Epokh] has release some homebrew software that uses a Nintendo DS as a voice reader for documents. This is extremely useful for blind and visually impaired folks who normally use screen readers but can utilize this technology for reading books, documents, and email on the go. Future versions look to add an email client and implement OCR via the camera for reading documents on the go.

The flite package is utilized to provide the text to speech functionality. We’re familiar with this package and judging by the video after the break, it lost nothing in the port to the DS hardware. [Epokh] pointed out that similar readers can cost $1500 when a DS sells for around $130. We can’t wait to see the final version fleshed out!

http://hackaday.com/2009/11/30/ds-ba...nd/#more-18863 ...

While we might think of the $250 PSPgo pricetag in the States as a criminal act on the part of an out-of-touch and-yet-malicious multinational corporation, we can only imagine how our unfortunate counterparts in the UK felt, staring down a £225 list price (about $371 US). Luckily, that quickly dropped to £200 after a week of sales, and now the console can be had for as low as £149 at UK entertainment retailer HMV. That converts rather tidily to $245 US, which is unfortunately about as far as the console has been discounted around these parts. There's no way to tell how many more months of dour faces and crossed arms pointed in the general direction of Sony Computer Entertainment America it'll take to get that price down to something more realistic Stateside, at which point we can start this whole UK / US price disparity drama all over again.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/p...ads-prevailed/ ...

via Eurogamer


Sony has popped out a patch for EyePet, enabling online video sharing by the community.

That's great.

The developer has also ironed out some kinks and EyePets will be able to hear you properly regardless of PlayStation Eye microphone settings. Various other teeny tweaks have been made that you may or may not notice.

EyePet, for those unaware, is a PlayStation Eye game about interacting with a cute pet. Head over to our EyePet review to find out more. ...

According to a trusted source who's seen it with their own eyes, the Google Phone "is a certainty."

And by "Google Phone" we don't simply mean another Android handset. We're talking about Google-branded hardware running a version of Android we haven't yet seen.

Over the next few weeks, Google Phones (most probably in early, prototype form) will flood the Mountain View campus. They'll don large LCDs while running a new version of Android—either Flan or the version of Android beyond it—which our source spotted running on Google's handset as well as a laptop. (Whatever the software was, it most certainly wasn't Chrome OS, we were assured.)

But maybe the most intriguing bit is what someone said to our source offhandedly, that the current Android, the we all know and love, is not the "real" Android. So what makes for a "real" version of Android?

Our best guess is an Android OS with Google Voice at its heart.

http://gizmodo.com/5415169/leak-the-...is-a-certainty ...

Here's the official list of Nintendo downloads live in the US now - ten games with Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 4 probably of most interest. Unless you like the sound of "relaxing animal sim", My Zoo. Each to their own...

WiiWare

Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 4
Publisher: Telltale Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Cartoon Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Conspiracies, betrayal and shocking revelations as the Tales of Monkey Island intensity builds. Guybrush returns to Flotsam Island, but forget about a hero's welcome. Handed over to De Singe by the backstabbing Morgan LeFlay, Guybrush is seized by an angry mob and put on trial. With a silk-tongued prosecutor in his face and a hangman's noose dangling over his neck, Guybrush must figure out how to defend himself against grave accusations. Meanwhile, the determined Marquis sets his sights on a new and far more attractive test subject. How on earth will the Mighty Pirate get out of this mess? The monthly Tales of Monkey Island tension continues to mount in The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood. Brace yourself for a shocking revelation that will rock the world of Monkey Island to its core.

My Zoo
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: My Zoo is a relaxing animal sim that puts you in the shoes of an animal breeder, raising up animals you'd normally only dream of. All it takes is a Wii Remote controller for a simple, yet fulfilling, connection with nature. There are 12 animal types in total (four sold separately as add-on content). Select your favorites and nurture them to adulthood. Feeding them, petting them and cleaning up their messes are great ways to form a lasting bond. Each animal's personality will change depending on how you take care of it. Watch them get spoiled, turn into over-eaters and more as they grow on a daily basis. Some animals will even have a baby on occasion, and once it's born, you've got another mouth to feed. Game time passes much more quickly than real time, and the different animal types are active at various hours - some during the day and some at night. Sometimes it's fun to just kick back and watch what they do. So what are you waiting for? It's time to create your own personal zoo.

Copter Crisis
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Copter Crisis puts you in the pilot's seat. As a member of the elite Helicopter Rescue Squad, you'll be assigned to respond to any type of emergency anywhere at any time. As the newest member joining this team, you'll have to complete various missions with the latest in helicopter rescue technology. When you're ready, you'll be tasked with executing rescue missions all around the Black Rock Canyon. Your Wii Remote controller becomes the control stick as you guide your copter along the canyons while avoiding rocks, severe weather and even anti-aircraft fire. Rescue lost hikers, deliver supplies to remote areas, assist on scientific missions and even blast your way into underground cavern systems. Complete all of your objectives and rise through the ranks to take on the toughest rescues and unlock 10 bonus missions. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Pay & Play allows you to enhance your flight experience with 10 additional copters, which can give you access to unlimited missiles, larger fuel tanks, cargo holds and even mid-air loops.

Christmas Clix
Publisher: JV Games Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Christmas doesn't have to be all work for Santa, does it? Santa's having some fun and wants you to play along too. You can help Santa decorate the tree by removing the presents and ornaments that he stacks. When you consecutively connect packages without missing a beat, you get extra points. Collect as many candy canes as you can because when you collect enough, Santa will add a special star to the game that can greatly help you get through a level or just bring some additional fun.

Virtual Console

The Combatribes
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: The evil gang known as "Guilty Zero" rules the city, and it's up to you as one of the members of the Combatribes to take them down. Choose one of three characters and fight your way through the city of New York. Progress through the game by tackling the goons and boss of each stage using your arsenal of kicks, punches, throws and other techniques to beat them into submission. Once your stamina bar is reduced to zero, you'll need to use a continue, but when you're out of continues, it's game over. Can you eliminate the threat of "Guilty Zero" and restore the peace in New York City!?

Solomon's Key
Original platform: Arcade
Publisher: TECMO
Players: ...

Here's the official list of Nintendo downloads live in the US now

Nintendo DSiWare

Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Your face, your game, you're the hero. In Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes, YOU get to be in the game. Using the camera and microphone, you become the hero in your own game. Unlock a variety of hero costumes as you battle the baddies, search for stars and solve platforming puzzles. The Face Stealer has stolen your identity and is creating trouble - and everyone is blaming you. You have to track him down across 15 action-packed stages. Along the way, you'll come across many memorable creatures, both friend and foe. Use the camera and microphone to create faces and voices for every character in your game. Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes - a game starring YOU.

Bookworm
Publisher: PopCap Games, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Feed your appetite for wordy fun in this download version of PopCap's hit word-puzzle game. Link letter tiles left, right, up and down to build words and feed Lex in Bookworm Classic mode. But watch out for burning letters - they could spell disaster for you and Lex. Use Reward Tiles and spell Bonus Words to boost your score and link your best words to enter the Hall of Fame. Play unlimited levels of word-puzzle fun and learn new words on the go. You'll relax and tune up your brain every time you play.

Master of Illusion Express: Mind Probe
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Master of Illusion Express titles are mind-boggling magic tricks that you perform with your Nintendo DSi system. Learn the illusions, practice up and then amaze your friends. Master of Illusion Express: Mind Probe uses your Nintendo DSi system as a means of detecting information. Ask a spectator to write down a favorite (or least-favorite) item - person, food or color, for example - and then be astonished when the Nintendo DSi system sounds an alarm to indicate when that item is spoken. Use any variation of likes or dislikes to stun the crowd.

Sudoku Challenge!
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Now's your chance to play the brain-busting puzzle game taking the world by storm. With more than 100,000,000 sudoku puzzles, you'll never see the same puzzle twice in Sudoku Challenge! You can select the classic nine-by-nine sukodu game boards as well as Grand Sudoku, which challenges you to complete five intersecting sudoku boards simultaneously. Just a beginner? Don't worry - with three difficulty options, even the most novice player can complete a sudoku with ease. But if you're a seasoned pro, challenge yourself in "Hard" mode and test your true skills. It's time to get your thinking cap on and see how many sudoku puzzles you can conquer.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...

The Wii not only regained its position in October as the best-selling console, it has also seen weekly sales increase 85 per cent following its USD 50 price reduction according to Nintendo's Cammie Dunaway.

The executive VP of sales and marketing told the San Francisco Chronicle the console's global price cut has increased sales significantly, adding that the Wii still has plenty of momentum left.

"I think that going into the holidays, the Wii is in a very good position," said Dunaway. "It has an unbeatable combination of games, experience and unbeatable value, and that continues to put it to the top of people's wish list."

Wii sales dropped 43 per cent between April and September this year, with the console losing the title of best-selling console in September for the first time in three years according to NPD data.

But following its price cut in October, unit sales rose from 93,000 per week in September to 127,000.

One of the reasons for the lower numbers in 2009 is Nintendo's success last year, added Dunaway, when over 10 million Wiis were sold.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...rice-reduction ...

Entertainment retailer HMV has dropped the price of the PSPgo to GBP 148.99 in the UK.

The handheld hardware was first launched at the start of October with an RRP of GBP 224.99, but retail quickly slashed the price to below GBP 200 after less than a week on sale.

While larger retailers were happy to initially sell the console, smaller stores were more vocal about the machine, with Chips MD Don McCabe going so far as to predict the hardware would"fail miserably" without traditional boxed software support at retail.

Although sales have been modest, Sony has been praised for taking an early lead with a console that relies purely on digital content, with many expecting the industry to turn to increasingly turn to download-only models for future revenue.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...rice-to-GBP149

Would a homebrew breakthrough save the PSPGo, its weird but i do reckon that homebrew would be extremely good for the PSPGo, who agrees or disagrees ? ...

Another awards night, another prize for Media Molecule, which last night collected the BAFTA for Best Videogame at the 2009 Children's Awards, having picked up the Artistic Achievement prize at the gaming ceremony earlier this year.

Clutching the weighty award, presented by The Gadget Show's Jason Bradbury, studio boss Mark Healey told GamesIndustry.biz: "It means a lot. It was always an early ambition to make something that appeals to adults and kids, specifically that adults and kids could play together and have fun and I suppose winning this some way confirms that maybe we did that.

"We've won so many awards for it, it's like, how do we ever top this? I don't think I'll appreciate how really cool it is until I'm old!"

The PlayStation 3 title beat off competition in its category from Boom Blox Bash Party, de Blob and Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise.

PlayStation UK boss Ray Maguire, also in attendance at the celebrity-packed bash at London's Hilton Park Lane, said: "It's absolutely fantastic. LittleBigPlanet is one of those games that comes along and it's absolutely unique. It's unique in the way it's formed, it's unique in the way it touches consumers, the way it allows them to contribute to the art form itself. It's as much a part of adult entertainment as it is kids' entertainment and that's one of the special things about it."

Maguire, who rushed over to Healey's table to congratulate him after the ceremony, added: "They are absolutely delighted. To have a new IP on a single platform do over half a million in the UK alone is just testament to the amount of skill and artistry that's gone in from Media Molecule.

"At the end of it, I sell and market the product; they're the ones that create it, they're the inspiration and they're the ones that deserve the award."

Asked what gamers could expect next from the franchise, Healey teased: "More versatility, that's what I'd say. LittleBigPlanet has a lot more room to absorb a lot more things before we say goodbye to that one. I think every year from now on should be a big year for LittleBigPlanet, hopefully".

The EA British Academy Children's Awards 2009 also proved a successful night for Nintendo, with Wii Sports Resort winning the Games category of the BAFTA Kids' Vote, voted for by children aged between seven and 14.

The event, hosted by TV presenters Dick and Dom, was attended by stars of film and TV plus gaming's own A-list, with Traveller's Tales head of development Jonathan Smith present, whose studio picked up the videogames award last year for LEGO Batman.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-bafta-success ...