club penguin

Playing Around

Is PC Gaming Dead?

Don’t write off the desktop just yet

In an era of high-definition, online interconnected systems like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, will PC gaming go the way of coin-operated arcades? According to market research firm The NPD Group, sales of PC games precipitously declined to $701 million in 2008, a 14 percent year-on-year drop. But is the sky really falling for desktop users? A deeper look suggests not, pointing to a hobby that’s instead evolving so rapidly it would make Darwin blush.

[ Read Full Story ]

The Annual Google Zeitgeist


Google just released its annual summary of the hottest topics on the Web, the 2007 Year-End Zeitgeist. In the U.S., the fastest-rising search was—surprise, surprise—the iPhone. But besides that obvious winner, the other winners are certainly interesting. Kids clearly had some influence, as Webkinz grabbed the number two slot, and Club Penguin, a Disney-owned, child-safe online community, wasn't too far behind. The most popular lawsuit? That honor belongs to Borat. It's an interesting compilation to sort through, though not always reassuring for science-minded type. After spotting "Who is Keppler?" on the top ten list of "Who is" questions, I wondered if 2007 had brought a sudden surge of interest in the history of cosmology, even if the name wasn't spelled quite right. Alas, that's not the case. All those Internet sleuths were looking for the Keppler of CSI fame.—Gregory Mone

[ Read Full Story ]

Popular Science Photo Pool


Share your photos in the Pop Sci pool at www.flickr.com!

Subscribe for 2 free issues!

POP_embeddedForm_cover_May09.jpg