RSS

Archive | Just Plain Geek RSS feed for this section

Salvation for Terminator

27. May 2009

1 Comment

Salvation for Terminator

Back in the first 80’s movie when Kyle Reese described the war-torn landscapes of the Terminators, movie audiences could only imagine how that future looked. In the following films, brief glimpses were shown of the robot hell that earth becomes, but in Terminator Salvation, those visions have become realized. Christian Bale delivers the presence you’d expect [...]

Continue reading...

Set Phasers to Awesome

12. May 2009

7 Comments

Set Phasers to Awesome

It’s a good bet if you read this blog you’ve already seen it, but if this little bit of positive word of mouth benefits this sci-fi masterpiece in the very least, then my duty is done. Star Trek proves you can have a summer blockbuster action flick with plot and substance and not rely solely [...]

Continue reading...

The Art of Cosplay - Playing Dressup (Sometimes Professionally)

13. March 2009

5 Comments

The Art of Cosplay - Playing Dressup (Sometimes Professionally)

If you're reading this, and know about the world of cosplay then feel free to leave. Or stay, depending on how you view the art of cosplaying. Of course to understand cosplay, you really have to see it.

Continue reading...

One Emulator To Rule Them All; Many Pieces Of Software Bind Them

12. February 2009

4 Comments

One Emulator To Rule Them All; Many Pieces Of Software Bind Them

Researchers at Portsmouth University are looking to preserve the history of our software past, by creating an emulator that could read any software dating back to the 70's. Yea, I wish I could get in on some of that research as well. Maybe test some games out, make sure they work. Hey, somebody has to do it.

Continue reading...

Geektastic Lawn Mowing Robot!

26. January 2009

3 Comments

Geektastic Lawn Mowing Robot!

New at CES 2009 from RoboLabs, Inc comes Smartmow lawn mowing robot for all you geeks out there or just those of you tired of taking the energy and time to mow your own yard. You can pre-order one today at their site for only $175, which sounds like a great deal to me. Their [...]

Continue reading...

Is His CPU a Neural Net Processor?

13. November 2008

5 Comments

Is His CPU a Neural Net Processor?

Well, here we go. How long until Judgment Day? They're making real robots to look like humans in what is obviously going to bring to mind images involving a certain "electronic murderer". Luckily these robots aren't killing people...yet.

Continue reading...

What the McG is Happening to My Electronic Murderer?

10. November 2008

1 Comment

What the McG is Happening to My Electronic Murderer?

It is my belief that there are two kinds of Terminator fans. There are the kind that enjoyed the first three films, and eagerly await the next episode of the Sarah Connor Chronicles, and there are those who love the first two, thought the third one was somewhere between bad and mildly decent, and are not very interested in either the Sarah Connor Chronicles or the upcoming Terminator: Salvation. If you fall into a different category, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Continue reading...

Hackers, Hacking, Hacks

7. October 2008

17 Comments

Hackers, Hacking, Hacks

The art of hacking in a technological world is generally a negative thing. To hack into something, usually means a breach in security and some form of data altered. However, hacking, and being particularly skilled at it, can pay off – if the skills are used appropriately.

Continue reading...

Duke Nukem Forever screenshots - Also proof of bigfoot, little green men

30. September 2008

6 Comments

Duke Nukem Forever screenshots - Also proof of bigfoot, little green men

They are kind of pretty and shiny in a hard bitten, vaporware sort of way.  But wait, could this be the proof that we're all waiting for?  Will DNF be an actual product in our lifetime?  I'll let you decide that while you gaze lovingly at the once familiar mug of our long lost protagonist.  Let's hope that if it is real, it makes a better impression than Spore.

Continue reading...

Mind Rot: A Video Game Addict or an Obsessive Personality?

14. September 2008

6 Comments

Mind Rot: A Video Game Addict or an Obsessive Personality?

In this recent article at Bohemian.com, Gabriel Fransisco describes a lifestyle lost to an overwhelming obsession with video games. But is this attempt at a heart-wrenching anecdote evidence of the addictive nature of video games, or is it evidence of a man with an obsessive personality who has the uncanny ability (or curse) of overwhelming focus on his personal goals? My own positive relationship with video games provides a stark contrast with Gabriel's self-destructive obsession.

Continue reading...

Linux and Flash - cut the crap already!

4. September 2008

44 Comments

Linux and Flash - cut the crap already!

Look, Adobe, can we please get with the times and start making a product that works on Linux?  Please?  It's getting closer to 2010 and we're still missing flying cars, meals in pills and a flash player that actually works most of the time.  You see that?  I'd even settle for most of the time right now.  The sad truth is, Flash locks up on my current Ubuntu install, with the latest Flash release and it happens all the time.

Continue reading...

Spore - finally a game to get excited about

2. September 2008

6 Comments

Spore - finally a game to get excited about

With the launch of Spore coming soon, I'm finally starting to get excited about a video game again!  It's been a while since there's been a video game release that truly sparked a lot of interest in my gaming life.  There's been the occasional left field surprise like Sins of a Solar Empire which I've enjoyed playing very much but most of the recent big gaming releases have been more of the same.  Prettier sure, graphically some have been amazing - but it's still first person shooter or real time strategy.  Will Spore be different?

Continue reading...

Bionic Commando: Rearmed is Heavy on Nostalgia, Light on Gameplay

29. August 2008

1 Comment

Bionic Commando: Rearmed is Heavy on Nostalgia, Light on Gameplay

In 1987, Capcom unveiled a new franchise - Bionic Commando. Bionic Commando started as a standalone arcade game, in which the the main character was a soldier equipped with a bionic arm used for swinging, grabbing, and ass-kicking. In 1988, a sequel was made for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Two weeks ago, Capcom released a remake of the 1988 NES classic on the Playstation Network, XBox Live Arcade, and PC gaming systems.

Continue reading...

Book Review: You Call This the Future? by Nick Sagan

27. August 2008

0 Comments

Book Review: You Call This the Future?  by Nick Sagan

The new book by Nick Sagan (son of Carl Sagan), You Call This the Future?: The Greatest Inventions Sci-Fi Imagined and Science Promised, is characterized by explanations of some of the fascinating technologies envisioned in classic science fiction along with explorations of the progress modern science has made towards achieving those visions. Classic science fiction references appear side-by-side with summaries of state of the art scientific research.

Continue reading...

The Invasion Has Begun: Death Star Spotted Above San Francisco

25. August 2008

0 Comments

The Invasion Has Begun: Death Star Spotted Above San Francisco

Initial reports are beginning to leak out of San Francisco that a mysterious object has been seen in the sky, blotting out the stars and staring down ominously at the peaceful inhabitants of The Golden Gate City. An intrepid amateur videographer has posted footage of the mysterious object on Youtube. Star Wars aficionados may recognize the massive moon-like invader as none other than a Death Star - a space station and weapon capable of destroying an entire planet - previously thought to be mere fiction.

Continue reading...