Blogcritics Author: Mark Buckingham

How Guitar Hero Finally Made PS3's Rock Band Playable

Mark Buckingham — Sun, 5 Oct 2008 03:14:17 EDT

The patch is out. Quit struggling with EA's junky guitars and get the competition's instead.
Rock Band came out for the PS3 almost a year ago (Nov 20, to be exact). Early reports indicated problems with the instruments malfunctioning or not functioning at all, particularly the guitars. EA offered extended warranties and hassle-free replacements for DOA hardware, and is still offering the same service to this day. What's sad is that...

Movie Nuggets: Avengers, Aeon Flux, Stop-Loss, He Was A Quiet Man

Mark Buckingham — Sat, 4 Oct 2008 05:48:34 EDT

When you just don't have time for all the details.
For those who just want to know, "Should I see this or not?" without all the fluff and intellectualism (or at least minimal amounts), I present to you these bite-sized movie reviews. If you're in an abnormally large hurry, skip to the last few words of each section, as each is noted with "See it" or "Pass." So...

PC Game Review: Crysis Warhead

Mark Buckingham — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:23:14 EDT

Some improvements, some shortcomings, but overall it's a worthwhile ride for franchise fans.
Just finished the single player campaign of Crysis: Warhead. I'm not going to talk about the multiplayer component — Crysis Wars — here, as I've not dabbled in it yet. After fighting over version numbers forever in the original game's MP, I never did find a server I could join, but that's another issue. I hear...

The Wisdom of One: Guy Kawasaki On Alltop.com

Mark Buckingham — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:32:29 EDT

The former Apple evangelist opens up about his latest project.
I recently got to have a little Q&A with Guy Kawasaki, current managing director at Garage Technology Ventures, though he's spent a good deal of time working and speaking on behalf of Apple. He's still actively involved with several other organizations as well, including his latest project, Alltop.com. Alltop is described as an online...

Movie Nuggets: Azumi, Scotland, PA, Open Water, Fool's Gold

Mark Buckingham — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:55:17 EDT

Windows XP SP3 Continues a Legacy of Failure

Mark Buckingham — Sun, 7 Sep 2008 09:05:51 EDT

If you don't have Windows XP SP3, you may want to wait a while longer, especially if your system sports an AMD processor.
I'd like to extend a nice big F-U to Microsoft for releasing yet another product that's screwing up my computer (pardon my French). Windows XP SP3 has been out for a few months and I haven't heard about the world coming crashing down as a result, so I figured it might be safe to install. HA! I should have known the clowns in Redmond...

Penny Arcade Expo (PAX '08), Day Three and Final Impressions

Mark Buckingham — Mon, 1 Sep 2008 12:05:13 EDT

A strong finish and some reflection reveal a show that's greater than the sum of its parts.
The lights are out, the halls empty. The cleaning crews have descended upon the Washington State Convention Center to make it as if we, the PAX '08 attendees, were never there. Looking back on the last 72 hours, it's sad that it's over, and the entire event amounted to more than just the sum of its parts.I talked to more people...

Penny Arcade Expo (PAX '08), Day Two

Mark Buckingham — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:03:48 EDT

The second and longest day of the expo improves on a shaky start, though some problems persist.
Day Two is in the books for the Penny Arcade Expo of 2008, and while a few problems persist, overall it felt a bit more like the show I was expecting.First, I want to tie up a few things from yesterday that weren't as detailed as they could have been (that's what I get for trying to write at 4am). At the PA merch booth, they have not only...

Penny Arcade Expo (PAX '08), Day One

Mark Buckingham — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:06:55 EDT

Four years after my first visit, the annual gathering for hard-core gamers has definitely grown, but at times it still feels like a rookie endeavor.
Day One of 2008's Penny Arcade Expo, the annual gathering for hard-core gamers, in Seattle, WA has come to an end. What's the verdict so far? It's too early to say for sure if the entire weekend will be boom or bust, but my experience so far has been far from ideal.For starters, all the concert event attendees are determined by...

Product Review: Radius Atomic Bass, TruTune, and Atomic Strap Earphones

Mark Buckingham — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:36:17 EDT

One all-around contender measures up, but two specialty models garner only niche appeal.
The iPod is almost ubiquitous when it comes to MP3 players, the way Band-Aid is to bandages and Xerox is to photocopying. As the popularity of this bit of personal tech has continued exploding year after year, the search for the best way to enjoy the fruits of your auditory gizmo grows ever more difficult. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, some...