Ubuntu Edge - Wow Canonical!

This is one high-end early adopter phone. And the internets are talking about it.
They want to smash Star Citizen's current USD$14.6 million record in crowd-funding by raising $32m, which roughly translates to 40,000 units.
As they say on their indiegogo page, they want to do this like a Formula 1 thing, (so prototypes or betas on a testing ground if you will) instead of the million unit scale of normal consumer phones.

They're also trying to get into the market like Google - not technical mobile phone makers but 'advisors'. I just hope they don't force Ubuntu Unity on people =/ (which they won't because they haven't turned evil right?)

OpenShot video editor v 2

So I realise I've been blogging about games (most on Linux) lately, especially with my yearning for Star Citizen to hurry up and get made.
This post, I won't use the 'games' tag. =)

So I was casually browsing kickstarter as you do, and found THIS. Evoking memories of trying hard to find a proper video editing software, finding the most feature filled one on Linux being a readily crashable OpenShot video editor ;P It also kind of reminds me of getting blender and being completely stumped at how to use it. (Along with Maya).
This was back in 2010, and we were able to put together a simple video:


Now, I'm happy to see more work being done, OpenShot getting a new framework, fixing apparently 99% of previous bugs, and cross-platform support.
Oh, and they're switching to Qt from GTK. I liked GTK back on Ubuntu10.04 with GNOME, because Qt would usually look ugly or fail, but now that I'm on Kubuntu12.04, both work pretty well from an end-user point of view. Here's a funny port GIMP to Qt thread that descends into mini-flamewar from the middle till near the end.
Anyway, obligatory iframe of latest blog post (which includes a restrained comment on Operating Systems for devs which I can understand/agree upon):


P.S. Yes, I'm running out of holidays to finish two arty projects in the works, one which was intended to be released a while ago =S; Also, may be starting a eng/tech project (finally!)

It's (almost) Fully Official!!! -CryEngine on Linux

Steam for linux just reported that Crytek are hiring Linux Devs to maintain their Linux support for CryEngine. 
Yep, this means more quality games on Linux and Star Citizen for Linux almost 100% confirmed. 

Hmm interesting to note they prefer C++ as the OO language ..

Is this the announcement that Chris Roberts was wanting to make but couldn't make just yet that would happily surprise Linux and Mac gamers?

Phoronix's article here. Apparently the source Phoronix had for the early CryEngine Linux rumour was recommended to Valve by Phoronix!
Previous CryEngine Linux rumour post here.

I read Phoronix's article on the CryEngine port before, but although I do have more than 50% confidence in Phoronix, it was still the only source I could find on the net before I got excited at the Wii U getting support.
To me, I think Phoronix is like the Parabolic Arc of the computing world (and Parabolic Arc the Phoronix of the space world). Great early fan-news blogs!

Linux is totally picking up pace =3

Star Citizen wows everyone (funding, backers, economy!)

 Funding Update

This week has been o.O for Star Citizen, pushing through the 12mil and 13mil and looking to push through 14mil in the next 24 hours (they're 40k away).

On the 29th June (pre-livestream), the numbers were $10.926mil and 198k citizens.
After the livestream, we were at $11.7mil and 200.3k citizens
On the 5th July, we were at $12.9mil and 206.5k citizens.
At writing, we are at $13.9mil and 210.5k citizens.

This whole grace period after the new website, and 24 hour livestream has generated >$3mil in just 1 week; now the grace period is over, LTI (lifetime insurance, no need to periodically insure your ship ingame with ingame credits) ships are now no longer available (unless you're an original campaign backer, who are able to get LTI and packages till November 2013).

With the hangar module coming out in late August, and dog-fighting module coming out December this year, Star Citizen seems like it will never run out of momentum =P Still, there's almost 1.5 years till final release, but if it takes $21mil to fund this game (as Chris Roberts has approximated), we're 2/3 of the way there already.

The ECONOMY

It's the economy, guys =)
Seriously though, we know Valve hires economists for their micro-transactions and in-game cosmetic items, but I wonder if CGI has hired any just for their universe economy and future micro-transactions. This preliminary sketch of the universe economy simulation/modelling and the physics - rigid body simulation and detail they have in this game remind me of those physics modelling we did with Mathematica/Matlab and step sizes xD.
This is like my dream game come true, achieving all I ever wanted a spacesim to be like: persistent universe, walking around instead of stuck in a cockpit, MMO, player actions affect universe, good simulation and detail -nerdgasm-.

Check out its full glory below:

ARKYD Funded & Apple buys Samsung products?

So ARKYD, the Space Telescope for everyone was successfully funded at $1.5mil, and they hosted a livestream broadcasted by spacevidcast (woot!), I'm sure you can see my comments during the livestream if you look hard enough =P

You can still join in the fun (pledge & get rewards) with the grace period: http://www.planetaryresources.com/arkyd-newsletter-signup/
I wonder if I'll actually get time on this telescope (without pledging enough for reward on time) as a student ... Was hopeful about Ardusat (1st kickstarter for me). 

Also, check out the sweet $99 pledge deal, you get planetary annihilation (a previous kickstarted game) and Richard Garriot/Lord British was backing it too! (He's so well connected, space tourist, Star Citizen friend, etc.)

Wish DSI did something like this. They seemed like the ones who would do something like this ... good thing PR got the ball rolling =)

- Break -

So I didn't know this before, but apparently Apple uses Samsung chips in their devices. As Samsung's biggest (read $billions/year) customer. Lol. #USPO&IPsucks