It's like a geek's dream come true - two ladies you've always wanted for the price (and mass-energy ratio) of one. Or something like that. While Intel's really busy with Larabee, the Germany-based Advanced Micro Devices decided that they could do with their own version of CPU-GPU technology. Everyone expected this from the beginning: the unison of CPU (AMD) and the GPU (ATI) into a mesmerizing package. How it took this long to come to realization, you won't find out at the full story. Read on for more claims, instead.

Been saving up for an upgrade? You might not have much time to penny-pinch, because we're told that the new Intel "Bloomfield" processors will be shipping a lot earlier than scheduled. Now we're at a crossroads, ladies and gentlemen: do we sally forth to the new Bloomfield CPU line and it's accompanying X58 chipset, or shall we hope that the release will force last generation's CPU retail tags to lower considerably? We'll tell you what: if you course through the new story, you'll find the choice gets even more complicated.

The first Crysis patch may have been delayed but Crytek's giving us something for Christmas to tide us over: the Crysis Tournament Map Pack. Crytek's also announced that it will be releasing new tutorials for the Sandbox2 Editor soon. Read more about the five new multiplayer maps in the full article.

Slipping back to our business suits, we've gotten word that U.S. market research firm Parks Associates has discovered that online gaming still outweighs video streaming or social networking over the Internet. The report entitled "Casual Gaming Market Update" claimed that at least 34% of adult Internet users play online games on a weekly basis. Games they play include casual games, confirming the rise in popularity of the casual gaming sector.

 

In contrast, 29% of those surveyed watch short online videos, and a smaller 19% visit social networking sites at least once a week. Additionally, online gaming is also experiencing a major surge in the North American region. Parks Associates observed a 79% year-on-year rise in online gamers, compared to the 46% climb of social networking users.

Still, video streaming users are ascending at a steep 123%, and the online gaming sector would do well to challenge that rate in the following years. The online gaming sector is becoming a ripe source of income, and Parks Associates still recommends the tried-and-tested Western business models for the region.

In the Eastern front, the online gaming sector is becoming a blossoming playground for the Asian gaming industry, as Taiwan, Korea, and China have experienced phenomenally market booms in the previous year. Market predictions are also off-the-roof for the Far East, and it may have already grown leaps and bounds in the first half of 2007.

Because people WoW and click Flash more than they Facebook or Youtube, we'll be monitoring for more developments as they come clicking by.

 

A report coming in from Chinese local newspaper Economic Daily News has pinned the mainstream motherboard manufacturer ASUSTek with a mediocre 2007 revenue performance due to reduced PlayStation 3 shipping. ASUSTeK is one of the favorite and trusted motherboard brands for tech-savvy PC enthusiasts, while also a major contractor for manufacturing quality PlayStation 3 motherboards in Asia.

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. is expecting an all-time low in revenues this coming May, after the Taiwan-based company reported a change in the motherboard profit season and the decreased shipments of the PlayStation 3 from Asia. However, other competing motherboard companies such as Gigabyte Technology and Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) have noted a possible increase in May shipments during the summer season, according to local paper Apple Daily.

Despite feeds coming in from Asia that the PlayStation 3 production is indeed slowing down, it appears that ASUSTeK has prepped themselves for a quick recovery, right after Intel starts shipping their new Centrino platforms for laptop computers, codenamed Santa Rosa, for the month succeeding May.

Analysts agree that the Taiwan computer manufacturing giant will be able to return to standard shipping levels by June, allowing the company to benefit from a steady revenue stream for the rest of 2007. Thanks to DigiTimes for the heads up!

This is probably borderline gaming news to you folks out there, but anything attached to STAR Sports Asia's Drinie Aguilar is way too good to pass up by our standards. "GAME" is a thirty-minute dive into the world of gaming, from consoles to computers and handhelds, and thanks to Electronic Arts and ESPN's STAR Sports, this show is specially catered to the Asian and Pacific Rim regions.

You've probably already caught a few previews of the show on STAR Sports Asia, as it has already debuted since April 18, 2007. But as announced in the official press release, ESPN has also expanded its reach to as far as STAR Sports India, STAR Sports Taiwan and ESPN for the Pacific Rim (yes, that means you Aussies and Kiwis).

Starring the sassy and equally bubbly Drinie Aguilar of STAR Sports' fame, "GAME" will be tackling the latest and hottest news and trends in the world of gaming, including extensive game reviews, news event reports from all over the world and sneak-peek previews of incoming titles for your favorite gaming platform.

But tagging along with the entire theme of the sports channel, the show will also bring in the world of sports and the world of gaming together, sporting the most popular and famous athletes and their take on gaming. Always wanted to know what games your favorite star player is currently sweating over? Aguilar will let you in on the secret.

    

Also some of the biggest events in sports history will be simulated by Electronic Arts' own EA Sports titles in order to give a rough rundown of what could happen at the night of the big game. Jon Niermann, President of EA Asia Publishing, said, "We are very enthused about the launch of this new program. We are delighted to be able to extend our partnership with EA into new markets after our successful collaboration in the US."

Electronic Arts seems to be reaching out to a larger part of the gaming community, by touting its line up of EA Sports titles to the Asia and Pacific region. If you're from one of the seven Pan-Asian regions STAR Sports and ESPN is currently broadcasting to, be sure to catch Drinie Aguilar and her showcase of gaming in your sports channel.

Remember when we showed you the trailer for the new flight simulation sequel Enemy Engaged 2? Software publisher Strategy First Inc. has just signed the game. Strategy First sounded very pleased with the flight sim, saying that it's a very convincing and realistic chopper combat simulation, with an overwhelming authenticity and attention to detail.

Enemy Engaged 2 was developed by Gameyus Interactive. This sequel is going to be released Q2 of 2007. It features helicopter simulation with realistic flight physics, three theatres of war with two opposing campaigns each, real-time battlefields, flying areas over Lebanon, Taiwan and Korea, various combat environments and weather conditions, and over 1,200 detailed vehicles as well as using an immersive voice control to command your gunner and wingman.

Strategy First, Inc. has high hopes for the game, and even invites gamers to let them know what they think of Enemy Engaged 2. Then again, after the success of the predecessor of this game, Enemy Engaged: RAH-66 Comanche Versus Ka-52 Hokum, we're betting that they're going to receive only flattery for the game.

Cosplaying. It's weird, it's goofy, and in some cases, it's Narutard-extreme. Whatever the case, anime otaku and gamer alike love the idea of dressing up as their favorite characters come convention time; everyone wanna see how far they can push their luck impersonating their favorite manga/pixelated hero.

We found these vids over at TechEblog, which are all fan-made skits of all our all-time favorite games. Kinda shows you what a dedicated gamer can do when they've got a bit of money, creativity, and a helluva lot of time on their hands.

The first video up is a skit on Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. It was made by students over at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. Hmm, early concept for the Wiimote?


The video up next is a homage to everybody's favorite tactical espionage game (Not you, Sam...). This MGS skit was done way over in Taiwan, and we gotta admit, we like the way they adapted an abandoned building for the game's original Arctic setting. On a side note, their Meryl looks cuter than the original, in a Tifa sort of way.

Click on the jump to see the rest of these skits!