sons

NEW YORK--So the world didn't exactly get what it wanted out of Sony's PlayStation 4 debut tonight. There was no sight of the actual console itself and details about its specific release date and price were also nowhere to be seen.

Sony's team-up with Gaikai is sure to net some interesting ideas and implementations with cloud streaming, the sharing of game screens, remote play, and other concoctions, but the games themselves were what made the biggest impact.

Those pondering the PS4's gaming prowess were served an interesting dish. Ten or so major developers were represented in … Read more

Resident Evil has always been heavy on the removal of parts from bodies. A recent PR stunt just makes it all a little more real. To hype the release of Resident Evil 6, Capcom briefly opened a human butcher shop in London called Wesker & Son.

The edible meats, shaped by a food artist, took the forms of all sorts of people parts, ranging from torsos to hands to naughtier bits that will make guys cringe. It's as if Lorena Bobbitt was called in for a consultation.… Read more

Verizon has its customers' backs.

The Internet service provider is refusing to give up the personal information of customers that book publisher John Wiley & Sons allege are online pirates -- despite the threat of subpoena. Verizon has instead called into question whether the information would lead to any relevant findings and expressed concerns about the violation of privacy, according to TorrentFreak.

Verizon's unwillingness to give up the information is significant because its challenge could signal a potential hurdle for content companies looking to prosecute individuals using Bittorrent to illegally download books, movies, and music.

A key argument is … Read more

If you want the benefits of the OnStar system, such as emergency services and turn-by-turn navigation, but your car didn't come with OnStar hope is not lost. OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle) will be available this week.

Launching July 24, OnStar FMV will be available at Best Buy for $299.99, plus $75 for installation. Service plans for OnStar FMV will start at $18.95 a month, or $199 a year.

"The wait is over," OnStar President Linda Marshall said in a press release. "Since we announced OnStar FMV at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, … Read more

I'm hearing the same story over and over again: two-channel audio is coming back strong. Home theater sales are flat or dipping, but high-end sales are more than taking up the slack.

Talk is cheap, but I can't remember when we had this many high-end audio shows in North America. The Salon Son & Image is being held at the Hilton Bonaventure in the heart of downtown Montreal. The show expects to host 10,000 to 12,000 visitors from Canada and the U.S. The show opened on Friday and will run through Sunday. Tone Audio magazine … Read more

When researchers at Brigham Young University's School of Family Life decided to investigate the role parents play in gaming with their adolescent kids, they discovered a statistically significant gender divide.

For boys, gaming with a parent did not have much of an effect on positive behavior, aggression, family connection, and mental health. But for girls, gaming with a parent resulted in as much as a 20 percent variation on those outcomes--specifically, improving positive behavior, mental health, and family connections.

The team studied 287 families with adolescents ages 11 to 16; the boys played Call of Duty, Wii Sports, and … Read more

In 2009, Sony put out the Reader Touch Edition (model PRS-600), an E Ink reader with a 6-inch touch screen that looked sleek but had a few design flaws. For 2010, Sony has delivered an upgraded Reader Touch Edition, the PRS-650. While it looks a lot like its predecessor, the new Reader Touch Edition slightly trimmed down and has two major upgrades: the new higher-contrast E Ink Pearl display found in the latest Amazon Kindle and Kindle DX and a touch-screen interface that finally works well and is glare-free. The product is available in red or black for $230.

Alas, … Read more

Renowned piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons has partnered with Danish high-end audio manufacturer Lyngdorf to create a new company, Steinway Lyngdorf.

I've met with Peter Lyngdorf many times and enthusiastically reviewed some of his products (back when his company was called TacT Audio). Lyngdorf founded, co-founded, or bought a number of high-end audio companies, including Dali Loudspeakers, NAD Electronics, Gryphon Audio, and Snell Acoustics.

Lyngdorf is also the founder and owner of Hi-Fi Klubben, Europe's largest chain of hi-fi shops specializing in high-end audio. Founded in 1980, Hi-Fi Klubben has 70 shops and is still expanding.

The Steinway connection dates back to 2005, and Steinway Lyngdorf is the first time the piano maker put its name on something other than a music instrument. Steinway Lyngdorf offers music and home theater systems. … Read more

Does a "Star Wars" missile defense work? We may soon find out, if the rocket launch planned by North Korea starts to veer anywhere near Japan, instead of disappearing harmlessly into the stratosphere, as is hoped.

Japan says it will station the destroyers Kongo and Chokai in the Sea of Japan off North Korea. Both vessels will be armed with SM-3 ballistic-missile defense systems, in case the rocket malfunctions or wanders close to any of its islands, according to the Japanese Kyodo news agency.

"If it is capable of reaching Japan, then it goes without saying that … Read more