Everyone who owns a website has an interest in defending the free use of Internet… so has everyone who uses Google or Skype… everyone who expresses their opinions freely, does research of any kind, whether for personal health problems or academic study … everyone who shops online…who dates online…socialises online… listens to music…watches video…

Millions of Europeans now depend on the Internet, directly or indirectly, for their livelihood. Taking it away, chopping it up, ‘restricting it’, ‘limiting it’ and placing conditions on our use of it, will have a direct impact on people’s earnings. And in the current financial climate, that can’t be good.

The internet as we know it is at risk because of proposed new EU rules going through end of April. Under the proposed new rules, broadband providers will be legally able to limit the number of websites you can look
at, and to tell you whether or not you are allowed to use particular services. It will be dressed up as ‘new consumer options’ which people can choose from. People will be offered TV-like packages – with a limited
number of options for you to access.

It means that the Internet will be packaged up and your ability to access and to put up content could be severely restricted. It will create boxes of Internet accessibility, which don’t fit with the way we use it today. This is because internet is now permitting exchanges between persons which cannot be controlled or “facilitated” by any middlemen (the state or a corporation) and this possibility improves the citizen’s life but force the industry to lose power and control. that’s why they are pushing governments to act those changes.

The excuse is to control the flow of music, films and entertainment content against the alleged piracy by downloading for free, using P2P file-sharing. However, the real victims of this plan will be all Internet users and the democratic and independent access to information, culture goods.

Think about how you use the Internet! What would it mean to you if free access to the Internet was taken away?
These days, the Internet is about life and freedom. It’s about shopping, booking theatre tickets … holidays, learning, job-seeking, banking, and trade. It’s also about the fun things – dating, chatting, invitations, music, entertainment, joking and even a Second Life. It is a tool to express ourselves, to collaborate, innovate, share, stimulate new business ideas, reach new markets – thrive without middlemen..

Just think – what’s your web address? Unless people have that address in their “package” of regular websites – they won’t be able to find you. That means they can’t buy, or book, or register, or even view you online. Your business won’t be able to find niche suppliers of goods – and compare prices. If you get any money at all from advertising on your site, it will diminish. Yes, Amazon and a select few will be OK, they will be the included in the package. But your advertising on Google or any other website, will be increasingly worthless. Skype could be blocked. (As it is in Germany in the use from iPhone, already). Small businesses could literally disappear, especially specialist, niche or artisan businesses.

If we don’t do something now – we could lose free and open use of the internet. Our freedom (of choice in information, market, culture, pleasure) will be curtailed. The EU proposals hold an enormous risk for our future. They are about to become Law – and will be virtually impossible to reverse. People (even the members of the European Parliament who are voting on it) don’t really seem to understand the full implications and the legal changes are wrapped up in something called “Telecoms Package” which lulls people into thinking it is just about industry.

However, in reality, hiding from public view, the amendments are about the way the Internet will operate in future! Text that expresses your rights to access and distribute content, services and applications, is being crossed out. And the text that is being brought in, says that broadband providers must inform you of any limitations, or restrictions to your broadband service. Alternative versions use the word ‘conditions’ – and it is seriously being proposed that you will be told the conditions of use of Internet services. This is made to sound good – it is dressed up as ‘transparency’ – except that of course it means that the broadband providerwill have the legal right restrict your access or impose conditions,otherwise why would they need tell you? If the Telecoms Package amendmentsare voted in, the changes will not be reversible.

We all have a stake in the Internet! You need to act now to save it!
What can you do about it?
Tell the European Parliament to vote against conditional access to the Internet! Remind them that they need your vote in June and that internet still give us the tools to be watching and judging what they are doing! (link a la quadrature du net) You must know you are not alone: hundreds of organizations are working on that and thousands of people have already contact their parliamentarians about this issue.

So, act now:
1 – Email, write to or phone your MEP – follow this link to get theirdetails – a suggested template letter is attached. You can also use the following software that send the letter directly to all the parliamentarians. Believe, they will really receive it and they will really feel the pressure. You are welcome to personalize the letter and include information that will make MEPs wake up, take note and take appropriate action.

2 – Forward this email to everyone you know so that they can take action.

3 – Syndicate this page so that you keep been informed: disinformation is what they count on, we must be aware. Text for people to cut and paste to MEP: The coalition version needs to have instructions for people from each country. coalition members need to get a translated version online in their own languages and link to the LQ site for their own MEPs.

Suggest you indicate:
Here are the MEPs who are important in the process.
Here are the MEPs from [your country] [or list each country of the coalition] .

This is suggested letter / email to send to your MEP. Personalise this email to include your own Internet use in your personal and business life. Change the sentence in red to personalise the email and tell the MEP how you individually use the Internet or just take it off.

Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram Ver. 5.66 is coming to Xbox Live Arcade this spring. Great news, but fans of the series probably want to play the game with a twin stick controller. Sega hears you.

In an official post the development team discusses a peripheral, but they don’t exactly announce it. They mention tinkering with key assignments and manufacturing costs which sounds like a prototype Xbox 360 twin stick controller is sitting on someone’s desk. However, the device is said to be rather expensive and it’s possible that the accessory could not make it to market. How much would you pay for a set of Xbox 360 Virtual On sticks?

source: siliconera

source:  examiner

As it turns out, Lionhead Studios is currently in full-scale production of a second add-on for Fable II, and not Fable III, as gabby BBC personality Jonathan Ross initially led many to believe. Today, the Microsoft-owned studio provided the first details on the Fable II downloadable content–titled See the Future–saying it would be available through Xbox Live this May for MSP560 ($7). For those keeping track, that dollar amount equates to $3 less than the well-received Knothole Island DLC pack, released in January.

The basic concept behind See the Future involves players lifting a curse on three items obtained by Murgo the Trader, better known as the mysterious vendor introduced during the opening childhood sequence in Fable II. According to Lionhead, those who complete the new quest line will be offered “a vision of Albion’s future and what lies ahead for those born into the heroic bloodline.”

As with the first Fable II DLC pack, See the Future will offer a variety of new characters, creatures, quests, and items. According to Lionhead, new quests include “The Ghosts of the Snowglobe,” in which players must cipher out the secret of a mysterious town locked away in a chintzy novelty, and “The Cursed Knight,” where players are tasked with assuming a variety of disguises to free an undead champion. The DLC pack will also include the Colosseum, where players can compete for prizes by besting a variety of challengers.

Many of the items and emotes contained in See the Future will also be available as a free download, allowing those who don’t purchase the premium content to play with those who have.

Source: gamespot

Yu Suzuki,‭ ‬the pioneer of numerous videogame franchises,‭ ‬has stepped down from‭ ‬his role as R&D creative officer at Sega.

According to the latest Sega-Sammy investor report,‭ ‬the revered game designer has‭ “‬retired‭” ‬from the key role.‭ ‬Suzuki,‭ ‬50,‭ ‬remains at Sega in a somewhat diminished capacity‭; ‬acting as the R&D‭ ‬manager‭ ‬at Sega’s AM Plus division.

AM Plus has yet to release a title outside of‭ ‬Japan,‭ ‬with the group having developed two arcade titles,‭ ‬one of which was the long-delayed arcade touch-screen game Psy-Phi.‭

Suzuki’s name is synonymous with Sega’s, and is responsible for the birth of several iconic franchises that brought the publisher wealth and fame.‭ ‬Having joined Sega in‭ ‬1983‭ ‬as a programmer,‭ ‬Suzuki quickly exhibited a prodigious talent in understanding how to design arcade games that both attracted audiences and pleased players.‭

The arcade release of OutRun made his career,‭ ‬yet the list of Suzuki’s creations read like a‭ ‬Desert Island Games collection;‭ ‬Afterburner,‭ ‬Space Harrier,‭ ‬Shenmue,‭ ‬Virtua Cop and Virtua Fighter.‭

By‭ ‬2003‭ ‬he was still active in game production,‭ ‬both adding final tweaks to the applauded Virtua Fighter‭ ‬4,‭ ‬as well as overseeing the unsuspectingly triumphant sequel to OutRun.‭ ‬In the same year he was honoured with an‭ ‬induction into the‭ ‬Academy of‭ ‬Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.‭

Since receiving the honour,‭ ‬Suzuki has not been involved in the production of any key releases.‭ ‬In recent times he has been best known for working on and promoting Shenmue Online,‭ ‬the unreleased‭ ‬online role-playing‭ ‬game.‭

Yet Shenmue Online,‭ ‬like its creator,‭ ‬has slipped under the radar in recent times.‭ ‬The game looks unlikely to ever see a release,‭ ‬and furthermore,‭ ‬the Shenmue series itself looks likely to remain incomplete.

If Shenmue is to be Suzuki’s legacy,‭ ‬then the games‭’ ‬loose-ends are perhaps fitting tribute to an arcade maestro who,‭ ‬in the traditions of coin-sinking,‭ ‬always left the audience wanting more.

Source: http://www.edge-online.com/news/101/yu-suzuki-steps-down-sega

“If Nintendo is really committed to reaching a broader, more diverse audience of gamers beyond the ‘kids’ market that they’ve always engaged, there isn’t much new with the DSi to support that,” SCEA director of hardware marketing John Koller said in a statement sent to media outlets including Engadget.

“Significant gamer demographic groups are being ignored, and there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi,” Koller said.

The statement conversely touted the PSP platform’s “many blockbuster franchises” including Rock Band Unplugged, Assassin’s Creed and Dissidia Final Fantasy, and ability to target “diverse demographics.”

As it claimed a 50 million PSP userbase, Sony recently unveiled its 2009 lineup for the handheld, including a line of casual Petz games from Ubisoft, a portable version of Media Molecule’s PS3-exclusive LittleBigPlanet, and and a Hannah Montana bundle with lilac-colored hardware.

Source: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23073

Of the five titles, only Buso Renkin and Hunter X Hunter have shipped on DVD in North America. Viz had indicated at its New York Comic Con panel in February that it will detail release plans for Monster “very soon.” Viz has also been showcasing these five titles are various trade events aimed at television and media buyers and distributors. In particular, all but Hunter X Hunter were among Viz Media‘s offerings in the last two MIPTV conferences for international television distributors at Cannes, France.

Funimation also noted that the following titles are now available on its official page on Sony‘s PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 entertainment console:

• Afro Samurai 1
• Aquarion
• BALDR FORCE EXE Resolution
• Basilisk
• Black Blood Brothers
• Burst Angel
• Desert Punk
• The Galaxy Railways
• Ghost Hunt
• Glass Fleet
• Gunslinger Girl
• Hell Girl
• Jyu-Oh-Sei
• Kiddy Grade
• MoonPhase
• Mushi-Shi
• Rumbling Hearts
• Samurai 7
• Solty Rei
• Speed Grapher
• Suzuka
• Shuffle!
• Trinity Blood
• Witchblade

Source:http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-04-06/funimation-channel-adds-viz-anime-starting-late-spring

Shueisha‘s Ribon magazine will launch a new manga called Hello Kitty Peace!! in its July issue, which will go on sale on June 3. The announcement was made in the current issue, which was released on May 1. Manga creator Anzu Sakurayama will start the title with an eight-page, all-color installment about Sanrio‘s main mascot character.

[quote]

site:animenewsnetwork

According to ChartTrack statistics, the Rockstar title almost broke the one million unit barrier in the week (Sunday, April 28th to Saturday, May 3rd) – despite GTA only being released on the Tuesday (April 29th).

The title recorded an estimated total market figure of 926,000 sales (£39.9m) over five days.

61.2 per cent of the value of all software sold this week was for GTA IV, which itself is bigger than the total software market figure of every other week so far this year (apart from week one).

After releasing an estimated day one figure of 609,000 for GTA IV, ChartTrack can now reveal that the final estimated total market figure based on full EpoS data from all retailers actually came to 631,000 units in the first 24 hours.

In under a week GTA IV has sold more units than every other title in 2007, except FIFA 08, Brain Training and Call of Duty 4.

[quote]

site:mcvuk