NOVA Concept DSLR, For the Gamer/Photographer

I'm not much of a photographer, but I do love me some video games. Maybe this game controller-esque DSLR concept would help bridge the gap between the two worlds.

Designer Erin Fong came up with this crazy "NOVA DSLR" design, and truth be told I like it. The folding handle idea seems especially useful for one-handed shots. Looks like it would work better than balancing the camera's weight off-center like with traditional DSLRs.

But again, I'm no photographer. I'll leave it to you shutter junkies out there to cry foul. [Erin Fong via Gizmo Watch via Geeky Gadgets]

Completely Gratuitous

Objectification never looked so good!

The world's favorite beefcake, Taylor Lautner, is gracing the cover of Rolling Stone this month.

Why they made him keep his shirt on, we don't know, but we're sure this shot will provoke your tweeny, girlish squeals regardless.

U like?

Teen Calls 911 After Parents Take Away Xbox 360

According to The Chicago Tribune, a 15-year-old called 911 and then hung up. He wanted to know whether or not his parents were within their rights to take away his Xbox 360.

The parents were, the police replied. Authorities then showed up at the boy's house after he hung up, and after listening to the story, told him that his parents were within their rights to take away his game console as punishment.

The police also advised the boy to listen to his parents and stop wasting tax payers money. Well, don't know about that last one — but they should've told him that, too!

Authorities do not know why the boy was being punished. Yeah, why would any parent punish a child who would question their authority and then call 911?

Buffalo Grove boy dials 911 after parents take away his Xbox video game [Chicago Tribune via Obscure Store via Gizmodo]

Silent Hill Movie Sequel Needs To Be "More Accessible"

As pre-production on a sequel to 2006's Silent Hill movie plods along, a few new details are being offered up as to the direction the film is going to take, courtesy of producer Don Carmody.

For starters, Roger Avary - who wrote the first movie - may not return. He's, uh, busy. And while we don't know which cast members, if any, will be returning, Carmody confirms that Christophe Gans won't be back in the director's chair, as he "wants to direct something new".

Carmody then opens up on the course the movie will take, while at the same time addressing some of the complaints fans of the series had over the first film's tone and depiction of familiar characters.

"I think we need to make it a little more accessible to the movie-going public", he told STYD. "Silent Hill is not a blockbuster game like Resident Evil or the other games out there. It's a connoisseurs' game. It has its own, rabid fan base. They're not cheap, these things. You have to appeal not only to the gamers, you have to appeal to a wider audience. So we have to get some story in there that helps explain a bit more. I think that's all happening. Of course, [the story] is going to happen years later and the main character - without giving too much away - is much older and representative to the movie-going public which is in that age group."

EXCL: Producer Updates Us on Silent Hill 2 [STYD]

Today, In Brazil, Sony Officially Launched The PlayStation...2

Funny story from our sun-drenched friends at GIzmodo Brazil; today, November 18, 2009, Sony have decided to begin officially selling the PlayStation 2 in Brazil.

It's priced at R$799, which works out to be around USD$465. So, yes, it's expensive to buy video games in Brazil. Our man Pedro tells us that with a nine year-old console only just launching, there obviously isn't an official PS3 presence, though he says Sony do sell some older PS3 games. For R$199 (USD$115).

Ever wanted to know why piracy was rife in South America, those prices might get you in the right direction.

Sony traz PlayStation e jogos oficialmente para o Brasil. Não comemore [Gizmodo BR]

The Many Looks Of Lara Croft

Once again, I have an amazing collection of artwork from The Design Inspiration to share with all of you. This time, the subject is Lara Croft, Tomb Raider.

I dig Tomb Raider. But after Zero Punctuation's brutal review of Underworld, I'm started to feel mighty uncomfortable about all the animals Ms. Croft knocks off on her way to steal valuable stuff from dead people. In all seriousness, I actually apologized to the virtual panthers I shot up during my own review of Underworld. Because I'm a huge softie. And a cat owner. And maybe a little crazy after 10 straight hours of gameplay on deadline.

Enjoy the artwork, from the over-sexed to the over-manga'd. This image comes from Joe Jusko.

40 Various Styles Artworks of Lara Croft [The Design Inspiration]

Amanda first Pinay Sole Survivor! Justine still the fan fave to win! Jef had no votes!

Survivor Philippines' Palau season has finally crowned its very first Pinay Sole Survivor, dubbed the "Probinsyanang Tisay" Amanda Colley Van Cooll against transgender Justine Ferrer and Jef Gaitan with a 4-3-0 votes respectively. The sad Jef cringed as she discovered there were no votes cast for her to win the competition.

 

 

During their 39 days stay in the island of Peleliu, southwest of Koror in Palau, all three ladies (though one is technically transgender) went thru the hallowing days thru hell and back. It was a surprise for some that one of the finalists Justine Ferrer dubbed "the Transsexual Beauty Queen," who was the first one voted off  on the island won thru all the so-called "Isla Purgatoryo" challenges and came back in the game just in time for the merger. Immediately she was a fan favorite and so-called role model for transgenders and gays alike for her persistence during the game. Though she gained only 3 votes against Amanda's 4 jury votes she was a formidable competitor to beat during the game. Unfortunately for Jef "The Girl-Next-Door" Gaitan garnered no votes as she was considered the weakest of the three regardless of her game plans that led her to the finals.

 

Amanda won 3 Million Philippine Pesos, the largest ever cash prize given in the history of Philippine Reality TV history.

First Pictures From Resident Evil: Afterlife Set

While actress Milla Jovovich has been twittering the crap outta upcoming movie Resident Evil: Afterlife, two photos from the set have surfaced online. Above is Jovovich, Ali Larter, Spencer Locke and Wentworth Miller. Below is a wider shot. Wondering who those people in white are?

"We call the people in white 'pod people' here on set," she tweets. "They have been used as Umbrella 'test subjects' in horrifying experiments." Resident Evil: Afterlife is currently filming (in 3D!) and will be out next summer.

Resident Evil: Afterlife Set Photos [Shock Till You Drop.com]

Milla Jovovich Offers Video Game Advice For Parents

Star of the Resident Evil film series, Milla Jovovich is more than an actress. She's a mother, too!

And as a mother and star of a series of action films based on zombie games, she probably has a good take on entertainment, kids and parenting.

She does! The actress tells Parade.com, "I think parents need to take a lot more responsibility than they do about whether it's OK for their children to go to Resident Evil or any other movie with violence or sex or whatever. It's really easy to blame Hollywood for violence having an effect on kids, but movies would have no power if parents would just set their own standards. And it's the same with video games."

Milla Jovovich 'It's Really Easy to Blame Hollywood For Violence' [Parade]

Don Ivan Punchatz, Doom Box Artist, Dies at 73

The artist Don Ivan Punchatz, whose artwork on id Software's Doom helped establish the game's hardcore reputation and appeal, has died of a heart attack. He was 73.

Punchatz who also illustrated for top-flight publications such as National Geographic, TIME and Playboy, suffered a heart attack on Oct. 11 and never regained consciousness. After two weeks of treatment and tests, doctors advised there was no hope of recovery, and Punchatz's family removed him from life support.

"He never wanted to be kept alive like this," Greg Punchatz, Don's son, said to SpectrumFantasticArt, "so we are respecting his wishes."

Punchatz's iconic Doom box was just a small piece of his overall portfolio of work, which brought acclaim from luminaries such as the author Ray Bradbury. Spectrum Fantastic Art reports that Punchatz had already cut his fee to help id Software meet its budget. Id counterproposed that Punchatz accept a percentage of Doom's profits instead, but Punchatz stuck with his fee. "So how was I to know this thing called Doom would make a jillion smackers?" he laughed later.

Don Ivan Punchatz (1936-2009) [Spectrum Fantastic Art via bit-tech.net]