It looks like Gameloft has released a free version of UNO for Android. The game has recently come available in the Android Market and is noted as being compatible with Android devices running 1.6 or later. The UNO Free game measures in as a 6.7M file and is currently available as version 1.0.4. That being said, from what we can tell, the UNO Free game is the same as the paid version which normally sells for $2.99. Well, the same with the addition of being ad-supported. But hey, if you don’t mind a few ads, then grab UNO Free and save your $2.99 for the purchase of another app. With that, the features of UNO Free break down as follows;

Get ready to call “UNO” on your Android phone!

Play the #1 classic card game for fun with friends and family on your Android phone! The world-famous card game is faithfully reproduced for mobile and also features exciting new rules. Relive all the crazy fun of UNO: match colors or numbers with all your favorite cards or challenge yourself with increasingly difficult games in Tournament Mode. Compete against friends in thrilling games: with a multiplayer mode that can be accessed 24/7 via Wi-Fi connection, playing UNO has never been so fun and easy, so be the first to get rid of all your cards!

• The UNO video game reproduces the classic game’s identity. All your favorites cards are here: Skip, Reverse, and more!

• Intuitive controls: simply drag & drop cards using your finger on the screen and be the first to get rid of all your cards.

• Customize your game with varied rules including 7-0 and Jump-In.
• Enjoy a unique multiplayer mode! Play online 24/7 (Wi-Fi) or locally with your friends (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection).
• Take on increasingly difficult challenges in Tournament Mode.

Via [Android Market]

According to a recent study from non-profit organization Common Sense Media, more than half of the children in the United States ages 8 and under have played console video games.

The study states that 51% of children in the U.S. ages 8 and under have had one console gaming experience, including 44 percent of children 2 to 4 years old and 81 percent of children 5 to 8 years old.

Without question, our youth is now more accessible to various forms of media than they were in recent history. That considered, I think these statistics should give parents a friendly reminder as to which games fit their children’s demographic.

As it turns out, the average age for a child to be exposed to video games is slightly under 4 years old. Let’s just hope that these youngsters are playing Dance Central and steering clear of Call of Duty.

Via [Common Sense Media] and [joystiq]

Roku officially announced the updated Roku 2 streaming box back towards the end of July and at that time it was confirmed to be coming with support for games. More specifically, it was announced with Angry Birds. Of course, we also knew that Roku was planning to release more games in time, and as of today it looks like they have announced seven additional titles. The newly announced games all come courtesy of Accedo and include Dracula’s Coffin, Texas Hold ‘em, Sodoku, Rockswap Adventures, Patience, Kaboom and Mahjong Fruits. And in terms of price, expect to pay $0.99 for each.

Via [GigaOm]

The Supreme Court on Monday refused the state of California to prevent the sale or rental of violent video games to children. Despite claiming that new video games promote violence and aggressive behavior in youth,
the court stated that governments lack the authority to “restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed.” The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Sacramento ruled that the proposed law violated the 1st amendment rights of minors.

“No doubt a state possesses legitimate power to protect children from harm,” said Justice Antonin Scalia. “But that does not include a free-floating power to restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed.”

With the advancement of technologies paired with the implementation of intricate storylines, video games are now more than ever an expression of artistic creativity. Unsurprisingly, California game creators were overjoyed upon hearing the ruling. “There now can be no argument whether video games are entitled to the same protection as books, movies, music, and other expressive entertainment,” said Bo Andersen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Merchants Association.

When you think about it, violent books have been accessible to children for quite some time. There is no restriction on Amazon that will prevent a 10-year old from purchasing a Stephen King novel. And even if there is, you can always lie about your age. So what is it about video games that makes the act of fighting or shooting so palpable when compared to its media counterparts? Besides, don’t we already have the ESRB regulating game ratings for parents?

Via [AP] and [Yahoo]

Science fiction turns real life with the Force Trainer by Uncle Milton. With it, players manipulate a sphere inside a 10-inch-tall clear training tower by using a headset that actually uses brain waves. No…I’m not kidding.

The headset reads your brain waves using EEG technology, and allows the movement of the sphere depending on how hard you are concentrating. Young Luke indeed. You have to get into a state of deep concentration to get to what is called Force-ful effect. The creator, Frank Adler, of Uncle Milton Industries,says “When you concentrate, it activates the training remote. There is a flow of air that will move the (ball). You can actually feel like you are in a zone.”

The way it works is that the wireless headset will read your brain activity using dry EEG sensors, and then the circuitry will translate that activity to a physical action. When you focus enough, the sphere (which looks kind of like a ping-pong ball), will go up in the tower.

We have the new Natal coming out, which seems like it is going to be utterly amazing — no controllers and you can play and interact. Now, in addition, we have toys that literally read our minds?

And this isn’t the only one coming out within the next couple of months. Mattel is also planning to come out with a Mind Flex game, which will use brain-wave activity to make a ball maneuver through a tabletop obstacle course. Neurosky’s Greg Hyver, who developed the technology for both The Force Trainer and Mind Flex states that “Until today, EEG technology has been designed for rigorous medical and clinical applications with little regard to price (and) ease of use. We are putting this exciting technology into everyone’s living room.”

The Force trainer will also emit sound effects as well as audio clips from the base unit. This is to “cue you in to progress to the next level (from Padawan to Jedi) or when to move the sphere up or down to keep challenging yourself,” Adler says.

Before you try to wear the wireless headset and go around levitating things in your house, it won’t work that way obviously. But you will be using your actual mind power through one of the first brain-to-computer products that has been mass marketed. “It’s been a fantasy everyone has had, using The Force,” says Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing.

The Force Trainer is set to sell for about $90 – $100. There is even a countdown page showing when it is set to come out. Online pre-orders start for the Force Trainer July 23rd.

More from the Star Wars Science line will be appearing in July with a lower price tag attached at about $25-$45. Some of those toys are the SW Darth Vadar Robotic Arm, the SW Optical Command Unit, the SW Jedi Telescope, the SW Jedi Projector, the SW Naboo Sea Creatures set, and the SW Mustafar Volcano Kit.

Until then, may the Force be with you.

via: coolhunting

Microsoft has certainly been the charmer at E3 this year. People went gaga over their new Project Natal (as well they should!), they announced a way to deliver movies in 1080p format…no disks and no waiting for download. And also, they worked with the uber-social networking site of the time, Facebook, to have it work fluidly right with your Xbox.

With this new technology, Facebook users will be able to hop on through the Microsoft Xbox Live service, and bring Facebook right to their television screen. You will be able to do all kinds of Facebook actions, like update your status, check out your news feed, listen to music and browse photos.

The gamers that use FB will probably like the newest perk…the ability to take advantage of Facebook Connect to show off their gaming prowess and ability. Gamers can publish screenshots and other things right to their Facebook account. You can also take your Friends list on Xbox Live and, if you’ve linked your accounts, send out friend requests for those people on Facebook.

Microsoft clearly want to make it one-stop shopping on the TV. In addition to adding Facebook, they have also added the Internet radio service Last.fm, Twitter, and XBox Live Party. John Schappert, corporate VP for interactive live, software and studios at Microsoft says:

“We are always asking ourselves how to make TV more social. By bringing Facebook, Last.fm, and Xbox Live Party for movies and TV shows to Xbox Live, we’re not only extending the walls of your living room beyond your home to your friends in different corners of the world, we’re creating the definitive social network.”

With the Xbox, you may never have to leave your living room anymore. Has this really become our life?? I’m not convinced that is saying a lot.

via: informationweek

The Pope’s on your social network

It’s not what you think. The Pope doesn’t have a personal Facebook page where you can friend him so we won’t have to wonder if he would accept friend requests from non-Catholics. The Pope has a new Facebook application. It’s called “Pope2You” and the application’s description is in Italian.

Pope2You, ti permette di inviare e ricevere attraverso il social network più importante al mondo, i messaggi del Papa Benedetto XVI. Potrai inviare le più belle cartoline con le foto del Papa ad i tuoi amici.

Translated it says, “I’m the Pope and you’re not. My favorite shoes are Keds and I am going to bust a move on the dance floor.” Wait. That’s wrong.

What it actually says is, “Pope2You lets you send and receive through the most important social network in the world, messages of Pope Benedict XVI. You will send the most beautiful postcards with pictures of the Pope to your friends.” No word on whether the Pope can excommunicate you through the application. [Source]

World’s a little dirty? How about a whitewash?

Okay, so we may have caused some serious harm to the planet with that whole Industrial Revolution and our pollution machines known as “cars.” But, we can fix it! How? According to Steven Chu, US Energy Secretary, we can help the planet with white paint.

Yep, you read that right, white paint. Chu wants to have flat roofs painted white to act as reflectors. “Making roads and roofs a paler colour could have the equivalent effect of taking every car in the world off the road for 11 years, Chu said.” That’s pretty impressive. Chu doesn’t expect this to solve everything, but every little bit helps. [Source]

007 373 5963 = chocolate bar?

We don’t cover gaming much here at Gadgetell since the guys at Gamertell are so great at their jobs, but Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Wii was recently released and got my attention. I grew up playing the original “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!” so even I took notice.

A quick check for the game on Amazon yielded some strange results. Check out the “Punch-Out!! Amazon.com Exclusive Heavyweight Contender Kit” which contains a King Hippo Crown Mini Replica, a King Hippo Desktop Punching Bag, King Hippo Boxer Shorts (Size: Large) and a Doc Louis Remedy Chocolate Bar.

The whole package costs $29.99. WTF? I guess you could enjoy these trinkets as you play the game. When you beat King Hippo, you can wear a replica crown to mock him. When you get beat up, you can eat Doc Louis’s Remedy Chocolate Bar (since Doc actually tells you in the game that a chocolate bar will help you after you get whupped).

Then again, why offer King Hippo boxers in large? Why not King Hippo size? [Source]

It looks like Netflix, who has taken flak in the past based on the fact that its name does not stir up images of DVDs by-mail, is finally moving into position to live up to its name. Right now Netflix users pay their subscription for access to Netflix’s tremendous library of DVDs by mail, with the bonus feature of access to streaming content thrown in. However since the launch of its partnership with Microsoft, which brought streaming content to the Xbox 360, Netflix has experienced unprecedented growth.

Now with Watch Instantly capabilities being offered on Roku set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, and even some televisions; Netflix is recognizing the possible market for standalone streaming subscriptions. Barry McCarthy, CFO of Netflix, expressed intentions on Wednesday to make plans for just streaming content available in the “foreseeable future.” Currently Netflix Instant Watch boasts a selection of approximately 12,000 titles, though critics say many are not A-list quality material. Hopefully with increased interest in streaming content and the propagation of the Netflix platform on new hardware, we will see the content list expand to more mainstream fare.

Read [Reuters] via [Joystiq]

Spider-Man accessories

He’s got a great comic book, a great movie, and has some pretty cool accessories. KB Toys has a bunch of Spider-Man stuff and a few gadgets that caught my eye was a MP3 player and a Plug-n-Play gaming system.

The MP3 player is something I wouldn’t recommend getting if you want store a lot of media and videos, but if you want to give it you child who really likes Spider-Man, I’m sure they would enjoy this very much. In terms of specs, it comes with 512mb of storage, and can be expanded by 1GB (at the most) via SD card, and requires 1 AAA battery. This sold for $49.99, but now sells for $29.99.

The next Spider-Man accessory is a game that you just have to plug into your TV and it works. Instead of a normal game controller, it comes with an actual Spider-Man jet ski, so you can ride your way through the 7 games it comes with. I remember seeing stuff like this at arcades, and they were always fun to use. I would recommend this for your child. Unfortunately, it requires A LOT of batteries – 8 AA. Also, don’t sit on it just to try it out as it only holds up to 90 pounds. This used to sell for $59.99, but now sells for $39.99.

Games

That above Spider-Man game could also fit in this category, but I felt it was more appropriate to keep it there. In addition, we have an Air Puck Hockey game and Civilization III for the PC.

The Air Hockey game is similar to what you often see at arcades – it comes with one puck, two sticks, two goals, and, of course, the puck glides on air. It also requires 4 AA batteries. This would make a great gift for children, teens, and even adults if you like air hockey. It used to sell for $29.99, but now sells for $11.99.

Next, is the Civilization III PC game, which is similar to Age of Empires by Microsoft. Features include:

* Improved combat options for enhanced war-making capabilities
* More interactions, alliances and realistic A1 responses that put you in the middle of negotiations and diplomatic actions
* Advanced trade system manages resources, trade routes and spread of technology
* New elements of Culture, Nationality and the Arts help focus empire building efforts
* Active world generator creates more realistic maps, detailed barbarians and minor nations
* Game Editor Suite lets you create customized civilizations, maps and rules
* New easier-to-use interface for streamlined management and better control

The game is meant for all ages and used to sell for $12.99, but is now $9.99.

The King – Elvis Presley

Dubbed Alive Elvis, is great for anyone who loves The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. It features Elvis in a leather jacket and his iconic hair style. Basically, you can opt to have him play his songs, sing along with him with the included microphone, have him dance to your own songs, and you can even let him tell you a little about his life. Unfortunately, it requires a lot of batteries – three AAA and eight D batteries. It used to sell for $299.99, but now sells for $79.99.

Thank you very much for reading this. I hope you enjoyed some of the gadgets I found to be interesting during the 2008 Black Friday.

Read [KB Toys]

The MX518 utilizes the award-winning MX Optical Engine. This Engine gives you a major dpi-resolution at 1600. Because of this resolution, you get pixel-by-pixel accuracy in your positioning, which obviously does wonders for your game.

The mouse has eight buttons (no scrimping here!), and gives up to 15g of acceleration and spot-on aiming with very little mouse movement. You also get the SetPoint software with your mouse. This software is exclusive to Gaming-Grade mice. It is totally innovative, and lets you pick between 5 “custom level sensitivity settings”; this ensures that you get just the perfect feel and movement for you.

The MX518 gives you in-game switching to three different sensitivity levels. You can choose from 1,600, 800 and 400 dpi resolution, which will help ensure exact targeting and quick evasion. It’s been specially designed for major gaming sessions, featuring a contour grip design, and a sculpted thumb support. You can play this baby for hours.

The Logitech MX518 got great customer reviews everywhere I checked. Everyone seemed to totally love the “on the fly sensitivity adjustment.” Most say they went back and bought another for other systems they owned; they loved it that much.

So, if you know a gaming freak, or just happen to be one yourself. . .at the sale price of 29.99 with free shipping to boot, the MX518 is probably worth setting your sights on.

via [newegg]