special feature: Consolation Prize: The Game Console Is Dead ...

Gaming consoles have never found their very existence more threatened.
Illustration: Simon Lutrin/Wired

In November, Nintendo will release Wii U, the first update to the groundbreaking motion-controlled gaming console that took the industry by storm in 2006. Pundits and developers presume Sony and Microsoft will quickly follow suit with their own updated game consoles ? also the first in years ? though neither have confirmed it.

Assuming all of these new machines arrive as predicted, they?ll hit store shelves at nearly the exact moment when the venerable game console, and the business model that sustained it, became obsolete.

Discuss on WiredExtraIn the history of videogames, devices designed primarily to play games have dominated more versatile machines by offering more software and a significantly better gaming experience.

The last generation of devices has been bigger than any previous one. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo combined have moved over 225 million home game consoles since their launches in 2005 and 2006. That?s a stunning success, especially when you consider the consoles were just a Trojan horse for the real business of selling billions of game titles at a wallet-thinning $40 to $60 a pop.

And that?s not all. In predictions about the race to own the living room, disrupt cable television and remake the entire entertainment industry, consoles often figure near the top of the list. Microsoft crows repeatedly that its Xbox platform, though not its biggest money maker, is probably its greatest success since Windows 95 and Office.

Nearly seven years have elapsed since Xbox got an update ? an eternity in hardware manufacturing. In that time, the $67 billion worldwide game business has shifted radically, forcing far-reaching changes in everything from pricing, game design, distribution, audience expectations and devices.

Anticipating the shifting sands for consoles, Microsoft this week unveiled a slate of new features for Xbox that aim to turn it into a new type of entertainment platform with hooks to mobile devices, cheap gaming apps, video streaming and music ? a move that comes even as it is poised to release the latest sequel in its blockbuster Halo franchise. The dual message couldn?t more clear: Consoles are bigger than ever, and they need to change immediately, or die.

???Consoles, in terms of the way that they???ve been operating and failing to evolve, have to change,??? says Mark Kern, head of the game developer Red 5 Studios. ???The console model is hamstrung by the whole box-model mentality, the idea that you pay $60 for a game and you go play.???

The most obvious disruptor has been mobile apps, which offer pretty good game play on cellphones and tablets for one-tenth or less the price of console games, and very often for free. Other trends include the explosion of social gaming, also mostly free, and the resurgence of PC games, which are now typically cheaper and more flexible than console games, tapping into new online distribution platforms that make them far more convenient to purchase.

None of the game industry insiders Wired interviewed for this story were ready to call the age of the consoles well and truly over. Cinematic graphics, intense play, stories with the narrative sweep and character development of a well-crafted novel: These will keep the fans coming, most argued, in smaller numbers, perhaps, but just as devotedly as ever. At the same time, all of the companies they work for are well underway with plans for radical overhaul, signaling a clear understanding of what is coming ? and more to the point, what has already arrived in the market full force.

The videogame console as we???ve always known it actually died a few years ago. It keeled over somewhere around the time that Microsoft redesigned the Xbox 360???s user interface so you had to tab through ?Bing,? ???Home,??? ???Social??? and ???Video??? before you got to the tab marked ???Games.??? Ever since, the big three makers have been bending over backward to show that their boxes aren???t just dumb game players but connected everything-machines that play more Hulu than Halo.

The pressure to evolve even further has become immense now that the quality gap between cheap-or-free games and full-price ones is narrowing. The best iPad games look like middle-of-the-road Xbox 360 games. Your smartphone is quickly getting to the point where its hardware could display good-looking games in 1080p on your television, and it won???t be long before your phone and TV can sync up without cables.

The result: Years from now, 225 million devices will almost certainly be seen as the point at which the console business peaked. Gamers are going elsewhere for their fix. The console???s time at the top of the heap is drawing to an end, and these machines won???t survive without radical change.

???Everybody who is paying attention is seeing the tectonic plates under the game industry shifting pretty dramatically,??? says David Reid of CCP Games, which is bringing a free-to-play shooter called Dust 514 to Sony???s PlayStation 3. ???The core model is eroding.???

Consoles used to do everything best, but those strengths are now being wiped away. Unlike PC games, which may require finicky custom settings, consoles ???just work,??? fans have long pointed out. Well, so does the iPad. Consoles are cheaper than PCs? Not when you factor in the growing disparity in game prices. Consoles have all the good content? Well, if you want Nintendo- or Sony-exclusive games, you???ll need to buy their hardware. But for many gamers, Angry Birds is becoming more attractive than Mario.

The ripple effects, if you can call a giant tsunami a ripple, are already washing over the game industry. These days, makers of high-end console games need to sell more and more copies, at higher and higher prices, because triple-A game development is getting exponentially more expensive. That?s creating sticker shock for fans, who are increasingly being asked to pay far more than the standard $60 to absorb crippling development costs. Game publishing giant Ubisoft???s plan to squeeze $150 out of its most diehard Assassin???s Creed III players on day one is typical: $120 for a ???limited edition??? game package and $30 for a ???season pass??? of downloadable extra game content, to be drip-fed over the next year.

Gaming aficionados will pay up, they say, because the bigger games are of higher quality. But only a handful of developers can now afford to play in this rarefied and risky space, and even for these few, the returns will be smaller. The new leaders in the game, insiders predict, will be those who can shift resources into less ambitious, higher-return products, leaving the future of high-end games in serious doubt over the long haul.

???In game design,??? says Red 5???s Kern, ???the optimal strategy for any game tends to fall to the player known as the min-maxer. A min-maxer quickly finds the advantageous parts of the game and optimizes by dumping all of their gold, all of their skill points into the things that allow them to win the game. And they put nothing into the other stuff.???

???Game companies can???t have it both ways. They???ve got to min-max.???


Source: http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/10/26/special-feature-consolation-prize-the-game-console-is-dead-what-will-replace-it/

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Microsoft officially launches Windows 8

10 hrs.

Microsoft Thursday?launched Windows 8, the latest version of its operating system, a version it hopes will be modern enough to keep existing users and draw new ones to it.

Steven Sinofsky, president of Windows and Windows Live, kicked off the event in New York City?by saying?that Microsoft is celebrating the global availability of Windows 8 on Thursday.?

Sinofsky revealed that WIndows 7, the prior version of Microsoft's desktop operating system, has sold more than?670 million licenses. Yes, over?670,000,000 copies of Windows 7 are out there in the world, on people's computers. Windows 8?uses Windows 7 as its foundation, so naturally there are high expectations. The new?operating system has undergone more than 1,240,000,000 hours of testing, according to Sinofsky.

Sinofsky referenced the days when we were basically "living in caves," the time of Windows 95. He used memories of that era to emphasize just how far Microsoft's operating system has come. Now, more than?1,000 PCs have been certified for Windows 8, bringing on what the folks at Microsoft describe as a new era of computing (and of Windows).

Sinofsky did at one point acknowledge that some folks might call out Microsoft's newly launched app store for having a small selection of apps, in comparison to what is available on other platforms, such as Apple and Google.

"We see today as a grand opening, and a very strong one," he said. And he says that there are more apps in the Windows app store than there were in any competitor's at launch.

Microsoft executives Mike Angiulo and Julie Larson-Green offered a demonstration of Windows 8 on older (and updated) devices, as well as on new gadgets. They emphasized how the new operating system runs significantly faster than its predecessor on older devices?? cheers were heard from a group in the audience when this detail was pointed out?? but focused on all the new Windows 8 devices hitting the market right now.

After Angiulo and Larson-Green wrapped up their demonstration, the booming voice of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer flooded the event space. "It's an exciting day," he declared.

Ballmer walked everyone, once again, through the basics of the Windows 8 ecosystem, declaring several features as working ?"magically."

With Windows 8, "seeing, touching, clicking, and swiping is really?believing," Ballmer says. "Welcome to the world of Windows 8."

Want more?tech news or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/microsoft-officially-launches-windows-8-1C6684802

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New materials may help prevent infections by blocking initial bacterial attachment

ScienceDaily (Oct. 26, 2012) ? Bacteria's ability to cling to virtually any surface is a vexing problem in the medical community. Engineering a surface that can easily slough off these dangerous bugs has, until recently, had limited success. Recently, however, a team of British researchers has discovered a new class of materials that resists bacterial attachment. Now these scientists from the University of Nottingham, U.K., are ready to set out on the approval process that will take their research to the clinical testing stage, paving the way for medical applications.

The researchers will present their findings at the AVS 59th International Symposium and Exhibition, held Oct. 28 -- Nov. 2, in Tampa, Fla.

To date, scientists have been unable to fully explain how bacteria are able to adhere so durably to virtually any surface. Despite this limited understanding of bacteria-material interactions, the Nottingham researchers were able to screen thousands of different chemical combinations for resistance to bacterial adhesion. The studies revealed that one particular class of compounds, acrylates with hydrophobic groups, proved highly resistant to bacteria's sticky tendencies.

"The new materials are to bacteria what non-stick cookware is to food," said Andrew Hook, a researcher at the Nottingham School of Pharmacy. "Bacteria can stick to the surface of [traditional] medical devices and form a community, known as a biofilm, where the bacteria become highly resistant to antibiotics and the immune system."

By preventing the biofilm from forming on devices in service, the new materials help the immune system to simply eliminate the bacteria as if the device had never been inserted. In contrast, current antibacterial materials, like silver, actually kill bacteria.

After the new non-stick materials were identified, they were successfully tested on surfaces in the laboratory and on standard medical devices, such as catheters, within an animal model. In laboratory studies of the new materials, the researchers found a 96.7-percent reduction in bacterial coverage compared to commercially available silver-containing catheters for the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.

By coating medical devices with the optimal polymer composition of one of this class of acrylates, for example the compound tricyclodecane-dimethanol diacrylate that the researchers tested, scientists believe they can prevent bacteria from attaching and also prevent associated infections, which could reduce health care costs.

The researchers are now ready to take their research to the next level and prepare the regulatory package to begin clinical trials. They hope the trials will show that by denying bacteria a foothold on medical equipment in humans, the chances of a patient contracting a medical device-associated infection are much lower.

Nottingham pharmacy professor Morgan Alexander hopes that since no antibiotics are used this will lead to a method to reduce infections from bacteria without the risk of antibiotic resistance developing. "The challenge now is to have materials recognized by the medical device industry," Alexander said. "That would allow us to develop products for specific applications. There's a lot of potential to improve human health, but we need to prove that."

The researchers are in discussions with potential partners to develop coated devices and are hopeful their material could reach the market in 5 to 10 years.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by AVS: Science & Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/LFQldSsZI-U/121026143219.htm

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This Near Collision Between Two Airplanes Will Make Your Heart Skip a Beat

This seems like yet another boring refueling video taken by a KC-135 Stratotanker's flying boom operator—until the NATO E-3 Sentry AWACS plane almost crashes with it. At the last second, the Sentry's pilot pushes down in a massive negative G-force party, avoiding a fatal outcome. Things look fun when a major disaster is averted. [The Aviationist] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ICj0RNB_TWw/this-near-collision-between-two-airplanes-will-make-your-heart-skip-a-beat

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Churches condemn Israeli security barrier

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/churches-condemn-israeli-security-barrier-172022864.html

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Google App Engine Back Up After Major Service Disruption ? Dropbox and Tumblr Also Suffer

Google App EngineGoogle App Engine is down with a major service disruption affecting thousands of customers around the world that use the platform-as-a-service. The Google ?Engine team posted the following update:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/PewHv20oIRg/

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Zillow Adds 1.8M Foreclosed And Pre-Foreclosure Homes To Its ...

Online real estate service Zillow is expanding its real estate listings today by adding ?pre-market inventory? ? specifically, homes that have either been foreclosed or are in the foreclosure process.

Increasing the selection of available homes is particularly important now, Zillow says, because the inventory of for-sale homes listed on the site has fallen by 20 percent over the past year (which the company argues is an indicator of the larger market). The company suggests that there?s already considerable interest from homebuyers in this kind of product, citing a study by the National Association of Realtors, which found that 55 percent of homeowners have considered purchasing a foreclosed home but don?t know how to find those listings or are discouraged by the complexity of the transaction.

The new listings are drawn from public records, Zillow says, and it looks like the vast majority (1.5 million) of them consist of pre-foreclosure homes, where foreclosure proceedings have been initiated or an auction has been scheduled. Another 250,000 listings are homes that are owned by the bank or lender but are not yet listed for sale. (Zillow also counts 147,000 ?Make Me Move? properties ? where homeowners aren?t planning to sell but list a dream price for their home ? as part of its pre-market inventory.)

In addition to the normal home information (bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage and so on), Zillow will also include the estimated sale price and foreclosure details. The company will also be listing contact information for foreclosure specialists who can help with the process, and it?s launching a new Foreclosure Center with information about the foreclosure process.

Zillow Foreclosure Center

?Zillow is taking information that was really only available to a select group ? in this case, savvy investors ? and making it more easily available to interested home buyers,? said Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff in a press release. ?What?s more, bringing this information to light, and taking this inventory out of the shadows, can help bring these homes to market faster than ever before.?

Earlier this month, Zillow launched an ad-free marketplace for rental professionals and landlords, based on its acquisition of RentJuice.

Update: I was wondering about the possibility that pre-foreclosure properties wouldn?t actually go up for sale, so I asked Zillow about it, and a company spokesperson sent me this response:

There?s always a chance pre-market inventory doesn?t go on the market as a homeowner may become current on the payments, an investor may buy the property or another home shopper, such as someone who found the home on Zillow, learns about the property and contacts the lender or homeowner.


Zillow, Inc. founded and operates Zillow.com ? a leading online real estate marketplace dedicated to helping homeowners, buyers, sellers, renters, real estate agents, mortgage professionals, landlords, and property managers find and share vital information about homes, real estate, and mortgages. Zilow, Inc. also operates Zillow Mortgage Marketplace and Zillow Mobile. Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink started Zillow in early 2005, and Zillow.com launched in early 2006 with data and information on millions of U.S. homes. Zillow?s goal is to help...

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/24/zillow-foreclosures/

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ESRB adds ratings for downloadable games

5 hrs.

While?your kid plays a game downloaded through his Xbox, he may be telling others exactly where he is in the real world. And you thought all you had to worry about was what happened within the game.

Parents concerned about the information their kids share when playing downloaded games on devices like an?Xbox or PlayStation?are getting help from the same group that rates boxed games. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the self-regulatory body for the video game industry, Wednesday extended its ratings system to downloadable games and now includes guides about the kinds of personal information a game is able to access.

The rating system for digitally delivered games is the same as you see on the physical games you buy in a store, familiar ratings like Everyone, Teen and Mature, and content descriptors that denote violence and sexual themes.

The new interactive element ratings shed light on?privacy ?aspects of gameplay. They include:

  • "Shares Info": Personal information such as email address, phone number or?credit card ?is provided to third parties
  • "Shares Location": Can display the player?s location with other players
  • "Users Interact": Players can get in direct communication with others through social media and networks

Buyers see the ratings prior to downloading the game. However, these new ratings don?t say exactly what gets shared. For example, you won?t know if a game rated ?Shares Info? only gives access to an email address or also provides your child?s phone number.

ESRB ratings are assigned through an online questionnaire that the developer completes; they are not determined by independent reviewers.

Participation by game developers and download services is optional. Services implementing the new system include Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation Certified devices, Nintendo eShop, Wii Shop Channel and ?Windows 8.

Copyright 2012 TechNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ingame/esrb-adds-ratings-downloadable-games-1C6669507

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BMW Innovations Showcase Unveils ActiveHybrid 3 And 5 Series ...

BMW Group Malaysia today starts its BMW Innovations Showcase at the Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur. The showcase is brandishing the carmaker?s ability to push the boundary of technology in the automotive premium segment by displaying the much awaited BMW Vision ConnectedDrive concept car as well as the ActiveHybrid 3 Series and 5 Series sedans.

Introducing the cars was Dr Gerhard Pils,?Managing Director, BMW Group Malaysia. He emphasized that?constant innovation was at the forefront of the BMW Group?s remarkable success and that the company was determined to work to achieve an even higher benchmark in sustainability, efficiency and driving dynamism.

The futuristic roadster is specially designed for maximum application of the ?BMW ConnectedDrive features, which some are already featured in the current BMW models such as the head-up display. The car is practically a test bed for more technological innovations to come in the future such as advanced driver assistance, real time traffic information and more new technologies for the in-car use of mobile devices. It connects the car, driver and the outside world simultaneously. Colour-coded technology is also used to optimise convenience, infotainment and safety -?Green symbolizes Convenience, Blue represents Infotainment while Red exemplifies Safety.

Another highlight at the showcase is the ActiveHybrid 3 and 5 Series sedans. Exterior-wise, the hybrids do not possess much differences compared to the normal 3 and 5 Series except for the ActiveHybrid badges on the rear bonnet, C-pillars and side sills. The rims are specially designed for the ActiveHybrid models.

Both ActiveHybrid models are powered by the multi-award winning 3.0-litre, inline-six powertrain featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo, High Precision Injection and Valvetronic including Double-VANOS, the same engine used in the 335i and 535i. The engine churns out 306 hp and 400 Nm of torque. In addition to the powerful engine, an electric motor with 55 hp and maximum torque of 210 Nm. 0 to 100 sprint only takes a mere 5.3 seconds (5.9 seconds for the ActiveHybrid 5 Series). Certainly not your average hybrid cars.

Fuel consumption reads at an average of 5.9 ?litres per 100km for the ActiveHybrid 3 and 6.8 litres per 100km for the ActiveHybrid 5 with CO2 emissions of only 139 grams per km and 160 grams per km respectively.

The ActiveHybrid is capable of running in all-electric mode and dynamic mode. Combination of the engine and the electric motor results in extra output at 340 hp and 450 Nm of torque while operating in the all-electric mode means zero emissions at speeds up to 60 km/h for about four kilometres. In urban driving condition, the on-board processor ensures that the car makes full use of the electric motor with the eight-speed transmission providing the power at all times. If sudden power is needed, the eBOOST system can be activated.

Power electronics for the car are connected to the Professional navigation system. The on-board computer calculates route data and uses the data to anticipate how much energy is needed to to reach the desired destination, without sacrificing the efficiency. For instance, the electric motor will be used to support the internal combustion engine while going uphill on mountainous roads. Downhill, the battery will be recharged via the Brake Energy Regeneration system.

Unlike in petrol and diesel variants, the Auto Start/Stop function in the ActiveHybrid models is activated when the vehicle is approaching a stop. The engine will start immediately after the car reaches 60 km/h. And with the ECO PRO mode on, the car ?glides? with the engine switched off at speeds up to 160 km/h. The secret to this is the car uses the stored kinetic energy from the Brake Energy Regeneration system. Zero emissions at 160 km/h? Swell. The Auto Start/Stop function also operates in COMFORT and SPORT modes. These modes are accessible via the Driving Experience Control button on the centre console of the vehicle.

The retail prices (on the road, without insurance, with BMW Service + Repair Inclusive (BS+RI)) for the new BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 are RM 538,800.00 and RM 648,800.00 respectively.

BMW Innovations Showcase pushes the Boundaries of Technology in the Automotive Premium Segment
Premium carmaker furthers innovation commitment to Malaysia, unveiling BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept car and BMW ActiveHybrid sedans at technology showcase.

Kuala Lumpur, 25 October 2012 ? BMW Group Malaysia today displayed its latest technological offering for the premium automotive industry as the premium carmaker unveiled its much anticipated BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept car as well as its BMW ActiveHybrid 3 Series and 5 Series sedans at the BMW Innovations Showcase at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

Introducing the new innovative vehicles from BMW, Dr. Gerhard Pils, Managing Director, BMW Group Malaysia said, ?Since the early 1970s, BMW has been working on the idea of networking vehicles with each other as well as with the outside world in order to realise innovative communication and driver assistance systems for its cars. Since those early days, enormous progress in automotive networking has been made to intelligently link the driver to the car and to the outside world. The BMW Innovations Showcase at The Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is meant to demonstrate to Malaysians the significant achievements in technology the BMW Group has made, and to encourage Malaysians to recognise and explore the extent of opportunities technology can offer us today.?

Dr.Pils added that as the world?s leading premium automaker, constant innovation was at the forefront of the BMW Group?s remarkable success and that the company was determined to work to achieve an even higher benchmark in sustainability, efficiency and driving dynamism.

?Apart from leading to improvements to BMW vehicles, innovation is the catalyst for improvements which leads to significant benefits to society, be it in terms of automotive safety or even economic opportunities.? said Dr. Pils.

BMW Vision Connected Drive ? The future of automotive connectivity

The star display of the BMW Innovations Showcase was the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept Car, a futuristic roadster designed to allow for optimal insights into the display and practical application of future BMW ConnectedDrive features. From advanced driver assistance and real time traffic information to new technologies for the in-car use of mobile devices and more, the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive is the test bed and precursor of technological innovations to come in the near future. Divided into the three areas of safety, infotainment and comfort the fundamental concept of the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive ? the intelligent networking of driver, vehicle and the outside world ? is expressed on four levels: the display and operating concept, an unparalleled light installation, the design of the car itself and the integration of the whole concept into a multimedia experience.

With its revolutionary 2-seater roadster design, the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive supplies the driver with optimised convenience, infotainment and safety. Striking light bands in green, blue and red symbolise the transfer of information from each system to another. A distinctively BMW hood features a stylised opening designed to focus the driver?s attention to the road while also optimising the prioritised flow of information to the driver. For example, the car?s innovative new display and operating concept includes a three-dimensional Head-up Display in the windscreen, a freely programmable instrument cluster for the driver and an additional monitor for the front passenger for optimized practicality and safety.

?The most remarkable fact about the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive is that a majority of its revolutionary features are already available in the BMW models of today courtesy of the BMW ConnectedDrive strategy. Of course, there are other leading features which will be introduced in the future as we at BMW constantly seek out innovations to make our cars even better than ever!? said Dr. Pils.

BMW EfficientDynamics ? Intelligence breeds Efficiency

Also highlighted at the BMW Innovations showcase was the market introduction of the all new BMW Active Hybrid 3 and BMW Active Hybrid 5 cars to Malaysia. Fitted with the most advanced power train technology for hybrid vehicles, BMW?s Active Hybrid vehicles excel in all aspects of hybrid disciplines ? output, fuel efficiency, range, all-electric top speed, acceleration and internal space and luggage capacity; all designed and engineered by BMW to deliver Sheer Driving Pleasure to its Malaysian customers without any compromise.

?The introduction of the all-new BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 completes the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series product line-up in Malaysia. Given the Malaysian government?s growing support for Advanced Green technology which we expect will be further enhanced with the upcoming review of the National Automotive Policy, we aim to introduce even more of our Advanced Hybrid models as well as revolutionary Electro-Mobility solutions in the near future.? said Dr.Pils.

At the heart of the new BMW ActiveHybrid models is the multi-award winning six-cylinder in-line petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology power plant featuring a twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection and Valvetronic variable inlet valve lift control including Double-VANOS, the very same engine featured in the remarkably dynamic BMW 335i and the BMW 535i, providing both cars with a maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp with torque peaking at 400 Nm. In addition to that the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 are further fitted with a 40 kW/55hp electric motor which is capable of delivering a maximum torque of 210 Nm. This allows the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 to deliver performances of 5.3 seconds and 5.9 seconds respectively in the 0-100km/h sprint. The most astounding feature of the BMW ActiveHybrids are of course their remarkably enhanced efficiency, with the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 consuming an average of 5.9 litres per 100km and 6.8 litres per 100km respectively and CO2 emissions of only 139 grams per km and 160 grams per km respectively.

Aside from operating in the all-electric mode a key feature of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 is the ability to deliver impressively dynamic acceleration by combining the outputs of both its petrol as well as electric power plants. Integrated into the housing of the eight-speed automatic transmission the electric motor enables all-electric driving in urban traffic, and when working in conjunction with the petrol engine provides extra power for acceleration with a combined output of 250 kW/340 hp and 450 Nm of torque. Operating in the all-electric mode the BMW ActiveHybrids are able to deliver zero-emissions while driving at speeds up to 60km/h with a total uninterrupted range of four kilometres. In urban conditions the on-board processor in the BMW ActiveHybrids ensures that the car optimizes the use of the electric motor with the eight-speed automatic transmission providing optimal power flow at all times. In addition, the cars eBOOST system is activated whenever additional power reserves are required, such as during overtaking manoeuvres.

The intelligent energy management system introduced in the all-new BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 incorporates the hybrid-specific Auto Start/Stop function, the ECO PRO mode as well as the car?s auxiliary air conditioning, making BMW?s first hybrid models in Malaysia unique in the premium market. The power electronics for the BMW ActiveHybrids are networked with the Professional navigation system which ensures that route data is saved by the on-board computer and are used to anticipate impending energy needs to ensure optimum performance and efficient interaction between the combustion engine and the electric drive on a customer?s regular drive routes. For example, the deployment of the electric motor on mountainous roads will be matched to select performance management data based on the driver?s previous routes. Uphill, maximum use can be made of stored energy to support the petrol engine while on the subsequent downhill portion of the drive the high-performance lithium-ion battery will be recharged via the Brake Energy Regeneration system for maximum efficiency. Even on level terrain, the system anticipates energy use to provide maximum efficiency; if the destination is in an urban area, the high-performance battery is charged sufficiently ahead of arrival to ensure that the final part of the drive can be covered on electrical energy alone.

Unlike in petrol and diesel variants, the Auto Start/Stop function in BMW ActiveHybrid models is activated when the vehicle is approaching a stop, and depending on the charge in the high-performance battery or its acceleration requirement, the engine will restart immediately after a stop or once the vehicle reaches 60km/h. With ECO PRO mode activated, drivers can also experience the vehicle ?gliding? with the internal combustion engine switched off at speeds up to 160km/h. The petrol engine is deactivated during this process, resulting in zero-emissions while the vehicle uses the stored kinetic energy thanks to the Brake Energy Regeneration technology. The Hybrid specific Auto Start/Stop function also operates in COMFORT and SPORT modes at speeds up to 80 km/h. Drivers are able to activate these different driving modes via the Driving Experience Control button on the centre console of the vehicle.

?Our proactive introduction of sustainable and highly advanced green technology alternative vehicles to the Malaysian market has proven to be a key factor of our growing success as it has enabled us to serve a market which is becoming ever increasingly conscious of the need to conserve resources and the environment. The introduction of the BMW ActiveHybrids is set to further enhance our wildly successful BMW EfficientDynamics strategy here in Malaysia which began with the introduction of our range of BMW Advanced Diesel models in 2009, that now comprise around 20% of our total sales volume and is but a taste of even more Advanced Green Technology solutions to be introduced to the market by BMW in the near future,? said Dr. Pils.

The retail prices (on the road, without insurance, with BMW Service + Repair Inclusive (BS+RI)) for the new BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 are

BMW ActiveHybrid 3 ? RM 538,800.00
BMW ActiveHybrid 5 ? RM 648,800.00

?Advanced Green Technology ? An economic opportunity for Malaysia

During the BMW Innovations Showcase Dr. Pils further highlighted the need for Malaysia to make strong and proactive steps to move the nation?s automotive industry further up the green technology and sustainability chain, both in terms of encouraging the adoption of sustainable alternatives amongst consumers and as a matter of evolving automotive and industrial policies.

He added, ?Malaysia must appreciate that the emerging strengths of the automotive industries in both Indonesia and Thailand are a threat to our regional and global competitiveness as an automotive player. We must be proactive in countering these emerging threats and a key means to achieve this would be to focus the nation?s efforts towards becoming a Regional Automotive Hub for the manufacture and assembly of Advanced Clean and Green Technology throughout the industry supply chain.

While the Malaysian government has begun to provide import and excise duty exemptions for Electric as well as Hybrid vehicles, the framework of existing policies remains restrictive as they are limited to vehicles with engine capacities below 2,000 cc in capacity. BMW Group Malaysia believes that for the full benefits of new and green technologies to be fully appreciated and adopted the exemptions must be extended to all vehicles that utilise such technologies regardless of engine size but with efficiency and emission reductions as its main criteria. This would encourage early adoption by all consumer segments as well as the entire automotive industry supply chain.

Members of the public who are keen to learn more about the BMW Innovation Showcase are welcome to visit the public showcase which will be held at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur from the 23rd to 28th of October.

Further information about the BMW Innovation Showcase is available at www.bmw.com.my.

Source: http://www.wemotor.com/blog/2012/10/bmw-innovations-showcase-unveils-activehybrid-3-and-5-series/

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ESRB now supports Windows 8, introduces cost-free questionnaire for rating digital games

ESRB adds Windows 8, introduces costfree questionnaire for rating digital games

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has a huge responsibility -- to rate and regulate the entire medium of video games -- but only has so many resources with which to do so. With the rise of digital delivery, it's become increasingly difficult to fulfill the task of rating every single title that comes out, but the ESRB is betting on a new initiative that'll help streamline that process. The new "Digital Rating Service" employs an online questionnaire to determine a wide variety of criteria, beyond just age-appropriateness: content, interactivity, and privacy settings (whether or not it shares your data). As the name implies, the DRS specifically applies to digital delivery services: Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network (on PS3 and Vita), PlayStation Certified devices, Nintendo's eShop (on the Wii, DS, and 3DS), and Windows 8.

That last one sounds new because it is -- Windows 8 games are now part of the ESRB's rating system. In addition to the new initiative and new platform, the ESRB is also adding more guidance to its game ratings. "Shares Info," "Shares Locations," and "Users Interact" are all now part of ESRB guidance, per the changing nature of digital, portable games. The ESRB says its new system will help to streamline its rating process for both itself and game creators, and this will resultant in faster ratings for consumers.

Continue reading ESRB now supports Windows 8, introduces cost-free questionnaire for rating digital games

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