Hacking the PSP Blog

Off Topic: Nielsen Puts Nintendo Ahead In Web Traffic Report

New data from Nielsen/NetRatings suggests that Nintendo’s website saw the biggest rise in visitors of any computer hardware manufacturer in January – with more overall traffic than Sony Computer Entertainment's site and Microsoft's Xbox website.

According to the report, Nintendo had 2.08 million unique visitors in January, up by 82 percent from 1.15 million at the same time the previous year. The figure compares to Sony Computer Entertainment’s total of 1.55 million unique visitors, for which no data from the previous year is available. The total for Microsoft’s Xbox website was just behind that of Sony with 1.5 million unique visitors.

The highest ranked computer hardware manufacturer was Apple with 43.51 million visitors, up 24 percent on previous figures. Overall Nintendo was seventh in its group placing, behind Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sun Microsystems, Gateway and IBM – but ahead of Toshiba and Epson.

Other Nielsen/NetRatings data revealed by marketing website Internet Retailer shows that the average time per visit for the Nintendo website was 19 minutes and 29 seconds, according to the survey.

This figure compares to 12 minutes and 48 seconds for Sony’s website, 16 minutes and 6 seconds for the Xbox website, but a massive 79 minutes and 25 seconds for group leader Apple, which likely benefited from movie trailers and other services available on its site.

David Jenkins
February 19, 2007

Source: Gamasutra

Gaming Skills Directly Linked to Surgical Skills

According to Reuters, a new study involving 33 surgeons at a New York hospital shows 'a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's capabilities'. A statement by the senior author of the study even suggests the use of video games as a training tool for surgeons. Another of the study's authors cautions parents to curb excessive gaming, however: 'spending that much time playing video games is not going to help their child's chances of getting into medical school'.

Orinthe (Slashdot User)
February 20, 2007

Source: Slashdot

Off Topic: Computer games 'burn up calories'

Playing new style computer games can help people burn up a significant amount of calories, research has found.

Games consoles such as Nintendo Wii require players to use body movements to control the action.

A study by Liverpool John Moores University found regular use could help shift 27lb (12.25kg) a year.

The study was carried out to establish whether computer games can contribute to the daily activity recommendations for children.

The researchers compared activity levels during gaming using the Wii with those achieved using traditional seated joypad-controlled consoles.

They found more active forms of gaming increased energy expenditure to a level which could help lose weight.

Read the full article here...

BBC News Staff
February 19, 2007

Source: BBC News

GameStop offers $100 toward a new DS Lite for PSP trades

"Trade the Past... Play the Future!" That's what GameStop is saying with a trade-up deal that offers $100 for your PSP to apply towards a new Nintendo DS. Seems like a pretty cold move by GameStop since the PSP still has new game titles hitting the market, but who came blame them considering the DS's sales figures. This image comes courtesy of a NeoGAF member.

(Indiana) Bill aims to enforce age limits on games

Measure calls for fines of up to $1,000 for sale or rental of adult-themed video games to minors

Selling or renting video games featuring beatings, strippers and other adult content to minors could net a retailer more than the wrath of a disapproving parent.

It also could mean a $1,000 fine under a bill that passed the Senate Economic Development and Technology Committee 5-2 on Monday.
The vote came after some clips of the games were shown to the committee -- complete with often obscene and racist language -- on the giant flat-panel monitor at the front of the Senate chamber, which normally is used to display lawmaker votes.

Sen. David C. Ford, the Hartford City Republican who authored Senate Bill 238 along with Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville, said it was important for the committee to see the kinds of video games that the bill is trying to keep out of the hands of children.

Lobbyists for retail and video gaming industries opposed the proposal, saying similar attempts in other states have been struck down as unconstitutional. They include a November decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago striking down an Illinois law as overly broad.

In 2001, Indianapolis lost its bid to be the first city in the nation to ban minors from playing violent video games in public arcades without parental consent, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

Read the full article here...

Mary Beth Schneider
February 20, 2007

Source:  IndyStar.com