SHIFT: Freedom! is a fun, intelligent platformer -- Time Waster

Creating a good casual game is not a simple task: On the one hand, people want to "get" the game instantly, and just start playing without having to read lengthy tutorials or figure out complex controls. On the other hand, you don't want the game to be too one-dimensional.

And really, the first thing I noticed about SHIFT: Freedom! is that learning how to play was fun. The built-in tutorial walks you through a couple of levels, but you still have to think a little bit, and it's very fast.

As you might have gathered from the title, this is one platformer that doesn't emphasize crazy speed and agility. It's more cerebral - you have to figure your way out of every level using just what you see on the screen (no extra "tools" or anything like that).

It's a lot of fun to play, and due to the way it "teaches" you, you keep finding out new things you can do during the first few levels. And by the time you're done with those, you might just be hooked!

SHIFT: Freedom! is a fun, intelligent platformer -- Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/01/26/shift-freedom-is-a-fun-intelligent-platformer-time-waster/

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Bricked phones force Microsoft to block WP7 update for Samsung devices

Microsoft has "identified a a technical issue with the Windows Phone update process" and summarily blocked Samsung WP7 phones from receiving the new patch.

As we reported yesterday, the new update, which was meant to streamline future updates, bricked some Samsung Omnia phones. Microsoft has identified the issue, however, and is working quickly to push the update back out. It's not yet known whether the update will fix the bricked devices, though -- presumably, those unfortunate users may have to send their phone back to Microsoft or Samsung for a refund.

Bricked phones force Microsoft to block WP7 update for Samsung devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/23/microsoft-blocks-windows-phone-7-update-from-samsung-phones/

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Man in Gap is an addictive, simple Time Waster

Man in Gap is not about a guy trying to find his way around a Gap store; the gap is quite literal here, as you can see in the screenshot.

Basically, each level is composed of a ceiling and a floor, which snap together quite suddenly. As can be expected, when that happens and you're caught in-between, you're squished to a very thin line of pixels. Not so good.

What makes it even worse is that the ceiling and the floor mostly interlock: They're like two pieces in a zipper, and where the ceiling has a "peak" the floor usually has a "valley" that meshes with it. You can see what I mean if you look at the jagged line in the screenshot - that's the contour of the floor and ceiling.

Lucky for you, there are one or two places in each level where the ceiling doesn't quite meet the floor. Your job is to quickly find those places (with your eyes only) and get to them before the level snaps shut. It takes about two-three seconds every time, so it's very fast. And every level has a different terrain, so you never get used to it.

Zero plot, minimal controls, and tons of fun. Really addictive, at least for me. I love the soundtrack, too - it's a nice guitar track with some hardcore distortion.

Man in Gap is an addictive, simple Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/07/man-in-gap-is-an-addictive-simple-time-waster/

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What Was James Franco Staring at on His iPhone During the Oscars? [Caption Contest]

Probably-stoned Oscars host James Franco and his giggly, unbearable sidekick Anne Hathaway: mediocre. But whilst bombing, Franco couldn't keep his mitts off his iPhone—he first appeared on stage gleefully gripping it. So what's he doing with the thing? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/26UxKzem0h4/what-was-james-franco-staring-at-on-his-iphone-during-the-oscars

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OCZ's consumer-grade Vertex 3 SSD gets benched, SandForce SF-2281 helps it spank competition

We thought OCZ's Vertex 3 Pro was some flaming hot stuff, but solid state storage reviewers have mind-boggling news -- the plain ol' Vertex 3 will bring the same completely ludicrous 550MB / sec read speeds (plus even faster 525MB / sec writes) at a down-to-earth price. Previews found the Vertex 3's new SandForce SF-2281 controller and Micron 25nm flash memory chips edged out even its own enterprise-grade cousin in nearly every test -- with a few anomalies here and there -- and were reportedly too fast to achieve full performance with any SATA 6Gbps controller save the one in Intel's new Cougar Point chipset. Best of all, they claim that OCZ's targeting a price of just $250 for the 120GB version, or $500 for the 240GB drive benched here. That's still a chunk of change, but considering current-gen 120GB SSDs still cost over $200 street, it sounds like OCZ and SandForce are setting a bar that will drive down prices across the board. We can't wait.

Read - AnandTech
Read - Hot Hardware
Read - Legit Reviews
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Storage Review

OCZ's consumer-grade Vertex 3 SSD gets benched, SandForce SF-2281 helps it spank competition originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/BZzpHq4NiZ4/

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Ajax.org Debuts Development-As-A-Service Platform For Javascript, HTML5

Ajax.org is today introducing Cloud9 IDE, a fresh cloud-based development platform for JavaScript incorporating HTML5, and supporting Python, Ruby and PHP. The environment aims to enables developers to easily build, test, debug, and deploy Web and mobile applications with a minimum of technical skills and time required. If the name of the project (Cloud9 IDE) rings a bell, you may remember that it merged with Mozilla Skywriter, a Web-based framework for code editing, back in January 2010.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/keyrZ5SvxsU/

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Gmail app for Android adds custom label colors, improved text select

Google has delivered another pair of tweaks to the Gmail app for Android. This time around, users with Android 2.3.X Gingerbread will notice improved text selection when tapping and holding to copy. Custom label colors are also synced as of this update, making it easier to see how your messages have been auto-sorted. The update note also trumpets our favorite vaguery: bug fixes.

Hit the Market app on your Android device and head to My Apps to update, or download the new Gmail app.

Gmail app for Android adds custom label colors, improved text select originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/24/gmail-app-for-android-adds-custom-label-colors-improved-text-se/

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Imperfect Balance is a classic physics time waster

Imperfect Balance is a very simple game: You have a bunch of blocks on a "stage" in the middle of the screen, and your goal is to make them all fall off.

You do this by using other blocks: There are several blocks you can use on each level; you pick a block and rotate it using A and D (or W and S for finer angles). Once you have it at the angle you want, simply click to drop it. It's not an easy game, despite being simple. You need to drop the right block at the right angle and at the right location -- sometimes that's trivial, but it can be quite daunting too.

The soundtrack is somewhat on the eerie side, but it's not too irritating. All in all, there are certainly worse ways to kill a few minutes.

Imperfect Balance is a classic physics time waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/10/imperfect-balance-is-a-classic-physics-time-waster/

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Bricked phones force Microsoft to block WP7 update for Samsung devices

Microsoft has "identified a a technical issue with the Windows Phone update process" and summarily blocked Samsung WP7 phones from receiving the new patch.

As we reported yesterday, the new update, which was meant to streamline future updates, bricked some Samsung Omnia phones. Microsoft has identified the issue, however, and is working quickly to push the update back out. It's not yet known whether the update will fix the bricked devices, though -- presumably, those unfortunate users may have to send their phone back to Microsoft or Samsung for a refund.

Bricked phones force Microsoft to block WP7 update for Samsung devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/23/microsoft-blocks-windows-phone-7-update-from-samsung-phones/

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How Thunderbolt Could Hook Up Notebooks With Powerful Peripherals

Intel’s new high-speed port technology is called Thunderbolt. But what is it, exactly?
Think of Thunderbolt (formerly code named “Light Peak”) as two cables in one. One is a fast PCI Express cable for transferring data, and the other is DisplayPort, for driving an external display.
A Thunderbolt cable is capable of delivering data between a computer [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/thunderbolt-explainer/

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Aiaiai TMA-1 Headphones Review

Looking at the box containing the Aiaiai TMA-1 headphones, one would expect flashy, ?Look-at-me? headphones to be packed inside. After all, they were developed by and for DJs, and DJs like to be noticed, right? What you may not know is that Aiaiai is a Danish company? Scandinavian. Lets face it, Scandinavians are design minimalists [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/02/22/aiaiai-tma-1-headphones-review/

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Craigslist Is 11,000 Times Safer than Oakland [Factoid]

In response to a dubious "study" commissioned by a Craigslist competitor that concluded the shady handjob and used laptop mecca is "a cesspool of crime," the San Francisco Chronicle's James Temple puts things in perspective: More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/XiBPcCgT9sM/craigslist-is-11000-times-safer-than-oakland

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Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway

This morning, Corel released VideoStudio X4. We've already published a quick overview and hands-on of the application, and now is the moment you've all been waiting for: We're giving away ten full licenses of this new version, each worth $99.99!

To enter our random draw, you just have to leave a comment. Full terms and conditions are after the break.

Continue reading Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway

Corel VideoStudio X4 giveaway originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/corel-videostudio-x4-giveaway/

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A Brief and Wonderful History of Hollywood Special Effects [Blip]

From the earliest cartoon dinosaurs to stop-motion to CGI to today's eye-gouging 3D, Time guides us through a tour of the major milestones in over a century's worth of special effects achievements. Even The Parent Trap gets some much-deserved love. And who knows? Maybe studying up here will help out with that Oscar pool. [Time] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/StDuEYEFGmI/a-brief-and-wonderful-history-of-hollywood-special-effects

YAHOO XILINX WESTERN DIGITAL VOLT INFORMATION SCIENCES

RIM, Bank of America partnering up for Mobile Wallet NFC trial

We've known for some time that RIM is going all-in on NFC (isn't everyone?), but we didn't realize they were going retroactive, too. A NFC payment trial coming up involving RIM and Bank of America will allow selected testers to get an NFC-capable back for their Curve 8520 or 8530, Tour 9630, or Bold 9000, 9650, or 9700 -- in other words, most of the company's portrait QWERTY models from the last couple years. You'll also need an active Bank of America account, at which point you'll be able to tap your 'Berry on NFC terminals to get your pay on. The trial starts this spring; no word on when it might be open to everyone.

[Thanks, Dylan]

RIM, Bank of America partnering up for Mobile Wallet NFC trial originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/26/rim-bank-of-america-partnering-up-for-mobile-wallet-nfc-trial/

NOKIA

Zimbabwe Prof Arrested and Tortured for Watching Viral Videos [Wtf]

Munyaradzi Gwisai, a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe's law school, was showing internet videos about the tumult sweeping across North Africa to students and activists last Saturday, when state security agents burst into his office. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/k8-8sPB5os8/zimbabwe-prof-arrested-and-tortured-for-watching-viral-videos

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