One of the more interesting devices I saw at CES was the Weather Direct series of weather info gadgets. These stand-alone devices pick up 5-day weather forcecasts and display them on an LCD screen. While not necessarily something I would have at my home, it is something I plan to pick up for the cottage. www.lacrosstechnology.com

This morning I visited G4 and taped an episode of X-Play while I demoed Sins of a Solar Empire. The people there are totally awesome. Morgan Webb is totally awesome.  It's nice to get away from a debugger and get to actually visit and hang out with fellow gamers. Here's a link to the show. They're rebroadcasting it again later tonight. http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/features/19985/Hands_On_Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire.html

We got a lot of great questions from here as well as on forums around the net. Here are some of our answers. Q: How much like Galactic Civilizations is Sins like? A: They're both in space and both involve building up a civilization. But Sins of a Solar Empire is a real-time strategy game with multiplayer and tactical battles. GalCiv ins a single player, turn-based game. They play very differently. Q: How much like Homeworld is Sins like? A: It's similar to Homeworld but o...

Sins of a Solar Empire lets you set your game speed in detail.

   

     

Stardock has released MyColors 2008. MyColors is a program that allows users to change their entire Windows experience by applying MyColors themes.  Unlike other customization options, MyColors focuses on allowing users to purchase individual themes rather than purchasing individual programs to customize an aspect of Windows. There are hundreds of MyColors themes to choose from thanks to Stardock teaming up with the NHL, NCAA, GM, Ford, NBA, and others to create branded desktops. M...

For years, power users have been customizing their Windows desktop by applying skins, themes, icon packages, wallpapers, widgets, etc.  To the new user, the number of steps in order to achieve a completely new desktop has often discouraged them from getting into it.  How do they get their normal desktop back if they want? What programs are free and what programs aren't? Do I have the latest versions of the various programs? The answer for most users to those questions has b...

   

Obama: I am for the things that are good and against the things that are bad. Hilary Clinton: Hahaahahahahahaahahahahahahaha!!!!! Hahahahaha! Hahahaha! Fred Thompson: I'm not your bro and I am going to taze you. Guilani: There are few problems that can't be solved with more killing. Huckabee: Vote for me or you're going to go to hell. McCain: Don't point out my massive flaws or I'll accuse you of playing dirty politics. Romney: I am for this unless you're against it in which ca...

Very annoying Vista behavior is copying files from servers and getting an obnoxious confirmation dialog every time. What is it with Microsoft and confirmation dialogs? Here's how to get rid of it: 1) Open Control Panel -> Internet Options. 2) Open Security-tab; mark the zone "Local intranet", press the "Sites" button, 3) Un-check "Automatically detect intranet network",THEN 4)  Check "Include all local (intranet) sites not listed in other zones" and 5) Check "Include a...

This post is designed as a quick and dirty way for us to provide you guys with any assets you might need to create a Sins on-line community (for clans, help pages, you name it). Let us know what sorts of things might make things easier for you.  

I can't draw but with Corel, Photoshop and access to some art resources, even a monkey can put together a banner.  

If you use the program Fraps to capture full screen video and are having trouble getting those AVI files to run under Vista, the answer is to go and install the latest Fraps from www.fraps.com . Don't waste time trying to install various codecs. They won't help. You need to install Fraps first.