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Encryption

Submission + - First AACS BluRay Content Decrypted

kad77 writes: The anonymous coder 'muslix64', who earlier implemented the first public AACS decryption algorithm for use on HD-DVD movies (ed: need slashdot ref) (ed: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=119871), has decrypted files from the AACS protected BluRay disc "Lord of War". His methodology was described in another doom9 forum thread (ed: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=120869), as a "known-plaintext attack". BluRay's "BD+" enhanced DRM layer was not involved in this decryption, and has not been addressed to date. Ultimately, software content players were the weak point that lead to key discovery.
Portables

Submission + - PSP Keyboard: TyDoPad v0.01 beta

Jaime writes: "You might be a little confused here. The title says the PSP keyboard has arrived but today the news comes in the form of a homebrew application, not a USB keyboard for PSP. That's because madruscoe (also known as moneytoo from our forums) has managed to create a homebrew application which lets you make short notes and save them as .txt files on your Memory Stick using the Palm(One) Universal Wireless Keyboard. This is the only keyboard supported at the moment and the good news is you can pick them up for around $50 on Amazon and they'll work with your Palm PDA."
Role Playing (Games)

BioWare Goes Episodic With New Games 52

The word from the site Computer and Videogames is that BioWare will be offering episodic content for all of its upcoming games. This includes Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Jade Empire: Special Edition. CEO Ray Muzyka, in an interview with CVG, talks about this and many other elements of the coming year in PC gaming. From the article: "The videogame market is very cyclical and PC and console gaming have an uneasy alliance - as new console systems are released, early adopter fans move over to check those games out and as PC systems reach and surpass console systems at the end of a console life cycle, a good number of those early adopter fans move back over to PC gaming. Console gaming is huge of course, especially when you add in hardware sales, but it's hard to quantify the enormous impact of online gaming on the overall PC market - retail sales just don't capture the revenues from the increasingly successful PC MMOs as well as digital distribution and episodic gaming (which are both gaining strength year after year)."
Games

Sequels We'd All Like To See 514

Voodoo Extreme has a feature up that's a wishlist for future sequels. They run down some great game franchises that have been off the board for a little while, and wonder out loud about the possibility of new installments. Besides the usual suspects for lists like this (StarCraft, TIE Fighter, Descent, Ultima), they touch on some cult favorites that are ... less likely to show up in modern gaming. From the article: "Planescape Torment 2: The Poop -- Loved by many a forumgoer is Planescape Torment, a Dungeons & Dragons-themed RPG set in the other planes of existence. It was a dark game with evil undertones, but also lighthearted and funny at times. Just think Baldur's Gate with an M rating. The Scoop -- Odds of a sequel are equal to or greater than Elvis coming home on the mothership." Any oldies you'd like to see back on modern systems? While I really like many of the ideas listed here, the LucasArts classics Grim Fandango and Maniac Mansion are the ones I'd most like to see rehashed.
Games

Submission + - Gaming your way to fitness

MC Jiggles writes: Is your former self a shadow of who you currently are? Ars Technica has an article on using video games to drop those pounds gained over the holidays. Using DDR 2 Extreme, Yourself Fitness, and EyeToy Kinetic on the PS2, the author managed to lose almost 20 pounds. 'Do these games make it easier to lose weight? Of course not; these two months took a lot of hard work, and I came close to quitting more than once. There is no "easy" way to get the pounds off. They do make it a little bit more enjoyable and put weight loss in a context that was more comfortable for me than a gym or a personal trainer.'
Media

Submission + - Blu-ray Refutes Claims of Porn Ban...

thefoxtrot writes: " The Blu-ray Disc Association is speaking out against charges that the org is shunning adult video distributors from releasing content on Blu-ray. "The BDA welcomes the participation of all companies interested in using and supporting the format, particularly those from the content industry," said the BDA's Gordon. "We look forward to working with any content providers interested in providing their audience with [the] best possible high definition home entertainment experience." Analysts say that the pornography industry, which generates an estimated $57 billion in annual revenue worldwide, could play an influential role in increasing high-def adaption rates and — especially if forced to choose sides — could help determine an ultimate victor in the high-def format wars."
PlayStation (Games)

Submission + - PlayStation 3 hits 2m mark

An anonymous reader writes: SCEI announced today that the PS3 has hit the 2,000,000 mark, with 1,000,000 now shipped in Japan. They'd already announced the passing of the 1,000,000 mark in North America, making the PS3 the fastest shipping PlayStation to date.
Television

Submission + - Will Skype founders destroy Youtube with Joost?

gadgetopia writes: "Joost give a minute to tell you about a new net TV service in town, from the founders of Kazaa and Skype, and no prizes for guessing that it uses peer to peer technology to deliver a broadcast quality TV experience right to your computer screen!"
PlayStation (Games)

Submission + - Debian ported to PS3

F-3582 writes: "According to this (German) site a Debian Live-CD has been ported to the Cell. They write:
"The Live-CD is a Debian 4.0 system which is already available for download on several other platforms. The Playstation 3 (PS3) version will include a minimalist Gnome desktop and the Firefox web browser. The officially unreleased Debian 4.0 a.k.a. Etch features Gnome 2.14 and Firefox 1.5.0.7. The Kernel will be Linux 2.6.18."
Furthermore the included Debian Installer will allow for installation of the Live system on the PS3."
Education

Submission + - Neverwinter Nights with educational challenges

An anonymous reader writes: Computer science teachers at West Nottinghamshire College were struggling to get their teenage students into literacy and numeracy classes. So they took apart Atari's popular computer game Neverwinter Nights and rebuilt it with educational challenges the player must meet to progress. Success rates in key skills at the Mansfield college has trebled to 94%. So his team set about modifying a popular computer game published by Atari and produced by Bioware. Both firms were very supportive of the project. 'Ripped apart' "We ripped the game apart and rebuilt it to deliver educational content," he added. Players are invited to pick a character and go on a quest in which they have to make decisions about what to take and how to progress using mathematics and their literacy skills. Mr Oldman explained: "For example, before they set off in their galleon they have to fill it with the things they are going to need. This requires them to work out the area of the ship and how much they can manage to bring. "Some students managed it, others sank on the way and never progressed to the next level. "They would come knocking on the staff room door and wouldn't let us go until we had taught them how to calculate area."
Linux Business

Submission + - EU study: open source increases competitiveness

Rob writes: Increased use of free and open source software in Europe could increase the region's competitiveness with the US, according to a European Commission study. "Given Europe's historically lower ability to create new software businesses compared to the US, due to restricted venture capital and risk tolerance, the high share of European FLOSS developers provides a unique opportunity to create new software businesses and reach towards the Lisbon goals of making Europe the most competitive knowledge economy by 2010," states the report.
Displays

Submission + - Yet Another HD Format

ebresie writes: Just as you were hoping the HD format war was going to come to an end...here comes another format. HD VMD is a new format, by New Medium Enterprise, leveraging off of old red laser technology of the old DVD format. This makes for cheaper HD DVD.
Microsoft

Submission + - No Vista HTPC's

DragonTHC writes: "after aksing nvidia for an official response about Windows Vista disabling DVD playback if a video out connection is enabled, I have yet to hear anything. They are plugging the "analog hole" with a little too much stuffing. This "feature" occurs on many DVD playback programs. This effectively eliminates Vista as a choice for HTPC's. What can a consumer do when the functionality they paid for is disabled by Microsoft in the name of DRM?"

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