Portable Sega Mega Drive Launched in the US
Sega is to launch a portable version of its classic Mega Drive console in the US.
Based on the computer company’s Nomad and Genesis device from 1995, the new Retro-Gen entertainment system is also handheld and will allow users to play old Mega Drive cartridges while on the go.
Gamers looking for a further nostalgia fix will also be able to access classic games through using development cartridges.
Licensed games will be available to download over the internet, which users will be able to save on to the cartridge before plugging into the console and playing.
Video Game Central reported that ten publishers have been signed up to produce games for the new product although a list of titles has yet to be unveiled.
The new system will also have a TV-out function and a rechargeable battery via USB.
While no European release for the product is planned, gamers on the other side of the Atlantic will be able to purchase a Retro-Gen device for $59.99.
Earlier in the month, Sega launched a collection of vintage Mega Drive games available for the Xbox Live Arcade.
Altered Beast, Comix Zone, Gunstar Heroes, Phantasy Star II, Shinobi and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 were the recently launched games.
Read More»Gamers Playing Away
While the stereotype may suggest teenage boys are the core market for videogames, men and women of all ages are continuing to buy games in their swathes.
The latest report from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) shows that in 2008, some 68 per cent of American households played computer or video games.
More men than women play games, the figures show, with men making up some 60 per cent of the game-playing market.
The average age of a player is 35, ESA research shows. More than a quarter of players are aged over 50.
Games are regularly enjoyed by parents as well as their children – and parents play for a variety of reasons.
Some see it as fun for all the family, while others use it as a chance to monitor what kind of games their kids are playing.
Scott Alexander of Family Circle told the ESA that parents may also see playing video games as a chance to bond with the kids.
And 77 per cent of parents believe that the parental controls offered on new game consoles are useful.
More and more people are playing games online, the ESA found, although once again more players using this medium are male than female.
The ESA focuses solely on the business and public affairs needs of video game providers.
Read More»Fathers Left Waiting by the Phone
Fathers are among the least likely people to receive a call from their offspring, according to research conducted by Saga.
The financial services provider to the over-50s notes that 97 per cent of people do not regularly speak to their father over the phone.
And nobody at all in Saga’s survey said they regularly call their grandparents.
Instead, work colleagues were more likely to hear their telephone ring, with one per cent of respondents saying they regularly put in a call to their workmates.
Sons fare somewhat better in terms of keeping in touch, with 21 per cent of parents likely to call their offspring of either gender.
The same proportion of grown-up children said that they regularly give their mother a call, singling out fathers as the forgotten relatives.
Regardless of age – whether over or under 50 years – seven per cent of those surveyed said they prefer to call their best friend than one of their relatives.
Those making the calls do not need big news, as one in four pick up the phone simply to talk about what they have done that day.
Many older people could be happy to have a day without the phone ringing, as Saga previously revealed that three-quarters of pensioners choose where to live based on a desire for some peace and quiet.
Read More»Toys For the Boys – Robot Mowers
One company is looking to make gardening a little easier, without ruining the environment.
Southern RobotX has devised a range of remote-controlled robotic lawnmowers which operate on eco-friendly hybrid power.
The robotic grass-cutters use a gas-powered engine, with a battery which is charged up as the mower moves around the lawn.
By discharging this battery, the engine can be assisted using energy that might otherwise be lost – resulting in a 40 per cent saving compared with ride-on mowers.
A more modest saving is also made against push-along residential devices, but Southern RobotX claims its products still rank as the most eco-friendly overall.
The units are designed to cope with extreme mowing conditions, with rubber tracks allowing them to grip on surfaces at inclinations of up to 70 degrees.
With the commercial SRX22T model, the company claims this makes a one-man job out of a process that would previously have required “a bunch of men”.
Enthusiastic homeowners – who may have physical disabilities which prevent them from caring for their lawn – are told that they too can benefit from the ease of use that the remote-controlled robotic mowers offer.
While the manufacturer notes that there is a risk of crossed signals due to interference from other nearby remote controls, it claims that the chances of that happening are some millions to one.
Read More»Gender Plays a Role in Scientific Funding
Male and female scientists within educational institutions are given broadly similar opportunities to pursue their investigations, according to the National Research Council.
However, there is one way in which the two genders’ experiences differ – men are more likely to be granted access to the equipment they need.
The research found that clerical support is also more readily available to males in universities’ science faculty jobs.
In its study, the National Research Council detected some other discrepancies, such as an apparent trend for men to be given more space to work in laboratories.
But after accounting for variations such as the rank of the individual, or the discipline in which they work, this was found not to be significant.
Women do, however, face a longer wait before securing a faculty position, as they are proportionally less likely to make the progression from assistant professorship to being considered for tenure.
Just 15 per cent of those being considered for faculty posts are female, compared with 22 per cent of assistant professors being women.
However, they are fairly treated when they do reach the interview stage, with the appropriate percentage given tenure, the research adds.
The National Academies Press, which publishes the report, notes that the findings are both “new and surprising”.
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