Fallen kingdom: 38 Studios' collapse and the pitfalls of using public money to support tech companies

Fallen kingdom 38 Studios' collapse and the pitfalls of using public money to support tech companies

In a career filled with many clutch throws from the baseball mound, former Boston Red Sox ace Curt Schilling's main calling card was a gutsy post-season performance made even more memorable by a blood-soaked sock. It was a pitch made by Schilling outside of Major League Baseball, however, that would prove to be his most daring one yet.

In 2010, Schilling convinced Rhode Island officials to give his video game company, 38 Studios, a $75 million loan guarantee. A self-professed fan of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), Schilling's dream was to create a worthy competitor to Blizzard's MMORPG juggernaut, World of Warcraft. In 2006, Schilling started Green Monster Games, which was later renamed 38 Studios. Luring the company away from Massachusetts was supposed to bring in more than 400 jobs and serve as the linchpin for launching a new tech-based industry in Rhode Island. Instead, the state's taxpayers found themselves left at the table with a multimillion-dollar tab.

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Fallen kingdom: 38 Studios' collapse and the pitfalls of using public money to support tech companies originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/07/38-studios-collapse-and-risk-of-public-private-partnerships/

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Ask DLS: What's your primary Web browser?

Competition is a good thing, and the browser arena has been a fierce arena for years now. There are at least four "major" browsers each vying for your attention, along with lots of smaller spin-offs (SRWare Iron or Flock, anyone?).

While the browser usage charts we share from time to time show overall browser usage amongst the Web at large, Download Squad readers are not exactly the average bunch in terms of browser use. So today we have one simple question for you:

What's your primary Web browser?

View Poll

Ask DLS: What's your primary Web browser? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/16/ask-dls-whats-your-primary-browser/

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Timbuk2 Commute Messenger is TSA-Compliant

The new Commute Messenger from Timbuk2 has an external zippered laptop compartment that also has room for a tablet and cables, and it unzips to lay flat for airport security checks.  It’s made of ballistic nylon, and it has a waterproof TPU flap and a waterproof hypalon rubberized bottom to keep your stuff dry inside.  [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/09/06/timbuk2-commute-messenger-is-tsa-compliant/

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Mobile Tech Gives Malware Makers Much Bigger Playground for Mischief

Twitter-controlled mobile botnets and mobile ransomware are a few examples of what's in store for Internet users, according to the second-quarter McAfee Threats Report. In general, mobile tech has emerged as a major vector for hack attacks, with many that might once have been aimed at PCs now focused on other devices.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/23120551/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C760A730Bhtml/story01.htm

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Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game

tarzanball
So, you're a ball. A Tarzan Ball, to be precise. You've earned the nickname thanks to your astonishing ability to shoot out a lengthy 'vine' (I hope it's a vine) at objects, and then pull yourself towards those objects.

That's a handy ability to have, especially since you've got no legs, no arms, and no other means of transportation. In Tarzan Ball, the rope is everything. But you don't just swing around the screen aimlessly - that wouldn't be much of a game now, would it?

Instead, your goal in life is to collect "targets". Each level has one of these "targets" hidden away somewhere on the screen, usually behind some kind of barrier. Once you navigate close enough to the target, you can shoot your rope at it and just reel it in. That's when you pass the level.

You can't die in this game, but it can still be very frustrating. It's actually one of the tougher games I've posted recently. Still, if you enjoy physics games, this one is quite nicely made.

[This is actually the sequel to IQ Ball, which we covered last year! -Ed]

Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/21/tarzan-ball-is-a-tricky-hook-and-pull-physics-game/

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Analysts: Apple Needs to Rethink Its TV Strategy

Reports that Apple's ambitions in the television arena have snagged in negotiations with media companies are an indication that the gadget maker's big screen strategy is flawed, according to Trip Chowdry, managing director for equity research at Global Equities Research. "Apple's approach is wrong," he told MacNewsWorld.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/232e5069/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C760A990Bhtml/story01.htm

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European carrier sources: Nokia to start selling the Lumia 920 in November (update: coming to AT&T on November 2nd)

While we heard practically everything else about Nokia's new Windows Phone 8 flagship, there were still two very important details still missing -- its price and release date. Now, according to Reuters' "telecom operator" sources, a spokesperson from an unnamed eastern European carrier said that sales of the PureView-packing Lumia 920 will start in the second half of November, with larger countries landing the device earlier in the same month. Another source from a Nordic operator then followed suit, stating that they expected the phone to arrive in stores around mid to late November. We've reached out to our contacts, and will update if we hear anything more -- especially if it involves a price tag.

Update: It's being reported that the Lumia 920 will arrive in the US on AT&T's network November 2nd.

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European carrier sources: Nokia to start selling the Lumia 920 in November (update: coming to AT&T on November 2nd) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 07:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/o4XWty6klCI/

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Google Cloud Print comes to HP ePrint printers

hp google cloud print
HP has become the first major OEM to deliver support for Google Cloud Print in retail-boxed printers. In an official release, HP announced that its ePrint-enabled printers are now fully Cloud Print compatible. Just sign in to your Google account, pick your HP ePrint device, and you're ready to fire off a print job from anywhere you've got Internet access. Well, as long as your app supports Cloud Print as well -- like Gmail and Google Docs, for example.

We're curious, though -- how many of you are still printing? Like our pals at Engadget, our printers have been mostly gathering dust for the last few years.

Google Cloud Print comes to HP ePrint printers originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/google-cloud-print-comes-to-hp-eprint-printers/

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Apple Might Be Trying to Launch Its Own Pandora Knock Off [Rumors]

The Wall Street Journal tonight is reporting that Apple may indeed be looking to launch its own streaming radio service, much like the one offered by Pandora. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/BbLUTj5Bmeg/would-you-use-apples-streaming-pandora+like-radio-service

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