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Evidence in Apple v. Samsung tossed for breaking the rules

U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh is not big on rule breakers, and today slapped both Apple and Samsung over filing paperwork that did not follow her guidelines.

In an order this morning, Koh said that some or all of 10 pieces of evidence pertaining to Apple's bid for a sales ban against a number of Samsung devices would be stricken as evidence for excessive length, something that's been an issue during the spat between the two tech giants.

During the trial last August, Koh complained that both companies were filing too much paperwork, leaving her and … Read more

&$@#! Periodic table of swearing cusses you out

The Interactive Periodic Table of Swearing speaks both to the giggling inner 12-year-old and stressed-out adult in all of us. It's a big, electronic table with push buttons that prompt a rainbow of cuss words and phrases.

The table is rife with variations on F-bomb expletives. You can guess what phrase pushing the "Mf" button triggers. There are also some milder insults like "silly bastard" and "stinks like piss." The table is a British creation, so some of the curse words feature charming Briticisms like "arsehole" and "bollocks."

Heavier swears are to the left while lighter and more infantile interjections are to the right. This would certainly spice up your next chemistry lab.… Read more

New take on an old-school carnival game

A Monster Ate My Homework is an addictive physics-based game, reminiscent of the old milk-bottle knockdown challenges many of us used to play at carnivals. With its nonsensical storyline and bright, whimsical 3D graphics, it's a charming download that, at the very least, should put a smile on your face.

Essentially, there are two types of objects arranged atop a cardboard box: monsters and homework. Your job is to knock all of the monsters off the box without knocking any of your homework off in the process. It may sound simple, but as you progress through the levels, the … Read more

Quick, before the boss gets back!

Paper Toss is an extremely simple but still fairly addictive game that simulates the time-honored office pastime of tossing crumpled pieces of paper into a trash can. In the game's interface, you hold your Android mobile device vertically as you flick a wad of paper toward the target can, attempting to account for a blowing fan when you calculate your trajectory. The fan changes sides and speed for each shot, and Paper Toss features three levels of difficulty, with the trash can at varying distances.

Where this game really shines, though, is in its production values: the crisp visuals, … Read more

Apple sued over privacy in iPhone, iPad apps

Apple is being sued for allegedly letting mobile apps on the iPhone and iPad send personal information to ad networks without the consent of users.

Jonathan Lalo, who filed the lawsuit on Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., alleges that Apple's iPhones and iPads let ad networks track which applications people download, how often they're used, and for how long, according to a Bloomberg article published today.

Specifically, the suit alleges that the ad networks are able to trace an iPhone or iPad using the unique device identifier, or UDID, which is a number … Read more

Flick zombies before they eat your braaaains

ZombieSmash represents the current apotheosis of enemy-flicking castle-defense games. Your rural home is your castle, and the foes to be flicked are a ravening variety of the undead.

ZombieSmash mixes up the castle-defense format slightly, with a central house that you alternately have to defend from the left, right, and both sides, using both thumbs as your on-screen perspective shifts for each incoming wave. Your primary task is served well by the game's great visuals and sound effects: you can touch and flick (or drag and slam) zombies to kill them, watching them fly with rag-doll physics and erupt … Read more

Quick, before the boss gets back!

Paper Toss is an extremely simple but still fairly addictive game that simulates the time-honored office pastime of tossing crumpled pieces of paper into a trash can. In the game's interface, you hold your iPhone or iPod Touch vertically as you flick a wad of paper toward the target can, attempting to account for a blowing fan when you calculate your trajectory. The fan changes sides and speed for each shot, and Paper Toss features three levels of difficulty, with the trash can at varying distances.

Where this game really shines, though, is in its production values: the crisp … Read more

Software toy or useful desktop alternative?

BumpTop replaces your desktop with a visual environment unlike any you've used. It's a bit like a futuristic gesture-based interface, but it's tied to your mouse. Were it capable of simultaneous Web browsing, its utility would be much more apparent.

BumpTop makes the items on your computer's desktop more like their real-world counterparts. Icons and folders are assigned a virtual weight based on the amount of memory they take up and their importance to you. You can move them by click-and-drag, or fling them across the BumpTop space. The program determines their importance based on how … Read more

WiiWare and Virtual Console releases for this week

Virtual Console

Chase H.Q. (1992, TurboGrafx-16, 600 Wii points): You, Tony Gibson, and your partner, Raymond Broady, are of two cops from the NYPD's special "CHASE H.Q." unit. It's your mission to catch criminals by chasing them and ramming them off the road in your unmarked car--all in 16-bit graphics glory. Art of Fighting 2 (1994, NeoGeo, 900 Wii points): 12 characters compete in the toughest fighting contest of them all: King of Fighters. The game is notorious for having some of the most difficult opponent A.I. in the long history of fighting … Read more