According to reports, Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) helped the U.K. economy in April. Yeah, we know the game put up some pretty good sales numbers but was it really enough to give the economy a boost? Anyway, to find out more about this, head on over to the full article for more information.

With EA's deadline for Take-Two Interactive coming up fast, a lot of people are eagerly waiting for Take-Two's reply to the game publishing giant's takeover bid. Whatever happens, though, it seems like Rockstar Games president and co-founder Sam Houser actually sees a few good things about an alliance with EA.

Sony once explained the reason that the lack of backwards compatibility for the 40GB version of the PlayStation 3 was because of cost reduction. While this is true, apparently it wasn't the only reason.

According to GameSpot, Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton explained to the Wall Street Journal that the decrease in manufacturing costs isn't that dramatic. However, Sony hopes that taking out the option to play PlayStation 2 games on the console will lead to more sales of PlayStation 3 games.

Tretton further added that research suggested that the feature won't be missed because consumers who buy the console probably already own a PlayStation 2.

In a recent article, the Wall Street Journal online reported that Sony might be quietly moving toward a video download service for its PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable platforms. Sony Chief Executive Howard Stringer is said to be behind the initiative that will compete with Apple's popular service.

The report says that those "familiar with the situation" claim that the plan involves the convergence of Sony's PS3, PSP, and Bravia high-definition TV technologies. Under the strategy, media can be downloaded and passed around via the remote viewing capabilities of the PS3 and the PSP, making material more available whether users are on the go or at home.

Movies and TV episodes are said to be in store for Sony product owners, but skeptics are already saying that Sony is entering an area which has promised more than it has delivered. Let's hope for the best if this venture ever comes to be.

A recent Wall Street Journal report describes Ken Kutaragi as a "stumbling block" to Sony CEO Howard Stringer's success. The Wall Street Journal report by Roger Ehrenberg says that Kutaragi was known for his "reluctance" to keep lines of communication open with his bosses or other departments of the company - most notably, with the Sony Electronics Division.

This bit of news is relevant to all of you console war spectators since it is the Sony Electronics Division that provides the parts for Sony PlayStation products. Not a group you'd want to upset if you're banking on the PSP or the PS3. Ehrenberg notes:

In developing the PlayStation 3 console, the device's latest iteration, Mr. Kutaragi went over budget on development costs without informing Mr. Stringer, according to a person familiar with the situation. When Mr. Stringer urged Mr. Kutaragi to have dinner with the heads of the electronics division, he did so just once a year, this person said. A spokeswoman for Mr. Kutaragi declined to comment.

Ehrenberg also cites other instances where Sony's Electronics Division, as some other bloggers so eloquently puts it, got "snubbed" by Kutaragi. We'll skip over them for now, since you're all probably sick of "negative" PS3/PSP news right now. Ehrenberg's criticism of Sony top brass though, all boils down to this:

I don't care how legendary or historically successful a manager might be - if they are unable or unwilling to adapt to the culture, the vision you, as leader, have clearly communicated, they have to go. But not two years later, after the corrosive effect of doing things "their way" has already sunk in. Having a senior manager blame other groups for his group's woes? Raising concerns of investors, suppliers and customers alike? Unacceptable everywhere and at any time in any culture.

If we are to go with this Wall Street Journal report, should we take this as a sign that Sony is going through a whole lot more than just image problems with its audience? Moreover, does this mean that Mr. Stringer is messing up with running Sony? Well, the second question can't really be answered easily, but one's thing for sure though: Stringer's got a lot of work ahead of him.

Well, it looks like Google is once again finding new ways to integrate itself into our everyday lives. And its new target? In-game advertising.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google is planning to acquire Adscape, a company which specializes in in-game advertisements. Though there has still been no official word about the matter, many are guessing that negotiations may already be happening. Meanwhile, a Google spokesperson did say this:

We are always considering new ways to extend Google's advertising program to benefit our users, advertisers and publishers. In-game advertising offers one such possible extension among many others.

It has also been noted by members of the industry that Google may have taken a fancy to Adscape because of its AdverPlay technology which allows "two-way communication between in-game ads and the outside world".

Considering that other Google applications are already starting to make their appearances in the world of gaming, could this mean that those Google text advertisements that we usually see on webpages will soon become part of the wall graffiti in your next round of CounterStrike?

Google is apparently looking to move its advertising business into the realm of video games. CNN Money reports that Google Inc. is in talks to acquire Adscape Media Inc, a closely held San Francisco firm who has developed technology that allows for the placement of ads over the Web in video games.

The Wall Street Journal cites several people familiar with the mater and reports that Google is negotiating to buy Adscape and that a deal could be reached as early as next week. For now, here's what a Google spokesperson said:

We are always considering new ways to extend Google's advertising program to benefit our users, advertisers and publishers. In-game advertising offers one such possible extension among many others.

Some members of the industry note that Google is eying Adscape because of its AdverPlay technology which enables "two-way communication between in-game ads and the outside world."

Terms being discussed are still not known. However, there was a similar deal sometime ago that we can look at to get an idea of how things will shape up. Last year, Microsoft acquired Massive Inc, a company known for the delivery of in-game ads, for almost US$ 200 million.

It is also reported that Google is discussing a possible agreement with CBS Corp that would include brokering TV and radio advertisements.

Google has declined to comment on any talks.

In life, there are winners and there are losers. But for the CES, ever wondered how they churn out awards? We'll be taking a brief look at how the CEA administers to the "Innovations Design and Engineering Award." Branching out a bit, there are 29 categories to win for this award.

Within these 29 categories, one wins the "Best of" in their category, with 17 to 18 honorees. These 17 to 18 honorees are entitled to use the award for future product endorsements. Think how movie productions use lines like "Academy Award nominee."

To apply for the award, each company submits their best wares, which is in turn scrutinized by a panel of 40 judges. The panel itself consist of a healthy mix of industry journalists, designers, officials and other specialists who make the final call.

Of the 1,000 awards nominees that a CEA spokesman mentions, the Wall Street Journal notes that 380 received some sort of award. Statistically speaking, we're looking at a 40% chance of winning even an "honoree" status, which is still good if the company is after press coverage.

Just consider this additional insight into how current awardees earned their stripes (or was it gold) in the ongoing show. Keep alert for the further awards updates.

When we think console unboxing, we're usually quick to wonder who's featuring it over at their publication: was it Gizmodo, IGN, QJ, or the other major gaming networks we've grown accustomed to? But, Wall Street Journal?

You heard it - CheapyD over at CAG announced last week that his PS3 unboxing video from November has been featured in this highly influential New York-based business paper as part of an article on unboxing videos. Unfortunately for us, we can't exactly read the words on the fuzzy image, so we can't tell you who else got featured on the article.

In related news, CheapyD also said that his video will be featured this Wednesday as the "Good Morning America" youtube video of the week, so the fans may want to set their calendars to see what's gonna be going down on the said day. Now for the bad news: CheapyD says you can't read the article online unless you're a paid subscriber. Oh well, just wait for the Wednesday vid.

So you're all set for graduation: You got your toga, you went to every frat party you can go to, heck, you even took pictures of yourself in various campus spots for that ultra nostalgic feel. You think you're all set to go out of college, except for one tiny (?), dreaded thing: THESIS.

Now, I wouldn't delve into that anymore, gruesome as it is. After all, thesis can be a pain in the ass, although it can also mark the beginning of your success story. After all, that's how flOw, the super popular flash and PS3 game, was conceived.

Jenova Chen, the creator of flOw, is a graduate student at the University of Southern California. Now, you might think he's just one ordinary guy who's intrigued at "flow theory", a psychological concept, which, according to Mr. Chen himself, "is a mental state where a human being is totally engaged in an activity he is doing, where he is so involved that he loses track of time and space. In sports, broadcasters call this 'the zone'".

Click "Full Article" to know more about flOw's success story!