Christopher Poon

QR codes link the offline with the online

By Christopher Poon | September 27, 2011

Quick response codes (or the little boxes with black-and-white patterns that are popping up in the corners of billboards, posters, and ads) are becoming increasingly common.

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Disney shuts down Vancouverâ��s Propaganda Games

Disney shuts down Vancouver’s Propaganda Games

By Christopher Poon | January 19, 2011

Just over a month after the release of the video game Tron: Evolution, Vancouver-based Propaganda Games has been shut down by parent company Disney.

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Vancouver app developers unlock Androidâ��s potential

Vancouver app developers unlock Android’s potential

By Christopher Poon | January 10, 2011

One local Android developer says Google seems content to let application makers build upon its platform at their own speed, and that’s something he admires.

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Vancouver gets a secret Alexisonfire show

By Christopher Poon | November 28, 2010

Last night, Alexisonfire decided that one show simply wasn't good enough.

Facebook Messages offers unique conversation platform

By Christopher Poon | November 16, 2010

Serving as sort of a home base for all of your messages, Facebook’s new service will incorporate text messages, e-mails, and instant messaging all in one inbox.

Facebook looks set to launch e-mail feature to compete with Gmail

By Christopher Poon | November 14, 2010

There’s a war brewing between Google and Facebook, and it appears that Facebook is set to bring out the big guns sooner rather than later.

Demo shows EA Sports MMA still has challenges to overcome ahead of release

By Christopher Poon | October 5, 2010

The much-hyped Total Strike Control has a seriously steep learning curve, even for those familiar with the Fight Night iteration of the control scheme.

Video game addiction seeks acceptance

By Christopher Poon | September 28, 2010

A DSM-5 working group has proposed the creation of an “addiction and related disorders” category but hasn’t recommended that video-game addiction be listed as a behavioural addiction.

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MMA comes into its own with UFC Undisputed video games

By Christopher Poon | July 23, 2010

You know you’ve made it when you’ve got your own video game, and boy has MMA made it.

EA Sports MMA gears up to do battle with UFC Undisputed games

By Christopher Poon | July 20, 2010

Not content to sit on the sidelines, Electronic Arts—one of the top sport-game developers in the world—has decided to try its hand at an MMA game as well.

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Vancouver musicians find video game audience with Rock Band Network

By Christopher Poon | May 25, 2010

It’s often said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. For Vancouver dance-punk band Fake Shark-Real Zombie!, this cliché holds true in the world of music-based video games.

Valveâ��s Steam video game platform lands on the Mac

Valve’s Steam video game platform lands on the Mac

By Christopher Poon | May 14, 2010

Mac users have long been on the short end of the stick when it comes to using their rigs for gaming, with publishers often releasing games strictly for Windows PC.

Fourth-generation iPhone found in bar, revealed by tech blog Gizmodo

By Christopher Poon | April 20, 2010

The folks over at Gizmodo have broke the tech news story of the year by revealing the next iteration of the iPhone.

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The Simpsons Arcade brings simple side-scrolling fun to iPhone

By Christopher Poon | April 13, 2010

To begin with, the game looks amazing. The graphics are pure Simpsons, and definitely do the show justice in this respect.

Xbox 360 to add USB storage support, report says

By Christopher Poon | March 19, 2010

It appears that Xbox 360 users will finally be granted the ability to use USB storage devices with their Xbox 360s.

Vancouver mobile game makers welcome iPadâ��s arrival

Vancouver mobile game makers welcome iPad’s arrival

By Christopher Poon | March 11, 2010

While skeptics have dismissed the iPad as uninspiring, mobile-game developers see nothing but potential.

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Rock Band 3 to be released in time for holiday shopping season

By Christopher Poon | March 9, 2010

Fans of music video games who are tired of all things ending in “Hero” may take comfort in the news that, at long last, Rock Band 3 has been officially announced.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars carjacks the iPhone

By Christopher Poon | January 26, 2010

While the control scheme may be a bit iffy, the game still delivers a truly GTA experience, chock full of drugs, gangs, and reckless driving.

Dreadnoughts charting course on sea of cider

By Christopher Poon | December 23, 2009

The Dreadnoughts have yet to make it through a St. Patrick’s Day without somebody breaking a nose at one of their gigs.

Google Chrome browser comes to Mac and Linux

By Christopher Poon | December 11, 2009

Google Chrome finally made its way over to the Mac and Linux earlier this week, more than a year after its original release for Windows.

Brutal Legend brings heavy metal to the gaming masses

By Christopher Poon | October 29, 2009

The plot itself is pretty ridiculous, but it works quite well and forces gamers into appreciating metal music like never before.

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Chilling horror video games offer escape into fear

By Christopher Poon | October 29, 2009

Horror has been explored in a variety of media, including literature and film. But only recently has it exploded onto the video-game scene.

Pearl Jam's new album, Backspacer, can be played in Rock Band video games

By Christopher Poon | September 22, 2009

Fans of the Seattle band can enjoy its ninth studio album, Backspacer, which was released on September 20, on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

iPod Nano video camera causes more of a stir than faster iPod Touch

By Christopher Poon | September 10, 2009

With Apple CEO Steve Jobs making his return to the public eye at the unveiling in San Francisco, techies around the world were shown the first images of a beefed-up iPod Nano, a modestly improved iPod Touch, and a barely bettered iPod Classic and Shuffle.

Fight Night Round 4 a definite knockout for boxing game fans

By Christopher Poon | July 14, 2009

It’s been a long time coming, but EA Sports finally released on June 25 the fourth installment in their critically acclaimed Fight Night boxing series.

Electronic Arts' Fight Night Round 4 pulls no punches

By Christopher Poon | June 25, 2009

For boxing fans, Fight Night Round 4 is a dream come true.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine video game proves stronger than the film

By Christopher Poon | May 28, 2009

It’s clear that the developers at Raven Software, the studio responsible for the successful X-Men Legends games as well as Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, were tuned-in to what fans of the characters wanted to see.

The New Yorker runs cover drawn on iPhone with Brushes app

By Christopher Poon | May 25, 2009

The June 1 edition of The New Yorker is set to be a milestone of sorts, as it will be the magazine's first issue to run with a cover drawn entirely on a mobile phone.

Google phones are finally Canada-bound

By Christopher Poon | May 11, 2009

HTC's T-Mobile G1 smartphone has its ups and its downs

By Christopher Poon | March 18, 2009

In the fall, the “Google Phone” was released as the T-Mobile G1 aka the HTC Dream. Google developed the smartphone’s operating system, Android.

The Onion reveals the “MacBook Wheel”

By Christopher Poon | January 6, 2009

The Onion News Network has scooped all the other news outlets again, this time by being the first to unveil Apple’s latest product, the MacBook Wheel.

With Wal-Mart selling iPhones, Nano rumours take off

By Christopher Poon | December 30, 2008

Validating some speculation, Wal-Mart has begun selling the iPhone in its U.S. stores, though it appears as if the US$99 four-gigabyte iPhone will remain in the rumour department for the time being.

Steve Jobs won’t speak at Apple’s last Macworld

By Christopher Poon | December 17, 2008

After years of being a part of the Macworld Conference & Expo, the annual trade show devoted to all things Mac, Apple has decided that 2009 will be its last year at the event.

Microsoft Zune phone remains a rumour

By Christopher Poon | December 15, 2008

After Apple’s iPod made its debut and completely shook up the MP3 player scene, there were rumours for years that Microsoft was working on its own MP3 player to compete with its rival.

Real life Mario Kart

By Christopher Poon | December 11, 2008

I’m just as angry as anyone else that I’m unable to throw banana peels, spiked turtle shells, or bombs at other vehicles when I’m driving.

Video games aren’t just for kids, blogger says

By Christopher Poon | December 10, 2008

Video games are written off by many as simply being for children and teenagers, but it may surprise some that the average age of gamers is actually 35 years old.

Ghostbusters video game back from the dead

By Christopher Poon | December 9, 2008

This past October was supposed to see the release of Ghostbusters: The Video Game.

Rumours of a $99 iPhone were inevitable

By Christopher Poon | December 8, 2008

AppleInsider has an interesting article up quoting an analyst that says a $99 iPhone is “inevitable”.

YouTube now broadcasts in high-definition

By Christopher Poon | December 5, 2008

Canadians spend much of their time on-line communicating

By Christopher Poon | December 5, 2008

Canadians who use the Internet are more likely to have large networks of friends and family that they interact with on-line, but are less likely to spend time with people face-to-face.

Top iPhone apps of 2008

By Christopher Poon | December 4, 2008

As 2008 draws to a close, it marks the end of the first year that the iTunes app store was available.

Logitech claims it’s made one billion computer mice

By Christopher Poon | December 3, 2008

It appears that the computer mouse has more than one reason to celebrate 2008.

Apple: Don’t believe everything our ads tell you

By Christopher Poon | December 3, 2008

In a previous post, we showed you an ad by Apple that was banned in the U.K. due to complaints of false advertising. In the U.S., a man has made similar claims, but instead of simply making a complaint, he’s taking Apple to court.

Next Lego game could feature Harry Potter

By Christopher Poon | December 3, 2008

Continuing the lucrative trend of converting popular movie franchises into Lego video games, it looks like Harry Potter will be latest addition to a line-up that already includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Batman.

Scientists make people feel like they have switched bodies

By Christopher Poon | December 3, 2008

Researchers have successfully made people feel as if they’re in another person’s body or even just a human-shaped body, according to LiveScience.

Widget brings Gmail to your desktop

By Christopher Poon | December 3, 2008

Users frustrated and upset by Gmail’s apparent lack of sympathy for those unwilling to open an Web browser to check their e-mail can now breathe a sigh of relief.

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Nokia’s new “mobile computer” a potential iPhone killer

By Christopher Poon | December 3, 2008

Finnish phone-maker Nokia has introduced a serious contender for the top spot in smartphones with its new N97 model.

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Condoleezza Rice tickles the ivories for the Queen

By Christopher Poon | December 2, 2008

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice took a break from urging and condemning things to play a small piano recital for the Queen of England yesterday (December 1).