Well get ready for the shopping frenzy for BLACK FRIDAY! You'll have the opportunity to take part in the grueling wait in freezing temperatures just to buy that 32" TV you always wanted at a ridiculously low prices. If you're crazy enough to do this, read on!
Some tips from Black Friday veterans/pros:
1. Go early. Many doorbusting deals are in extremely limited quantity (fine print often says "minimum 5 per store", etc.).
2. Dress in layers. Expect to stand in near-freezing temperatures for many hours. Don't forget to bring some snacks to energize yourself.
3. Avoid digital cameras in general. You can do better online.
4. You almost can't go wrong with the widespread deals on GPS.
5. Where's Apple? No word on their deals yet, but Apple typically has a tight grip on market prices for their iPods, so don't expect any huge discounts.
Posted on: November 19, 2009
Posted by: Sai-Han Ackerman
How to Read a Bar Code!
Ever wondered what the bar code on various objects mean? Take out your Bruincard and look at the back! Because you're going to learn how to "read" bar codes. Awesome right?
The most common bar-code language, known as Code 39 is kind of like reading Braille or Morse Code. There is a key and all you have to do is decipher it. If you get good enough at it, you can read it like a language.
Basically what bar codes denote is a number. Couple what each line means with the number system below: Thick Black Lines = 1 Skinny Black Lines = 0 Wide Spaces = (dash) Narrow Spaces = (doesn't count)
Now before you try and translate the back of your Bruincard, all Code 39 barcodes begin and end with an asterisk (0-0110). This means at the beginning and end of your bar graph you'll see (skinny, big space, skinny, wide, wide, skinny). The number is in between those two.
After the first asterisk on your Bruincard, you should be able to read your ID number. Cool huh!
First person to comment on this post with the correct number in the bar code at the top gets a cookie! (Not really. But it would show how cool you are!)
Posted on: November 19, 2009
Posted by: John Golden
Do YOU Want to be an Astronaut?!
Dear friends,
For anyone who has ever wished to become an astronaut some day, this blog is for you! On Monday, November 16, 2009, at 2:28 pm E.T, the space shuttle Atlantis lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral.
Click on the above link to watch the epic lift off! All systems were operating normally throughout the lift off and entry into orbit.
The space shuttle and its crew lifted off for an 11 day mission to the International Space Station to deliver key spare parts to prolong the space station's life. This is the first mission in a line up of 6 space flights scheduled to deliver key parts.
The six-membered crew will perform three space walks to install a platform to the space station.
Just thinking of going to space makes me excited! For more information on this mission and other amazing astronomical feats, visit http://www.nasa.gov/.
Posted on: November 18, 2009
Posted by: Shawdi Manouchehr
Facebook Invasion: Beware of new 'Smart' Worm
Facebook Invasion:
Beware of New 'Smart' Worm
JR Raphael, PC World
Nov 11, 2009 2:25 pm
Hot on the heels of a reported hijacking of hundreds of Facebook groups, a new variation on an old worm is crawling its way into the social network's walls. Attackers have released an updated, more intelligent version of the notorious Koobface virus, security analysts say--and anyone could become its next victim.
The Facebook Hijack
First, the hijacking: An organization called "Control Your Info" apparently took control of as many as 300 Facebook groups over the past several days. Members added their own logo onto the pages, announcing they'd "hijacked" the groups and providing a link back to their own site.
(Facebook maintains no confidential information was ever exposed--the affected groups, representatives say, were abandoned and open for any member to take over.)
The "Control Your Info" Web site states that the organization's mission was to expose security holes in social media--a fitting segue to today's new threat.
The worm typically works by taking over your PC, then sending messages or wall postings to your friends. The messages include links to what appear to be funny videos or risqué photos of people you and your friends know. Anyone who follows the links, however, will ultimately end up infected with the malware themselves--usually by way of a bogus software update that pops up on-screen.
The updated Koobface variation, according to the virus-fighting team at Trend Micro, takes things a step further by automating the entire process. Instead of depending solely upon real accounts to spread the malicious links, the attackers have found a way to have bots do their bidding.
Here's how Trend Micro says it's happening: Botnets are registering new Facebook accounts and confirming them via accompanying Gmail addresses, all without any human interaction. The zombie accounts are then joining Facebook groups, adding friends, and posting dangerous links onto those people's walls.
"This new component behaves like a regular Internet user that starts to connect with friends in Facebook," explains Jonell Baltazar, an advanced threats researcher with Trend Micro. "The details provided about the account are complete such as a photo, birth date, favorite music, and favorite books."
The system is even advanced enough to monitor maximum friend levels allowed by Facebook, Baltazar says, to avoid drawing any attention to the ill-intended account.
Facebook Protection
So, what can you do to keep yourself safe from this Koob-faced villain? The steps are nothing you haven't heard before: Keep your antivirus software up to date, and use some common sense.
Antivirus software will alert you if you click onto a site that's known to host malware -- and that's exactly where these Koobface links want to take you. The easiest way to stay safe, then, is just to be cautious in choosing what you click.
If you see a link that looks questionable, even if it's from someone whose name you know, don't follow it. And if you find yourself on a Web page that's asking you to download a software update, don't do it. Instead, close the window and go directly to the software vendor's own Web page to see if the update is the real deal.
Otherwise, you might end up with Koob smeared all over your face--and, suffice it to say, that's one fate you'd be better off avoiding
Posted on: November 17, 2009
Posted by: Noora Mosafaei Shirazi
"CLICK"
Need to capture a Kodak moment for the holidays, but don't have a camera? No worries here's some cameras that made the "It" list of 2009!
1. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1
Price: $280
Buy it for: Anyone looking for automated everything in a well-rounded camera
Posted on: November 16, 2009
Posted by: Christina Nguyen
Nissan's all-Electric Leaf
Nissan Motor will keep the price of its upcoming battery-powered Leaf competitive with similar-size cars.
The five-passenger car, which is being designed to have an all-electric range of 100 miles, would cost only 1 percent to 2 percent more than traditional combustion engine vehicles in its class, he said.
Nissan has not disclosed pricing on the Leaf, but has said it expects the car to be the first affordable, mass-market electric car when it goes on sale in the United States, Japan, and Europe by the end of 2010.
Nissan has bet heavily on electric cars and expects that by 2020, 10 percent of the world car market will be for electric vehicles. It has announced a series of partnerships with utilities and government agencies to advance technology where it believes it has a chance of seizing market leadership.
The automaker said on Friday that it would cooperate with Houston-based Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy in developing a charging infrastructure for electric cars at homes and near office buildings.
Ghosn, who was speaking to reporters at an event outside Dodger Stadium to kick off a U.S. marketing tour for the Leaf, said Nissan would roll out the car slowly in the U.S. market to get more feedback from consumers.
The Leaf is designed to draw power from a battery-pack developed with Japan's NEC that Nissan has said can be recharged overnight on a 220-volt connection.
Nissan has taken $1.6 billion in low-cost loans from the U.S. Department of Energy to revamp a plant in Smyrna, Tenn., to make the Leaf. The first models in the U.S. market will be imported from Japan.
Nissan's rivals have pushed competing battery-powered technologies. Toyota Motor dominates the market for traditional hybrids and has floated plans for a broader range of vehicles under the Prius name.
Others, such as General Motors and Fisker Automotive, are banking on plug-in designs that rely on batteries for short drives but also include a gasoline-powered generator to recharge the battery on longer trips.
Leasing the car's battery is a way to bring down the upfront cost, analysts say, and Ghosn said he preferred to lease batteries because Nissan can have control over replacement as technology improves.
But while Nissan plans to lease batteries on a global scale, executives said that they are still studying whether to do so in the U.S. market.
Ghosn said the Leaf would be profitable for Nissan. By contrast, GM has said it does not expect to make money on the first sales of its plug-in Volt, expected to be priced near $40,000 when it launches in late 2010.
Posted on: November 15, 2009
Posted by: Amy Patel
Google Flu Shot Locator
Flu season is approaching, which means it's time to get your annual flu shot! Google is making your life easier with its Flu Shot Locator. The locator works through Google Maps and allows you to type in a location to find places that offer season and H1N1 flu shots. Google worked in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Department of Health and Human Services on the project.
The demand for shots is high so it's a good idea to call ahead before heading down to one of the locations. Ashe Center at UCLA is still offering free seasonal flu shots to registered UCLA students. Their last Flu Shot Fair is this Thursday, 11/19 at Marian Anderson Courtyard from 11am-2pm.
Google Flu Shot Locator: http://google.com/flushot
Posted on: November 14, 2009
Posted by: Hannah Lewis
Facebook Status Sets the Record Straight
19-year-old Rodney Bradford's Facebook status read, "CALL ME FACEBOOK KID..." He had no idea that another one of his cryptic, street slang-ridden Facebook status updates would keep him out of jail.
When Bradford was arrested for robbery on October 18, he seemed to have no way to prove his innocence. That was until his lawyer, Robert Reuland, thought of using Bradford's Facebook status as an alibi.
The district attorney subpoenaed Facebook, who was able to verify that Bradford posted the entry at 11:49 am on October 17th from his father's desktop computer at home. According to the jury, this was evidence enough that Bradford had actually not been committing robbery; rather, he was at home, as many of us are, glued to the computer screen.
With this status as proof of his innocence, Bradford's charges were dropped. This case is the first in which Facebook has been used as alibi evidence.
Some people criticize the settling of this case, claiming that anyone can post entries on Facebook, as long as they have a user's login and password information. Though it is possible that Bradford had someone else update his status while he committed the robbery, the personal nature of his cryptic message suggests otherwise.
A number of other cases have involved Facebook as evidence for the prosecution rather than the defense. For example, a burglar in Pennsylvania this past September was caught and charged because he forgot to log off of his Facebook account on the victim's computer before leaving with stolen goods.
Certainly, Facebook and other social networking sites will be involved in many more court cases because their use is so prevalent in today's society.
Posted on: November 13, 2009
Posted by: Nicole Kaneshiro
Amazon's Kindle Has Competition
Barnes & Noble has announced they are releasing a wireless eBook Reader in late November: nook.
Both the Kindle and the nook provide the same function, providing readers with their favorite books on the go, in a lightweight and convenient fashion.
The Kindle
and the nook:
The main differences between the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble nook is the color touch screen like an iPhone with the nook, opposed to a small keypad with the Kindle. Additionally, connectivity is also an issue for the Kindle as it's provider for wireless connection is Sprint, while the nook is powered by AT&T wireless (the nation's fastest 3G network).
It looks like Barnes & Noble has outdone Amazon in a product that proved quite popular in the past, by improving the screen and added features that consumers are looking for in a reading device.
Further comparison between the Kindle and the nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/compare/
Posted on: November 12, 2009
Posted by: Soledad Eufracio
Learning a Foreign Language for free online
With the boom in social media, it makes sense that learning a language online would take on a Facebook-like component. There are great ways to exchange languages with people all over the world, but you might not always get helpful feedback.
With a new service available named: Livemocha, you get to learn the language of your choice while helping others who want to speak your native tongue. Once you complete a structured lesson, you submit your own writing and audio recordings to other users for feedback. You get a response within 10 minutes from a from a native speaker of the language with suggestions and comments.
There's also Lang-8, which is all about the practice of writing a new language. You keep a journal in the language you are practicing, and others in the online community read and correct it. You get helpful feedback quickly and are able to learn the language faster!
There are also iPhone apps available for users on the go to learn languages for free. One such application is AccelaStudy. The app offers practice in 15 languages. The free version shows and pronounces 132 words in "study" mode. In "flashcard" mode, you get a word in English and then touch the screen to "turn over" the card and hear and see the other language translation.
Visit these sites in your free time and learn a new language!
Its a piece of gâteau(cake)!
Posted on: November 11, 2009
Posted by: Dheeraj Srinivasan
Reviewarama: Dragon Age Origins
Dragon Age: Origins is Bioware's newest RPG, continuing their long line of masterful western RPG's. As the spiritual successor of Baulder's Gate, Dragon Age: Origins has a lot to prove.
Gameplay
Dragon Age is a western RPG, but it is not about hack and slash. The game has many different opening levels, depending on your choice of race and class, but once you pass the first level, the game converges into a slightly more linear story. The way you progress through the story, however, is completely up to you. There are many paths you may take depending on whether you want to be good or evil, sociable or quiet, etc. But in the end, you will still follow the general storyline.
Through most of the game, you play with a party of storyline characters. Each character is unique and has special abilities to help you in your quest. You can choose between these characters and form the party you feel is best suited for your playing style. You can even fully control any character in your party, just as you would the main character.
This game requires the heavy use of tactics. You are allowed to pause the game in combat and issue orders to all your characters. This allows you to micromanage everybody, and in the harder stages of the game, is essential to victory. Fans of Knights of the Old Republic will find themselves right at home with this system. Although combat itself is rather dull, using tactics and controlling any character makes up for it somewhat.
Graphics
The graphics in this game are amazing. Characters actually look lifelike and you can see emotions in their faces. Combat looks great and all classes have different animations to make them unique. The persistent gore feature is a bit cheesy though. Luckily you can turn it off in the options menu. It would also be nice if the main character showed more emotion instead of just standing there with an empty gaze.
Sound The soundtrack in Dragon Age is one of the best I have ever heard. The music is epic and fits the mood of the game very well. The sound effects are well done and the voice acting work is actually pretty good.
Final Thoughts
The game is out on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3, however, I would recommend buying it for PC if you have a beefy computer or don't mind turning down the settings a bit. The ability to have a larger action bar and being able to zoom in and out of the action is very helpful. Overall, this game looks promising. The promise of downloadable content and user generated content will make this a game you will play for a while. If you are a fan of western RPG's, this is definitely one you should check out.
Gameplay: B Graphics: A- Sound: A Multiplayer: N/A Grade: B+
Posted on: November 10, 2009
Posted by: Zev Solomon
Oberservation: Cookbook vs Cookwiki
Cook's Illustrated vs Internet Cooks. physical magazine vs digital articles. The question has been raised, what is better? The tested recipe of professional chefs in a scientific kitchen vs the anarchy of viewer edited masses of recipes submitted on the internet. Has the internet's ability to act as a cooking resource deemed the dated cookbook obsolete.? We might just soon find out if a dying media can hold its ground against the convenience of free resources offered by our advancing technological world.
Posted on: November 09, 2009
Posted by: David Chan
Droid vs. iPhone
The latest hotly anticipated app phone is the Motorola Droid, which Verizon will offer on Friday. (It’s $200 after $100 mail-in rebate, with contract. Tip: Get it at Best Buy, where you get the rebate on the spot.)
The name fits. First, it runs Google’s Android mobile operating system. In fact, it’s the first phone with Android 2.0, which offers a number of touchups and refinements.
Second, the Droid’s design screams “Star Wars,” if not “Darth Vader.” It’s jet black, all sharp angles and industrial-looking edges. Verizon asked Motorola to soften the design for better female appeal, but it’s hopeless: Droid is all masculine, all the time. When you slide the screen up to reveal the thumb keyboard, there’s no spring-assisted snap; it drags like a plow through soil. It’s all part of the manly man design concept.
Verizon is clearly taking aim at the iPhone. especially in its recent TV ads, which mock: “I don’t have a real keyboard. I don’t run simultaneous apps. I don’t have interchangeable batteries. Everything iDon’t, Droid does.”
So is it true? Is the Droid an iPhone killer?
No, but it’s certainly a killer phone. It runs on Verizon’s superior cellphone network, so it won’t drop your calls in New York City and San Francisco (as AT&T often does on the iPhone).
The Droid is just incredibly fast, so it’s a delight to use. Audio quality is superb, both on phone calls and music.
The gorgeous screen is slightly bigger than the iPhone’s; on close examination, its higher resolution (854 x 480 pixels) make text look sharper and curves smoother.
And the Droid multitasks — it can keep multiple programs open at once. Now, the usual response to this subject is: “Ooh, so you can check your calendar or e-mail while you’re on a call! You can listen to your music while surfing the Web!” True, but even the “nonmultitasking” iPhone does all that.
Still, the Droid’s multitasking pays off in two situations: when you want to listen to Internet radio while you work in other apps, and when you’re switching between programs a lot. Since they’re already open, you don’t have to wait for them to start up again with each switch.
Anyone who hates typing on glass will love that the Droid gives you a choice: on-screen keyboard or illuminated, slide-out physical keyboard. The Droid’s battery gets you through one day, just like the iPhone’s, but you can carry a spare.
(Apple has always argued that a keyboard and swappable battery would make the phone too thick. Motorola points out that even with these elements, the Droid is only 1.4 millimeters thicker than the iPhone: 13.7 versus 12.3. That’s not quite fair, though, because the iPhone’s curved case tapers in your hand; it’s 12.3 millimeters at its thickest point, so it still feels much thinner.)
In addition to great speed, great audio and great cell signal, the Droid offers Android 2.0’s new navigation software. It’s as close to a suction-cup GPS unit as you can get on a cellphone, with spoken street names, color coding to indicate traffic, map icons (for parking, gas and so on), satellite view and even street photos of any address. Buy the $30 windshield bracket, which fires up the GPS automatically when you insert the Droid, and nobody will know you’re not running some $500 GPS unit.
The real mind blower/game changer? This software is free. All of it. I’m guessing there wasn’t much cheer at Garmin’s Halloween party this year.
You can also buy a $30 home dock. When you insert the Droid, an alarm-clock/weather display appears. Why not let your app phone do something useful while it’s charging?
Meanwhile, Droid brings all the advantages of Google’s open, customizable, now more refined Android software: a single Inbox can consolidate all of your e-mail accounts; the software now handles corporate Microsoft Exchange e-mail/calendar systems; there’s a system-wide Search command (and a dedicated button) and voice search; you can put a Facebook widget on your Home screen; and so on.
For lots of people, these breakthroughs will be irresistible. But the Droid has its weak spots, and some of them are heartbreaking. The big one is polish and simplicity; the Droid just doesn’t have enough. Techies may go nuts over its flexibility, but normal people are in for some floundering. Sometimes the keyboard doesn’t light up when it should. Sometimes the screen image doesn’t rotate when it should.
The camera has an LED flash, which helps at close range at night, but the camera itself is balky and slow to focus and fire. You can record videos (at a high 720 by 480 resolution, although they don’t look any sharper) and upload them to YouTube, but you can’t trim the dead air off the ends first.
The Droid doesn’t work outside the United States, as the iPhone does (for an added fee). There’s no iTunes-like auto-synching software for the Droid, either, so loading music, photos and videos is a drag-and-drop operation.
The Droid’s Web browser is good, but slower than the iPhone’s. And you have to zoom in and out by tapping +/- buttons or double-tapping the screen. That is, you can’t control how much to zoom, so you get far less control (and pleasure) than “pinching and spreading” with two fingers on the iPhone and Palm Pre. Ditto with maps and photos.
The real bummer, though, is the apps. The Android Market may offer 12,000 of them, but the iPhone store has 100,000 — and over all, they seem to be more useful and imaginative.
Shopping is more awkward on the Droid, too, because you have to do it all on the phone; you can’t use your computer, as you can for the iPhone. There’s not much room for the apps on the Droid, either. Although Verizon includes a 16-gigabyte memory card for your music and photos, apps have to be stored in a 560-megabyte chunk of built-in memory. Some Droiders will fill that up quick.
Droid-versus-iPhone deciders should also take into account the iPhone economy: that universe of docks, cases, chargers, Web sites and information that surround Apple’s hype monster. The Droid will sell like crazy, but 30 million iPhones is quite a head start.
But never mind. Motorola’s new team faced a spectacularly difficult task and did a spectacularly great job. Since Verizon seems to want a Droid-iPhone faceoff, here it is: the Droid wins on phone network, customizability, GPS navigation, speaker, physical keyboard, removable battery and openness (free operating system, mostly uncensored app store). The iPhone wins on simplicity, refinement, thinness, design, Web browsing, music/video synching with your computer, accessory ecosystem and quality/quantity of the app store.
You’ll be very happy either way — with your shiny new app phone.
Posted on: November 08, 2009
Posted by: Kara Boyles
Street Lights Go Green (and Yellow and Red)
There have been many efforts to be environmentally conscious, especially here at UCLA with tray-less dining and beef-less Tuesdays to reduce our carbon footprints and programs like Zimride to encourage carpooling. Along the lines of public works going green, technology has brought about hybrid and electric cars. Well, that's one side of the picture when looking at traffic... there's also traffic signals!
Helping to fill the void of cool green-tech-meets-public-works design ideas, designers Cheng-Tsung Feng, Yao-Cheih Lin, and Bo-Jin Wang created a solar-powered traffic light (that could have easily been developed by the labs in Cupertino).
The traffic light uses a discolor LED that allows the red, yellow and green signals to all occupy one space rather than the traditional three-tiered design we have on today's streets. The trio won this year's international Lite-On Award (Silver Level) for their striking design which hopefully will inspire cities around the world to adopt this kind of green-centric infrastructure in the near future.
Posted on: November 07, 2009
Posted by: Ross Camua
Modern Warfare 2 - Multiplayer
Guys,
There is this crazy game coming, and it goes by Modern Warfare 2. It is the sequel to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Here is a preview of the multiplayer:
---------------------- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Hands-on
by Mark Bozon
Multiplayer Hands-on: Part 1 – First Impressions
As a self admitted Call of Duty junkie – I'm going to classes, and I'musing the steps – I was eager to jump in and give the new multiplayerin Modern Warfare 2 a serious run through the paces. Not a hands-on"dabble" with the game; a realrunthrough. Thus far I've had a chance to play three matches, each ofwhich were different, and experimented with three different class sets.The beta we're currently on is totally locked out at the beginning,starting with each player at level one, and resetting every time a 20minute interval is up. Needless to say, that limits the amount of gunsI've had a chance to use, but it also keeps the playing field even.
The first major note I can make on the game is that, as expected,it's pretty unchanged in the gameplay department from the previousModern Warfare. IW knew it had a hit on its hands in the first game,and as such Modern Warfare 2 feelslike a true Modern Warfare experience. The team sizes are set at nineon nine, the levels are a mix of indoors, outdoors, and varied height,and yeah, there are still sections of the game when you're totallyconfused as to why you died. It happens.
Click above to see footage from the event.
As for what's truly different, I'll start with a few basics Inoticed. Bringing up things like the UAV mid-battle (and mid-sprint)seems to be more dependant on the gun this time around to determinespeed, and the game is hugely reliant on perks and create-a-classoptions. Semtex, a replacement for grenades, can actually stick topeople, walls, doors, ceilings… whatever. I tried to toss one at ashield, but didn't live long enough to see the result, sadly. They rockthough. It's a great way to pop someone hiding in obvious cover, and ithas a shorter fuse than a regular frag grenade. The actual weaponloadouts are also a bit different as well, with a primary and secondarygun available in every create-a-class. Rather than being stuck to justpistols, players can add a shotgun, machine pistol, or regular pistolin its place, as well as rocket launchers. Apparently someone else hadthe same feeling I did about shotguns – they're nice, but I'd never useone over a rifle or SMG – and decided to shoehorn it in with theregular set.
As for weapons, I've gone hands-on with quite a few thus far. TheRPD is back and virtually unchanged, the M4 is also entirely true tothe original feel, FAMAS is basically a bigger brother to the M16 (withthree shot bursts),and the .44 Magnum is like a more ADS-friendlyversion of the Deagle, and it kicks a whole lot of ass. I've clearedrooms with a .44, and not bothered to switch back to my main gun. It'ssick.
Other guns on the field include the RPD-like L-86 (it has crazyhop, but very strong. I'd place it between the M-60 and RPD from ModernWarfare), the AA-12 auto-shotgun, which I sadly haven't tried yet, thereliable MP5K (which looks to be a replacement for the original, atleast for the earlier level players), and the "yang" to the K's "ying,"with the UMP45. It's stronger than the MP5K, but it also scatters a bitmore at a distance. As a quick note though, both MP5 and UMP feel farmore reliable than the Skorpion or Mini-Uzi ever did, and the ironsights are a bit more manageable as well (think original MP5).
Highriseis an insane map, centered around two main bases and one giganticmiddle choke point. Using the tunnel system allows players to get thedrop on the enemy.
Another major change is the killstreak system, which is a hugeaddition in both a good way, and possibly a bit of a negative one;we'll see how balance holds out once we play more prolonged matches.Players can customize their kills at the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11increments, and while not all of them are open right away – startingPrivate class only has 3 and 4 – it provides some serious incentive tokeep leveling. These include everything from supply drops to predatormissiles, helicopters, UAV, AC-130, anti-UAV, and air strike. As for afew details on those, the predator missile is a cam-controlled dropwhere you can actually steer the missile and have the R-trigger toaccelerate its fall. Supply drops are interesting as well, havingplayers throw down smoke that actually brings in a helicopter drop.Anyone on the field can use it though, so it's a race to get to thebox. It can contain any of your killstreak options currently set(basically a roulette) and can seriously turn the tide of a battle.With that being said, it's also another area where the more hardcoregamers might be a bit concerned, as a lucky roll could mean a guy thattags four or five people could essentially unlock the AC-130 or otherass-kicking streak rewards. Of course the chance is equally good thatyou'll kill everyone around and steal the upgrade for yourself, so itshould all balance out in the end.
As for the levels, we've had a chance to try three different areasout, including Highrise (the level with the helicopter that'sstationary on top of a skyscraper), Afghan, which is set in a brownmountainous area next to an airplane crash site, and the Rio levelshown in the first multiplayer footage IW released a few days back.Afghan allows for some great sniping and has a nice network of indoorcave areas (as well as a shanty town), Highrise is a classic "side vs.side" setup with plenty of glass to shoot out and exploding barrels –as well as an underground network – and the Rio level is pure verticalinsanity, including a water tower, shanty town sniping posts, dozens ofhouses, and slanted streets. As a quick observation on level design,things are farmore varied in this game as opposed to COD4. There's more height, thereare more cover areas, and elevation change from section to section canbe drastic. Afghan has not only a great sniper perch, but also a fewareas where you're jumping from mountain ledge to mountain ledge.Pretty intense.
Multiplayer Hands-on: Part 2 – The Specifics
Now that we've got the basics down, let's dive into the real guts of Modern Warfare 2,which is the insane amount of customization. When it comes to puredepth and options, Modern Warfare 2 blows away the competition, andthat includes COD4. The killstreaks include an insane amount ofversatility, guns are far more expandable, and perks are even crazierthan the first game.
I'll kick it off with the guns, starting with the weaponsthemselves. The beta includes a huge range of weaponry, with the listcomprised of the M4, FAMAS, SCAR-H (which is a mix of AK-47 and M4),Tar-21, the MP5K, UMP45, a submachine gun called the Vector (similar tothe original MP5, but with a faster firing speed), the aforementionedlight machine guns, and sidearms. The SCAR was a blast to play with,and the iron sights were easy to use from even mid to long range.Speaking of long range, kills from a farther distance earn you extrachallenges, as do double and triple kills and headshots. Not bad. Oh,and the P90 wasn't playable, but it's in the list, and in the firsthalf of submachine guns you unlock.
Where things really get interesting, however, is in the newgun-based attachments. Modern Warfare had things like doubletap as aperk. This time around, gun attachments include modifications likethose as well, so you've got silencers, the ACOG scope, red dot, grips,heartbeat scanners, improved speed, and high-cap magazines. With thenew Bling perk you can have two attachments at a time as well, soincreased firing speed and a larger mag is entirely viable. These don't take the place of any perks either (minus the Bling one), so tweaking weapons is now deeper than ever.
The heartbeat sensor is great - especially if your team passes on the intel.
On the grenade front, the same thing applies. There's now frags,semtex, throwing knives, but also a strange addition called "TacticalInsurgence," which replaces all primary grenades with a flare stick.Crack it open on the battlefield and you'll mark that spot as your nextrespawn point. This is a bit tricky to use, since you have to not onlyknow where you want to spawn next time, but also get there. If you useit right though (on Afghan you can crack a stick by your sniperposition, and if killed will spawn just a few meters from the personthat flanked you) you can dominate. This is also interesting forsnipers that spend time getting to out-of-the-way areas as well. Get toa killer spot? Crack open the stick, and hop right back up there ifyou're counter-sniped.
And then there are the perks. First off, Pro Perks. Pro Perks arenew additions to the game as well, allowing for you to actuallyincrease the power of a specific perk (say, stopping power or increasedspeed; another addition announced tonight) if you use it a lot. Kill aset amount of people with stopping power on – I believe it was 1,000…no easy task – and you unlock "Stopping Power Pro." These perks can beseen on the main perk selection menu, and like all the othercustomization in the game it's entirely streamlined. If you hover overany attachment, gun, or perk in the game and press X, you'll see infoon that selection, including how many kills you need for the nextchallenge or unlock. Nice.
As for other perks I noticed, the list goes on and on. Scavengerallows you to re-up on all supplies and ammo any time you cross over adead body, and new "deathstreak" system actually comes to your aid witha class-stealing ability – die four times, and you can steal the classsetup of the person who last killed you, allowing you to get guns notpreviously unlocked – and also a perk that gives you automatic healthboots for 10 seconds after respawning. The health boost is alsoincluded as a standalone perk, as is the Bling perk I mentioned. A newinfinite sprint option is included, "hardline" lets you get to yourkillstreaks one kill faster (if UAV is at three, you get it at twoevery time), there's a speed boost perk (which was the "featheredboots" pic in the original MW2 teaser trailer) that lets you runfaster, and then the expected stopping power and steady aim options.
And then there's the kill streak perks. The new killstreaks arewhat really elevate Modern Warfare 2 above and beyond any other onlineFPS in terms of customization and user diversity, even raising the barwell over what Modern Warfare did two years ago. Shown off tonight wasthe AC-130, UAV, anti-UAV (nice touch), sentry gun turret (which can beplaced anywhere and then moved by any teammate), precision airstrike,which now lets you change the approach direction of the attack, theamazingly deadly predator missile, the supply drop (which is theroulette of other killstreaks that drops in) and helicopter. Thechoppers are still pretty deadly this time around, though with none ofthe advanced rockets that appear to be in the game unlocked I'm surethis is balanced out later with a decent grouping of anti-air. I alsotried to stick a chopper with semtex, but didn't quitehave the arm. The predator missile is going to piss off a lot ofgroup-up clans, since you can instantly drop a huge explosion down onan entire group of people, but while I originally wasn't a fan of thisupgrade since it was overpowered, you can also see it coming on theradar and prepare for a good three seconds or so, gving you time to runinside or disperse. I avoided a few direct predator attacks, and it waspretty satisfying.
Shattering glass, more explosions, added physics, better lighting... MW2's multiplayer is simply stunning.
And finally, a few other "housekeeping" bits to mention. First off,a new version of Search and Destroy is now supported in the game.Titled "Demolition," this new mode (whether it replaces S&D or isjust in addition to it) allows for everyone on the attacking team tohave a bomb, and full-on respawns as the round goes on. Defenders tryto stop the attacks at both an A and B site, but if attackers succeedin a single bombing their time is increased and the focus shifts to theother site entirely. This was a great mode for using the predatormissile, as you could blow away teams that were moving towards sites,and the sentry guns (basically auto-turrets) could be dispatched atvarious choke points and used to control the flow of the map. Oh, andwhile I'm on the subject of capping and planting, shields are a bitchto fight against. You may not always have a buddy with you, but shieldcarriers can squat on a point and deflect a huge amount of fire. Imanaged to score some captures in domination using that tactic, and I'dassume "shield spam" will be a worthy tactic when dealing withheadquarters as well. As for the new mode, demolition is a greataddition to the Modern Warfare game set, and one I'll be playing rightup there with headquarters for the months (and let's be realistic;years) to come. Hopefully classic Search & Destroy makes a returnthough too.
We'll have more on Modern Warfare 2 soon, so keep checking back formore updates. As for this initial hands-on, the game is a blast, thebar is again being raised, and Modern Warfare 2 is proof positive thatwhen it comes to first-person shooters Infinity Wardis in a league all its own. This is just the beginning for ourcoverage, so stay tuned for future updates and more hands-on play as wenear 11.10.09.
Looks crazy, right? I'm definitely getting this game - gotta rock some n00bs.
Posted on: November 06, 2009
Posted by: JR Dinglasan
Major Competition for Google? Say Hello to WolframAlpha
So what is Wolfram|Alpha? "Today's Wolfram|Alpha is the first step in an ambitious, long-term project to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable by anyone. Enter your question or calculation and Wolfram|Alpha uses its built-in algorithms and a growing collection of data to compute the answer."
Is Wolfram|Alpha a search engine? "No. It's a computational knowledge engine: it generates output by doing computations from its own internal knowledge base, instead of searching the web and returning links."
Basically it's not your standard google-esque search engine. It may or may not pull up exactly what you were looking for - but you're sure to get very interesting results and sometimes an incredible amount of information about the topic(s) you inputted. Just search for "tokyo weather" and then compare it to what you get when you search for "britney spears" and you'll see the difference!
Thankfully, there's also a great deal of examples that the site offers in case you need help getting started. You'll be able to search for topics ranging from Statistics, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Life Sciences, Money & Finance, Weather, Music, and even Colors (and much much more) Give it a try for yourself and be amazed at all the information that pops up.
Here's a snapshot of what this new engine looks like:
Try it out for yourself here (not guaranteed to solve homework questions!):
Posted on: November 04, 2009
Posted by: Grace King
The far-reaches of computer applications
Hi everyone,
So we all know about computers. Duh. In fact, it's safe to say that if you're reading this blog, you probably own one. But very few people recognize how useful computers can be in ANY field, so I thought I'd tell you about one cool application in my area of study: chemistry. (I know I know, chemistry AND computers, what a big nerd. Let's just move on from that shall we?)
The holy grail of chemistry is the Schrodinger Equation. With it we can pretty much figure out where an electron will probably be. (I know, you're probably thinking "Big Deal, who cares?"). Well, if we had a good handle on the schrodinger equation, we could learn a ridiculous amount about the world around us. We could master things like "quantum teleportation" and "superposition." It's actually really neat! In fact, everything has a wave function, so some people even argue we could solve the wave function of a human and figure out where they are most likely to go! (That's a bit of a stretch, but it's fundamentally true).
So what's the catch? Why don't we just solve this puppy and figure out how to traverse miles in moments, or predict the future. It's because the equation is quite literally one of the biggest punks around. Trust me. Solving it for a single hydrogen atom takes about 2-3 pages of algebra. That's 1 electron and 1 proton. A human is like... ... a lot more. Probably to the magnitude of googles. Solving it by hand would be impossible.
So that's where computers come in. Computational chemistry can use an approximation of the schrodinger equation and attempt to solve incredible complex wave functions! Calculations that would take hundreds of pages of algebra can be solved in a few hours or days, (which, comparatively, is a pretty sweet deal). Best of all you don't have to worry about all those silly algebra errors!
If we could truly harness the power of computers and solve many schrodingers, we could predict chemical reactivity. We could create drugs to fight any infection by running a simulation on a computer. It's absolutely amazing!
Anyways, I've revealed enough my inner nerd for now. I just wanted to let everyone know how powerful computers are, and how important it is that we, as a society, learn to master their usage and develop them further.
Posted on: November 03, 2009
Posted by: Jonathan Kuo
Borderlands: A Review
Borderlands is a new first-person shooter/role-playing game developed by 2K and Gearbox software. Much like the earlier game Mass Effect, Borderlands combines the first person shooter genre with elements of traditional role-playing games like levels, experience points, and gear customization.
I bought the game under the Steam software to play on my computer. The game has been a blast so far but there are some problems.
I choose the "hunter" class, so I'm using sniper rifles most of the time. However, when the game determines accuracy (if the bullet will go where you're aiming your crosshairs), it uses an RNG (random number generator). None of the guns have 100% accuracy, meaning that even if you line up your shot perfectly, there's a chance you could miss completely. This can get pretty frustrating when you need to pull off a crucial shot, but otherwise it's not so bad.
Also, the skills you get to choose from to improve your character as you level up are somewhat limited. None drastically affect playstyle and sometimes don't even seem to do anything at all to improve the game. Nonetheless, customization is fun, and later in the game skills get more interesting.
The biggest flaw in the game is multiplayer. You have to sign up with Gamespy in order to play online, which is absurd considering that it's a fully capable online game and should thereby have its own service/setup. And for a game that promotes its four-player-co-op, it's honestly not that great. The monsters in-game get much tougher to account for more players, but the rewards don't nearly match up. It frankly just makes the game more frustrating instead of enriching the experience.
But all in all Borderlands is a pretty solid game. After a few patches are released, it could be a real keeper. It has enough to it to keep me playing it, which is the most important thing I suppose.
Posted on: November 02, 2009
Posted by: Alex Flagg
Newsmap
You can't beat Google's news homepage when it comes to getting a snapshot of the most important stories in the world. Or can you? It turns out you can. Newsmap presents Google's news feed pictorially, giving the most important stories proportionally more prominence on the screen.
Barnes & Noble has announced they are releasing a wireless eBook Reader in late November: nook.
There have been many efforts to be environmentally conscious, especially here at UCLA with tray-less dining and beef-less Tuesdays to reduce our carbon footprints and programs like Zimride to encourage carpooling. Along the lines of public works going green, technology has brought about hybrid and electric cars. Well, that's one side of the picture when looking at traffic... there's also traffic signals!
