Atari To Release LGBT-Oriented Game

Via Engadget:

By December, Atari will release Pridefest, a mobile city-building game focused on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. It's also launching an online casino service. Yes, both of these initiatives are coming from the same company responsible for Pong. But when you look at the amount of money those two seemingly disparate sectors represent, it's clear why Atari is making such a huge push in those directions. Online gambling may be having trouble gaining a foothold in the US due to regulatory laws, but it's booming in Europe. By 2015, the European Union predicts the industry will pull in some €13 billion (over $17 billion). Witeck Communications, which specializes in the LGBT consumer market, forecasted that 2013 would see the LGBT community's total buying power reach $830 billion in the United States alone. For a company that's been struggling for the better part of the last four decades, all of that money must look incredibly attractive -- regardless of where it comes from.

Engadget reports than an Atari official is "adamant" that the game isn't an attempt to pander to LGBT community. But they also quote an unnamed gay executive in the video game industry, who observes that Pridefest feels like a merely "reskinned" version of earlier similar games. (Tipped by JMG reader Derek)

TSA Changes Electronics Rules

Via the Guardian:

Passengers using airports that offer direct flights to the US may be forced to switch on their mobile phones and other electronic devices to prove to security officials that they do not contain explosives, it was announced on Sunday. “During the security examination, officers may also ask that owners power up some devices, including cell phones,” the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said in a post on its website. It warned: “Powerless devices will not be permitted onboard the aircraft. The traveler may also undergo additional screening.” The TSA did not disclose which airports would be conducting the additional screening. It was reported last week that passengers at British airports traveling to the US were facing extra checks on phones. Belgian officials said passengers there would also have devices checked. Britain's Department for Transport (DfT) advised that the new restriction meant any electronic device with a flat battery would not be allowed on flights, the Press Association reported.

I guess if you show up with a dead battery, you're screwed.

FAA Approves Use Of Most Electronic Devices For Take-Offs & Landings

Soon you'll no longer have to stop playing Candy Crush during take-off.

Airplane travelers will soon be able to watch videos and play games with their electronic devices throughout their entire flight -- and not just above a certain altitude -- the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday in a long anticipated announcement. But don't expect to be chatting on your cell phone. A ban on using cell phones for voice communication remains in effect. The FAA, following months of study by a group of aviation experts, said that airlines can soon allow passengers to use portable electronic devices such as tablets, laptop computers, e-readers and cell phones in airplane mode throughout the flight -- with some circumstantial restrictions.

Each airline must submit proof that their planes can withstand any interference before they can adopt the new ruling.

FAA To Ease Rules On Electronics

The FAA is expected to relax its rules about using electronic devices on flights.

For fliers, the new rules would likely mean an end to familiar admonitions to turn off and stow all electronic devices. Cellphone calls are expected to remain off limits, however. The draft doesn't make any recommendations regarding phone use because the FAA didn't authorize the panel to delve into that particularly controversial area. Details are still being debated by the group and inside the FAA and could change. Still, the draft report reflects a consensus that the existing rules, essentially unchanged since the 1960s, have been overtaken by dramatic changes in technology and passenger expectations.

Paper Computer Debuts At CES

Just a prototype, but very Minority Report.

The Best Time To Buy Anything

Embiggen for bargains advice. (Via Lifehacker)

Tim Tebow Goes After Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre was named the world's top earning musician last year, primarily due to his hot selling line of  headphones. Tim Tebow wants some of that action and he's in Las Vegas this week to hawk his own headphones at the massive Consumer Electronics Show.  The Tim Tebow Soul Signature Series is available for pre-order at $224.99 each and "they’re also a stylish option for the tasteful traveler looking for superior noise cancelling technology."  Perfect for books-on-tape like the you-know-what.  Further crowding the celebrity headphones field is Snooki, who will also be at the show to plug her blinged-out line.