SigEx Telecom : Being addicted to a game is just like being addicted to drugsby Ioana Madalina Tantareanu

Video games can give you an addiction, as doctors have agreed, just like drugs or alcohol. This won't kill you, but it will ruin your life even worse than if you spent 18 hours a day at the office. At least if you work, you get paid; games give you status at best. It appears that online role-playing games are the most addictive, especially for unpopular kids who get respect and power in a virtual world. As their hero becomes stronger, the game becomes challenging, up to the point where the player can think only of the game. This type of addiction has symptoms just like other types, including the inability to control the need and escaping to the game world whenever real things go wrong. It stands a good chance to be included in the list of mental disorders that psychiatrists use to diagnose patients. Admitting you have a problem is always the first step to recovery and clinics to help gamers get better have appeared lately in the US and Amsterdam. And it's not only teenagers that need help; older people have been found to suffer from this disorder as well and their number is increasing in other parts of the world too, for example South Korea. The effects are the same: no interest in their spouse, in social activities, weight gain and other problems linked to becoming involved in a single activity 24h a day. Hardcore gamers think about advancing to the next level even when they're away from the computer and there's really no point in blaming the video games industry. After all, each game has a Quit button.

related story: http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=102&cat=44&id=1034844&more=0

by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Telecom : Marvel showdown rages on 360, PS3by Delia Cruceru

EA Chicago announced Friday at Comic-con 2007, that they will develop a new fighting game franchise using Marvel's license. The game will be available for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, and it will be released in 2008. EA Chicago will use their team's talent to develop this new exciting fighting game with Super Heroes and Super Villains to bring an innovative and authentic fighting experience to gamers. "We looked at past comic-based games to find out what was missing and what was needed to successfully translate the intensity, excitement and fiction from comics into fighting games," said Kudo Tsunoda, General Manager and Vice President, EA Chicago. "We're challenging ourselves to make a game that delivers on the Super Hero promises of past top-tier fighting games." "Marvel Super Heroes are a natural fit in the fighting game genre, so we're excited to have Kudo and his team of fighting game experts put these characters toe-to-toe against each other on next generation consoles," said Justin Lambros, Vice President of Interactive, Marvel Entertainment. "This is a game that will deliver to both comic book fans and to fighting game diehards." Tsunoda added that the game will feature an authentic fiction, huge environments, world to keep the gameplay fresh making every battle to be unique, like a first edition.

related story: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6175742.html

by Delia Cruceru for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Telecom : 2007 is the iPhone yearby Ana Maria Ciobanu

What's that in your pocket? Is it a phone? Is it an iPod? Is it a digital camera?No!It's an iPhone. Someone should declare 2007 the iPhone year because it's absolutely everywhere. In any domain. It even helps Heart IT deliver medical images. It loves the spotlight and wouldn't leave the stage for anything in the world. And why should it? There is nothing better out there. It turns out and it doesn't surprise anyone I think, that the iPhone can become a gaming platform. And what game would match the best device ever created than the most popular puzzle game of the 21st century? PopCap announced the launch of a custom version of its flagship game Bejeweled for the iPhone. If that doesn't excites you, perhaps this will: It's free! All you have to do is log on to popcap.com via the iPhone's Safari Web browser and play the iPhone-specific version of the original Bejeweled for free. Apple hasn't made public it's gaming intentions yet but who knows, maybe you'll soon be able to download video games from iTunes just like you do with music. That funny iPhone commercial that shows you can do anything with your new device- shave, open cans, drink juice etc, seems to become true.

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

Breaking newsby Claudia Sonea

All the PSP lovers in the house say "Go Sony! Go Sony!". The famous company has prepared something great for the PSP users, unfortunately not for users all over the world, but only to those from Ireland and UK. As a result of collaboration between European satellite TV giant SKY and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, the users from the countries mentioned above will have access to video and film content on-demand, that means around 2.3 million customers. The good news is that the extension through rest of the European base is on the list of debates. Probable if it will have success in these countries and there won't be any technical problems we will enjoy the product in 2008. It wasn't released yet, the launch date is 22nd august, at the SCEE Games Convention, that will be held this year at Leipzig. Germany. It doesn't surprise me that they introduced this feature to PSP, because customers are more and more interested in acquiring a product that contains TV broadcasting option. That is why mobile phones and computer are competing in having the best feature of TV broadcasting. We are not yet fed-up with the TV, but being more attracted of the new technologies, we want to satisfy both of the needs and be practical in the same time. If it is possible or not, there is still to see. As a student I have free hours between courses and I would rather sit down at the local cafeteria having a peace of pie and watching a movie than spend two hours to and back from my flat. Wouldn't you agree? Click some more and stay connected to see what happens next.

related story: http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/gamesnews/archive/2007/07/30/sony-uk-and-sky-team-up-for-psp-on-demand-service.aspx

by Claudia Sonea for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Ventures : IBM Tells Employees to Behave in Second Lifeby Delia Cruceru

IBM issued a series of 11 Netiquette guidelines for its employees in Second Life or other virtual online worlds, where they have to interact with the general public. IBM recently opened a sales center in Second Life, and it’s the first company that ever created rules for governing on virtual worlds. Rules like “Protect your -- and IBM's -- good name”, “assume that activities in virtual worlds and/or the 3-D Internet are public -- much as is participation in public chat rooms or blogs", “Protect others' privacy", "it is inappropriate to disclose or use IBM's or our clients' confidential or proprietary information -- or any personal information of any other person or company... within a virtual world,", are meant to protect against discrimination, harassment and the intellectual property of IBM. The avatars used in the virtual world must be appropriate for doing business. Employees of IBM that might encounter an inappropriate situation that is work-related must report this to IBM. A spokesman of IBM said Friday: "Whether it's suggesting to our people how they protect their privacy and identity in the 3-D Net, or how to protect intellectual property, ours or our customers', some kind of 'rules of the road,' even at this early milepost, makes sense,"

related story: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,135182-c,onlineentertainment/article.html

by Delia Cruceru for SigEx Ventures (http://sigexventures.com)

SigEx Ventures's matrix of properties are quickly becoming leaders in digital telebroadcasting, free content delivery allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, video blogs and SMS. SigEx Ventures invests in projects deploying "free" to add-on royalty revenue models

SigEx Ventures : Bollywood to Boost Indian Gaming?by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu

The Bollywood film industry looks like it's ready to pair up with companies to develop mobile games, illustrating the perfect example of a happy symbiotic relationship.Revenues for the films are the most intented to be done but a pleasant potential side effect would be to boost India's gaming industry. We're not talking about the easiest types of film to convert into games (although we have previously covered the Bollywood games with SingStar and Dance Mela), never mind games for mobile phones, since a great percentage of Bollywood films are spectacles including catchy song and dance numbers. As well as Indian software companies to produce movie based video games,reportedly some of India's well known production houses are planning to tie-up with some foreign.As film-video games will be scheduled to release ahead of the actual screening of the film,this may be a new strategy of marketing. It can be created a buzz of the movie in advance, which would add to the publicity and promotion of the movie if a Bollywood 3D game releases at least two weeks before the release of the film.

by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu for SigEx Ventures (http://sigexventures.com)

SigEx Ventures's matrix of properties are quickly becoming leaders in digital telebroadcasting, free content delivery allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, video blogs and SMS. SigEx Ventures invests in projects deploying "free" to add-on royalty revenue models

SigEx Telecom :Not only teenagers play gamesby Ioana Madalina Tantareanu

The ESA found that seven out of 10 people have a device they play video games on and that the largest group,44 per cent,are 18-44.This really does not mean that only teenagers play games.The movie industry is getting envious sometimes on how the gaming industry is making so much annually, because more and more people are starting to play games.For example,one system, the Nintendo Wii has been used in a rehabilitation program to help injured patients build strength in their arms and hands and even retirement centers are starting to use the Nintendo Wii to provide exercise and fun to their tenants.The reason they use games is that with the motion required by some Wii games the user gets both exercise and enjoyment out of the experience. Further more, there are also games that will help the user even solve problems like Big Brain Academy. Add the new Fit game and pedestal that will be coming out for the Wii and the game industry is only going to grow.Hour of Victory, for Xbox 360 and PC by Midway, brings a new element to the standard third-person Second World War shooter.It offers players the choice as to whether they want to play as a covert operative, a sniper or a British commando.That seems like it would open up a new way of playing this type of game but it doesn’t matter who the player fights as. It doesn`t matter which character is chosen because the levels all start and end the same. The environments are the standard city, snow and others â€" nothing really new. They look decent, but nothing really stands out either. The enemies you fight do stand out, but unfortunately not for any good reasons. Enemies can get stuck in objects around the environment or have extremely strange movements where they appear to be running in place or other strange animations.This is, disappointingly, your regular Second World War shooter with some bad glitches that make it more irritating to play than fun.

by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Telecom : PS3 at only $499by Ana Maria Ciobanu

Sony announced last week that it has no more plans of reducing PS3's price. They operated a $100 price cut which they probably think is enough. If we look at the facts and remove any Sony sympathy(which I confess: when it comes to cd players, digital cameras, TV's, Sony is my personal favorite) I don't know why anyone should buy a $499 game console instead of a twice as cheap one. You all know I'm talking about Nintendo's Wii. I am very curious what techical aspect would make you choose the way to expensive PS3, over Nintendo's Wii. Sony's PS3 includes a hard drive, a high definition Blu-ray optical drive, HD video output, Bluetooth wireless controllers, and-in the premium version-WiFi wireless networking. Sony would love to finally see it's PS3 baby one day as a PC alternative. It also offers 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround and true 1080p high definition video playback from prerecorded Blu-ray movies. All of these features at only $499. Remember the old price reached $600. Nintendo's Wii comes at the price of $250 and includes both Bluetooth for wireless controllers and a DVD drive. It can't play DVD movies...but is it that hard to play a movie on your PC or your TV? Perhaps Nintendo are not planning to take over the world like Sony and are less selfish. the Wii focuses on physically involving games using the wireless Wii Remote paired with the accessory Nunchuk controller. Nintendo also released the Wii Fit, which I personally loved since I first saw the videos from the E3 conference. Sony announced that it sold 710,000 units of the PS3 in the April-June quarter, less than a fourth of 3.43 million Wii consoles sold in the same period. My guess is unless Sony won't stop being a Moliere main character in the game console domain, it will be totally vanished from this market. Sure some people simply like the PS3 better...but I wonder for how long. How long are they going to pay twice as much for almost the same features? Until then, enjoy this extremely funny video!

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Telecom : Hide and seek or PS3?by Ana Maria Ciobanu

Microsoft cut the price of its Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on. We can now buy an HD DVD player for our consoles for $179- compared to $199. Microsoft put in a bonus and by buying the HD DVD player we get free movies. Bloggers around the world write about the difference between Xbox and PS3. Fans around the world argue on which one's better, which one's cheaper and so on. Am I the only one that remembers the days when the only games that could get addictive were..."Cops and robbers" "Hide and go seek" "The boogie man" and so on ? Am I the only one who likes playing with a real Barbie doll instead of playing a Barbie video game? What's the fun in playing Cops and Robbers on Xbox 360? Dear kids, a long long time ago very strange things were happening. Children used to read and enjoy it. Children used to go to bed with a story instead of watching a violent cartoon. Believe it or not, the times I'm telling you about were video games free. Perhaps you're wondering what kids you're age and their parents did all day. As strange as it may sound, people went to the cinema, people went out for walks in the park, people found gaming possibilities in everything. When was the last time you played with marbles? How about the last time you played football with your friends instead of playing FIFA? I wouldn't act like a granny if I weren't really amazed of the wonderful things you're losing out on. Ever had a true best friend? The kind of friend who is the first person you think about when you get up in the morning. You brush your teeth and run at his door and play till evening. You don't play video games though...you run, you explore, you talk about dinosaurs and ghosts and girls and boys. I can't imagine childhood without these magical experiences. Sure Xbox is cheaper now and you get five free movies along with it, but do you really get real fun out of it? I'd say not. Perhaps you get some sort of pleasure, but most of the time it's an addictive pleasure. I recommend you all readers that think I'm old fashioned to try one of these days to get away from your Xbox, PS3 or other console for 30 minutes and go out and have a real live good time. There is a modern game though that I truly admire. I recommend you to play it with your friends and it's Nintendo's Wii Fit. Olly olly oxen free!

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

Nintendo gaspsby Claudia Sonea

It’s amazing how things can change over night. Well not quite over night, but still the latest product released by Nintendo has taken by surprise not only the customers eager to acquire it, but its adversaries too. The Wii game console has proved to be a real success and it will increase Nintendo earnings with almost 37 percents until the end of the year, according to the official forecast. No wonder the company gasps! Since the November launch, 9.3 million Wii consoles have been sold, this way outselling PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It’s a great product for the gaming lovers who will enjoy the new graphics and the new hardware, it is way better then Sega Genesis. Test it and find out on your own why the Wii console is sold so fast and in such a big number. Microsoft and Sony in an attempt to stop being crushed in the competition have cut down the prices of the more expensive consoles. However, if you really want to know the truth about the whole deal then you should check it out and then by comparison with ps3 and other games state a conclusion. Share it with the others online. It is simple click it while you surf. I am curious to know, because here in Romania has not been launched yet and we are eager to get our hands on one of it. Enjoy the game and have fun gaming. Is it worth while having a console?

related story: http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/33083/118/

by Claudia Sonea for SigEx Ventures (http://sigexventures.com)

SigEx Ventures's matrix of properties are quickly becoming leaders in digital telebroadcasting, free content delivery allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, video blogs and SMS. SigEx Ventures invests in projects deploying "free" to add-on royalty revenue models

More Brainwashingby Claudia Sonea

Finally we see some results of the so speculated relationship between Microsoft and EA. Recently they have made public their intentions to launch huge cooperative deal that will include advertising inside games. They say it will benefit both the users and the companies that will be advertising. At the base of the project is Massive, a game advertising company acquired by Microsoft last year that should introduce the ads in a way that will not interfere with the games natural course, in order to not spoil the fun of the gamer. The games that will work under the new system are: Madden 08, NASCAR 08, NHL 08, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08, and Skate. Shelby Cox, senior director of in-game advertising at EA, assures everyone that the project will not change anything for the end user, but still there are a lot of questions to be answered. Is it indeed true that we can still enjoy the game? Some of those that played Fight Night Round 3 complain that after a while it had become impossible to play because of the Dodge and Burger King ads frequency. And why is it that if the companies are played for the ads, the gamer won’t have any benefits. In my opinion this is only a new way to obtain a profit. We definitely won’t have anything new to entertain us or something that will actually content us. We, especially the internet surfers and gaming lovers, hate TV commercial and now having it in our favorite game, it doesn’t sound too appealing. More brainwash to come, don’t stay connected, just click exit.

related story: http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/07/25/ea-and-microsoft-launch-dynamic-in-game-advertising-system

by Claudia Sonea for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Telecom : The movie Avatar made into a videogame by Ubisoftby Ioana Madalina Tantareanu

Avatar is the story of an ex marine who gets trapped in an alien body during the hostilities on an exotic planet. He is now an Avatar and in a desperate fight for his own survival and that on the indigenous inhabitants. Although game details are not available at the moment, James Cameron .. the creator of the movie states that the world he created ..rich in detail, character conflict and cultural depth, provides enough raw material for a game so rich in visuals, ideas and challenging play for even the most demanding of today's gamers. He has also stated that when he met the ubisoft team .. he told them they had all the freedom they wanted in creating this game, and didn't want them to be held back by the idea of the game being a movie-based one. The response was up to the challenge as the presentation Ubisoft had prepared proved to Cameron that the game captured all the essence of the "Avatar" world, while promising to be a hit on it's own terms. The company behind the special effects on the movie is WETA Digital, same that worked on "Lord of the Rings". It remains uncertain though, whether WETA's talent will also be invested in the game.

by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Telecom : Wii success will not last, says developerby Delia Cruceru

The Nintendo Wii may be the must have of this year, but game developers say its success won’t last that much. Although it was launched one year later than the rival Microsoft Xbox 360, it’s behind with less than one million sales. Last week were recorded sale of 245,000 units in collate with only 57,000 Xbox 360 consoles. Sony’s PS3 recorded also sales of 80.000 units. Will all these sales and critics predicting that soon it will be number one game system, it seems it’s not enough. One insider from this industry, Dave Perry, creator of Earthworm Jim games series tells that in an interview to Disposable Media, that gamers are attracted by gorgeous graphics, an decisional factor for Wii. "The graphical power of the 360 and PS3 are essential to them attracting the Wii's user base. The fact is, gamers are attracted to beautiful looking games, "When a game comes out - a game like a Halo or something, something they haven’t seen before - they'll drop everything and they’ll drop their Wii controllers when it does." Talking about the PlayStation 3 he said that the machine hasn’t succeeded yet in what it can deliver. “I don’t think we’ve seen a true PS3 title yet, but developers are getting better and it’s only a matter of time before the PS3 starts achieving what it offers to consumers.”

related story: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a66719/wii-success-will-not-last-says-developer.html

by Delia Cruceru for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.

SigEx Ventures :Microsoft boost by chicken gameby Ioana Madalina Tantareanu

By playing a shrewd game of chicken,Microsoft, long stuck in third place behind Google and Yahoo in the search wars,last month suddenly boosted its share of the market.A whopping gain of nearly 3 percentage points over the prior mounth,Microsoft Corp.'s search share climbed to 13.2 percent in June, according to research group comScore data. Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. first noticed the company`s improvement because they both saw share decline more than 1 percent. People weren`t encouraged by the quality of Microsoft's search results to type over 300 million more queries into Microsofy search boxes in June, it was Chicktionary. Letter scramble puzzle with chicken theme is an addictive game, designed to introduce Web users to features of Microsoft's Live Search engine. When the player writes a word formed from three or more letters, displayed by a clucky group of hens, he must search it on the web. Just one Chicktionary game may add 35 or more queries to Microsoft's monthly total, without the attention of the player neccessary. The Live Search Club gives words that cannot be found without a web search or a matching game that includes verifying the answer by a search. For successfully completed games, Microsoft awards points (20 points for a round of Chicktionary), and players can use them to buy prizes (20,000 points for a copy of Windows Vista Home Premium, normally $239). Prize-crazy hackers have already devised "bots," or automated programs that rack up Live Search Club points. Microsoft said it monitors the games and cancels ill-gotten points or prizes, and comScore said bots don't factor into market share calculations.

by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu for SigEx Ventures (http://sigexventures.com)

SigEx Ventures's matrix of properties are quickly becoming leaders in digital telebroadcasting, free content delivery allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, video blogs and SMS. SigEx Ventures invests in projects deploying "free" to add-on royalty revenue models