Monthly Archives: July 2011

The 555 Footstool – Everyone Has to Have One!

by Noemi Twigg
Leave a comment
555 Footstool

Does that black rectangle ring any bells? Truth be told, I used to have a love-hate relationship with this chip. Back in the day – when I still had the misguided notion that I would thrive as an electronics engineer – I would spend hours and hours with this little black chip. On a good day, whatever circuit we were working on would do what it was supposed to do. On more days than we wanted, though, Murphy was our companion and even this most basic of chips would not work as it is supposed to. The 555 Integrated Circuit is definitely a familiar item to electronic enthusiasts/professionals and DIY-ers Read more »

Gosick – Review

by Nopy
4 Comments
Gosick – Review

Set in 1924 in the fictional kingdom of Saubure, which is nestled between France, Switzerland, and Italy, Gosick tells the story of an unbreakable bond between two characters. Kazuya Kujo, the third son of a Japanese imperial soldier, is sent to Saubure to study at St. Marguerite Academy as an international student. There, he quickly gains the nickname of the Black Reaper due to his black hair and eyes, and rumours quickly spread that anyone who comes into contact with him will be met with misfortune. Also attending the school is Victorique de Blois, the daughter of a marquis and descendant of the “Gray Wolves”, a tribe known for their Read more »

Google Moving Into Social Gaming

by Robin Parrish
2 Comments
Google Moving Into Social Gaming

Google really wants to be Facebook. Like, really, really. A lot. Facebook has personalized the Internet in ways that Google — with all its Internet lordship — completely overlooked. And one area Facebook has excelled at, surprisingly, has been gaming. There are few games on Facebook that hardcore gamers flock to, but casual gamers who love puzzles (and tending gardens and farms and stuff) are playing Facebook games in droves — and they’re playing with their friends thanks to that added “social” aspect. With Facebook Credits, add-ons are easily acquired, making Facebook Games a lucrative business. Is it any wonder that Google wants a slice of that action? With the Read more »

Whatever Happened To The Reprint Market?

by Darren Burr
Leave a comment
Classic X-Men #15, retelling the death of the Phoenix

And no, I do not mean trade paperbacks. I mean the good old-fashioned monthly comic. Remember Marvel Tales? Or Marvel Triple Action for that matter? It was these titles that as a young reader, drew me into the rich history of the Marvel Universe, rather than just focusing on the hottest and newest events. Reliant as I was at that age on the newsstand, as the direct market was only just in its infancy, there was little other ways I could have been drawn into the urge for back issues, never mind having that desire fulfilled. Of course the concept evolved over time. Enter the Classic X-Men, reprinting stories, but Read more »