The web browser Opera has been rejected from the AppStore. Some may see this as unfortunate since on other mobile devices Opera Mini and Opera Mobile replace the typically shoddy mobile browser with a nice, stable, easy to use, and quick mobile browser. In this case I don't think it's a huge loss for Opera to be rejected since the built-in Safari browser is pretty excellent in the iPhone. On the other hand it would have been nice to see if Opera did any better with their iPhone browser. Oh well.

Unlike other AppStore rejections of apps that violate no rules like Podcaster (now on Cydia) it is no surprise that Opera was rejected. The iPhone SDK Agreement does not allow you to write your own Java Interpreter which Opera did with their iPhone browser.

http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-...-appstore.html ...

via IGN


Today we received boxed retail copies of Mirror's Edge in the office. Our full review of the game is embargoed for a couple weeks, but that didn't stop us from rifling through the included manual and an interesting sell sheet. Said sheet has an ad for Need for Speed Undercover on one side, and Skate 2 on the other. In the bottom-left corner of the Skate 2 ad is a little tag that not so subtly says "In Stores January 2009". It doesn't get any more official than that.

We talked to EA about the matter, and the timing is indeed set, though we don't have a specific date as of yet. But at least we now know we'll be revisiting San Vanelona in less than 90 days. ...

via Gizmodo US


We pretty much figured that Nintendo had another reason for releasing the DSi other than just wanting to give us a prettier system like, say, wanting to stop rampant global piracy on the DS. Now that the DSi is out in Japan, the public has tested all of the flash card piracy devices and found the results to be very, very bad. None of them work.

• R4 - Failed
• EZ Flash V - Failed
• CycloDS - Failed
• G6 DS Real - Failed
• M3 DS Real - Failed
• Supercard DS One - Failed
• iTouch DS - Failed
• FCard - Failed
• NCard - Failed
• M3 DS Simply - Failed
• U2DS - Failed

It's possible that there's a card not currently on that list, but from our quick glance, all the big boys in DS piracy are covered. ...

via IGN


Following its financial report yesterday, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata gathered the press today in japan to give some background detail behind the numbers and also give a glimpse at Nintendo's future software plans.

Notable in Iwata's speech were details on Nintendo's upcoming DSi Ware lineup as well as further details on the previously announced Made in Ore, a spinoff of Wario Ware.

First, DSi Ware. Set to kick off in Japan in mid December, this DSi-only lineup of titles consists of games that are downloadable directly to the 256 megabytes of memory in the DSi system, similar in fashion to WiiWare games on the Wii.

Iwata mentioned a handful of games, some of which were previously detailed at the press conference last month where the DSi itself was announced.

First up was Art Style. This is a new puzzle game series. At the press conference, Iwata showed a screen split in four, with each screen representing a different title. In all, the series will consist of six games, each selling for 500 Nintendo Points.

Next, Iwata showed not a specific title, but hinted at a series of games based off the mini games in the Wario Ware series. These will be priced at 200 Nintendo Points.

Nintendo is also looking into application-style software, said Iwata. He showed one example, "Rousenzu." This is an interactive mapping program that's based off a print title, updated with the expected DS-style functionality improvements.

Back to the gaming area of the DSi Ware program, Iwata announced that Nintendo is developing a lineup of titles that make use of the DSi's camera. He only showed one game, though, "Utsusu Made in Wario." "Utsusu" is Japanese for being shown in a picture or in a video, with "Made in Wario" being the Japanese name for Wario Ware.

As suggested by the name, this is an entry in the Wario Ware series that makes use of captured video images for control. You play by setting the DSi on a table. Your silhouette appears on the screen as you move about, making the title look a bit like Sony's EyeToy games. Set for 500 Nintendo Points, Utsusu Made in Wario will launch with the DSiWare program in mid December.

Moving on to Made in Ore, Iwata first noted that Nintendo recognizes the importance of user-generated content. He pointed to the hit Japan-only Band Bros. DX, which allows players to make and distribute their own song edits. Users have created over 3,000 songs so far, he said.

Made in Ore allows players to make their very own mini games. The title is a variation of Made in Wario (the Japanese name for Wario Ware) with the word Ore, Japanese for "Me," in place of Wario.

The game includes tools for making games, music, and manga. Iwata showed a demonstration clip of a user making backgrounds, moving characters, and background music, and even programming simple logic routines. It's even possible to design your own cartridge before you make your creation available to other Made in Ore players.

Joining Made in Ore will be a WiiWare counterpart, Asobu Made in Ore. "Asobu" is Japanese for "Play." WiiWare owners use this program to play the games that others have made using the DS's Made in Ore. No game creation tools are included.

Video shown at the event suggested that Asobu Made in Ore runs in full screen using Wii assets, rather than simply emulating the DS game screen.

These are just a hint at things to come for the DS and DSi. Expect more details to surface following the DSi's Japanese release on Saturday. ...

via Engadget




You know those complaints about the ugly, old-school looking interlacing lines that many (ourselves included) have reported seeing on the new PSP-3000? The specific issue has been uncovered -- but not by Sony. A group of concerned French gamers with a 40x microscope think it all comes down to that most mellow of colors: blue. LCDs are comprised of RGB pixels that, combined, form all the rainbow of hues in between.

As you can see in the picture above, the PSP-2000's LCD (left) used pixels in a vertical orientation, and the blue pixels were fairly light in color. On the PSP-3000 (right), the pixels are now arranged horizontally, and the blue ones are far darker than before. The dark horizontal lines result in the heinous interlacing, an effect that any Command & Conquer player will tell you wasn't even cool in the 90's. Sony's already called this a "feature" and not a flaw, so if you absolutely must buy a PSP this holiday season the folks at Logic-Sunrise who took the above pics recommend you buy an older 2000-series -- while you still can. ...

via Engadget




You know those complaints about the ugly, old-school looking interlacing lines that many (ourselves included) have reported seeing on the new PSP-3000? The specific issue has been uncovered -- but not by Sony. A group of concerned French gamers with a 40x microscope think it all comes down to that most mellow of colors: blue. LCDs are comprised of RGB pixels that, combined, form all the rainbow of hues in between.

As you can see in the picture above, the PSP-2000's LCD (left) used pixels in a vertical orientation, and the blue pixels were fairly light in color. On the PSP-3000 (right), the pixels are now arranged horizontally, and the blue ones are far darker than before. The dark horizontal lines result in the heinous interlacing, an effect that any Command & Conquer player will tell you wasn't even cool in the 90's. Sony's already called this a "feature" and not a flaw, so if you absolutely must buy a PSP this holiday season the folks at Logic-Sunrise who took the above pics recommend you buy an older 2000-series -- while you still can. ...

via Games Industry


Nintendo's new handheld, the DSi, will likely see a launch in the US and Europe by the end of the summer of 2009, according to president Satoru Iwata.

The company will start selling the DSi in Japan on November 1 for JPY 18,900 (USD 192), in a move to boost flagging sales in the region. No plans for overseas releases have been detailed, but Nintendo's president did tell investors that the company had a time period in mind.

"Specific plans will be unveiled by our local subsidiaries, but an autumn or year-end launch would probably be too late," said Iwata, according to Reuters.

Iwata went on to dismiss questions over whether the gloomy economic climate was impacting on DS sales outside of Japan.

"With the business environment having changed this much, we of course need to stay alert. But so far I haven't seen even the slightest sign that overseas DS and Wii demand is being affected by the economy," Iwata explained. ...

via Eurogamer


Nintendo has updated the Virtual Console with three Halloweeny games for the NES.

They are Devil World, Castlevania III and Ghost 'N Goblins, all of which cost 500 Wii Points, which is approximately GBP 3.50 / EUR 4.50.

The latter duo need no introduction (and don't really need buying either, since you can get the SNES Super Castlevania IV and Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts for 800 Points each), but Devil World might have passed you by.

Originally released 24 years ago this month, it's a Pac-Man-esque maze game designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, in which players control a cutesy dragon who collects crucifixes on a quest to kill the devil. In hindsight, it's rather amazing it never came out in the USA.

We can think of better Halloween-related ways to spend tree-fitty, but we can think of nothing amusing upon which to conclude this paragraph. ...

via Computer and Video Games


As we reported yesterday, Sega's just picked up the publishing rights to this Wii-exclusive FPS from High Voltage.

Set in Washington D.C. following a "vicious alien invasion", The Conduit is aiming to prove that the Wii has "potential beyond the casual market", which sounds like a good idea to us.

Its controls will enable you to adjust look sensitivity, turning speed, dead zone and other options, and it'll support the Wii Speak and Wii MotionPlus peripherals when it releases in the second quarter of 2009.


Screenshots ...