Mar 30

Videogame training may improve eyesight, no word on the health benefits of Mind Flex

Posted in: Medicine, study, Today's Chili, VideoGames

You know, the benefits of videogames just keep adding up. According to a study published in Nature Neuroscience, video game training may help people improve contrast sensitivity, or the ability to differentiate between shades of gray. Among the two groups studied, the most improvement was noted among folks who played games which required precise, visually guided aiming actions, such as Call of Duty 2 and Unreal Tournament 2004. “When people play action games,” said Daphne Bavelier, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, “they’re changing the brain’s pathway responsible for visual processing. These games push the human visual system to the limits and the brain adapts to it, and we’ve seen the positive effect remains even two years after the training was over.” Now that we’ve established that the Xbox can be part of a healthy lifestyle, it would be irresponsible of us not to play it more often.

[Via CNet]

Filed under:

Videogame training may improve eyesight, no word on the health benefits of Mind Flex originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Mar 04

Sony plays catch up with hackers, mulling over PSP ‘virtual console’

Posted in: playstation, psp, Retro, sony, Today's Chili, video games, VideoGames

We’re pretty sure a good lot of you with PSPs have used them for, shall we say, less than reputable means — like playing 16-bit era games using emulators. Soon, there might be a more legit outlet for that fix, as Sony‘s head of US marketing for PlayStation hardware John Koller tells MTV Multiplayer it’s looking to bring classics from before Sony entered the arena to the handheld, à la Nintendo Wii’s Virtual Console. The company’s also expanding North America’s library of PSOne downloads to eventually match the plethora of titles available to the Japanese market. It’s all part of a greater initiative to make more digitally-distributed, download-only titles, which we wholeheartedly support — now, about those pesky UMD-less PSP2 rumors…

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under:

Sony plays catch up with hackers, mulling over PSP ‘virtual console’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Feb 28

Apple iMac murdered, reborn as all-in-one DreamCast mod

Posted in: console, game, Games, gaming, hack, Hacks, imac, mod, mods, Today's Chili, video games, VideoGames

This may look like a beloved iMac, but make no mistake, it’s just a shell of its former self. CGCC forum member Logicdustbin decided to gut the all-in-one and replace its innards with a Sega Dreamcast and 15-inch LCD monitor. The result? The iCast, a beautiful homage to simpler times. Hit up the video after the break to see this Fronk-en-shteen in action, playing a game that’ll assuredly prepare our children for a post-apocalyptic world.

[Via hack a day]

Continue reading Apple iMac murdered, reborn as all-in-one DreamCast mod

Filed under:

Apple iMac murdered, reborn as all-in-one DreamCast mod originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Feb 24

PlayStation-induced palm lesions identified by Swiss scientists

Posted in: gaming, playstation, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, sony, Today's Chili, video games, VideoGames

It’s no Wiiitis, but Swiss scientists have ID’d a new skin disorder they believe came from prolonged gaming sessions. Dubbed “PlayStation palmar hidradentitis,” the condition is marked by painful lumps that appear on the palms. This Dr. House diagnosis came from a 12-year old girl who visited Geneva hospital with hand lesions allegedly from hours-long gaming marathon, and that she fully recovered after a ten-day PlayStation hiatus. While being careful not to discredit the findings, Sony spokesman David Wilson chimed in to say they had never heard of a case like this, despite hundreds of millions consoles sold, and as with any leisure activity, “there are possible consequences of not following common sense, health advice and guidelines.” Hey, at least she didn’t break her arm.

Filed under:

PlayStation-induced palm lesions identified by Swiss scientists originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments