CrazyMFW writes "'The Helix Loaded', a feature length spoof of the Matrix, has been unveiled to coincide with the general release of The Matrix Revolutions. At LA screenings of the third matrix installment, customers are being handed CD-ROMS shaped like a Red Pill or a Blue Pill. The CD-ROM includes a teaser trailer as a quicktime movie, and directs users to the web site for The Helix. The teaser trailers can also be downloaded from the site. No release date is mentioned for the film, but it does promise several further teaser installments at 2 week intervals - so we should learn more in the next couple of months. From the brief clips it looks like they've done a good job imitating the Matrix CGI on a low-budget."

pvt_medic writes "MSNBC is reporting that there soon will be a Miss Digital World Competition. "'MISS DIGITAL WORLD' is the first beauty contest for the likes of videogame heroine Lara Croft and computer-cloned actresses from the "Matrix" films and new beauties tweaked to perfection with 3D graphics." The website for the competition is still under construction at MissDigitalWorld.Com"

shelleymonster writes "The Matrix Revolutions was released worldwide at 9 AM EST today. With a running time of 2 hr. 9 min., I'm expecting the /. reviews to start pouring in around 11:30. Since critics are saying things like, "Matrix finale could put you back in a coma," and, "The final episode is a slam-bang, dreary mess," I'm curious to hear some real fans' reactions." Many readers have pointed to the BBC's review; they were not amused. Were you? Update: 11/05 17:17 GMT by T : Read on for one reader's (spoiler-free) first impression.

Thanks to 1UP for their 'Cinemascope' feature interviewing notable videogame designers about their favorite movies. Many favorites have relatively little direct connection to the subject's videogame work, but Viewtiful Joe's Hideki Kamiya chooses (TV series) Kamen Rider, and the piece elaborates: "Both Kamen Rider and Viewtiful Joe are about normal guys who become masked superheroes, right down to using the phrase 'Henshin!' (Japanese for 'transform'") to power up." Warren Spector also points out: "Everyone thinks Deus Ex was influenced by The Matrix, but it really wasn't. Other than throwing in a cheat that textured the world with a bunch of scrolling green text, a la The Matrix, we were so far along in development on Deus Ex by the time we saw The Matrix there wasn't time for us to have been influenced even if we'd wanted to steal stuff!"

Thanks to GameSpy for their article discussing the realities of building MMOG world based on existing licenses. They point out: "The rush is on. Star Wars Galaxies, released this past summer, was only the beginning. Middle-Earth Online is gearing up to bring The Lord of the Rings to life... The Matrix Online, still secretive, is a real noodle bender: A virtual reality based on living life inside a virtual reality?" But, as Will Wright points out: "Books and movies are by definition very linear properties, as seen from a single protagonist's point of view. That's very hard to put into an online world." The article concludes: "Most agree that great licensed games have to be based on a sense of place, as opposed to character."

dr.matrix writes "Read in Heise (German) how Tholos Systems wants to create a huge outdoor 360 degree video conference between all european capitals, starting with London and Vienna." Pretty impressive technology, but the purpose is still a bit unclear.

lperdue writes "One of the big problems with making robots more in tune with their environment is the lack of a "skin" with many, many embedded sensors --like we have as humans. Now, New Scientist is reporting that electrical engineers Sigurd Wagner and Stephanie Lacour from Princeton University have developed g a prototype using corrugated gold foil in an elastic matrix that could do the job."

Irvu writes "According to The Register Georgia has pulled out of the Justice Department's Multi-State Terrorism Information Exchange project (aka "Florida's TIA"). This project has been covered on (Slashdot and on Google News). The story has a choice quote from the Governor of Georgia on his withdrawal from the program: 'The criminal, prison, and sexual predator information previously submitted will remain part of the database. This information is relevant to the crime fighting purpose of the pilot project, but personal information of law-abiding citizens is not.'"

captain igor writes "IMAX.com is reporting that Matrix Revolutions is going to be released at select IMAX theatres on November 5th, with a wider range of theatres picking the movie up shortly thereafter. (Link includes list of IMAX theatres that will premier the movie.)" We mentioned earlier this year that the Matrix sequels would be Imax-sized.

sdirector writes "'Warner Bros. has announced that in a whoa-worthy bit of synchronicity The Matrix Revolutions, the concluding chapter in the Wachowski brothers' hit sci-fi trilogy, will be released simultaneously in nearly 70 countries.'"

wishes writes "It appears Matrix fans have banded together to create the fanimatrix. From the Trailer it's not just an amateur event either. Release date is 27th September. " From the trailer, the movie actually looks good!

Escape Tangent writes "The full theatrical trailer for The Matrix: Revolutions was posted just moments ago at thematrix.com. Choose your poison, then oogle at the eyecandy. Here are links to the high, medium, and low resolutions. Sorry folks, Quicktime 6 only." This trailer is much longer than the earlier TV spots, but they're still available.

An anonymous reader writes "The entries to GBADev.org's yearly Gameboy Advance development competition have been released - it's always nice to see what the amateur GBA developers can churn out. Over $1100 in cash and about the same amount in other prizes are up for grabs!" There's some pictures from the 24 games and 5 demos available (scroll down), and highlights include hex-based puzzle game, Matrix Advance, the 2D top-down racer, Critical Velocity, and 9Wires' great-looking isometric 3D adventure, Space Twins.

Aidtopia writes "Computer Graphics pioneer Andrew Glassner has a cool page on virtual cinema. The Matrix Reloaded introduced us to virtual cinema--re-rendering live action to show it in a way that would be difficult or impossible in real life. Glassner takes this much further by using unusual (and physically impossible) camera distortions, morphing multiple points of view simultaneously in single continuous image. Could this be the next big revolution in film? How long until we see a movie done like this?"

Malfourmed writes "The Sydney Morning Herald is running a story on web based comics and how the new medium can change the traditional "left-to-right in a rectangular frame" paradigm. Concentrating on the work of Scott McLoud it also mentions geek favourites Dilbert and The Matrix, among others. Micropayments are discussed, with the article claiming that after you pay your 25 cents "most of which goes straight to McCloud, cutting out the middlemen that make it difficult for comic artists to make a living from their work, and in the process doing justice to their talents." One of the more interesting sites discussed is the Oz Comics 24 Hour Gallery, the result of a competition in which artists had 24 hours to create an original, 24-page comic. So popular was the contest that the server suffered from a veritable slashdot effect."

aerojad writes "The new Matrix Revolutions trailer is now available for download (direct link) on the official site. If you have plugin/bandwidth issues, there are also BitTorrent links available. For those wondering, there is more to it than you saw at the end of Reloaded." In related news, an anonymous reader points to the BBC News report that: "The makers of the Matrix films are considering only promoting the third film, Matrix Revolutions, for next year's Oscars. Warners, which produced the films, had considered pushing for both of them to be nominated as a single entry because they were shot on the same 240-day shoot, but the academy refused."

Thanks to Smartmoney.com for their report into GameStop's second-quarter financial results, which revealed "a 31% surge in videogame software sales", although a drop from last year's hardware-discounted highs, and "better-than-expected performance in stores." According to the report, "...the company said videogame-software sales were 'very strong' for the quarter, with leading titles such as 'Enter The Matrix' from Atari Inc., 'NBA Street: Volume 2' and 'NCAA Football 2004' from Electronic Arts Inc. and 'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' from LucasArts." Most interestingly, GameStop indicated they're expecting "...further hardware price reductions 'or similar promotional activities' during the third quarter", a move that may include the rumored $99 GameCube price drop which IGN Cube are confidently predicting for the end of September.

wehe writes "The Linux on Laptops Manufacturer Report Card was updated. The changes are based on some of the criticisms the first announcement at SlashDot has got. A matrix of Original Equipment Manufacturers - OEM relations was added together with tips and tricks how to identify the original laptop manufacturer. Also a list of Linux laptop and PDA resellers was added. Unfortunately even in our times of Linux success, support by laptop manufacturers is seldom, or if provided not much helpful. Though the marketing departments of some major manufacturers have announced Linux support for their laptops sometimes, it was not developed or silently dropped. Because of the rapid development (every manufacturer creates new models almost every three months) and the specific hardware of mobile computer devices and accessories (see Linux Mobile Guide for details), it is important to have current and reliable information about their Linux compatibility. A current example is Intel`s new Centrino(TM) technology. Though there are many Linux laptop installation reports available already, Intel still does not provide full Linux support yet. Note: the URL of the original "Linux on Laptops Manufacturer Report Card" has changed from MobiliX to TuxMobil, because of severe trademark trouble with Asterix and Obelix, as reported on SlashDot."

Thanks to GameSpy for posting a column discussing the increasing prevalence of serious bugs and glitches in console titles, especially in relation to several of this summer's 'blockbusters'. Singled out are Enter The Matrix: "Even if you enjoy the game.. you can't ignore the fact that all three console makers let Atari have a 'get out of final approval free card' when it came to testing...", as well as the new Tomb Raider title: "AOD froze up on me at least half a dozen times... Lara fell through invisible gaps in the street, walked through invisible gaps in walls, and refused to walk up stairs that she was supposed to be able to climb." What's to be done when, as the author says, "judging from the sales of these... titles, enough of you guys just aren't punishing the companies for releasing sub-par products to make a difference"?

cEnTiBeE writes that this is "not about the Matrix," but rather about Near Earth Object tracking. "It's accomplished by a staff of 2.5 people watching to see when any 'vermin of the sky' plan to pay earth a visit. This piece titled Keeper of the Objects is in the August '03 issue of Scientific American."