Brandon Dimmel

For centuries, historians and scientists have sought the meaning behind Stonehenge's construction. Built around 3000 BC, it has taken a very, very, very long time for anyone to truly unravel the mystery of its creation...until now. According to ... researchers at Britain's University of Sheffield, the country's much-visited Stonehenge was used as a cemetery from its early beginnings and very likely began its existence as a resting place for a local elite and generations of descendants. That elite, it is being speculated, could have even represented a very primitive ruling dynasty. Archaeologists ... (view more)

Across the web, the hype surrounding the Nintendo Wii is reaching a fever pitch. To be sure, the console has been popular from the get-go in November, 2006, but with the introduction of 'Wii Fit' -- a game that recently made CNET refer to the Wii as ... the only 'ethical' purchase -- fanfare is off the charts. According to reports, Wii Fit -- which promises all the exercise of a workout without -- gasp! -- stepping outdoors, has sold out across the United States within one week of becoming available to the wider public. Like the console for which it was made, the game is becoming very hard to ... (view more)

We're well aware that Rock Band and Guitar Hero have raked in plenty of cash for their makers, Electronic Arts and Activision, respectively. But, how have the artists whose music has appeared in those games fared after taking part in such a ... phenomenon? There certainly have been many rockers willing to take a chance on either game. Between three versions of Guitar Hero and a single (but very successful) Rock Band, a few hundred songs have been available at purchase, with access to even more through download (from Microsoft's Xbox Live or PlayStation 3's online service). Heck, there was even a ... (view more)

This past Christmas, most gamers wanted a Nintendo Wii. The little white console was in serious demand, and that meant it rarely made its way to that cozy little place nestled under the Christmas tree. The next best thing was surely Electronic Arts' ... Rock Band, the game simulating the life of a grungy, coke-sniffing rock star. Like the Wii, Rock Band was also tough to get your hands on. Launched first for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it offered a nice runner-up prize for those gamers unable to find Nintendo's console. It was also a great little gift for the hardcore gamer -- and there are ... (view more)

About a year and a half ago, Microsoft marked the one-year anniversary of its Xbox 360 launch with the release of one of its most anticipated games ever: Gears of War. The violent, action-packed story of barbaric foot soldiers fighting a futuristic ... war won gamers around the world over, and at a recent Microsoft Game Studios event many got the chance to see the next in the already beloved series. Also on showcase: Fable 2, the Role Playing Game (RPG) that gives gamers the chance to choose to be good or (very) bad in a fantasy world; a new Ninja Gaiden, the visually-astounding slasher; and Too ... (view more)

According to reports, Napster has now launched what it describes as the world's "largest and most comprehensive MP3 store at www.napster.com/store ." Boasting a massive library and most importantly DRM-free music, the formerly illegal but now very ... law-abiding download site has an edge in its battle with online music retail goliath iTunes. Though its prices aren't drastically different than its major rival (songs are 99 cents each and just under ten bucks for MP3 albums), almost the entire Napster library is free of that wonderfully-frustrating DRM. For those that haven't heard, DRM (Digital ... (view more)

What's worse for religious followers than declining church attendance and the rising popularity of violent video games, erotic movies, and the entire hip hop culture? Perhaps news that one of the twentieth century's most revered minds regarded ... religion as "pretty childish" and dismissed the notion that the Jewish people could be a "chosen people". Those words were actually written by Albert Einstein in a 1954 letter mailed to philosopher Eric Gutkind. The physicist's scribbled note reveals a lot about the personal beliefs of the genius largely credited for first splitting the atom, and it ... (view more)

PC gaming fans will want to take note of a major move by Dell this week: according to reports, the company will be dropping the majority of its powerful XPS line of systems. The muscular PCs are meant exclusively for gaming purposes, some even ... marketed for specific titles (like the XPS 'World of Warcraft' laptop). The move is part of a broad attempt by Dell to resurrect its fortunes in the computer retail market. The popular online seller recently fell behind long time competitor Hewlett Packard, losing its grip on first place in the U.S. Though Dell will continue to offer a few of its lower- ... (view more)

Yesterday, our own Bill Lindner reported on rumored difficulties with Microsoft's most recent update to its Windows XP operating system. According to reports, the most fiendish of these problems has affected AMD chipsets. What Bill Lindner reported ... yesterday was devastating enough. According to his article , updates through Windows XP Service Pack 3 barred users from reverting back to Internet Explorer 6 from Internet Explorer 7. That has annoyed many users already, especially businesses. Many are also reporting that those affected machines are predominantly Hewlett-Packard computers. (Source ... (view more)

Grand Theft Auto IV ("GTA IV") is a retail phenomenon. By all accounts, it has raked in more sales than any game in history, making GTA IV a retailer's dream come true. However, the buck may not end there -- in fact, GTA IV is now acting as a prime ... marketing tool for music artists. When it shipped last week, Grand Theft Auto IV hit retailers like a sports car through a shop window (uh, you can do that in the game). Long midnight line ups and millions of pre-orders soon gave way to top-ranking reviews, with many experts calling the game the best ever released. With that kind of attention, it ... (view more)