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Comment Re:Has the console arms race ended for now? (Score 1) 117

I think it's definitely stalled, yes.

There is little point upgrading hardware for any other reason than improved visuals. You can get better rendering, AA, FPS. etc, but most people are satisfied with the visual quality of the current HD gaming systems.

Are there even enough potential buyers to support a new generation of consoles? I honestly don't know, but I think they are aiming at the majority of the user base (casual), like myself who will need some serious justification to encourage me to buy a new system, and I don't think they can offer any justification at the moment. We already have HD, decent surround, WiFi, browser, motion capture etc.

The next generation of consoles will feature 3D technology. That's the next logical step, but until there is a concrete 3D standard (not just Blue-ray 3D), there will be reluctance to gamble with technological development.

Comment Re:The fanboy is strong is this one (Score 1) 240

Personally I think 3D is a bit of a gimmick at the moment. Kind of like HD was when it first came out, when there were only a handful of HD channels (in the UK, it is still only a dozen or so). The point is when someone pushes the boundaries (read: releases some new technology and catches their competitors with their pants down), there is a noticeable surge in the level of technology available to the consumer.

The 3DS might have few games for it, and have a smaller screen, but when someone else says "hey look, ours has loads of games, bigger screens AND better 3D", this is not a bad thing.

Comment Re:I thought I'd seen this before... (Score 1) 237

The proposal was rejected by Facebook Instead, they said

UK users under the age of 19 will now be able to click on the ‘Report abuse’ link on each page and have the option to report the abuse directly to CEOP as well as to Facebook employees.

There is are lot of knee-jerk reactions in politics when tragedies such as this happen. Even more so when the currently uncensored UK internet (and incompetent parents) grant unfettered internet access to children who should really know better but don't.

Fortunately, that was the last government's reaction. When a gunman in Cumbria went on a killing spree recently, the current PM rejected immediate calls for heavier restrictions on gun ownership. I'm hoping the pattern continues.

Comment Re:No need to check the code... (Score 1) 479

This is a ridiculous situation. Although harder to argue, a casino could claim that a card shuffling machine malfunctioned thus dealing a winning hand to a player by accident, or that a roulette table wasn't greased correctly so delivered the ball to the wrong pocket.

If it was me, I would get a court to subpoena the machine, get the error independently verified, and while they're at it, verify the winning odds the casino claim.

Comment Re:Go buy an Android if you want freedom (Score 1) 252

I can understand both sides to this. On the one hand, Apple is trying to regulate its 'image' and reputation when it allows apps to be sold on their store. On the other hand, you have developers who, by all accounts, followed the vague rules and got their hard work rejected.

You put it nicely when you said "No one is making anyone develop for an iPhone" and given the tiny margins people make on apps, I'm surprised anyone bothers.

Comment Re:Can only guess... (Score 2, Insightful) 375

I think it would be pretty easy for MS or Apple to simply say, "We will never collect any data about our OS users' application usage, browsing habits, or other personal information."

Except they have never said that, nor will they ever.

Chrome OS is also open source, maybe there will be some nice branch projects in the future. I'm concerned about how their OS is so entwined with Flash though, it hardly has a stellar reputation for security.

Comment Re:Moving, not fixing, the problem (Score 2, Interesting) 222

I'm making assumptions here, but if these errors are handled by software would it not be possible for a program to 'ignore' errors in certain circumstances? Perhaps this could result in improved performance/battery life for certain low priority tasks. Although an application where 1% error is acceptable doesn't spring immediately to mind, maybe supercomputing - where anomalous results are checked and verified against each other...?
Earth

Gulf Oil Leak Plugged? 611

RobHart writes "The LA Times is reporting that the Gulf oil leak appears to have been plugged by the 'top kill.' 'Thad Allen, who is coordinating the government response, says the well still has low pressure, but cement will be used to cap the well permanently as soon as the pressure hits zero.'"

Comment Re:OK, not bad for hardware.... (Score 1) 121

For a robot with limbs specifically to play this instrument, with programming to match, it is actually quite poor. It might be beyond the realms of the average robotics graduate, but from the worlds biggest car maker, I would expect much better. Very little progress since 2007. Clearly a PR stunt; I'm disappointed.

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