food.

Marcelo Coelho and Amit Zoran, the students behind the project at MIT’s Fluid Interfaces Group, say that this printer will give “ultimate control over the origin, quality, nutritional value and taste of every meal.” It will also make it look and feel like crap, I’m sure. But it’s ok, because there’s one layered food that can be synthesized without trouble with this thing: Bacon.

I’m sold. [MIT via Shapeways via Makezine]

In last week’s News From The Wire we focused on the BlackBerry Pearl 9100. That’s one of two BlackBerry models slated for an early 2010 release, and since we haven’t seen a Pearl release since 2007 it’s probably the more exciting of the two. The other device, the Tour 2, a/k/a the Essex, will also hit shelves soon. I’ve expressed my dissatisfaction with a release so soon after the original Tour, but that doesn’t make it any less noteworthy. So what did we learn about the Tour 2 this week?

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Buried in the FCC’s rules is a deeply problematic loophole. Open Internet principles, the FCC writes, “do not… apply to activities such as the unlawful distribution of copyrighted works.”

For years, the entertainment industry has used that innocent-sounding phrase — “unlawful distribution of copyrighted works” — to pressure Internet service providers around the world to act as copyright cops — to surveil the Internet for supposed copyright violations, and then censor or punish the accused users.

From the beginning, a central goal of the Net Neutrality movement has been to prevent corporations from interfering with the Internet in this way — so why does the FCC’s version of Net Neutrality specifically allow them to do so?

Tell the FCC that if it wants to police the Internet, it first needs to demonstrate that it can protect Internet users and innovators by standing up to powerful industry lobbyists. Sign your name here to demand that the copyright-enforcement loophole be removed.

Kodak’s been on the decline for some time, but they’re showing some fight today with ITC complaints against Apple and RIM, and two full-on lawsuits against Apple in US District court. The issue, as always, is patents.

Kodak’s complaint to the ITC claims that RIM and Apple both infringe on a patented Kodak technology that relates to previewing images. Separately, they’re outright suing Apple for the infringement of digital camera and “certain computer processes”-related patents that Kodak holds.

While the knee-jerk reaction may be to dismiss Kodak’s move as just another Apple complaint, it’s worth noting that they recently won the judgement in a similar ITC case against Samsung, and a similar lawsuit against Sun Microsystems back in 2004.

As always, this will end with undisclosed sums of money exchanging hands and life proceeding as usual for you the consumer. But it’s still always fun to watch the kid gloves come off.

Kodak Alleges Patent Infringement by Apple and RIM

Files ITC Complaint Alleging Apple and RIM Camera Phones Infringe Kodak’s Digital Imaging Technology; Also Files Suit Against Apple in U.S. District Court

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) announced today that it has filed lawsuits against Apple Inc. and Research In Motion Limited (RIM) alleging the infringement of Kodak digital imaging technology.

The Kodak complaint, filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), specifically claims that Apple’s iPhones and RIM’s camera-enabled BlackBerry devices infringe a Kodak patent that covers technology related to a method for previewing images. Separately, Kodak filed two suits today against Apple in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York that claim the infringement of patents related to digital cameras and certain computer processes.

“Kodak has a long history of digital imaging innovation and we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars creating our industry-leading patent portfolio,” said Laura G. Quatela, Chief Intellectual Property Officer, and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “In the case of Apple and RIM, we’ve had discussions for years with both companies in an attempt to resolve this issue amicably, and we have not been able to reach a satisfactory agreement. In light of that, we are taking this action to ensure that we protect the interests of our shareholders and the existing licensees of our technology.

“Our primary interest is not to disrupt the availability of any product but to obtain fair compensation for the use of our technology,” Quatela said. “There’s a basic issue of fairness that needs to be addressed. Those devices use Kodak technology, and we are merely seeking compensation for the use of our technology in their products.”

Kodak has licensed digital imaging technology to approximately 30 companies, including such leading mobile-device companies as LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson, all of which are royalty bearing to Kodak.

On Dec. 17, in an action involving Samsung and Kodak, an ITC Administrative Law Judge issued a ruling declaring that the Kodak patent covering color image preview (No. 6,292,218) was valid and enforceable, and that Samsung’s camera-enabled mobile devices infringed upon that Kodak patent.

In the complaint against Apple and RIM, Kodak is seeking from the ITC a limited exclusion order preventing the importation of infringing devices, including certain mobile telephones and wireless communication devices featuring digital cameras.

In the first suit against Apple in U.S. District Court, Kodak alleges infringement of two patents generally covering image preview and the processing of images of different resolutions. In the second suit, Kodak alleges infringement of patents that describe a method by which a computer program can “ask for help” from another application to carry out certain computer-oriented functions. The allegations in the second suit apply to any Apple product that uses the processing method described above. The patents at issue in the second suit were previously the subject of litigation between Kodak and Sun Microsystems Inc., and in that case, a federal jury determined in a 2004 trial that Sun’s Java programming technology had infringed the patents. Kodak later settled the suit by agreeing to a payment from Sun in return for a license for the patents at issue.

In both District Court actions against Apple, Kodak is seeking to permanently enjoin Apple from further infringement as well as unspecified damages.

“We remain open to negotiating a fair and amicable agreement with both Apple and RIM, which has always been our preference and our practice with other licensees,” Quatela said. “We seek to avoid litigation in our licensing programs whenever possible. But when the infringement is persistent, we will act to defend the interests of our shareholders and licensees, and to promote the fair compensation that is the bedrock of innovation.”

Team Kaos from St Hilda’s CE High School in Liverpool have been awarded a special prize by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) for their participation in the Headlight national automotive competition, which centered around the marketing of a new vehicle focusing on brand, product and promotion.

As part of their prize, Shauna Philips and Peri Meadows from Team Kaos, along with their teachers, traveled to Germany to take a tour of the Audi Forum in Ingolstadt, courtesy of Audi UK, where t… (read more)

We’re not the only ones who think most of the conservatives in this country are high. MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann is sending out a special “Up Yours” to evangelical dingbat Pat Robertson, The 700 Club’s resident senile ole goat, and not so closeted racist commentator Rush Limbaugh.

Olbermann gave an inspired response to the hateful comments made by Limbaugh and Robertson on Wednesday regarding the tragedy in Haiti. Robertson, with a straight face, stated that the people of Haiti were cursed with the devastating 7.0 earthquake because they made a pact with the Devil to secure their freedom from France in the early 19th century. Robertson even suggested that the catastrophe may be “a blessing in disguise” because there might be massive rebuilding to follow in what has long been the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

Rush, on the other, blames “communism” for the natural disaster and poverty on the island.

Kazunori Yamauchi is the creator and producer of the Gran Turismo racing games on Sony’s PlayStation game consoles. The new game is launching soon, although Sony isn’t saying exactly when. It has 16-player multiplayer, as well as mechanical and external car damage. The Polyphony Digital studio at Sony released Gran Turismo 5 Prologue a year ago to whet appetites for racing fans, but the real deal has been in the works for five years. Sony had the latest creation on display at its booth at the Consumer Electronics Show. We caught up with Yamauchi for a translated interview there.

VentureBeat: Can you tell us a quick history of Gran Turismo?
Kazunori Yamauchi: Gran Turismo started production in 1992 when the PlayStation game console was in development. Gran Turismo was one of a hundred proposals I made for games back then. It was finally completed in 1997. There were so many other proposals, it was really by chance that I wound up creating Gran Turismo. It could have gone in a completely different direction. When the first game came out in 1997, I expected it to be a niche game. But it wound up selling so much, that led to the second game and the third edition and now we’re here.

VB: How many units has it sold?
KY: 53 million copies worldwide.

VB: That’s a lot.
KY: Just lucky, really.

VB: There were lots of racing games. What set it apart?
KY: We wanted to put real cars into the game. It was an anomaly back then. There were no simulation-based racing games. Most of them were arcade games. Gran Turismo was new in their eyes.

VB: How many people made the first game?
KY: On the first one, there were seven to 15 people, at different times.

VB: And now?
KY: We have 140 staffers.

VB: What has changed?
KY: The difficulty of creating games hasn’t changed that much. It takes a lot of time to communicate with a team this large now. Before, you could wake up one morning and have a good idea. You could see it implemented in some form by the evening. Now, if you have a good idea, it may be two or three years later before you see the result. It’s because it takes so many more people to do it.

VB: How has the level of detail changed, and the level of realism risen?
KY: We had maybe 300 polygons in a car in the first game. Now we have about 500,000 polygons in each car. Back then, pieces of the car were more like symbols. Now they are real and reflect light.

VB: How do you try to make the game different? Burnout tries to depict spectacular crashes. What do you aim for?
KY: I try for realism in game systems and game design. That’s where I look for new innovations. We want to keep changing what the player experiences and feels when they play the game.

VB: The Naughty Dog designers felt like they used 30 percent of the PS 3 for Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. For Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, they said they used 80 percent of the processing power of the PS 3. What about you?
KY: It is about the same for the PS 3, about 8o percent of the processing power. The PS 3 hardware has a very high peak performance. The better you manipulate it, the better it performs.

VB: How do you get new gamers and make your games more accessible to wider audiences?
KY: We have tried to create a new standard and format for a racing game. We can’t tell too much detail yet.

VB: Sony is making a new kind of motion controller now. You already have steering wheel and gas pedal accessories. Do you think the interface for racing games can be improved?
KY: It’s fun to play with steering wheels and gas pedals. But when you see the new motion controllers, I want to create a different kind of game.

VB: What did you try to accomplish with the landscapes of the newest game?
KY: We have always tried to create landscapes in Gran Turismo that look better than real life. In Gran Turismo 5, we have objects on the race tracks that interact with the cars. We have fences, tires, and barriers. You will interact with objects on the course.

VB: How long does it take to make a game?
KY: This one has taken five years. Nothing is getting easier or less expensive. It does get easier if you are making a second version on the same platform, like the PS 3.

VB: Will you keep doing this until you get to Gran Turismo 10?
KY: (laughs) Not sure.

VB: Why do you keep doing it?
KY: Every time, it’s the same for me. I am usually pretty frustrated when a version comes out. Right after the release, I think we should have done this or should have done that. A game release is not a very happy time for me. When a new title comes out, I look to the next one to fix it.

VB: Sounds like you are a perfectionist.
KY: Yeah, I’m usually pretty angry after the release of the title.

VB: What will you do for Gran Turismo 6?
KY: Nothing is decided for that.

Please check out our GamesBeat@GDC conference coming on March 10 where we’ll talk about the latest innovations in the video game business.

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Remember when men were men and guitar riffs were boring and mindless? Moto does. The company has thrown together a little animated spot demonstrating its new Backflip handset. If you’re the sort of person who has trouble conceptualizing objects in 3D space — particularly objects that run Moto Blur and have an oddly oriented keyboard that flips backwards to face out from the back of the device — this video should work wonders for you. If you’re the sort of person who burned your Big Muff fuzzbox in effigy on New Year’s Eve, you might want to rip your computer speakers out right about now. Video is after the break, and don’t forget to check out our hands-on with the phone for a deeper, more staid look.

Continue reading Motorola Backflip promo spot reminds us what rock and roll is all about

Motorola Backflip promo spot reminds us what rock and roll is all about originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are a variety of reasons to not take Amtrak: expensive tickets, frequent delays, worn-down interiors, and even more delays. But, for gadget hounds, trains can make a compelling option thanks to the lack of cellphone bans, power outlets at nearly every seat, and fewer cavity checks than airline travel. Now, a very few of those lines are getting even more appealing with Amtrak announcing that Acela lines between Boston, New York, and Washington will be receiving WiFi upgrades in March. That the service will be free is great news — that the word “initially” is inserted before the word “free” isn’t so very great. What about those commuters who take the company’s slower, regional routes around the East Coast? WiFi is said to be coming there too, eventually, and might even make its way to the west some day — but, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This is Amtrak we’re talking about here.

Amtrak adding free WiFi to some trains, still no charge for delayed arrivals originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The consultancy arm of the Porsche holding, Porsche Consulting GmbH, has won the Yellow Angel 2010 pioneering award today, for its contribution to reducing highway improvements’ development time. The distinction was awarded by the ADAC (Allgemeine Deutsche Automobil Club) and it is the number one German prize for mobility, environmental protection and road safety.

The German company implemented its know-how, significantly improving German highway construction efficiency, in terms of time, res… (read more)