Jonathan Lerner

I’ve gotten your emails, your tear-stained letters, your carrier pigeons, and the erstwhile smoke signal. We’ve read them, and we — finally — can fully and officially reply to them with the best kind of confirmation ever: ATLUS is bringing three new Persona games to the PlayStation family starting in fall of 2014.

“But John,” you’ll ask, “what are these new Persona games of which you speak?” Well, I’m glad you asked that, illusory writing device! Let’s just cut right to the quick. Persona 5 is coming. In 2015. And will be the first Persona RPG developed for the PlayStation 3 system. That’s about all we know about the game, because the plot, characters, and everything about it is being kept under wraps. The one thing we do know is that series director Katsura Hashino hinted that the storyline will be about throwing off the chains of oppression to find one’s true self. But how that theme is addressed in Persona 5? We have no idea.

Next up, we have the sequel to Persona 4 Arena ­­– the hit fighting game for PS3. The number “2″ isn’t powerful enough for all the awesome new content in this game, so we’re calling it Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. What does Ultimax entail? A brand new story mode that continues the plot of the original, new fighting modes, the inclusion of classic Persona 3 characters Junpei Iori and Yukari Takeba. Oh, and new to the series is the mysterious, scarred, red-headed Sho Minazuki. P4AU will be on PS3, coming in fall 2014.

Finally, we have Persona 4: Dancing All Night. This is a rhythm action game for PS Vita, with 30 brand new tracks/remixes showing off the Persona Sound. It’s also being made in collaboration with Dingo, the development brainchild behind Hatsune Miku: Project Diva. Does that sound crazy to you? Well hold on to your britches, because it stars the cast from Persona 4 who are investigating the disappearance of Rise’s pop group juniors, Kanamin Kitchen.

They disappear to a mysterious place called the Midnight Stage, and surprise surprise, combat doesn’t work there the same way it did in the Midnight Channel (that’s the game world from Persona 4). No, on the Midnight Stage, the fighting is done with dance moves, and will boogie its way to PS Vita in 2015.

I know that’s not a lot of info to go on, but we’re super excited to bring this latest crop of Persona games to the North American PlayStation family! Stay tuned to PlayStation.Blog in the coming months for news about these titles!

PLUS MORE GAMING SECRETS AND RUMORS: A new Gauntlet?

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Emojis look cute in your inbox and chat windows, but they reveal nothing about the true nature of the person on the other end. Of course, you can probably vouch for people you actually know.

But what about strangers who chat you up because they find your avatar pretty or because they find your username clever? You might know better than to fall for such lines and assume that you’re chatting with a nice person because of the plethora of smiling and winking emojis he’s sending your way – but kids don’t. That can easily make them susceptible to online predators who prey on the young and innocent.

With this in mind, international non-profit Innocence en Danger commissioned ad agency Rosapark to create a series of images using creepy, real-life emoticons to raise awareness on these dangers kid can encounter online.

The posters and gargantuan emoji-fied faces are beyond creepy. Hopefully, the campaign will encourage more parents to pay attention to what their kids are doing online.

[via Laughing Squid]

Patent holding firm VirnetX Holding Corporation, the company that won almost $370 million in a FaceTime-related patent infringement suit against Apple back in 2012, has announced that it is challenging the Cupertino, Calif. company over its most recent line of products – including the iPhone 5s, iPad Air, and even its iOS 7 mobile operating system.

As a reminder, VirnetX's appeal against Apple's FaceTime service centered around four separate patents, each of which were infringed by FaceTime for OS X (on both desktop and notebook computers) and FaceTime for iOS (on smartphones and tablets). Towards the end of 2012, a U.S. court determined that Apple had to compensate VirnetX some $368.2 million, yet it seems the patent holding firm isn't stopping there.

Instead, VirnetX has announced in a press release that it's ready for a second round of legal warfare with Apple. The target this time? Apple's new iDevices, as well as iOS 7. The press release explains:

VirnetX Holding Corporation (NYSE MKT: VHC), an Internet security software and technology company, announced today that it has filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas seeking to supplement its infringement contentions against Apple Inc., the defendant in its currently-pending patent infringement lawsuit, VirnetX Inc. et al v. Apple Inc., (Case 6:12-cv-00855-LED). […]

The motion alleges that newly released Apple products, including products containing the redesigned VPN On Demand and Per App VPN features implemented in Apples iOS 7, continue to infringe on VirnetXs patented invention.

For clarification, VirnetX first targeted the iPhone 4s before adding the iPhone 5 to its legal onslaught in 2012 (in a separate lawsuit). From here, the iPhone 5s has most recently been incorporated within VirnetX's efforts against Apple in the above instance.

Apple did update its iOS last year, altering the software's built-in VPN feature, following its clash with VirnetX. But according to Kendall Larsen, chief executive officer of the holding firm, Apple's range of iOS-related products are still firmly at the center of his company's crosshair.

He said: “We contend that Apple continues to use our inventions in the majority of its products. We are confident that we will prevail in proving that Apple products, including the new products added to the suit, infringe on our inventions.”

It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out, but if VirnetX's past success is anything to go by, it doesn't look good for Apple.

We'll keep you updated with further information as we receive it.

In the meantime, see: Add An iOS 7-Style Lock Screen To Your Mac Using This OS X Screensaver, Episode 2 Of Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us Will Be Among Us In Early February, and Take Part In The Umoove Experience And Control iOS Games Via 3-D Face Tracking.

Follow Beautiful Existence as she shares her year of eating and drinking northing but Starbucks products....

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YouTuber DailySm0ke found himself behind a boat that seemed to have the gift of gab. Perhaps it’s talking about its eccentric owner. Or maybe it’s beginning to feel like a rap god.

• Hat Tip
• Link

Just over a couple of weeks after its last content update, Pet Rescue Saga has received a new one, which adds a new episode, a new block type, and a new counter.

The popular animal-themed block-matching game, which is developed by Candy Crush Saga and Bubble Witch Saga creator King, has gained another new episode. This time, the new episode is called Jumbly Junkyard. But as usual, the new episode includes 15 new levels.

As a result, Pet Rescue Saga, which was launched on iOS last June with only 72 levels, now features 297 levels.

The latest update to Pet Rescue Saga also introduces the new Rotoblaster blocks and a new counter that indicates how many rows are remaining in a level to help you plan your moves better.

The new version of Pet Rescue Saga is available now in the App Store for free. The game is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad running iOS 4.3 or later.

For information on the game’s previous updates from the past couple of months, check out Pet Rescue Saga Updated With New Episode And New Mystery Quest Feature, King Updates Pet Rescue Saga With Two New Episodes And Two New Timed Blocks, and King’s Pet Rescue Saga Continues With 45 New Levels Across 3 New Episodes.

• Pet Rescue Saga
• Candy Crush Saga
• Bubble Witch Saga

Technology Will Save Us is the maker’s version of Toys R’ Us. The shop makes toys or gadgets that require assembly, perfect for people who are into tinkering and assembling electronics. Their newest kit is a great way to entice gamers to make their own video game systems. Simply called the DIY Gamer Kit, it has everything you need to make your own handheld game console.

The DIY Gamer Kit has over 40 separate parts that you need to solder to its custom circuit board, including its 8×8 LED screen. Once assembled, you’ll then attach that board and the remaining parts to the included Arduino Uno. Connect the finished system to a 9v battery and you’re ready to play its two built-in games, Breakout and Snake.

If you get tired of playing the built-in games, why not make your own? Learn Arduino and code your own game or animation to play on the system.

Your own game on your own handheld? Take that Ben Heck! You can pre-order the DIY Gamer Kit from Technology Will Save Us for £60 (~$96 USD).

[via Polygon]

IM+ Pro has been revamped in this new version specifically made for iOS 7.

This article has been published at RLSLOG.net - visit our site for full content.

Amateur Photographer is the world’s oldest weekly magazine for photography enthusiasts. With its unique weekly format, it is the first for news and digital and film equipment tests. Regular features on reader portfolios, darkroom, digital, black & white and photographer profiles ensure all areas of photography are covered.

Amateur Photographer – 26 October 2013-P2P
English | PDF | 92 pages | 44 MB
Uploaded – TPB – NTI

more at RLSLOG.net

A team at Maxis is exploring the possibility of making an offline mode for the always-online SimCity, because you demanded it, according to an official update on the state of the game. (But they can't offer bigger cities; hurts performance.) Previously, Maxis management had said that an offline mode was rejected as inconsistent with the vision for the troubled but much-patched game. (via Polygon)

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Vlambeer (Super Crate Box, Ridiculous Fishing) is the vlambest. On its website, the indie studio announced its upcoming PS4, Vita, and PC "roguelike-like" Wasteland Kings would be renamed Nuclear Throne. An employee of InExile (Wasteland) contacted Vlambeer, expressing concern over brand confusion with its upcoming Wasteland 2.  Vlambeer responded well.

We’ve been through a lot of trouble with people riding on things of ours, and we understand that American trademark law is pretty strict in that not defending a trademark weakens it. We realize that both games are set in a similar setting, that the names are similar and that InXile obviously felt the need to reach out. Although we aren’t sure Wasteland Kings and Wasteland are confusing enough for this to be an issue, both us and InXile really don’t want to spend development time on arguing over trivialities.

Most of all, we appreciate that the first contact between us was by a normal employee, and not a lawyer. There was no extravagant Cease & Desist-letter, nor a threatening letter in an envelope labelled ‘URGENT’. The e-mail we received was short, amicable and to-the-point. It was followed up by a quick conversation on Skype, in which we established that it would be the right thing for us to change the name.

Hooray for niceties and doing business reasonably. Let's also have a moment of remembrance for the possible name changes that were beaten out by Nuclear Throne: ‘Genetic Miracles Fish & The Gang Vault Runners,’ Trash Monarchs, Kingstarter, and ‘GUN GODZ: Legend of Yung Venuz: Originz.’

You can watch the team at Vlambeer live stream Nuclear Throne development on its site while you wait for Luftrausers to come out.

Though there are more than a handful of impressive physics-based iOS games in the App Store, one recent addition – called Incredipede – looks like it’ll complement this selection perfectly. In fact, Incredipede goes one step further: it appears to offer iDevice gamers a fun, interesting, and new kind of gaming experience on Apple’s iOS.

Quozzle is the protagonist of Incredipede, and this is the character gamers control in the app. Starting life as little more than a single eye, however, it’s up to gamers to helpQuozzle grow legs, to add in the necessary muscles, and to create an “incredipede” able to transverse the challenging terrain of the app’s environment.

This includes cliffs, rivers, and trees, all of which can be ascended and passed – provided iDevice users equipQuozzle with the correct selection of legs and muscles! Are you beginning to get the picture?

Created by Colin Northway (with a little help from his wife, Sarah), here’s how the application’s developer describes Incredipede:

Incredipede is a puzzle game that celebrates the vast diversity of life in the world. Follow Quozzle, a lone Incredipede with the unique ability to grow new arms and legs wherever she needs them. Transform into a snake, a spider, a horse, a monkey – anything you can imagine.

Control Quozzle as she learns to swing through the trees, climb sheer cliffs, dance over rivers of lava, and even soar through the air on thermal winds.

Features include:

• Make and control a staggering array of creatures
• 120 levels in three beautifully crafted worlds
• Send your creatures to your friends to try to control
• Use the Level Editor to create your own puzzles
• Immersive ambient soundscape

It should be noted, however, that certain users have reported that Incredipede crashes on Apple’s iPad mini, suggesting that there could be a compatibility problem either between the app and the iPad mini generally, or between the app and a particular version of the iOS. As such, iPad mini users are advised to hold off until we have more information on this front (we hope to update this article in the next hour or so).

Incredipede can be downloaded in the App Store for $3.99, is optimized for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

See also:Disney’s DuckTales: Scrooge’s Loot Is A Fun, Online Treasure-Hunting iOS Game,Disney Launches iPad App Based On Oscar-Nominated Pixar Short Film “La Luna”, andCreate Your Own Magical Worlds In Disney Infinity: Toy Box.

• Incredipede

Above is the five-minute official trailer for Man vs Snake, which tells the story of Tim McVey, the first person ever to reach more than one billion points in an arcade game—on a single quarter, of course.

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DuckTales returns, 'mon rumble, extreme bike riding and much more

The US Department of Justice isn't buying publishers' arguments that proposed injunctions against Apple for alleged e-book price fixing are excessive and contradictory. DOJ attorney Lawrence Buterman claims in a response letter that the penalties against Apple are necessarily harsher, since it didn't settle the accusations like its reported co-conspirators. The group objection even justifies Apple's punishment, Buterman claims; it suggests that publishers are just waiting until the end of a two-year ban on agency pricing to raise prices once again. The five-year restriction imposed on Apple could keep prices down for longer, the lawyer says.

Apple, meanwhile, isn't done with its objections. In addition to an earlier request for a stay on proceedings pending an appeal, it now contends that the court excluded or ignored testimony while giving Amazon and Google witnesses too much credibility. The company will present more of its opinion at a conference today with both the DOJ and the presiding judge, but we're not expecting a quick resolution -- neither side is budging at this stage.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Apple

Comments

Via: CNET, GigaOM

Source: Letters to the court (1), (2), (3), (4)

When Studio Ghibli fans visit Japan, they typically make a beeline for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. But there's another spot that should be on any fan's list. Make that every fan's list.

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Android/iOS/Web: If you're still on the hunt for a solid Astrid alternative (or just a really good to-do app to try), GQueues may be the perfect choice. It's packed with useful features, integrates nicely with Gmail/Google Apps, supports iOS and Android phones and tablets, looks great on the web, and more.

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Hidden inside one of Greenlight's smaller updates was the intriguing Papers Please, developed by Lucas Pope, which you can now pre-purchase on Steam. You take on the role of an Immigration Officer in the border town of Grestin in the fictional country of Arstoztka. It's your job to check the official documents of people entering from the neighboring country Kolechia, with whom Arstotztka has been at war with for six years. 

As migrants come to the desk, the player has to check the status of their documents against an official rulebook. Despite the hostilities between the two countries ceasing, criminals, terrorists and spies will try and get entrance to Arstotztka; so will refugees, the desperate, and the poor.

Whilst you have your own job to think of, can you make personal sacrifices to aid the truly needy? It's a game that plays on your expectations and your ability to empathize. Papers Please costs £6.99/$9.99 and will release on August 8.

With 15-foot gaps, 25-foot quarter pipes, and helicopter drop-offs, it's no wonder how Bob Burnquist's backyard mega-ramp got its nickname....

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Inkjet printers are relatively cheap. That’s because it’s the inkjet printer cartridges that will burn a hole in your pocket. It’s the old razor-razorblade business model.

Depending on how often you use your printer, you could be changing cartridges as often as every week. You could save your old cartridges and get them refilled, and just buy a new one if it gets busted… or you could just print your own. 3D-print, I mean.

Frankly, it’s about time someone did this!

InkFactory recently used a 3D printer to print an inkjet cartridge. A standard ink bladder was installed, and voila! That’s a ton of money saved minus the mess and the hassles that usually come with most ink cartridge refill kits. Of course, there is the matter of the amount of time it takes to print the cartridge shell itself.

They used a MakerBot Replicator 2 to print the cloned Kodak inkjet cartridge, which is relatively simple in design. Cartridges for other printers might be more complex, but I think it’s only a matter of time before they get the 3D-printed treatment.

Now all we need is a 3D printer that prints 3D printer parts. Oh wait, we already have one.

[via Softpedia]