Check this story from our friends over at Gizmondo. Looks like Nintendo had some pretty wild designs for it's Wii remote.

"Based on a requirement to roughly preserve the existing Game Cube button layout we created usability concepts that would work for one- or two-handed gaming. We experimented with different configurations through sketches, models and interviewing various hardcore gamers.

Gyration decided to hedge their bets choosing the quick-release idea as it could work for split-handed gaming without shaking up the already old-fashioned two-handed controller paradigm. We weren't party to discussions between Gyration and Nintendo so we don't know exactly how Nintendo arrived at their solution.

It would have been fun to take the project further than just a rough usability prototype though. It is cool to see that at least Nintendo finally decided to take the huge risk in developing the current (ambidextrous) Wii controller.

BTW, for the record most of us designers support you lefties out there. Unfortunately the business world often decides that ambidextrous attributes aren't worth the effort"

Scrabble and Mahjong meet to create a hard-to-resist puzzle sensation in WordJong, which is already one of the best-selling downloadable games online. Now it's coming to the Nintendo DS™ with DS-exclusive features like Daily Mode, Temple Challenge Mode, Local Wireless and Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection multiplayer, and more!

WordJong features simple, yet engrossing gameplay: Use a set of lettered tiles to create words, clearing the board as you use tiles. Shoot for high-scoring words, earn bonus tiles, and attempt to clear the board with no leftover letters. WordJong boasts several new features exclusive to the Nintendo DS system, including:

* Solo Play: Play through one of three highly addictive game modes. Choose a puzzle from the calendar and try to beat the computer’s high score in Daily Mode. Accumulate rank medals as you climb your way to the top in Temple Challenge Mode. Or, defeat each of the seven AI characters in head-to-head matches in Battle Mode.

* Multiplayer Modes: Go head-to-head with a friend over Local Wireless, or connect to the internet via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and take on players from around the world. Have a friend without the game? Use the DS Download Play option to gift a puzzle or play head-to-head using just one game!

WordJong is developed by Magellan Interactive from an original design by Gameblend Studios, and is scheduled for an October 2007 release, with a MSRP of $19.99. For more information, please visit www.destineerstudios.com.

Looks like XBOX Live is banning user names that contain LINUX or UNIX in the names! Check the user name conspiracy out here.
Other bloggers are reporting that variants of 'Unix' also result in the message: 'Your motto contains inappropriate language. Please try again.'"

Wild!
- iamlegend

Ouch looks like we got a good conspiracy today from one of our loyal readers. Looks like Sony got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Not only were they caught editing the Halo 3 article on wikipedia they were also caught bashing Halo 3 in their editing according to Ars Technica:

The contributor claims that Halo 3's graphics won't look much better than Halo 2, citing a Time story from March. Page 52, if you'd like to look it up. For some crazy reason MaxConsole ran the IP itself and isolated the IP range to a particular place: SCEE's Liverpool offices. Someone at Sony isn't too happy with the state of Halo 3's graphics, and they want to talk about it.

And the best part was it wasn't just some random programmer expressing his opinon it was traced back to a computer in their PR dept. Makes you wonder what else are Videogame PR departments out their editing on Wikipedia????