Konami proves that Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch are the future or portable gaming by slashing prices on ALL games.

It's no wonder that Sony and Nintendo are feeling the heat from that newcomer, Apple. Why? Because the device that was once considered just a smartphone--along with its sidekick, touchable media player--is now eating up a chunk of gaming revenue. With easy access and cheap prices, Apple and the App Store has a commanding lead over the other portable gaming units, especially in an economy where gamers are severely pinching pennies.

Feeling the pressure, both Sony and Nintendo have recently altered their products and services to match the iPhone and iPod Touch's capabilities, even mimicking the way consumers purchase and download portable games on the fly. Both Sony and Nintendo provide "bite sized" games for their portable consoles, however there's a long road ahead for both.

Needless to say, it's easy to speculate that Apple--along with its online store and pocket-sized hardware--has changed portable gaming as we know it. Today Konami proves this point to some degree by lowering the prices of all titles listed on the App Store to a meager $0.99 each. That's not crazy talk, that's just fact as seen on iTunes at this very moment: Power Pros Touch, Krazy Kart Racing, Silent Scope, Metal Gear Solid Touch, Dance Dance Revolution, Frogger and Silent Hill all cost just under a buck each.

So why are they so cheap? We have no clue, and we also don't know when this virtual sale will come to an end. But given many of these originally ranged between $3 to $6, this isn't a bad deal whatsoever. Can you get these for the Sony PSPgo and PSP? Not yet. In fact, the cheapest "mini" you'll find is Mahjongg Artifacts: chapter 2 for $3.99.Currently Sony only offers 12 "minis," making the iPhone and iPod Touch a bit more appealing despite the higher pricetags.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime spills the beans on what the company plans for the next generation... somewhat.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime finally coughed up a few details on what the company plans for the next console. Fils-Aime has seen quite a bit of the spotlight as of late, possibly stirring up the media pot thanks to declining sales. The latest talk is that the next version of the Wii will have HD capabilities.

Recently Kotaku conducted an interview with the NoA president, talking about Modern Warfare 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 and how they're not coming to the Nintendo Wii. When asked how he felt about that, Fils-Aime seemed extremely disappointed, saying that he usually finds himself asking publishers why games like the ones mentioned aren't on the Wii.

Kotaku and Nintendo move on to talk about the games, and how the Wii hardware isn't capable of handling those types of detail-laiden titles. The Nintendo president defends the console, saying the games weren't originally slated for the Wii two years ago, originally deemed as ineffective on the platform at the time. Now, he says, that's not the case. "High-quality, effectively marketed against our installed base will sell, period end of story," he said.

But the root of all this console talk centers on what's to come in the future. By adding HD to the current Wii, Nintendo would be somewhere in the same market as Sony and Microsoft. Fils-Aime disagrees, claiming that it's not the way Nintendo does things by adding to existing hardware.

"The way we at Nintendo do things is, you know, when we will move to a new generation, it's because there are some fundamental things the [current] console cannot do. What that says is that simply the addition of HD capability will not be the next step for us. There will be more to it. There will be additional capability. There will be additional elements, and, given that, it is far into the future."

We're thinking Fils-Aime is tired of talking about the next console.

Objections raised in Russia over "No Russian" level.

Those of you who have spent time going through the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign (or have been following the news of it) will know about the controversial "No Russian" airport mission.

According to a translation of a Russian report, Modern Warfare 2 in its current form is banned in Russia. Those in power have found the "No Russian" level to be objectionable in its portrayal of Russia's armed forces, who in the game invade and attack WashingtonD.C.

The report says that a censored version without the level is now pending approval from the Russian government.

UPDATE: Activision Blizzard has commented on the matter, clarifying that there was no ban or recall as the game ships in Russia censored.

"Other countries have formal ratings boards that we regularly work with. However, Russia does not have a formal ratings entity. As a result, we chose to block the scene after seeking the advice of local counsel," the company told Eurogamer in a statement. "Reports that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been banned in Russia are erroneous.  Activision only released a PC version of the game in Russia which went on sale on Tuesday, 10th November."

Looks like an employee for T-Mobile sold personal info of thousands to rival companies

One of the best lines in American movie history was "ooof," uttered by Sherriff Buford T. Justice in Smokey and the Bandit. That sudden gasp of "ooof" came to mind when news of a T-Mobile employee was accused of selling personal data. The feeling grew even worse when T-Mobile actually confirmed the dastardly deed earlier today. According to Reuters, the naughty employee in question gathered details of thousands of T-Mobile British customers and sold the data to rival companies.

After discovering the crime, T-Mobile contacted the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and spilled the beans. "While it is deeply regrettable that customer information has been misappropriated in this way, we have proactively supported the ICO to help stamp out what is a problem for the whole industry," a spokesperson for T-Mobile said.

According to Information Commissioner Christopher Graham, the act may have been highly profitable for the accused employee, but the result was that it violated Section 55 of the Data Protection Act. He also said that the accused sold details relating to phone contracts including name, address, and contract expiration date.

"Many people will have wondered why and how they are being contacted by someone they do not know just before their existing phone contract is about to expire," Graham said in a statement. "We are considering the evidence with a view to prosecuting those responsible and I am keen to go much further and close down the entire unlawful industry in personal data."

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Printable animated graphics on T-shirts and furniture is now a reality.

A startup company in Hasselt, Belgium is claiming to have developed a technology to print electronic displays on various surfaces including cardboard, paper, foil, and even plastic. According to EETimes, the technology makes use of an electroluminescent ink that can be processed like everyday paint material. The printed displays are actually animated, controlled by a driver chip that handles the timing and sequence of the animation.

Naturally, the company--Lumoza--wouldn't reveal the exact properties of the ink, only suggesting that it's a combination of phosphor-based inorganic material and organic material. Wouter Moons, the CEO of Lumoza, said the ink isn't anything related to OLED. The website provides photos of a few applications, one sporting a large banner and an animated DVD case for I Am Legend.

But the applications won't stop there. The technology could be used on ceilings, furniture, magazines, shirts, and even on a box of cereal. "In this first phase, we address the advertising and packaging industry," Moons told AZoNano. "Both are continuously looking for innovative products. The dvd-packaging industry has already shown interest, as they are looking for new appealing packaging alternatives. On the longer term, more sustained applications are envisioned, for example in the construction industry."

For now, the technology only achieves pixels at a size of 200 micron--meaning the image contains a resolution of 127 pixels per inch. The driver chip, which uses a microbattery, holds the animation content, although Moons indicates this may change in the future.

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It's quite good.

Had your fill of Modern Warfare 2 yet? Okay, so probably not – but it's the holiday season which means that there are more games released than you can play. Today marks the release of Assassin's Creed II, the sequel to one of the best selling new video game IPs in history.

As part of its marketing lead-up to the game's release, Ubisoft had its own Hybride Studios create a mini-series. Hybride Studios was behind the special effects for Hollywood films 300 and SinCity.

The mini-series, called Assassin's Creed: Lineage, is made up of three parts totalling nearly 36 minutes, and you can watch it all today for free.

For an optimal viewing experience, however, hit this link to YouTube.

Description:

When the Duke of Milan is brutally murdered, Giovanni Auditore an Assassin - is dispatched to investigate the crime. His mission: determine who is responsible and why. The answers he uncovers implicate Italy's most powerful families reaching all the way back to the Vatican itself. As Giovanni draws closer to the truth, he becomes hunted himself. He must expose the conspirators before he joins their ever growing list of victims. This is the Prequel to the Assassins Creed 2 Story.

Episode # 1:

1476, Florence. Giovanni Auditore, an assassin, attempts to thwart a conspiracy against one of Lorenzo de Medicis allies, whom he works for. The ensuing inquiry will take him to Milan where he tries to prevent the worst from happening.

Episode # 2 :

Pursuing Sforzas assassins, Giovanni arrives in Venice where he intercepts a coded letter from the members of the conspiracy. Decoding this document in order to get to the top of the conspiracy becomes of imperial importance.

Episode # 3 :

Unable to decode the letter, Giovanni decides to deliver it to Rome in order to unmask the ringleaders. But there he discovers that the conspiracy is much more widespread and dangerous than he thought.

Nintendo's Kensuke Tanabe said there's always a Metroid Prime game in development.

Recently there's been talk that Nintendo isn't necessarily done with the Metroid Prime franchise even though Metroid: Other M is getting ready to hit the Wii console next year. However, Nintendo's Kensuke Tanabe somewhat verified the rumor, indicating to the Official Nintendo Magazine (ONM) that the Prime series didn't end with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

"We are always planning to make new games in the Metroid Prime series," he told the magazine. According to CVG, Tanabe also goes into detail on how the company created the Metroid Prime trilogy, however he didn't provide any additional details regarding a new Prime installment.

On a side note, ONM asked Tenabe if Samus will make a return to the Nintendo DS. "Depending on the timing and the situation, we cannot deny the possibility of realizing it on DS or DSi," he said. Although quite cryptic, it may be a possibility that another Metroid Prime could ship for the DSi along with Metroid Prime 4.

Currently Metroid: Other M is slated for a "2010" release, however Nintendo may actually publish the game closer to the first half to help boost sales of the Nintendo Wii. Other M combines 2D and 3D gameplay, and provides both the 3rd and 1st person perspective.

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Oxford's word of the year is likely to irk those who dislike social networking.

Over the last year, social media and social networking have exploded. Hardly surprising then that 'unfriend' has been named as Oxford's Word of the Year. Now is probably a good time to remind you that just because it's hardly surprising, that doesn't mean it's not really, really depressing.

"Every year the New Oxford American Dictionary prepares for the holidays by making its biggest announcement of the year," reads a post on the Oxford University Press. "This announcement is usually applauded by some and derided by others and the ongoing conversation it sparks is always a lot of fun, so I encourage you to let us know what you think in the comments. Without further ado, the 2009 Word of the Year is: unfriend."

And the official definition for this new newfangled term?

unfriend – verb – To remove someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook.

As in, “I decided to unfriend my roommate on Facebook after we had a fight.”

According to Christine Lindberg, Senior Lexicographer for Oxford’s US dictionary program, "Unfriend has real lex-appeal.”

Just in case you were wondering, unfriend was up against some words that actually made sense, like netbook and ecotown.

Check out the full list of words below:

Hashtag – a # [hash] sign added to a word or phrase that enables Twitter users to search for tweets (postings on the Twitter site) that contain similarly tagged items and view thematic sets

Intexticated – distracted because texting on a cellphone while driving a vehicle

Netbook – a small, very portable laptop computer with limited memory

Paywall – a way of blocking access to a part of a website which is only available to paying subscribers

Sexting – the sending of sexually explicit texts and pictures by cellphone

Freemium – a business model in which some basic services are provided for free, with the aim of enticing users to pay for additional, premium features or content

Funemployed – taking advantage of one’s newly unemployed status to have fun or pursue other interests

Zombie bank – a financial institution whose liabilities are greater than its assets, but which continues to operate because of government support

Ardi – (Ardipithecus ramidus) oldest known hominid, discovered in Ethiopia during the 1990s and announced to the public in 2009

Birther – a conspiracy theorist who challenges President Obama’s birth certificate

Choice mom – a person who chooses to be a single mother

Death panel – a theoretical body that determines which patients deserve to live, when care is rationed

Teabagger – a person, who protests President Obama’s tax policies and stimulus package, often through local demonstrations known as “Tea Party” protests (in allusion to the Boston Tea Party of 1773)

Brown state ­– a US state that does not have strict environmental regulations

Green state – a US state that has strict environmental regulations

Ecotown – a town built and run on eco-friendly principles

Deleb – a dead celebrity

Tramp stamp – a tattoo on the lower back, usually on a woman

Got a word that you think Oxford missed? Let us know in the comments below!

I love the smell of corporate drama in the mornings.

The battle of, "I am rubber, you are glue!" rages on between AT&T and Verizon. Verizon this week issued a statement claiming the only reason AT&T is even upset about their commercials is because "the truth hurts."

According to Engadget, documents filed by Verizon in the ongoing legal proceedings between the two read, "AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon's "There's A Map For That" advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon's ads are true and the truth hurts."

AT&T's beef is that Verizon's ads do not correctly represent the coverage offered by the largest carrier in the country. According to AT&T, the "there's a map for that" commercials imply that customers can't get any coverage at all outside of areas where 3G connectivity is available. Then again, many (including Verizon) argue that the TV spots are clearly comparing 3G to 3G, and to suggest Verizon compare 3G to 3G+2G is like asking them to compare apples to oranges.

In the most recent documents filed by Verizon, the company says this "apple-to-apples comparison" does nothing but confirm that AT&T has failed to invest adequately in 3G.

"In the final analysis, AT&T seeks emergency relief because Verizon's side-by-side, apples-to-apples comparison of its own 3G coverage with AT&T's confirms what the marketplace has been saying for months: AT&T failed to invest adequately in the necessary infrastructure to expand its 3G coverage to support its growth in smartphone business, and the usefulness of its service to smartphone users has suffered accordingly."

A third of teenagers are guilty of texting while driving.

Texting while driving isn't against the law universally, but most people will agree that tapping away on your cell phone can be seriously distracting. A worrying study shows that a significant amount of young people on our roads admit to texting while driving and 48 percent of teenagers say they have been in the car with a driver who was texting.

The study conducted by the Pew Internet and & American Life Project reports that a third of teenagers aged between 16 and 17 say they have texted while driving. Nearly half of teens aged between 12 and 17 say they have been in a car with a driver who was also texting.

However the most surprising part of this study is that many of the 800 teens surveyed said the person driving while texting was an adult. MSNBC cites one boy in the study who said his dad, "drives like he's drunk. His phone is just like sitting right in front of his face, and he puts his knees on the bottom of the steering wheel and tries to text." A middle school student asked about how frequently he's in the car with a texting driver responded, "All the time. My mom, sister or brother will sit behind the wheel the whole time and just text away."

Reactions to texting while driving also varied a huge amount. One kid is quoted as saying "it's fine" and adds that he even wears sunglasses so the cops won't see him looking down at the screen, while another says he snatches the phone out of the driver's hands if they start messing with their phone.

What are your thoughts on texting while driving? Let us know in the comments below!