NSA infiltrated online games in hunt for terrorists

The NSA described games communities, such as World of Warcraft, as a ‘target-rich network’ where potential terrorists could ‘hide in plain sight’.

Because of leaks from the former National Security Agency employee, Edward Snowden, the NSA is still under the microscope. The NSA has been straddling a fine line between being a terrifying and comically inept government institution. Now, in the latter category: a report that the NSA infiltrated the dark world of online gaming.

 

 

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Why mobile gaming is so popular in South Korea

Mobile gaming is expected to generate $1.4 billion in South Korea.

This year, in South Korea mobile gaming is expected to generate $1.4 billion.  Mobile games like Anipang have become a cultural phenomenon within the country. It’s as common to see older women in their sixties playing games in the subway as it is to see younger children playing games at the bus stop. The mobile gaming craze in Korea is largely a result of the following factors.

 

 

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Analysts predict $13.1 billion game market for China in 2013 with end of game console ban

The end of the console ban means that Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft can now legally sell their systems in the country.

Niko Partners, an Asian games market research firm, predicts a $13.1 billion game market for China in 2013. This is in its China Games Market Mid-Year 2013 Update Bulletin, which includes data and analysis of video game salesfor the country that has recently lifted a long-standing ban on consoles. That’s a 28 percent growth for online PC games compared to 2012 and a 60 percent increase for mobile games revenue.

 

 

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AR glasses turn everywhere into a gaming environment

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1YvP7CtBKU[/youtube]

There has been a lot of excitement around Google Glass, but the truth is, head-mounted displays that interact with the world around you are an area being aggressively explored by a number of companies. One of the primary areas of interest for these devices involves augmented reality. A group of former Valve employees have set out on their own to unveil a pair of glasses that they hope will be the future of augmented reality gaming.

 

 

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Google is melding real and virtual worlds with games, apps, and Glass

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Ingress, Google’s virtual reality game

In Google’s global alternative reality game, Ingress. that uses the real world as its gamespace, Ingress says, “the world around you is not what it seems.” And, perhaps, when Google’s semi-independent division Niantic Labs is finished with its mission, we humans won’t be, either.

 

 

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CodeSpells – a video game that teaches how to program in Java

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TslR9CG6yKI[/youtube]

CodeSpells is an immersive, first-person player video game designed to teach students in elementary to high school how to program in the popular Java language. CodeSpells has been developed by University of California, San Diego computer scientists.

 

 

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Kickstarter’s massive leap into forefront of indie innovation

Like YouTube, Facebook, or blogging platforms, it’s almost hard to believe there was an Internet without Kickstarter, which may be the greatest testament to its success. In 2009, the site generated about $23 million for its projects–an impressive figure by all accounts–but in 2012, Kickstarter pulled in roughly 10 times that, leapfrogging the grant budget of the National Endowment for the Arts. You can find all those facts and many more in the following masterful infographic (broken apart here) created for Fast Company by Catalogtree and reported by Skylar Bergl, Jeffrey Cattel, and Lindsey Kratochwill…

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Rich Burlew’s Comic Book Business Success Story

A remarkable Empire of One business 

Rich Burlew created the first The Order of the Stick, a hilarious webcomic that celebrates and satirizes tabletop role-playing games and medieval fantasy, on September 29, 2003. The strip was originally produced to entertain people who came to his website for gaming articles, but it quickly became the most popular feature, leading Burlew to eventually abandon writing articles almost entirely.

The entire comic strip is drawn with simple stick characters, hence the name.

On September 30, 2005, The Order of the Stick began appearing in Dragon, the long-running official D&D magazine, and the strip became profitable enough for him to quit his job as a freelance graphic designer and concentrate on cartooning.

Rich also started self-publishing his comics in book form in 2005, but it became hard for him to keep all of the older books in stock. So in 2012 he decided to do a Kickstarter project with a goal of $57,750. Instead, he raised $1,254,120 from 14,952 backers…

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Video games should be consider an ‘experience, not just a product

Thatgamecompany’s PlayStation 3 exclusive game, Journey.

Video games are the most interactive form of entertainment we have but they have been slow to achieve the kind of experiential status that is often associated with art, music, literature, and film. Last year there were many titles released that challenged this notion. Among them was Thatgamecompany’s PlayStation3 exclusive, Journey, which has received heaps of praise and made many video game enthusiasts’ Game-of-the-Year lists.

 

 

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Make your stand with tabwood’s laser cut high quality birch and bamboo wood designs

 

 tabwood is an eco-friendly stand for your devices.

tabwood is a blend of Modern Technology and Old World Craftsmanshipthat uses natural materials as oppose to energy intensive non-renewable products that are currently used to support Tablet Computers, eReaders andSmart Phones. You have a beautifully design digital device so why wrap it up in an ugly plastic case. Let tabwood put it on display!

tabwood is one of the featured exhibitors at the DaVinci Inventor Showcase, which takes place on Oct 13, 2012 at the Denver Merchandise Mart. If you want to see one of these in person, this is your chance!

Recently, inventor Lou Hayes took a moment answer some questions about  creating 3D models in AutoCAD, his Kickstarter project and producing something that solves a problem and resonates with people…

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.