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EA announces more layoffs, said to be hundreds of workers

As if a leadership shakeup, canceling of games, and one round of layoffs weren't enough, it appears that things are going from bad to worse for Electronic Arts. The gaming company announced Thursday that it's going through another round of layoffs.

"In recent weeks, EA has aligned all elements of its organizational structure behind priorities in new technologies and mobile," EA wrote in a blog post Thursday. "This has led to some difficult decisions to reduce the workforce in some locations. We are extremely grateful for the contributions made by each of our employees -- … Read more

Snap a photo with a turtle shell

Taxidermy and technology aren't two words you usually associate with one another, but Swiss artists Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs managed to make the two subjects collide in an unconventional series of works featuring cameras made out of the hallowed remains of books, armadillos, and turtles. Yes, you read that correctly.

Fortunately, no animals were harmed in the making of the series, as Onorato and Krebs sourced the creatures from flea markets and other uncommon outlets. … Read more

Photo Art Studio 1.3 Review

Finding suitable applications for altering photos on a smartphone can be difficult. Photo Art Studio, while feature rich, fails to perform its functions and is difficult to use.

Download and installation of Photo Art Studio completed quickly and without any user intervention needed. The program started up seamlessly and did not require any sign-in information to use. The menu is well designed, although there are no tutorials or user instructions. Moving to the photo editing part of the program is easy to figure out due to the large main buttons. The next screen allows the user to select a layout … Read more

Mal Valve: The ultimate headphone amplifier

I heard through the grapevine that the Mal Valve Head Amp Three takes headphone sound to the next level, so I had to check it out for myself. I brought two of my best headphones to the Audioarts NYC showroom to audition the amp, and it really was an ear opener. "Space" was the first thing I noticed, the Mal Valve decodes spatial cues in recordings better than any amp I've heard to date; and the resolution, clarity, and purity of the sound were all superlative via my Audeze LCD 3 headphones. The Mal Valve frees up … Read more

Artist paints photorealistic aquatic life in three dimensions

It looks like a fish swimming in a bowl, or a serving of living octopus in its own salt water, but the photorealistic works of Singapore-based artist Keng Lye are not even sculptures, but paintings. He uses a technique developed by Japanese artist Riusuke Fukahori, using acrylic paint and resin to build up, layer by layer, images of creatures swimming in water.

The technique involves starting with a container and pouring in thin layers of clear resin. When each layer dries, the next "slice" of the creature is painted on and allowed to dry before the next layer is poured. It's quite a painstaking process, but the effect, as you can see, is stunning. … Read more

Motion-sensing, laser-laden sculpture is 'Fluidic' in the language of light

With a wave of your hand, bright lasers cascade across 12,000 translucent spheres that hang above a reflecting pool, creating a flickering, sinuous symphony of light. The ethereal experience isn't a dream, but rather Fluidic, a hybrid light show and sculpture that responds to viewers' movements.

Created by Berlin-based design studio Whitevoid Designs for Hyundai's Advanced Design Center, "Fluidic -- Sculpture in Motion" is just one of many interesting art exhibits on show during Italy's Milan Design Week, which runs through this weekend.… Read more

EA 'streamlines operations' by laying off workers

It seems like Electronic Arts is still reeling from its recent leadership shakeup. The gaming company today confirmed that it is laying off an undisclosed number of employees.

"EA is sharpening its focus to provide games for new platforms and mobile. In some cases, this involves reducing team sizes as we evolve into a more efficient organization. These are difficult decisions to let go of good people who have made important contributions to EA, and whenever possible we retrain or relocate employees to new roles," a company spokesperson told CNET. "Streamlining our operations will help ensure EA … Read more

Injustice? EA wins Worst Company in America again

They fought. They lost. They won.

This might sum up Electronic Arts' role in this year's Worst Company in America polling, conducted in the pages of the Consumerist.

For the second year running, the game maker has been voted America's worst company -- aka the company those who are online a lot choose to dislike the most.

It wasn't even close. EA managed to received 77.53 percent of the vote.

EA was up against Bank of America in the final and some might have imagined it might have a puncher's chance against an entity that … Read more

The 404 1,245: Where we print with fire (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- "FireWriter" is a far sexier way to describe an inkjet printer.

- What do gangsters do on the Internet?

- New Brad Paisley, LL Cool J song "Accidental Racist" sparks controversy.

Bathroom break video: Slacktory Supercut: The best fake Web sites from TV shows.… Read more