Why Gamers Are Gluttons for Punishment

Being punished never feels good. Everyone has a memory of paying the price for at least one error in judgment. Getting grounded. Getting a ticket. Getting a full leg cast because that tree branch was a little less stable than you judged. We remember these punishments with a grimace. That’s the point, right? The punishment must trigger enough unpleasantness that you (hopefully) won't repeat the mistake. Or at least disagreeable enough...

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Dump Internet Explorer Until Microsoft Issues Patch

If you use Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8 or 9 as your default browser on a Windows PC, security experts are advising you to use a different Web browser until Microsoft patches a critical vulnerability in IE. Microsoft on Monday confirmed that hackers were actively exploiting an IE vulnerability that could allow an attacker to take over your PC. The exploit does not affect users running IE10 on the Windows 8 Release Preview. So far, Microsoft...

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Nintendo Wii U

The Nintendo Wii U will launch in the US on Sunday, November 18, Nintendo America president and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime revealed in a New York City press conference this morning. It'll arrive in Europe on November 30, though no price was given for our friends abroad. Like its Japanese release, the console comes in two varieties: a base level bundle in white with just 8GB of internal memory for $300 and a premium bundle in black with 32GB of internal...

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GoDaddy offers users one month credit following service outage

GoDaddy customers are being given an apology and one month of free service after grappling with Monday's service snafu. In an e-mail sent to GoDaddy users, the company's CEO Scott Wagner apologized for the outage that affected Web sites, e-mail availability, and other services. "We let you down and we know it," the e-mail read. "We take our responsibilities -- and the trust you place in us -- very seriously. I cannot express how sorry I am to...

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William Moggridge

The next time you hinge open that notebook PC and smile at a feature that makes it easier to use, give a thought to Bill Moggridge, who passed away Saturday from cancer at the age of 69. The pioneering designer invented the modern clamshell design seen in all modern laptops, and is also viewed as the father of human interaction software design. The Compass Computer he designed for Grid Systems with the screen folded over the keyboard appeared in 1981, flew on the space shuttle, and inspired virtually every notebook design since. Perhaps...

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A Murder Is Announced

Well, it pains Linux Girl to have to write these words, but it looks like the "Death of Desktop Linux" story is back for another round. Yes, after countless debates and discussions of the topic ad nauseum over the years -- the most recent being just a few short months ago, in fact -- it recently reared its ugly head again, like a zombie that just won't quit. The culprit this time? None other than Miguel de Icaza, of GNOME and Mono fame. The claim? Essentially, that Apple killed the Linux desktop. Only problem is, FOSS fans can't seem...

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Bad Piggies

Imagine a world where everyone's evil and wears a goatee, while our avian allies from Angry Birds are actually the villains of the piece. That's the premise behind Bad Piggies, Rovio's newest productivity killer, which promises entirely new game mechanics (and no slingshots!). It'll arrive on iOS, Android and OS X on September 27th, with Windows and Windows Phone 8 versions following shortly afterward. Press Release ...

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