GeekNights

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the refreshing Half-Minute Hero on XBLA. Gamepro moves to a quarterly format and EA buys Popcap for over a billion dollars. We also consider a number of XBLA games, but only Catherine stands out.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider our recent rewatching of the Galaxy Express 999 movie, recently remastered and re-released. Otakon is next weekend, and while we won't be there, Makoto Shinkai and his newest work -- Hoshi o Ou Kodomo -- will be. SDCC is this weekend, it's really, really hot, and Scott's reading Lady Sabre & the Pirates of the Ineffable Aether.

Tonight on GeekNights, we begin a discussion on the ramifications of face recognition technology as manifest in its coming ubiquity (and hamfisted attempts at usefulness), then slide into some talk of why the federated cloud is (or at least should be) the real future of computing. We also discuss the "cartels" that can arise when the navigation of bureaucracy becomes more important than the services being rendered, and Google is trying to encourage bad behavior for its own benefit with Google News Badges.

Tonight on GeekNights, it's a show about nothing. We also consider the wider copyright implications of accidental art and monkeys with cameras, nevermind the Internet RAGE about Netflix's minimal price increase. GeekNights will resume its regular schedule next week, the book club will now be its own show, and we will definitely be at MAGFest.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the humble supermarket. There are sales everywhere (that matters) with both the Steam Summer Sale and Threadless, Amazon gives California the finger, and the "skills gap" is a serious problem.

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Philippe Keyaerts' Small World, successor to his Vinci. Rym's surprisingly playing a little Team Fortress 2 again (despite it being free to play), Scott Geekbites F.E.A.R., and Capcom might be doing something sinister with hard-locked save slots.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider anime and comics that only Rym, or only Scott, has seen. In order (surprisingly), we thus present Wolverine, Iron Man, X-Men, Galaxy Railways, Birdy the Mighty: Decode, Votoms, Scrapped Princess, Patlabor, Odoru Daisosasen/Bayside Shakedown (which we've actually both seen), The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Irresponsible Captain Tylor, 7 Billion Needles, Urusei Yatsura (manga), Ranma 1/2, and Rose of Versailles. But before all of that, Spiderman is dead, AKB48's newest member is fake, and Makoto Shinkai's studio is looking cloud and power line interns.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the ramifications of expanded top-level domains on DNS, as well as the current state of it. In the news, lulzsec exists (in one form or another), Libre Office exists, someone thought 250lbs of paper was a better option than a USB stick, and someone else scanned it all back in anyway. Also, checkout Game Hack Day if you're in New York!

Tonight on GeekNights, we mostly complain about our troubles finding similarly invested board-gaming nerds. We also consider the upcoming Burning Wheel Gold and the Wii-U. We have Things of the Day, but due to Audition being an awesome and well-written program, the audio for that portion of the show is forever lost to time and space. Enjoy them below despite the lack of commentary. Also, Magical Drop V is coming.

Tonight on GeekNights, the cute Hipira and the fun Wakfu. DC Comics is trying digital distribution and a universal relaunch, Kevin Smith is putting on a reality show set in a comic shop, and Foreskin man might be somewhat anti-semitic.

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about removing heat from computing devices of various kinds. But first, we're basically obligated to talk about Apple Day, and Nintendo successfully fended off lulzsec by cleverly not actually offering any real services. Also, help out a friend in his quest to stop ALS (and bike really, really far).

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about Gameshows! In the news, one archaic industry documents the decline of another with the demise of the phone book, and Youtube now supports the Creative Commons license explicitly.

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider two two-player warm-up card games: R-Eco and Battle Line (a remake of Knizia's earlier Schotten-Totten). We also consider our recent CounterStrike play (more to come), the DS Lite price drop, and Activision's coming subscription service for Call of Duty. Also, if you're so inclined, take a gander at our good friend's team for the Tri-State Trek to fight ALS.

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Sprit) anime (directed by Satoshi Nishimura, who you may remember for directing Trigun)! But first, Takashi Miike is supposedly directing the Phoenix Wright movie, The Big Apple Comic Con had some lackluster press, lost a minor guest due to alleged child pornography charges, and saw the expanding Earth swallow up some of Neal Adams original work.

Tonight on GeekNights, since Rym has training all week, we talk about training in general. But first, Google's My Tracks is better than most alternatives, automobile black boxes may soon be mandatory, and Apple is ready to smash a patent troll.