DCEmu Featured News Articles

Joint effort to improve speech recognition and synthesis
A group of British universities are aiming to push forward efforts to create better intelligent speech recognition systems which, they claim, will soon result in human-like interaction with computers.
Researchers from the universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh and Sheffield announced a five year £6.2 million project aimed at using advanced computing techniques that will be able to understand spoken language and synthesise natural-sounding voice.
The researchers said that technology may soon be available which can recognise the voices of individuals and could become familiar with the expressions, accent and vocabulary of individual speakers.
"This research could open the door to computer speech technology becoming commonplace throughout our lives - at home, at work, and in our leisure time," said University of Edinburgh Professor Steve Renals.
Besides a new class of chatty gadgets, uses of the new speech technology include the potential to create voice-controlled devices for the home, which could help older people stay independent.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/36610...ay-researchers ...

Sony's online service, the PlayStation Network, is currently undergoing a redesign that will significantly change its look and functionality.

A report by Reg Hardware reveals that the trademark blue colour will go, replaced by a black background and bright colours.

It will also have a cleaner look, described by sources as "an aesthetic layout with logically marked sections and rolodex lists."

Searching has been upgraded too, which will produce live results as users enter each character, and the Video section, which allows users to buy and rent films, is now a database that will feel familiar to anyone who has seen movie website IMDB.

There will also be a special section for the latest deals on PlayStation Store content.

Sony has yet to comment on the report.

The report follows news yesterday that the PlayStation Network will finally be restored to full functionality in Japan on Wednesday, following the security breaches in April.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...tation-network ...

A new report from technology advisors Gartner Inc forecasts a $74 billion spend on gaming on 2011, which will grow to $112 billion by 2015.

The $74 billion is a rise of 10.4 per cent on 2010's total of $67 billion, and two thirds of that spend will be on software.

“As the popularity of smartphones and tablets continues to expand, gaming will remain a key component in the use of these devices," said principal research analyst Tuong Nguyen.

"Mobile games are the most downloaded application category across most application stores. For this reason, mobile gaming will continue to thrive as more consumers expand their use of new and innovative portable connected devices."

The report, Market Trends: Gaming Ecosystem 2011, also predicts that in 2011 hardware will follow software in sales numbers, with online coming in last. However, online games will start to catch up over the next five years, as spending on subscriptions and microtransactions will mean a compound annual growth rate of 27 per cent through 2015.

"We find that subscription fees are giving way to ‘freemium’ models, in which the game is provided for free to gamers but is monetised through advertising (both in-game advertising and display advertising) and in-game microtransactions, such as the sale of value-added services or virtual-good purchases,” said research director Brian Blau.

“This trend is prevailing given the rise of social gaming, in which online gaming is connected to social networking sites and social networking platforms.”

Blau also emphasised the need for mobile technology to progress quickly enough to meet the needs of gamers.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-games-in-2011 ...

The developer of the current #2 Top App on Android Market has written a very interesting article giving six reasons why they decided to pull their game from Amazon Appstore. From the article: 'If you are a small indie development team, or possibly even alone, don't bother with Amazon Appstore. Create a great app, publish it on Android Market, and provide great customer support. You will never succeed on Amazon Appstore without a big wallet, or at least an established reputation so that Amazon puts value behind their promises.'"

http://developers.slashdot.org/story...ore-a-Disaster ...

The New York Times, which recently started charging iPad readers $20 a month, has a lot of angry digital subscribers after an update broke the NYTimes for iPad application. The update was designed to make it easier for readers to subscribe to the Times through iTunes (irony!) but instead left readers unable to access any articles. Worse, the Times didn't bother to fix the app over the long weekend or reply to users who complained on Twitter. It's not the first time developers have broken an iPad application with a poorly constructed update, but reader complaints noted that the size of the New York Times and the high price it charges make this gaffe particularly galling. Angry users have driven the app's rating down to less than two out of five stars

http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/07...ys-Subscribers ...

The relationship between Linux and Android is on a technical level not hard to grasp — there's a shared kernel, but the application and interface layers are quite different. But, as Brian Proffitt points out, there are differences of philosophy and of community — which hasn't stopped Adobe from touting its Andoid dev tools as proof of its devotion to Linux.

http://linux.slashdot.org/story/11/0...roid-and-Linux ...

Three hackers, part of Anonymous Hacker Group, have been identified and arrested after an Italian-Swiss investigation. The cell performed several attacks against Italian government websites and 'relevant Italian companies.

http://it.slashdot.org/story/11/07/0...-Cell-Arrested ...

One of Microsoft's hottest new profit centers is a smartphone platform you've definitely heard of: Android. Google's Linux-based mobile operating system is a favorite target for Microsoft's patent attorneys, who are suing numerous Android vendors and just today announced that another manufacturer has agreed to write checks to Microsoft every time it ships an Android device. Vendors paying off Microsoft for the right to use Android now include HTC, Velocity Micro, General Dynamics, Onkyo Corp. and Wistron. Microsoft likely makes more money from Android than its own Windows phone platform, and its latest patent agreement announced Tuesday indicates Microsoft is also going after Google's Linux-based Chromebooks."

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/07/...Center-Android ...

Here's this week's list of new content going live on the US PlayStation Store.

PlayStation Move Ape Escape is the lone new game release this week, while the PSone Imports section of the store has two new games - one a scrolling fighter and the other about cooking Japanese meet.

Oh, and don't forget the Uncharted 3 multiplayer beta goes public today, too.

Here's the full list:

PlayStation Plus

New Release Games & DLC

Bomberman ULTRA (Free with Plus, a $9.99 value)
Me Monstar: Hear Me Roar (Free and Exclusive Plus)
Medievil PS one title (Free with Plus, a $5.99 value)
Alien Zombie Death mini (Free with Plus, $3.99 value)
MotorStorm Apocalypse Outlaw Vehicle Pack (PlayStation Plus price $1.99; a 20% discount)

New Release Themes, Avatars and Media

Mega Man Powered Up - Avatar Bundle (x14) (Plus Exclusive, $1.49)
PlayStation Plus Clock Dynamic Theme (Free and exclusive to Plus)
Qore July Episode 38 - Single Episode (Free with Plus, a $2 .99 value)

Updates

Burnout Paradise Party Pack - Sale (PS3) (now $1.99, original price $4.99)

Burnout Paradise Toy Car Collection - Sale (now $1.99, original price $6.99)

Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island - Sale (now $2.99, original price $6.99)

Burnout Paradise: Cops And Robbers - Sale (now $1.99, original price $4.99)

Burnout Paradise: Legendary Car Pack - Sale (now $1.99, original price $4.99)

Burnout Paradise: Boost Specials Car Pack - Sale (now $1.99, original price $4.99)

Burnout Paradise: Time Savers Pack - Sale (now $1.99, original price $4.99)

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit - Armed And Dangerous Pack - Sale (now $3.99, original price $6.99)

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit - Lamborghini Untamed Pack - Sale (now $3.99, original price $6.99)

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit - Porsche Unleashed Pack - Sale (now $3.99, original price $6.99)

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit - Super Sports Pack - Sale (now $3.99, original price $6.99)

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit - Three For All Bundle - Sale (now $10.99, original price $19.99)

Need For Speed Pro Street Add-On Content Collector's Upgrade - Sale (now $2.99, original price $9.99)

Need For Speed Pro Street Add-On Content Extender Pack Bundle 1 - Sale (now $1.99, original price $5.99)

Need For Speed Pro Street Add-On Content Extender Pack Bundle 2 - Sale (now $3.99, original price $6.99)

Need For Speed Pro Street Add-On Content Muscle Car Bundle - Sale (now $1.99, original price $4.99)

Need For Speed Pro Street Add-On Content Sport Car Bundle - Sale (now $3.99, original price $6.99)

Need For Speed Pro Street Add-On Content Tuner Car Bundle - Sale (now $3.99, original price $6.99)

Need For Speed Pro Street Add-On Content Ultimate Bundle - Sale (now $2.99, original price $9.99)

Need For Speed: Shift: Exotic Racing Series - Sale (now $2.99, original price $9.99)

Need For Speed: Undercover Collector's Edition Upgrade - Sale (now $2.99, original price $10.00)

Need For Speed: Undercover Exotic Car Bundle - Sale (now $1.99, original price $7.50)

Need For Speed: Undercover Muscle Car Bundle - Sale (now $1.99, original price $5.00)

Need For Speed: Undercover Tuner Car Bundle - Sale (now $1.99, original price $5.00)

Need For Speed: Undercover Ultimate Performance Bundle - Sale (now $1.99, original price $10.00)

Need For Speed: Undercover Ultimate Visual Bundle - Sale (now $1.99, original price $5.00)

Need For Speed: Undercover: Boss Car Bundle - Sale (now $1.99, original price $4.99)

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Towers - Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99)

Fate/unlimited codes - Sale (now $9.99, original price $19.99)

Power Stone Collection - Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99)

Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins - Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99)

Qore

Qore Episode 38 - July Edition ($2.99)
in July's Episode 38 of Qore Presented by the PlayStation Network, Veronica Belmont explored the sand dunes of "Journey", gets behind the shield in "Captain America: Super Soldier", profiles industry legend Ted Price, and Audrey Cleo takes a look at the quirky over-the-top world of "No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise."
File size: 1.49 GB

Downloadable Games

PlayStation Move Ape Escape ($19.99)
The next chapter in the beloved Ape Escape saga is now available. Dive into an original new adventure full of monkeys and mayhem designed exclusively for the PlayStation Move motion controller! Get ready to explore 15 diverse levels filled with over 500 different monkeys to capture. Or challenge your friends with some wild and wacky mini-games! Download the full game today!
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 2.23 GB

PSone Classics

Rapid Angel Psone Import ($5.99)
Japanese developer Techo Soleil has a knack for creating games with sophisticated charm and nuance. This combo beat-em up and platformer has something special for those with a subtle eye for Japanese ingenuity. Play one of three heroines, each with well=crafted moves and a charming voice.
File Size: 121 MB

Yakiniku Bugyou Psone Import ($5.99)
Yakiniku Bugyou is an action game using yakiniku (Japanese grilled meat) as the theme. Players will become a yakiniku master. You must prepare and cook the food and attend to your customers to level up the chef's scale. Watch as your patrons judge your skills!
File Size: 50 MB

Add-on Game Content

Cars 2 - Kabuki Mater ($0.99)
Play as Kabuki Mater in cars 2: The Video Game!
File size: 5.78 MB

Cars 2 - Mater As Ivan ($0.99)
Play as Mater disguised as Ivan in Cars 2: The Video Game!
File size: 5.28 MB

Cars 2 - The Queen (Free)
Play as The Queen in Cars 2: The Video Game!
File size: 23 MB

Cars 2 - Uncle Topolino ($0.99)
Play as Uncle Topolino in Cars 2: The Video Game!
File size: 38 MB

Cars 2 - Victor Hugo ($0.99)
Play as Victor Hugo Mater in Cars 2: The Video Game!
File size: 37 MB

Dirt 3: Horn Pack ($0.99)
Download 6 new Horns and let your rivals know you're coming for them!
File size: 2.92 MB

Record of Agarest War Zero - Additional Costumes and Packs ($2.49 ...