All Blog Posts from Tech Talk

This may come as no surprise to folks like me who play on a regular basis (some say TOO regular), but a new study finds that more than half of American adults play video games. And it's both men and women delving into digital worlds -- nearly an even split with 55 percent to 50 percent respectively. And while there's a higher percentage of younger adults playing, older adults are playing more often. There's still some social stigma attached to being an avid gamer (though I'm not ashamed -- far from it), and who can deny the satisfaction of such escapism? We'll have the story on tonight's CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. Put down the controller long enough to watch.

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It's no secret that young people make mistakes; it's a necessary part of growing up. But the internet -- and specifically the rise of video-sharing Web sites -- opened a new portal for potential pitfalls. On tonight's CBS Evening News with Katie Couric we're looking at how teens are posting controversial videos on sites like YouTube, often in the hopes of getting noticed or showing off. But in the process they may be setting themselves up for real-world consequences in the future.

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If video games serve as your entertainment distraction from the current political campaign then you might do a double take the next time you're playing certain titles via Microsoft's Xbox Live service. Digital billboards featuring Democratic presidental candidate Barack Obama are being featured in a number of games from Electronic Arts ranging from "Burnout Paradise" to "Madden '09."

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Tonight we begin a series on video games and children. It's largely inspired by a new study released today from the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. It's a compelling read.

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From fear over black holes to creating your own universe. From seeing back in time to the "blue screen of death." It's been quite a week. Curious?

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Scaled back would be putting it mildly. Compared to E3s of the past, this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in the Los Angeles Convention Center was like a ghost town. I've been attending for several years (though admittedly I missed last year when it nearly disappeared off the map altogether). Now that I've had a little time to digest the event from earlier in the week, I have mixed feelings.

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Consider me armed and dangerous. My weapon of choice? The new Flip video camera from Pure Digital Technologies. And pure it is. Very few features, but extremely easy to use. It's pocket-sized and USB-friendly. For a full review, you can read New York Times gadget guy David Pogue's take here. (For the record, I ordered mine before his review ran in the paper. And I have the receipt to prove it!) I plan to shoot sci-tech, environment or space events in and around New York, but also take it with me whenever I head out on the road (which happens a lot). Think of it as part video blog, part bonus material, and mostly candid.

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I'm back! Yes, I was on vacation for about two weeks in sunny Hawai'i (Kaua'i and Maui, to be exact) but I've returned to rather chilly New York. I was hoping that spring would arrive a little early here, alas, it's only warmed slightly. Anyway, enough about the weather. Happy St. Patrick's Day! And what's with this? (There has to be a better way to get free cable.) Rest assured I'll have more to say here in the coming days, so stay tuned, and stay connected.

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Do you work at an e-mail-free Friday company? There’s an article in today’s USA Today that points out the growing trend. The idea being to encourage more phone calls or face-to-face meetings. I’m just as tethered to my inbox as the next person, but it seems to me productivity would drop dramatically. I could certainly see a decrease in stress, which would be welcome, but in the news business e-mail is necessary, and dropping it from the day’s communication tools would be detrimental to business. In an office environment with more internal networking, perhaps it might work better. But wouldn’t all those requisite social niceties really slow things down? Your thoughts? And now for a quick recap...

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By now you're wearily familiar with the controversy surrounding Rockstar Games, specifically the "Grand Theft Auto" series. For years, the company has been speared by critics as the purest of evil within the video game software market. Its newest title, "Manhunt 2," is slated for release on Oct. 31, which is obviously a tie-in with Hallowe'en. (Oh, scary!)

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