rises

Star Wars: The Old Republic embraces same-sex romance

Same-gender romance will soon be in the air in Star Wars: The Old Republic, meaning your Jedi Knight or Bounty Hunter will have more opportunities to get some lovin' in the online game.

To date, characters' romance options have been limited by class and gender. But in a blog post today, Jeff Hickman, executive producer of the BioWare/EA title, revealed that that's shifting come spring -- to an extent.

The upcoming Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion pack, he said, will make it possible for players on the new planet (called Makeb) to flirt with same-gender non-player characters, created by BioWare to give quests, sell items, and otherwise move the story forward. Players will not yet, however, be able to put the moves on same-sex companion characters, the NPCs that accompany them on their intergalactic escapades as a major plotline piece. … Read more

The 404 1,126: Where we've got a Batman hangover (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode starring Jeff Sussman from TheBatSignal Podcast:

- "Dark Knight Rises" Blu-Ray extras likely to include deleted Bane origin sequence.

- Top 10 things you may have missed in "The Dark Knight Rises." Our favorite is the Robin "R" insignia that pops up in the stadium.

- The politics of "The Dark Knight Rises"

- Batman is a reformer and humanist in "The Dark Knight Rises," not an avatar for right-wing fears.

- 12 Gotham newspaper headlines during "The Dark Knight Rises."

- … Read more

Kyocera Rise with Android 4.0, now available on Virgin

Initially launched on Sprint, the Kyocera Rise is now available on prepaid network Virgin Mobile starting today.

The Rise is an entry-level keyboard handset running on Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.

It's equipped with a 3.5-inch HVGA touch screen, a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1GHz Qualcomm processor.

When I reviewed the handset, I was impressed with its attractively designed keyboard, call quality, and updated Android OS. However, a slow processor and hefty design hold it back from really shining.

The Rise is going for $99.99 online and will be offered in retail stores beginning … Read more

Kyocera Rise with Android 4.0 comes to Sprint, Virgin Mobile

Sprint and Virgin Mobile announced today that they will carry the Kyocera Rise, a slideout QWERTY keyboard phone that we first caught a glimpse of in May during CTIA 2012.

In addition to its four-row keyboard, the Rise runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It has a 3.5-inch LCD display, a 1,500mAh li-ion battery (which roughly translates to 8.5 hours of reported talk time), and a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

The handset also has a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera with accompanying flash, and an Eco Mode feature that allows users to customize and conserve battery … Read more

The 404 1,098: Where our punishment must be more severe (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Bane voice: What does the 'Dark Knight Rises' villain sound like?

- First 3D printed gun signals the end of gun control.

- Pornography in public takes the next seat.

- Apple reportedly to unveil iPhone 5, iPad Mini on September 12.… Read more

The 404 1,097: Where what kind of man dresses like a bird (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Apple patents game controller.

- Check out Shellrazer, out now and available for everyone.

- Spelunky is a 2D platform game for Xbox Live Arcade and PCs that demands patience and a lot of time.

- The Verge has bad news about your favorite game.

- Subscribe to Polygon's gaming podcast The Besties, featuring Russ Frushtick. … Read more

The 404 1,094: Where we've made it to Livestream (podcast)

Thanks to all the live listeners for bearing with our first day broadcasting video on Livestream. Be sure to check us out every weekday at 12 p.m ET/9 a.m. PT on the Livestream homepage.

Leaked from today's 404 show:

- Jeff gives a spoiler-free review of "The Dark Knight Rises."

- 46 Things You Probably Don't Know About the Batman films.

- eHarmony has some tips to bail you out of a horrible online date.

- How bars use music to get you drunk faster.… Read more

The 404 1,093: Where we're monitoring that scan you just interfaced (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 show:

- Guy gets butt kicked for wearing digital eye glasses inside McDonald's.

- Burger King employee stands on lettuce, gets busted by Internet.

- This is how you paint a 150-foot Batman.

- Does this photo of yesterday's storm in New York deserve an Instagram filter?… Read more

Ultrabooks no longer ultra-pricey

In today's show, Google takes us for a spin, ultrabooks are no longer ultra-pricey, and the iPad isn't just for humans anymore:

Hewlett-Packard announced several new thin and light laptops under the Envy brand. Some are officially called ultrabooks, equiped with Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors, while less-expensive ones are called sleekbooks. But regardless of the different labels, it means high-quality thin and light laptops are moving into the $600 to $700 price range. (There's even a rumor that the MacBook Air -- the computer that kickstarted the ultrabook craze -- will drop its price to $… Read more

Kyocera Rise hands-on: Let those fingers fly

NEW ORLEANS--For those whose hearts go aflutter and fingers go a-flying for QWERTY keyboards, Kyocera's newest Android Ice Cream Sandwich handset (yes, you read that right -- it has ICS), the Kyocera Rise, may be up your alley.

The phone manufacturer announced the handset at CTIA 2012. Along with the slide-out keyboard, it also sports a 3.5-inch LCD touch-screen display and a 1GHz Snapdragon processor.

In the rear is a 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash. The 3G handset is also equipped with the Swype virtual keyboard and Bluetooth 2.1.

"We did a lot of consumer … Read more