Safety

News

Gun-Toting, Serial-Robber Stalks Florida Game Stores

5:40AM July 7, 2011 | Brian Crecente

Pembroke Pines police are on the lookout for an armed woman who robbed three GameStops in the past three days, firing shots during the last robbery. More »


Mobile

Your iPhone Is Secretly Tracking Everywhere You Go

1:20AM April 21, 2011 | Sam Biddle

This is a map of everywhere I’ve been for nearly the last year. Everywhere. I didn’t carry around a special tracking device. The FBI isn’t sending goons in unmarked vans to track me. All I did was use an iPhone. And if you have an iPhone, you’re being tracked right now, too, whether you like it or not. More »


In Real Life

Sex While Driving More Popular Than Gaming While Driving

3:30AM May 29, 2010 | Mike Fahey

A survey of drivers from six different countries found that while 15 per cent of people claimed to have engaged in sexual activity while driving, only 5 per cent admit to playing handheld games. We’ve got to get those numbers up. Or not. More »


How To Protect, Not Isolate, Your Child From Online Gaming

2:00AM May 15, 2010 | Brian Crecente

Tea-Bagging! Salty language! Racism! There seems to be plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t let your child go online to game until they’re ready to drive.. or vote… or drink. But what about the benefits? More »


News

3D TV Sets Aren’t For Drinkers, Kids, Pregnant Women Or The Elderly

2:30PM April 13, 2010 | Luke Plunkett

If James Cameron, Nintendo and Sony have anything to say about it, 3D is the future not just of movies, but of gaming as well. I wonder, though, if they’d read the safety guidelines before getting so carried away. More »


In Real Life

Game Teaches Kentucky Children About Online Predators

4:20AM April 15, 2009 | Mike Fahey

$300,000 worth of federal funding in Kentucky is being spent on an interactive computer program designed to warn parents and children of the dangers of online predators.

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News

AOL Schools Parents On Gaming At PlaySavvy

3:40AM December 2, 2008 | Mike Fahey

AOL has officially launched PlaySavvy.com, a new website aimed at informing curious parents about the games their children play and generating revenue from ads aimed at this lucrative demographic.

More »


Uncategorized

Games Help Prison Guards Guard Better

5:00AM June 24, 2008 | Stephen Totilo

The Cumberland Times News of Maryland brings news of a tour two children recently took of the North Branch Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison. They were with their parents, of course.

During this tour they learned that video games help prison guards do their job:

From the front of a computer-filled control room inside Housing Unit 4, prison Warden John A. Rowley said Nintendo was a great tool to train today’s officers. Every aspect of an inmate’s cell life can be controlled by a touchscreen video monitoring system inside the control room, he said. When the doors open and close or whether a cell has water or not is up to the staff on duty.

Let’s think this through. If some people say that video games help train criminals and if warden Rowley says games help train prison guards. Then… it’s a wash?

A view from behind bars – Cumberland Times News. Image courtesy of Morgan-Keller Construction.

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Uncategorized

These Nintendo Pins Could KILL YOU

10:20PM April 30, 2008 | Luke Plunkett

Between 2004 and 2007, Nintendo were selling some small, character-adorned pins at both their Redmond HQ and Nintendo World Store. Little metal Nintendo characters, little sharp pin, you stick them on your jacket/bag/hat. Standard stuff. Oh, except for the fact they contain unsafe levels of lead. Before you plan a trip to your doctor’s/lawyer’s office, however, note that they’re only dangerous if you swallow them, not wear them, so unless you’ve been snacking on lapel pins between Smash Bros rounds, you’ll probably live to see the morning. If you are snacking on them, though, and would like pins less likely to cause serious health issues, Nintendo are recalling them and offering free replacements. Details below. Character Lapel Pin Recall [Nintendo, via GameSpot]

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Uncategorized

Microsoft Retrofitting 360 Wheels: Some Overheat, “Release Smoke”

5:50PM August 23, 2007 | Luke Plunkett

Microsoft have just announced they’re giving out free retrofits for all 360 wireless racing wheels sold, following some complaints they’ve received from users experiencing problems. Problems like…overheating. No shit. Seems a few owners have, while using the power supply (ie not in wireless mode), had their wheels overheat and spew smoke. Microsoft are recommending users hold off from using the power supply until they can get a retrofit, and have contacted all relevant product safety bodies in order to get the word out. Overheating. You gotta be kidding me. Press release follows. More »