Live-action Grand Theft Auto movie looks pretty awesome

Given that the Grand Theft Auto franchise is essentially about stealing cars and fighting rival gangs, there have been plenty of movies that have been made based on that already. Then again we guess GTA fans won’t complain if a Hollywood studio decides to pick up the game and make a movie out of it, but how will it look like and what can we expect? While that remains to be seen, it looks like some fans of the franchise have put together a GTA-inspired movie and it is directed by Gevorg Karensky. It features Niko Bellic’s character and it basically simulates the game where the player receives instructions on their next mission. It’s extremely well-put together, action-packed and even comes with a car chase scene! While it seems like a live-action movie, there are some aspects of the game included in the film, such as the mini map, the gun used in the top right hand corner along with an ammo count, and name plates above the heads of people. Either way it’s pretty awesome and if you’ve got 6 minutes to spare, check it out in the video above.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City headed to mobile devices this Fall, Grand Theft Auto 4 mod ushers San Andreas into the world of HD,

Mercedes-Benz shows off Ener-G-Force concept vehicle

Mercedes-Benz recently participated in a design challenge called the Los Angeles Design Challenge 2012. The goal of the design channel was to design a Highway Patrol vehicle for 2025. Apparently, Mercedes-Benz’s idea of the future is more than a little post-apocalyptic because its concept vehicle for the design competition is a massive off-road 4 x 4.

The vehicle is called the Ener-G-Force and Mercedes says that the vehicle is designed for crowded roads with electronically monitored and guided traffic, a much larger population, and to deal with changes in human behavior. Mercedes figures that outdoor activities will dominate leisure time and therefore, a vehicle for police officers capable of traveling across all surfaces will be needed.

I don’t know about all that, what I do know is that the concept car is very cool. The concept car was inspired by the G-Class. The concept has a three-panel greenhouse with lines that reminded the classic G-Class. It rides on 20-inch wheels and looks sort of like a futuristic off-road racing truck.

In the rear of the vehicle is a pullout toolbox designed to hold a variety of equipment without having to open the entire tailgate. The concept stores recycled water in tanks on the roof and transfers the water to a “hydro-tech converter” where natural and renewable resources are converted into hydrogen to operate fuel cells that power the vehicle. The car has four electric motors with one in each wheel. The odds of this ever making it to production are virtually nonexistent, but it’s always cool to see an interesting concept car.


Mercedes-Benz shows off Ener-G-Force concept vehicle is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Sony PlayStation 3 Sales Hit 70 Million Worldwide After ~Six Years, Move Controller Clocks Up 15 Million In ~Two Years

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT LOGO

Latest missive from the games console wars: Sony has announced cumulative sales of its PlayStation 3 reached 70 million units on November 4, a few days short of the machine’s sixth birthday. Microsoft’s rival Xbox 360 console achieved the 70 million cumulative sales milestone back in September, according to Microsoft’s FY12Q3 earnings, although the Xbox 360 is about a year older than the PS3 so has had longer to clock up sales.

The Nintendo Wii, also launched back in fall/winter of 2006, still leads the pack — achieving worldwide sales of 97.18 million units as of the end of September.

Sony has also announced that sales of the PlayStation Move controller — its answer to rivals’ gesture-based games peripherals such as Microsoft’s Kinect and Nintendo’s Wii Remote — passed 15 million unit sales globally on November 11. The Move controller launched back in September 2010 and is now supported by more than 400 titles, says Sony.

The cumulative number of software titles for PS3 has reached 3,590 with more than 595 million units sold worldwide. While the PlayStation Network, launched at the same time as the PS3, now operates in 59 countries and regions. Sony said the PSN gives PS3 owners access to 170,000 pieces of downloadable digital content including 57,000 game content.

The look and feel of the PS3 has evolved over the years, with a more streamlined design, a larger hard disk drive and new features added via software updates. Back in September Sony launched a version of the console that’s more than 50 percent smaller and lighter than the original PS3 — and a quarter smaller and a fifth lighter than the slim PS3 model launched back in 2009.

Sony’s release follows below

TOKYO, Nov. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that the cumulative sales of the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system reached a milestone of 70 million units*1 worldwide as ofNovember 4, 2012 – less than six years after the platform launched in 2006. SCE also announced that sales of the PlayStation®Move motion controller surpassed 15 million units*1 worldwide as of November 11, demonstrating continued growth and momentum of the PS3® platform.

The PS3® system has delivered high quality, award-winning entertainment experiences since its launch. Throughout its lifecycle, the PS3® system has continued to evolve with more streamlined design, larger Hard Disk Drive (HDD) capacity, and new features through software updates. In September 2012, SCE launched the new PS3® system, which has a reduced volume and weight of more than 50 percent compared to the original PS3® model, and of 25 percent and 20 percent respectively compared to the slim PS3 model launched in 2009. The new PS3® has been well received by consumers around the world.

Along with the introduction of PS3® in November 2006, SCE launched PlayStation®Network, which now operates in 59 countries and regions*2 around the world. PlayStation Network supports free community-centric online gameplay, exclusive games from independent developers and major publishers, and a broad range of entertainment applications across movies, music, and sports. PS3 owners can access 170,000 downloadable digital content including 57,000 game content worldwide from PlayStation Network*3. In October 2012, SCE redesigned PlayStation®Store for PS3®, offering a more streamlined and accessible store experience, including a stunning new user interface, simple search, and powerful content discovery. The new store is now available in Europe and North and Latin America with more countries and regions to follow.

PlayStation®Plus, the subscription service package on PlayStation®Store that offers exclusive benefits such as discounts on games or online storage for game saves, started to offer an “Instant Game Collection” in North America and Europe in July 2012. The Instant Game Collection enables PS Plus members to enjoy popular titles from third party developers and publishers as well as SCE Worldwide Studios at no extra cost. SCE has also enhanced the content offering for PS Plus members in Japan in November.

Introduced in September 2010, the PlayStation®Move motion controller that enables users to intuitively play games is now supported by a wide range of titles with more than 400 as of November 2012, including Sports Champions 2LittleBigPlanet Karting (Sony Computer Entertainment). Additionally, this month marks the global launch of Wonderbook™, a new peripheral that delivers the next evolution of storytelling and a unique experience exclusively on PS3. Wonderbook*4 uses the PlayStation®Eye camera to take augmented reality to spectacular new places, while drawing players into new worlds and allowing them to interact with stories as they tilt or rotate it, or simply turn the pages*5.

PS3® has gained tremendous support from 3rd party developers and publishers worldwide. Cumulative number of software titles for PS3® reached 3,590 with more than 595 million units sold worldwide*6. More exciting and attractive new titles are to be released from third party developers and publishers as well as SCE Worldwide Studios, including Assassin’s Creed III (Ubisoft Entertainment.), Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Activision, Inc), PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (Sony Computer Entertainment), towards the holiday season. In addition, software titles that support “cross platform feature” such as LittleBigPlanet 2: Cross Controller Pack, PlayStationSly Cooper: Thieves in Time (Sony Computer Entertainment) are also expected to be released. With these titles, SCE will deliver a ground-breaking gaming experience by leveraging the capabilities of both PS3® and PlayStation®Vita.

SCE will continue to further expand the PS3® platform and create a world of computer entertainment that is only possible on PlayStation.


Consumer Watchdog appeals to the FTC to break up Google’s business

Saying that Google is a big company might seem like an understatement – after all they own Android, one of the most popular smartphone platforms in the market at the moment, YouTube, Gmail, Google+ and let’s not forget their core competency, a search engine which is so popular that it has been used as a verb in everyday conversation. But could it be that Google is becoming too big and possibly anti-competitive? While that is certainly up for debate, the Consumer Watchdog has recently filed a letter with the FTC where they are apparently asking the government to file a lawsuit against Google in hopes that it will result in Google dismantling its business into separate entities.

To be more specific, the Consumer Watchdog is hoping that the FTC will force Google to divest its Motorola Mobility unit whose sale was finally approved earlier this year. They also claim that Google’s Gmail, Google+ and YouTube services should be spun off and that Google’s search engine should be separated from where Google provides its own content. We’re not sure if the Consumer Watchdog will be successful in their request, but what do you guys think?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: FTC could sue Google and Motorola over abuse of standard-essential patents, Google could be fined $22.5 million for bypassing Safari privacy settings,

The Survival Senbei iPhone 5 case will let you eat it when you’re hungry

We’re sure that you guys have heard of edible underwear before, but an edible iPhone case? The folks at ThinkGeek did come up with something similar a while back although it turned out to be an April Fools’ joke, but it looks like some enterprising person in Japan took the idea and ran with it, which resulted in Survival Senbei iPhone 5 Case, and “senbei” for those unfamiliar refers to a Japanese snack which are a type of rice cracker. According to the folks at RocketNews24, the case has been described as being, “made entirely from Japanese brown rice and salt, baked into a crispy golden-brown senbei rice cracker that fits snugly around your iPhone 5.”

The case itself will cost you around $48 after conversion which we think could be spent on a nice and proper meal for yourself, but perhaps some people don’t mind paying for the novelty. It does not seem like this Survival Senbei iPhone 5 Case will be available outside of Japan, but if you really want to get your hands on it, we guess you will find a way! If you’d like to check out its product page, you can head on over to their website for the details, although it should be noted that it’s written entirely in Japanese.

[Image credit – Entabe.jp]

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPhone 5 Jailbreak Coming Soon?, Olloclip 3-in-1 lens kit for iPhone 5 now available for pre-order,

Sony confirms first two DLC characters for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

Last week we reported that Sony had confirmed that their brawler game, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, would be on the receiving end of DLCs in the future where the additional characters and levels will be added to the mix. Well the good news for gamers is that if you were wondering which new characters will be joining the case, Sony has revealed that two new characters will be added in the first DLC that will released next year. These two characters are Kat from Gravity Rush and Emmett Graves from Starhawk. According to Sony, these are what gamers can expect from either character: (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale DLC confirmed, will see the addition of new characters and levels, Full roster for Sony’s PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale revealed,

Seagate Wireless Plus drive appears at the FCC teasing next-gen WiFi storage for Android, iOS

Seagate Wireless Plus drive appears at the FCC teasing nextgen WiFi storage for Android, iOS

Seagate has jumped into wireless mobile storage with both feet, launching the GoFlex Satellite (now just the Satellite) and even experimenting with an LTE-equipped drive for dedicated road warriors. The FCC has just revealed that Seagate isn’t having second thoughts about its strategy anytime soon: a previously unknown Wireless Plus drive has popped up at the US agency carrying 2.4GHz WiFi and a considerably slicker design. We don’t know much more, although a handily provided copy of the quick start guide makes clear that the Wireless Plus is still centered on Android and iOS device owners wanting to stream media beyond what’s on their internal memory. FCC clearance won’t give any clues as to capacities or a ship date, but it suggests that it won’t be long before our mobile devices have some added headroom.

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Seagate Wireless Plus drive appears at the FCC teasing next-gen WiFi storage for Android, iOS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 05:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon might start selling Microsoft Surface tablets in the near future

Are you looking to get your hands on a Microsoft Surface tablet? If you are, you will have to either head on over to a kiosk, Microsoft retail store or buy it online, although the problem with the latter is that you won’t be able to try the tablet out for yourself. Considering that Windows 8 tablets are the first of their kind, we expect that not many people are that eager to become early adopters especially if they don’t get to try it out themselves first. That being said, it seems that in the future, you could walk into a Verizon retail store and purchase the tablet from them. This was discovered by a WPCentral forum member and according to him: (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Microsoft’s Data Sense Revealed: It’s a, Uh, Map of Wifi Hotspots, What If Windows 8 Was Mounted Like The Original Surface?,

The Nokia Lumia 920 makes its way onto Amazon’s best seller charts

While Nokia might have had grand designs for the Nokia Lumia 800, the fact that it was a single-core handset with a small display and running on a not-so-popular platform certainly did not set it up to be a great competitor against the sea of Android and iOS devices. However with Windows Phone 8, Microsoft and their manufacturing partners have since introduced handsets with dual-core processors and larger displays and while this certainly might not measure up to newer Android handsets with quad-core processors and displays over 5”, it definitely helps make these new Windows Phone 8 devices a lot more attractive.

If you’re wondering just how well the Nokia Lumia 920 is doing for itself, it seems that if you were to take a look at Amazon’s Best Seller charts, you will notice that Nokia’s Lumia 920 takes up a fair chunk of it (thanks to its variety of colors). Of course we are looking at a list of AT&T phones so it is by no means definite or complete, but it certainly is a good indication for Nokia and the Windows Phone platform to see such reactions. So, who else decided to hop aboard the Windows Phone bandwagon after Nokia and HTC strutted their stuff earlier this year?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Windows Phone 8 SDK Released at BUILD, Nokia Lumia 920 has been officially revealed,

Could Google be interested in becoming their own carrier? [Rumor]

It is safe to say that Google owns quite a fair share of the internet. After all people are now saying that you should “Google it”, as opposed to “search for it” when trying to find information online. Google has also made tremendous headway when it comes to the mobile space as well, with Android being a huge competitor against Apple’s iOS platform, so it wouldn’t be completely out of line to imagine if Google might one day like to become a carrier of their own. In turn this could help Google control the mobile space a bit better, and allow them to push out timely updates to their handsets without having to await carrier approval first.

This was revealed in a report by the Wall Street Journal where they cited anonymous sources who claims that Google is in talks with Dish Network Corp, where Google is hoping to be Dish’s partner in an upcoming wireless service which they have assumed could be in reference to Google becoming a carrier of sorts. The source has indicated that the talks with Google were not advanced and it could very well result in nothing, but at the same time Dish has confirmed that they are still seeking potential partners who might be interested in becoming a carrier using its own spectrum.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Dish Network Survey Hints At Google TV Pricing Options, Google and Dish Network working on TV search service,