Consumer Electronics Daily News

MiniTycoon Casino, Build an Empire With the Newest Mobile Social Game

SGN at TechCrunch DISRUPT announced "MiniTycoon Casino" for the iPhone and iPod touch platforms, utilizing Apple's new Game Center network.  Transporting the social gaming experience from social network sites to the mobile platform, MiniTycoon Casino lets players live their "tycoon dreams" in the palm of their hands, anywhere in the world.  It is the first in SGN's MiniTycoon series, a suite of connected social experiences that enable users to create and share mobile virtual worlds and avatars across multiple gaming applications.

"Social games have grown exponentially in popularity and sophistication on the Internet, and the iPhone and iPod touch are the ideal platforms to transition the experience to a wider audience," said Randy Breen, CEO of SGN.  "MiniTycoon Casino allows players to become the biggest tycoon by creating the most successful casino through social game play from wherever they are. In MiniTycoon Casino, players control their casino's destiny."

In MiniTycoon Casino, players build their casino from an off-the-strip startup to a multi-million dollar empire.  By designing and building a one-of-a-kind destination, incorporating popular motifs designed to bring in customers, such as classic Roman themes, players can create and personalize their own perfect gambling locale.  Further, they can increase their gains by upgrading and maintaining gaming stations, compensating high rollers and hiring their friends in order to become the most successful owner in Las Vegas.  MiniTycoon Casino is also optimized for the iPhone4 and new iPod touch and the devices' advanced Retina Display, presenting stunning views of a player's casino empire.

Ernie Els Introduces 'My Golf Game'

PGA TOUR, three-time Major champion, and Golf Hall of Fame Inductee Ernie Els proudly tees off and launches "My Golf Game"—a dynamic, interactive golf video game engineered specifically for golf enthusiasts of all ages and especially those with special needs.

"The goal of 'My Golf Game' is to give people with special needs the opportunity to play golf on a modern video game," says Chuck Bergen, Founder and President, VTree LLC. "The game can be played with touch screen, foot pedals, voice recognition and other assistive technology, in addition to traditional devices like a mouse, keyboards, and Xbox 360 game controllers."

"My Golf Game" is DVD-based for the PC that utilizes technologies used in EA SPORTS games to bring authentic golf action to the gamer.

Current World #10 Ernie Els adds: "I am proud to be associated with 'My Golf Game.' As a parent of a child with autism it is great to see such a high-quality game available to a wider group of gamers that will help develop key coordination skills."

A percentage from the sales of "My Golf Game" will go to The Els for Autism Foundation. The foundation, founded in 2009, is working to build a world-class Center of Excellence—the first of its kind, incorporating all the services a child with autism needs in order to become a productive member of society.

VTree's "My Golf Game" is available in a PC-based format that can be played on any desktop or laptop with a Windows XP, Vista or Windows7 operating system. The game is compatible with any USB XBOX 360 game controllers and many USB adaptive devices.

 

 

 

 

 

NASCAR The Game 2011 Release Date Set

February 2011 is the release of NASCAR The Game 2011 for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, and Wii. With a fresh infusion of real world detail and blistering racing action, NASCAR The Game 2011 completely redefines what fans can expect from a NASCAR racing game.

NASCAR The Game 2011 has been built from the ground up to make a thoroughly new experience.  The team started by speaking with the people who know NASCAR best—the fans—and took that insight to the teams, drivers and officials to completely embrace what makes NASCAR America's No. 1 motorsport.

Players can choose to play as themselves or as one of the sport's real-world drivers as they battle it out for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. Each pro driver has the AI characteristics of his or her real world counterpart, setting the stage for intense rivalries played out on the track. Damage is meticulously detailed and multi-car wrecks are the most extreme ever experienced in an officially licensed racing game. From the 22 real world tracks to full pit stop strategy action, NASCAR The Game 2011 captures the real atmosphere, sense of speed and spectacle that embodies NASCAR. Players can even feel the thrill of a win with the interactive celebration mode.

The game also includes in-depth multiplayer modes which allow up to 16 players to battle it out for the win online. In both online and offline races, players earn NASCAR experience points which help unlock rewards such as decal packs or special car designs, as well as career sponsorships and special races throughout career mode. Everything you do on the track counts!

Nokia N8 Shipments Have Begun

The Nokia N8 with Ovi services, has started shipping. Customers who have placed a pre-order for the Nokia N8 in Nokia Online Shops and Nokia retail stores will be the first to receive their Nokia N8. Market availability will vary by country and by operator, with broad availability in the coming weeks.  

The first of a series of smartphones based on the new Symbian, the Nokia N8 is fast and easy to use and supports true multitasking, allowing users to run multiple apps simultaneously and switch between them easily.

The Nokia N8 lets you take the highest quality photos and shoot HD-quality videos in supreme clarity with the 12MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics. You can edit photos and videos on-screen and choose from multiple ways to share them; transfer large files to an external hard-drive with USB-on-the-go, or upload photos to social networks straight from the homescreen.

Its WebTV apps from channels like E! Entertainment, National Geographic and CNN and the intuitive music player inject an element of fun into idle moments. Plug the device to the home entertainment center to watch HD-quality videos from the big screen with full Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound

The Nokia N8 comes with free Ovi Maps walk & drive navigation in more than 70 countries worldwide. The latest beta release of Ovi Maps is also available for download from Nokia Beta Labs for the Nokia N8. It features visibility to public transport in 85 cities around the world, as well as real-time traffic, safety camera alerts, visibility to parking and petrol/gas stations, and speed limit warnings.

 

 

Still Texting After All These Laws

Vlingo Corporation released results from its third annual Vlingo 'Texting While Driving' in America Report.  Based on a survey of nearly 5,000 U.S. consumers found that while more state laws exist today to ban texting while driving, 35 percent of mobile phone users continue to text behind the wheel, which is up from 26 percent in 2009. 

The study also found that young adults aged 20 to 29 years old had the highest percentage (62%) of offenders admitting to texting while driving.  They ranked higher than teenagers aged 16-19 years old (53%), while 50-59 year olds ranked only 17 percent. 

The Vlingo study found that drivers know about safety issues surrounding distracted driving, are interested in curbing those habits and are open to technologies that could help them drive safely.  Highlights of the data include:

• 91% of drivers feel that they are more likely to get into an accident while reading or typing a text message.
• 90% feel that reading or typing a text message is just as unsafe as not wearing a seatbelt.  
• 44% have been passengers in a vehicle where the driver was reading or typing a text message and 76% of those passengers felt unsafe.
• 80% are trying to limit the frequency in which they read or type text messages while driving.
• When asked if drivers would feel safer if they had the ability to speak text messages into their phones without taking their eyes off the road, 67% said yes, 22% said maybe, while 11% said no.

"It's clear that consumers are still tempted to reach for their cell phone when text messages come through while they are driving," said Dave Grannan, President and CEO of Vlingo. 

Premium In-Dash A/V Navigation Systems

The first in-dash car navigation system for the U.S. market, featuring technology powered by industry leader TomTom, was announced by Sony.

Designed to offer drivers the ultimate package of technology, innovation and style, the new XNV-770BT and XNV-660BT A/V navigation systems feature some of the most advanced car audio, video and navigational technologies in market today.

"TomTom's expertise in navigation and our long-standing tradition of premium audio and video are strongly represented with these new in-dash systems," said Mike Kahn, Director of Sony's Mobile Music Business. "This unique partnership and exciting product offerings represent a huge step forward for Sony in the mobile electronics business."

Both of Sony's new systems, the XNV-770BT (7-inch widescreen display) and XNV-660BT (6.1-inch widescreen display) come pre-loaded with TomTom's extensive map database of both U.S. and Canada roads, with one free year of map upgrades provided at no incremental charge. In the U.S. alone, TomTom maps feature more than 1 million more miles of roads than other GPS brands.  

• IQ Routes evaluates all route options based on actual traffic speeds rather than posted speed limits, and will recommend the fastest route for the time of day.
• Advanced Lane Guidance provides enhanced lane graphics that show which lane to take in complex multi-lane situations.
• Quick GPSfix™ automatically updates satellite locations to get the driver on their way faster.
• MapShare™ from TomTom and its enormous navigation community enables drivers to correct their maps and benefit from changes made by other drivers via your computer and the free software TomTom HOME.
• More than 6 million points of interest including gas stations, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and more.

 

Price Drops for Leading Mobile Phones for Seniors

Just5 announced a price drop on all of its leading mobile phones for seniors, people with poor eyesight or hearing problems and people with medical conditions that require constant care. Previously $119.99, the price has been cut 25 percent to $89.99, making them the most affordable phones for seniors on the market. Effective immediately, the discounted phones are available via the Just5.com website and the company's network of authorized dealers as well as through leading distributors, such as Ingram Micro, TigerDirect and Newegg.com.

Just5 manufactures phones that are designed for optimal ease of use, reliability and emergency response. Five main features include large buttons and a "talking keypad" for simple dialing/texting, a high-volume speaker for amplified sound, a long-lasting battery for reliability, and an emergency SOS button for urgent response. Just5's unlocked GSM 850/1900 band phones enable users to connect with any U.S. or Canadian GSM service provider by inserting a prepaid or postpaid SIM card.

For emergency situations, users can preset up to five phone numbers for 911, family, friends, doctors, etc. If a user presses the emergency SOS button, the phone will text an urgent message (e.g. "I'm having an emergency, please answer") to these five numbers, then dial them in prioritized order. When dialing, the phone will sound a loud siren to attract the attention of others. Once someone answers a call, the phone automatically switches to loud speaker mode for easier communications.

 

Free Registration for CES 2011 Ends Sept. 30

The Consumer Electronics Association has announced that registration fees for CES 2011 will rise to $100 starting on October 1. On January 2, they'll go up to $200.

CEA is expecting CES 2011 to draw 2,500 exhibitors from more than 130 companies. Show dates are January 6-9, 2011 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Register online at www.cesweb.org and use priority code AN6.

First Expansion Pack 'The Awakening of Justice' for Disney Fantasy Online

NetDragon, a leading online game developer and innovator in China, announces that Disney Fantasy Online's first expansion pack "The Awakening of Justice" was released on Sept. 27, 2010. 

As the world's first Disney-themed MMORPG created in collaboration with Disney Interactive Media Group, Disney Fantasy Online has enjoyed the fervent support of players due to the excellent quality of its classic Disney content since its opening of beta test in May 2010. The EP "The Awakening of Justice" will add two new professions "charmer" and "nobleman," which will help to better improve and balance the game's profession system. In addition, players can experience novel features such as strengthened weapons after evolution and partner weapon system. 

Additionally, NetDragon will soon introduce the "Fourth Generation Chatting System" which knocks down the walls that previously confined players to a game-specific chatting room. The new chatting system enables a player to reach players in other NetDragon games and to interact via this cross-game platform. NetDragon believes that this design innovation will enhance users' stickiness and extend products' life cycle. 

NetDragon has been operating and developing a broad range of MMORPGs since launching its first self-made title Monster & Me in 2002. In addition, NetDragon is China's pioneer in overseas expansion, having directly operated its titles in overseas markets since 2004 in English, French, Spanish and other foreign languages.

Borders Offers with Kobo Wireless eReader

Borders added the new Kobo Wireless eReader to its digital assortment that now includes an industry-leading selection of seven eReading devices. The addition of the new Kobo device advances Borders as a preferred destination for eReaders for virtually every household. 

Borders' new Kobo Wireless eReader comes with a built-in wireless connection, upgraded hardware in three new colors and a new processor that drives faster page turns. Just .4 inches thick and 7.8 grams, the lightweight eReader is available in three sleek color combinations: onyx, porcelain with a metallic silver back and porcelain with a pearlized lilac back. 

The new Kobo Wireless eReader allows consumers to browse more than 1.5 million books in the Borders eBook store and update their digital library wirelessly, directly from the eReader device, a smartphone or the Borders Desktop Application. With the intuitive control pad and a built-in library-management system, customers can easily navigate and organize their library by title, date last read and author. In addition, customers can add documents using an SD card, Adobe Digital Editions, or drag-and-drop. The eReader also supports EPUB and PDF documents, so customers can enjoy the option of borrowing and reading free eBooks from their local library. 

Designed by book lovers for book lovers, the new Kobo Wireless eReader reads like print on paper with its specialized E Ink screen for a true book-like reading experience. With 16 grey scale levels to choose from, the device offers sharp graphics and crisp text that are easy on the eyes. The device also comes pre-loaded with 100 free classics so customers can immediately begin reading.