Retrofitting feature disapears from blog, turns back up filled with guilt

As a re-update, here's the article that seems to have disapeared from last week.


The games of today have advanced far beyond the games of yesteryear, most notably graphically.

Some developers, however, are going back in time and reviving the old. Capcom is one of the bigger players in it, and one of the biggest examples of the retrofitting is their own Mega Man 9.

For those that don’t know, Mega Man 9 is the newest game in the Mega Man series since its eighth installment over ten years ago, in 1997. And despite the large gap between the sequels there’s something notably different between them, and the first thing you notice with this new old game is the graphics brought back to its 8-bit roots, which is done in the same style as its first two Mega Man games. Another retrofit is the difficulty being upped made as painstakingly hard as the first two, and though this may prove a little frustrating, it’s a nice tap in the nostalgia for those that remember the originals.

Though Mega Man 9 is a whole new game that looks old, there are plenty of old games that have gotten a facelift, and most of them seem to be on the Xbox Live Arcade. From Pac-Man to Space Invaders, there are plenty to choose from. One is Bionic Commando: Rearmed (another Capcom made game) was released, which is a remake of the original NES game. And though it’s a remake and looks much better, the gameplay is still just as hard as the original.

These remakes and even the original classic games are dominating the downloadable market on the consoles. From Nintendo’s Virtual Console on the Wii which is completely made up of old games in their original form, to the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network with classics and the remakes, this trend will likely last for a while.

Bush signs PRO-IP Act

Interweb pirates beware.

Last Monday, President Bush signed into law an anti-piracy law that simply stiffens the punishment for anyone with pirated media, as well as creates an intellectual property czar who's job will be to go to the president to discuss protecting copyrighted materials.

The penalties include increased fines for distributing content, easier maximum penalties for repeat offenders (no limit for how many they have to distribute before they get a nice 10-year prison term), and the ability for the justice department to seize any computers and devices used to distribute material and auction them off.

Though it seems that all of this just affects anyone who shares their stuff with others. So if you like to just take, you're likely fine. And as the general counsel for NBC Universal, Rick Cotton said, this "isn't for teenagers," but for counterfeiting and piracy by organized crime.



[Image source: Read]
[Story source: Read]

New DS To Be Announced Tomorrow [UPDATE:It was]

With recent rumblings lately about the big N releasing a new DS, it's apparently set to be announced tomorrow, according to MCV. Most likely in time for the Christmas season.

The new DS is said to have multimedia compatibilities such as a camera and MP3 player, and is set to be announced at 12AM Eastern Time, with Nintendo's press conference.

Whether the rumor is true or not, we will soon see.

UPDATE: Seems the rumor is true. The DSi will have two cameras, a wider screen, music playback, and a SD card slot. It will also be thinner, though nixing GBA playback in the process.

The DS MkIII debuts next month in Japan on November 1, for ¥18,900 (or about $179 for you importers).

iPods Recieve Another Upgrade

In expected Apple fashion, its iPod line received an upgrade this month, most notably for the iPod Touch and the Nano.

The old Nano was short, wide, and well, kind of ugly looking. With the new Nano the hardware has reverted back to the first and second generation’s candy bar look. Taking the wide screen and flipping it vertically, making the sides curved (making the only edges on the top and bottom or the player), and somehow managing to make it even skinnier, the new Nano simply looks better. It has also left the pastel colors and now literally has a rainbow of colors to choose from, all of which are pretty vibrant.

The software of it has changed considerably, as well. The new user interface of the Nano has a bit of the feel of the iPhone and iPod Touch’s. With the built in accelerometer the Nano now flips into Cover Flow when on its side and can be shaken to shuffle. Other things of note are flipping on its side for videos and integrating Apple's new Genius Playlist into it, which takes into account your entire library and listening habits when creating a playlist around a song of your choice. A handy thing for on-the-fly

The iPod Touch has also undergone some slight changes. It's new looks and hardware include a curved backing (which is still instantly smudgeable metal), a new volume button on the side, and some speakers. With the new backing making it technically a little thicker, it feels more comfortable in the hand, thanks to the curvy backing. The new volume control is also a welcome addition. Speakers have also been added for annoying others on the bus various applications to utilize, as well as making making the alarm clock on the thing useful.

The software updates for the Touch is also the Genius Playlist maker (which is also available on the new Firmware for first generation Touches), and the integrated Nike+ for all the walkers and runners out there.

The iPod Classic and Shuffle also received (relatively minor) updates. The Classic is now just available in a one size fits all 120 gigabyte model, and the shuffle simply gained new colors.

First Post Reeks of New Blog Smell

Welcome to the new New Tech blog, for the Skyline View newspaper. It'll be updated for you all on Wednesdays, and possibly a little here and there in between.
Made to cover gadgets, software, and just general electronic stuff.

Though for now, all you get is this welcome post.

More to come soon. Promise.

(For now, check out Nick, Natalie, and Cap'n Smirk's Joey's blogs.)