Check out the new U.S. Navy Radar by Raytheon

Filed under 'S' for 'Scary Stuff!' - Raytheon's new radar system is so powerful that it will allow your not-so-average Arleigh Burke classs of destroyer to track pretty much anything...including satellites!  Cnet has thrown up some concept photos from the company formally known as 'Hughes' (a.k.a Howard Hughes) about what it will look like and more importantly: what it will track.

In a connected (I think) topic, I overheard an interesting segment on BBC Radio 4 this morning regarding a new book entitled 'DarkMarket: Cyberthieves,' based on the infamous forum site of the same name (since shut down).  The author, Bodley Head, put in a unique effort by contacting various hackers around the world to get the story from 'behind the keyboard' and what he discovered was shocking.  Every month, vicious and successful hacking attacks against major organisations suchs as banks, defence agencies and government offices are occurring without report.  Much of these attacks are state-sponsered and I suspect that the U.S. is now counting mobile 'Satellite Killing' amongst its 'must have' arsenal of weapons. 

If the war on Cyber crime has a physical form, this is undoubtedly it...for all the good it could possibly do.

Team Meat slams Microsoft, praises Steam

If there was ever any doubt in the Xbox fanboy mind that Microsoft isn't only concerned about profit and greed, this story is sure to shake foundations.  Next-gen is reporting on an interview by Indiegames (delivered via podcast) with Team Meet founder Tommy Refenes.  Tommy was quite vocal about their disappointment with Microsoft and Xbox Live Arcade.  Considered one of the premier indy launch titles on XBLA, Super Meat Boy has already reached cult status with gamers although the initial sales momentum has long since disappaited. 

Most people will agree that, as with all things game-wise, after a while the interest drops so you need to boost sales again with a nicely-promoted discount; something that Microsoft has employed on many occassions with older XBLA titles.  Team Meat has been badgering Microsoft for months to include 'Super Meat Boy' in one of their many sales but despite being pestered monthly, Microsoft has refused without explanation or dialogue.  Steam, on the other hand " is a fucking powerhouse" according to Tommy Refenes.  He spoke very fondly of Gabe Newell's PC-based distribution platform saying that nothing compares to it nor the support its people lend developers such as Team Meat.

When asked about their relationship with Microsoft, Refenes indicated "I don't think we'll work with them ever again."  Considering the industry buzz that Team Meat has created with their initial offering, this represents a potentially huge loss for Microsoft and continues to raise concern over who is really running Microsoft's Xbox division and whether they have any clue what they are doing...or worse, do they even care?