| Xbox co-creator brings together Atari 'dream team' for mobile gaming startup Feb 3rd 2012, 21:38 A new mobile gaming startup that's yet to release a single game isn't the sort of thing we'd normally cover 'round here, but the story behind Los Angeles-based Innovative Leisure is anything but ordinary. The man behind the company is the co-creator of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley, and he's brought with him eleven industry veterans that he calls "the dream team from Atari," including the likes of Van Burnham, Ed Logg, Rich Adam, Tim Skelly, Owen Rubin, and Ed Rotberg. While those names may not be familiar to everyone, you'll surely recognize some of the games they were responsible for: Asteroids, Centipede, Gauntlet, Missile Command, Battlezone, S.T.U.N. Runner, Major Havoc and Space Duel, to name a few. Speaking with VentureBeat, Blackley describes mobile devices as "the new arcade" and 99 cent games as the "new quarter," adding that he's aiming to carry on where Atari left off, "focusing on innovation in gameplay." To help with that, the company has secured backing from THQ, which has reportedly agreed to an initial slate of ten games, seven of which are now in development (with only the iPhone and iPad mentioned as supported platforms so far). Unfortunately, details remain light beyond that, with Blackley only offering late summer or fall as an estimated release date for the first titles. In the meantime, you can find more of the backstory at the links below (THQ's press release can also be found after the break). Continue reading Xbox co-creator brings together Atari 'dream team' for mobile gaming startup Xbox co-creator brings together Atari 'dream team' for mobile gaming startup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  VentureBeat | Email this | Comments | | Galaxy Nexus and other CDMA devices removed from Google Support pages Feb 3rd 2012, 21:16 Some of you may have noticed that the Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus is no longer listed as a supported, official developer device by Google. Despite rumors to the contrary, it doesn't appear this has anything to do with the kerfuffle over Wallet, but instead centers around technical issues relating to the APK files required for CDMA connectivity and the signing of those libraries. Other devices have also disappeared from the support pages, including the Nexus S 4G and the Verizon-branded Xoom. Google has posted an update explaining that, "for various technical reasons" CDMA telephony is handled by binaries provided by the carrier in newer devices. The result is different signatures being associated with those APKs than a pure AOSP builds and, thus, those essential components don't function properly. Google explained the disappearance by saying "we aim to make sure that we are as clear as possible about the degree of support that devices have," before going on to promise all Nexus devices would continue to have unlockable bootloaders and that as many of the closed-source binaries as possible would be made available. For the complete statement hit up the source link. Galaxy Nexus and other CDMA devices removed from Google Support pages originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Android Contributors (Google Groups) | Email this | Comments | | Verizon's ZTE Jetpack flies through FCC, arrival time still unknown Feb 3rd 2012, 21:01 Do you wish you had your own personal Jetpack? Well, you may not have to wait much longer for ZTE's version -- the EuFi I890, announced at CES last month -- to come out, if its entry into the records of the FCC are any indication. It may not be the kind that you strap onto your back, but at least this one takes advantage of Verizon's LTE, and it happens to add in CDMA / EVDO and AT&T-compatible 3G radios. We knew the 4G-packing MiFi was going to hit stores in "the coming weeks," so this is essentially just one step closer to achieving that goal -- unfortunately, we still don't have a solid date yet. Hit the source link if you're into digging through government documents. Verizon's ZTE Jetpack flies through FCC, arrival time still unknown originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FCC | Email this | Comments | | All PlayBooks go to heaven: Telus leak points to end-of-life status Feb 3rd 2012, 20:39 This is the end, dear PlayBook-admiring friends. That is to say, it's the end-of-life for RIM's first unsuccessful stab at tablet computing. Unsurprisingly, the marketing blitzkrieg that saw J.Lo and the Flash Gordon theme awkwardly peddle the flailing tab hasn't done much to elevate sales or consumer interest, forcing its Canadian overlords to issue Telus an EOL notice. This not unexpected bit of news comes right on the heels of the BB maker's recently leaked device roadmap, in which a spring bow for a higher-specced, 3G+ enabled iteration is clearly denoted. Whatever Waterloo's near future plans for the category are, we know for sure they won't include BB 10 until much later this year. Chin up though, folks. At least we have OS 2.0 to soothe our fraught nerves in the interim. [Thanks, Jaimie] Continue reading All PlayBooks go to heaven: Telus leak points to end-of-life status All PlayBooks go to heaven: Telus leak points to end-of-life status originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | MobileSyrup | Email this | Comments | | Steve Appleton, CEO of Micron, dies in plane crash at 51 Feb 3rd 2012, 20:18 Sad news to report this Friday. Steve Appleton, the CEO and Chairman of Micron, died this morning in an airplane crash shortly after takeoff from the Boise, Idaho airport. He was the only one aboard, and was piloting a fixed wing, single engine kit aircraft. Appleton started working at Micron in 1983 shortly after graduating from Boise State University, first working the production line and eventually rising through the ranks to become the company's COO in 1991. He took the reins of Micron in 1994. The plane crash wasn't Appleton's first. In 2004, he and a flying partner walked away from an accident, having sustained only scrapes and bruises. He later commented on his life's passions, which included aircraft aerobatics, "I'm very fortunate, lucky to be able to experience the kinds of things that I do. If my life were to end tomorrow, I've had a full life." Steve Appleton leaves behind a wife and four children. Comments from Micron's Board of Directors, as well as Boise's mayor, Dave Bieter, can be found after the break. [Thanks, Fazzitron] Continue reading Steve Appleton, CEO of Micron, dies in plane crash at 51 Steve Appleton, CEO of Micron, dies in plane crash at 51 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | KTVB, KBOI | Email this | Comments | |
