Women dominate mobile gaming

Hey you guys who thought that gaming was a man’s domain. A new study has found that women represent 59 per cent of all U S mobile gamers. The report, titled, “Electronic Gaming in the Digital Home,” by market research and consulting firm Parks Associates, also revealed that females comprise 61 per cent of those who play mobile games one to four hours per month, and 58 per cent of those who spend more than four hours per month playing games on a cell phone screen.

Interesting, `The Escapist’ has done an entire issue on why we love and need horror games. Jon Schnaars, an expert in psychology and mental health issues, writes about how we need to be scared to generate pleasure from the game. Here are excerpts from the article: “Perhaps the most important change made in the game mechanics of RE4 was fixing the camera behind Leon, providing a tight third-person shot through which the player could experience the action. Through this move, Leon has become every protagonist from every horror film ever made. He is the lone survivor; steadily trudging into the dark when all our instincts tell us it’s a bad idea. And as the player, it is actually us proceeding into the dark, receiving (when we’re not getting beheaded) our genre pleasure.”

Napster gives MP3 players

Napster (tamed to a very great extent by music companies) has quietly begun offering customers a branded digital music player when they subscribe to Napster’s service for a year. Those who join the “Napster To Go” service can receive a 256MB flash memory MP3 player for free, or pay an additional $50 to get a 1GB flash player.

World’s fasterst cybercafe?

Computers at Goonhilly satellite station, on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, are connected to BT’s global internet protocol network. That means users can download data at speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps). It is thought to be the first time such high speeds have been seen at a UK internet cafe. The service will be free to visitors. (BBC report)

Ants use pedometers to find home

Desert ants have an internal system - like a pedometer - that keeps track of how many steps they take, according to a new study. The insects seem to rely on this system to find their way back to the nest after foraging. Other insects may also possess this pedometer-like system. Some types of ant appear to use visual cues or leave scent trails to find their way home. But desert ants have a remarkable ability to retrace their steps from their nesting site even though they travel on flat terrain that is devoid of landmarks, and any odours quickly fade in the hot temperatures. (New Scientist)