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2025-01-26
An all-in-one device straight out of science fiction. While it may be hard to believe at a time when any and everybody is making gaming handhelds , there was a time when just one company dominated the portable business. Barring a few solid attempts from Neo Geo and Sega in the ‘90s, Nintendo essentially cornered the market right from its inception thanks to brand recognition, impeccable game design, and the foresight to focus on battery life over fidelity . After 15 years of the Game Boy ruling portable gaming, however, a worthy challenger in Sony finally stepped up to compete with Nintendo’s juggernaut. Few were better positioned to do so, and on paper, it couldn’t have been a better time. Sony had already bullied its way into the console market, with its first console outselling its contemporaries and the second well on its way to becoming the best-selling of all time . And with Nintendo ditching the Game Boy brand for its Dual Screen experiment , entering into the portable ring was a no-brainer. Thus, in December 2004, Sony would release the PlayStation Portable in Japan. As a handheld, the hardware would have a solid run, with plenty of games folks remember fondly even 20 years later. But its remarkable marriage of hardware and software is more impressive than any of its games. Sony’s PSP was a one-of-a-kind multimedia device far, far ahead of its time. It’s the progenitor of the iPhone Apple will never acknowledge and the great-great-grandfather of Nintendo’s Switch in spirit. The PSP deserves its flowers for being as bold as it tried to be, even if it mostly fell flat on its face. The PSP was an unfathomable device back in 2004. Not only did it play games that looked comparable to console games of the time (something most consumers thought they wanted at the time), it was capable of playing music, displaying photos, and even movies. Those in Europe and Japan could purchase attachments that allowed it to take photos or provide GPS navigation. And it didn’t need a monthly contract like the Blackberry’s totted by businessmen and women. It was an all-in-one device straight out of science fiction. And yet, here it was with its gorgeous widescreen display, Frutiger Aero face and shoulder buttons, and a damn analog stick. I got a PSP for my 12th birthday, shortly after its U.S. release. And it was every bit as unbelievable as I imagined. It was mindblowing to go from playing Need For Speed Underground to watching a UMD copy of Spider-Man 2 to listening to the two Eminem tracks I could squeeze onto the 32-megabyte memory stick the console came with. I wasn’t just living in the future. The PSP brought it to my fingertips. Things only got better by the summer as Sony added a fully functioning web browser via a free software update. For many, this was the first time we could surf the web in the palm of our hands without a cellular company charging us for the privilege. A burgeoning internet homebrew scene encouraged me to check out emulators and indie games for the first time. Up-and-coming writers were making free zines formatted for the PSP’s screen. In the mid-2000s, Sony’s handheld was its own little online ecosystem unlike any other. The PSP had a solid movie collection within a few months of launch. With all of this working in its favor, it seems like it should have become just as popular as the other consoles that came before. Alas, it did not. That weird two-screened device Nintendo released? Turns out it’s one of the greatest gaming devices of all time, once again thanks to brand recognition, impeccable game design, and the foresight to focus on battery life over fidelity (if Nintendo is anything, it's consistent). But the PSP’s shortcomings weren’t just about what the competition was doing right. While the PSP was capable of doing virtually everything, it did them all just slightly worse than more dedicated devices of the time. As a music player, the PSP was good. So long as you were willing to shell out obscene amounts of money for proprietary memory sticks, something that Apple’s increasingly popular iPod didn’t require. It also wasn’t the most ergonomically convenient device to fit into a pocket, even in the big jeans of the early-aughts. As a video player, it was awesome. But as time went on, UMD support from major movie studios was hit or miss . This coincided with portable DVD players finally becoming affordable. And while MP4s could play on the device, digital video wasn’t a thing just yet. Even the PSP’s ability to surf the web, while neat, was more of a novelty in an era where most media consumption wasn’t centered around an internet connection. The iPhone would end any chance of the PSP being taken seriously as a multimedia device by mid 2007. At launch, the PSP was the undisputed multimedia device. But by the end of 2005, everyone else was starting to catch up and fast. The iPod Video landed in November and Microsoft’s Zune followed close behind. As a gaming device, the Nintendo DS library ran circles around it as players realized mobile-friendly titles fare better than retrofitted PS2 games. By 2007, the end-all-be-all of all-in-one devices , the iPhone 4, would change humanity forever, thwarting Sony’s dream once and for all. The PSP was the stuff of dreams that Sony made into reality. The vision for what it was supposed to be was way ahead of its time, even if that vision was muddied by limitations both technical and self-imposed. Still, it should be remembered as one of the earliest affordable smart devices consumers could purchase. Video Games Technology PlayStation711 unionbank

In addition to its engaging gameplay and stunning visuals, "Play On! Hero of Souls" also offers a robust multiplayer mode that allows you to challenge friends or compete against players from around the world. Test your skills and tactics in intense one-on-one battles, or team up with a partner to take on powerful boss monsters in epic cooperative missions.Will ceasefire deal to end Israel-Hezbollah war achieve lasting peace for Lebanon?Maha cabinet expansion likely on Saturday

Utah Hockey Club walks to arena after bus gets stuck in Toronto trafficWith 3:56 left in last Sunday’s game against the 49ers, the late-afternoon sun falling on Levi’s Stadium seemed a fitting metaphor for the Seahawks’ season. Seattle had just turned the ball over on downs when Zach Charbonnet’s fourth-and-one plunge at the 49ers' 37-yard line went nowhere. That followed a Geno Smith sneak on a third-and-one that was also ruled — much to the disagreement of many on the Seahawks sideline — to have gone nowhere. A couple 49ers first downs and the game would be over. Seattle’s season might have gone with it. Instead, a third-down stop and as efficient of a game-winning drive led by Smith as you’ll ever see, and the light returned. That sequence of events pulled Seattle from being two.games back of two other teams in the NFC West — and essentially three back of the 49ers — to tied with the Rams and 49ers at 5-5 and just a game behind 6-4 Arizona. “We were trying to turn our season around," Smith said afterward. Now the task: to take proper advantage of that statistically unlikely turn of events. A script writer could hardly have crafted the story better to now have Arizona coming to Seattle for a 1:25 p.m. game on Sunday at Lumen Field that could move the Seahawks back into first place in the NFC West. As the Seahawks and Cardinals are kicking off, the 49ers will do the same at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. But the 49ers will do so without quarterback Brock Purdy and star pass rusher Nick Bosa, each ruled out due to injury. The losses of those two players propelled the betting line to flip from San Francisco favored by 2.5 when it opened to the Packers favored by as much as six on Saturday afternoon — the first time the 49ers have been an underdog since the 2022 season. Then in the night game, the Rams host an Eagles team that has won six in a row and is listed as a three-point favorite. So, to make it simple, a win by Seattle and losses by the 49ers and Rams and the Seahawks will be in first place in the NFC West by the end of the day, holding the tiebreaker for the moment on Arizona. What a swing that final 3 minutes and 56 seconds may have made in Seattle’s season, and in creating an NFC West race that appears as wide open this late in the season as it’s been in years. Coach Mike Macdonald this week didn’t shy away from stating how pivotal each week going forward figures to be with each team in the division now having had their bye and seven games remaining. “Put it this way, look, we've earned the opportunity to be fighting for the lead in the division going into the home stretch," Macdonald said. “So, that's the way we're treating it. It's very much like a playoff mindset for us at this point. (We) can't afford to drop games. You want to have the right to play for these really important games in December and January. You've got to be able to execute and put yourself in that situation. It's basically a December football game." Smith spoke similarly. “Anybody can go get this division the last seven games of the season," he said. “So, really it's going feel like playoff games, every single one. The division games are going to feel like you won two games because they're going to matter that much." Sunday’s game may loom even more critical for Seattle and Arizona since the two teams play again in Glendale on Dec. 8. Given that the Cardinals already also have wins over the Rams and 49ers, a win Sunday and possibly moving two games in front of everyone else in the division would put the Cardinals in a pretty firm driver’s seat. But a Seattle win, and the Seahawks may go to Arizona in two weeks with a chance to take control of the division, especially if Seattle can beat a downtrodden Jets team in New York on Dec. 1. Macdonald and Smith speaking candidly of the stakes at hand Sunday, though, stood in contrast to the Cardinals’ approach this week. “I’m not really looking at it that way," Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray said this week when asked how it feels to play a late-November game with so much on the line. “I’m just taking it one game at a time. I know that the guys are as well, so I think that's the message that we're preaching. No game's bigger than the other. The one that we've got right now is the biggest one. We have to win it." On paper, though, the game projects as the most important for Arizona since earning its last playoff spot following the 2021 season. Arizona has won four in a row to move into first — matching its win total for all of last season when the Cardinals went 4-13 in the first season for coach Jonathan Gannon and with Murray held to eight games while recovering from an ACL injury suffered on Dec. 12, 2022. The Cardinals winning only eight games in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined, the coaching inexperience of Gannon and some uncertainty about whether Murray could reclaim his pre-injury form had most preseason prognosticators picking Arizona last in the NFC West. But the return of Murray full-time, another good season from veteran running back James Conner and the addition of first-round pick receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has led to an improved offense. And the Arizona defense finally seems to be taking on the personality of Gannon, who got the job after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Eagles team that got to the Super Bowl following the 2022 season, particularly in keeping teams out of the end zone; the Cardinals are ninth in the NFL in red-zone defense, allowing TDs on just 17 of 35 drives inside the 20. But the Seahawks finally beating the 49ers for the first time since 2021 a week ago, and doing so after a chaotic week that included the surprising retirement of center Connor Williams, has them feeling like anything is possible. Step one, though, is winning Sunday and snapping a four-game home losing streak. “These games are going to be so electric," Smith said. “I can't wait to be in the stadium on Sunday. It's going to be so fun. We're looking forward to the fans being there and just going crazy." The Seahawks made an expected move Saturday, activating safety Rayshawn Jenkins off Injured Reserve, filling an opening Seattle had on its 53-man roster. Macdonald said Friday that Jenkins — who had been sidelined with a hand injury — is expected to play against the Cardinals. Seattle also elevated tight end Tyler Mabry and linebacker Patrick O’Connell off the practice squad for Sunday’s game. Mabry adds depth at the tight end spot with Brady Russell (foot) ruled out and Noah Fant (going) questionable. O’Connell, a second-year player from Montana, played 10 snaps on special teams last week against the 49ers and will likely fill a similar role against the Cardinals. This is the third elevation for O’Connell, the most that is allowed.

SC halts all mandir-masjid cases until 1991 Act verdict

The victim, whose name has been withheld by authorities at the request of the family, was known for her vibrant personality, engaging content, and large following on social media platforms. Fans and fellow influencers alike have expressed their grief and disbelief at the tragic turn of events that led to her untimely death.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Dallas Cowboys: Free live stream, ManningCast, Simpson broadcastDespite these obstacles, Xu Limin remains optimistic about Zhou Qi's future prospects. Through hard work, dedication, and a strong mindset, Xu Limin believes that Zhou Qi has the potential to reach new heights and become a key player in the basketball world.The attempted assassination of the United Health CEO serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the dangers that can arise in the pursuit of success. It is a sobering moment for the nation as it grapples with the implications of such a senseless act of violence.

Major Shake-Up May Be Looming For Toronto Maple Leafs Coverage In Canada, Per SourceBy Maayan Lubell TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the witness stand for the first time on Tuesday in his long-running corruption trial to give testimony that will likely force him to juggle for weeks between the courtroom and war room. Netanyahu, 75, is Israel's first sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime. He is the country's longest serving leader, having been in power almost consecutively since 2009. “I have been waiting for eight years for this moment to tell the truth,” Netanyahu told the three judges hearing the case. “But I am also a prime minister ... I am leading the country through a seven-front war. And I think the two can be done in parallel.” He smiled confidently when he entered the Tel Aviv District Court around 10 a.m. (0800 GMT). The trial was moved from Jerusalem for undisclosed security reasons and convened in an underground courtroom, a 15-minute walk from the country's defence headquarters. Before Netanyahu took the stand, his lawyer Amit Hadad laid out for the judges what the defence maintains are fundamental flaws in the investigation. Prosecutors, Hadad said,“weren’t investigating a crime, they were going after a person.” A few dozen protesters gathered outside the courthouse, some of them supporters and others demanding he do more to negotiate the release of some 100 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. Israel has been waging war in Gaza against the Palestinian militant group for more than a year, during which Netanyahu had been granted a delay for the start of his court appearances. But last Thursday, judges ruled that he must start testifying. Charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, Netanyahu will testify three times a week, the court said, despite the Gaza war and possible new threats posed by wider turmoil in the Middle East, including in neighbouring Syria. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in three cases involving gifts from millionaire friends and for allegedly seeking regulatory favours for media tycoons in return for favourable coverage. He denies any wrongdoing. In the run-up to his court date, Netanyahu revived familiar pre-war rhetoric against law enforcement, describing investigations against him as a witch hunt. He denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty. "The real threat to democracy in Israel is not posed by the public's elected representatives, but by some among the law enforcement authorities who refuse to accept the voters' choice and are trying to carry out a coup with rabid political investigations that are unacceptable in any democracy," he said in a statement on Thursday. At a Monday night press conference Netanyahu expressed outrage at the way witnesses had been treated during investigations. DIVISIONS AMONG THE ISRAELI PUBLIC Before the war, Netanyahu's legal troubles bitterly divided Israelis and shook Israeli politics through five rounds of elections. His government's bid last year to curb the powers of the judiciary further polarised Israelis. The shock Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing Gaza war swept Netanyahu's trial off the public agenda as Israelis came together in grief and trauma. But as the war dragged on, political unity crumbled. In recent weeks, while fighting abated on one front after Israel reached a ceasefire with Hamas' Lebanese ally Hezbollah, members of Netanyahu's cabinet, including his justice and police ministers, have clashed with the judiciary. His domestic legal woes were compounded last month when the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant along with a Hamas leader, for alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Additional reporting by Emily Rose; Editing by Howard Goller)

California bill would mandate armed school officers following Oroville shootingNEW YORK — A person of interest identified as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione was arrested Monday in connection to the Midtown Manhattan murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the Hilton Hotel following a five-day manhunt, police said. The break in the shocking case came when a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Penn., recognized Mangione’s face from surveillance images released by the NYPD, authorities said. The worker called in the tip and police in Altoona arrested Mangione on gun charges inside the fast food joint. He was carrying a three-page handwritten manifesto when cops found him, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters at a press conference at City Hall Monday. His writings were critical of the health care industry and included complaints about how the industry treated a sick relative, police sources told the Daily News. “It does seem he has some ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters. The elusive shooter was the suspect of an intense search since the Wednesday shooting, with police scouring surveillance footage and using drones, dogs, scuba divers, and the NYPD’s high-tech “domain awareness system” in attempt to track his moments via bicycle, cab and bus. Mangione was carrying a gun that appears to match the murder weapon seen in security video of the shooting, police sources said. He also had a suppressor for the firearm, “both consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” Tisch said, as well as clothing and a mask “consistent” with the shooter’s garb. He was carrying a fake ID which matched the ID used to check into the hostel, she said. He had several fake IDs, including a U.S. passport, police said. “The gun appears to be a ghost gun, may have been made on a 3D printer,” Kenny added. Mangione was not on investigators’ radar prior to the tip and police didn’t have his name before Monday, officials said. “The combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what lead to this result today,” Tisch said. Added Kenny, “I really couldn’t put it on one thing but if I had to I’d put it on the release of that photograph from the media.” NYPD detectives were on their way to Pennsylvania to interview the suspect Monday afternoon. Mangione graduated top of his high school class and went on to major in computer science at University of Pennsylvania. Included on an online list of books Mangione read this year is Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski’s “Industrial Society and its Future”, which he rated four out of five stars. Police sources said Mangione’s manifesto used language similar to his online writings about Kaczynski. Mangione graduated as valedictorian of the private, all-boys Gilman School in 2016, according to the Baltimore school’s website. In a recap of the graduation ceremony posted on the site, Mangione is quoted as commending his classmates for their “inventive, pioneering mentality that accompanies a strong commitment to Gilman tradition.” Mangione’s last known address is Honolulu, Hawaii, police said. He has connections to San Francisco and no arrest history in New York City. His cousin is Nino Mangione, a GOP lawmaker who represents a suburban Baltimore district in the state’s House of Delegates, the lawmaker’s office confirmed Monday. There is no indication that Nino Mangione had any ties to the shocking assassination. Police were offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the gunman’s capture as the search for the masked shooter continued. The FBI also offered $50,000 for information resulting in an arrest and conviction of the suspect. Harrowing surveillance footage shows the suspect creeping up and shooting Thompson in the back on W. 54th St. near Sixth Ave. about 6:45 a.m. Wednesday. The 50-year-old CEO of the Minnesota-based company was approaching the Hilton to help prepare for an investor day conference, officials said. After shooting Thompson in the back, the gunman then coolly clears a jam in his pistol before firing at least three more times, the video shows. He fled the scene on a bicycle and disappeared in Central Park but cops picked up his trail late Wednesday night on the Upper West Side. Cops found the words “Deny,” “Delay,” and “Depose” written on the bullets — a supposed insurance industry mantra for delaying claims and maximizing profits — leading police to believe that the killer has a beef with the insurance industry. The gunman arrived in New York City on a Greyhound bus from Atlanta more than a week before unraveling his murder plot. NYPD detectives, with the help of Port Authority police, managed to track the gunman’s movements from when he first arrived in the city. Police sources said the suspect arrived in the city on a Greyhound bus from Atlanta on the evening of Nov. 24. He found his way to the HI New York City Hostel on Amsterdam Ave. near W. 104th St., where cops recovered images of the suspect without a mask and smiling at someone behind the reception desk. The hostel staffer reportedly got the suspect to smile by flirting with him and asking him to pull down his mask to “see his handsome face.” Police do not believe Mangione was trying to flee the country, Kenny said. When the tipster spotted him, the Chief of Detectives added, “He was sitting there, eating.” (Daily News staff writer David Goldiner contributed to this story.) ©2024 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


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