If you're a fan of the Lost TV show, you're no doubt aware that the long wait for season four is almost over. If you're also a fan of games, which is implied by the fact that you're reading this, you should likewise be aware that a game inspired by the popular show is scheduled for release next month. We've seen very little of Lost: Via Domus since it was announced more than 18 months ago, which is why we jumped at the chance to check out a near-finished Xbox 360 version of the game during a recent visit to Ubisoft's San Francisco office.



Set during the first two seasons of Lost, Via Domus is an adventure game in which you'll assume the role of an all-new character whose storyline intertwines with those of other castaways instantly recognizable from the show. Your name is Elliott, you were a passenger on the Oceanic 815 flight out of Sydney that crashed on an uncharted island somewhere in the Pacific, and--like oh so many game protagonists before you--you're suffering from amnesia. None of the other survivors on the island know who you are except for one, and given that he makes it clear early on that he dislikes (read: wants to kill) you, there's really only one person who can help you to remember, and that's you.
You'll piece together your fragmented memories via playable flashback sequences that involve more shooting than perhaps any other aspect of the game--with a camera, that is. It seems that your character was a photojournalist in his previous life, and after being afforded a look at torn pieces of a photograph, your goal in each flashback sequence is to take the photo depicted in them. For example, the first flashback takes place while flight 815 is boarding and tasks you with shooting a photo of the handcuffed fugitive Kate being handed a bottle of water by the marshal who's escorting her onto the plane. Having successfully completed that flashback--in which you'll also have an opportunity to look around the plane and at your precrash possessions--you'll remember seeing Kate's predicament in the present day and will have the option to broach the subject with her in a subsequent conversation.

It should come as no surprise to anyone even vaguely familiar with Lost that Via Domus isn't a shooter; there's not nearly enough ammunition on the island for that. Rather, Lost: Via Domus is a story-driven adventure game in which action scenes will serve to punctuate quests that primarily involve exploration and conversation. The only truly action-oriented sequence that we saw during our demo, in fact, was when we were chased through the jungle by the Black Smoke (it's exactly what it sounds like: a big, black cloud of smoke). The chase played out much like those you might have previously experienced in platform games: We used the analog stick to run and to avoid areas of mud and water that slowed us down, while two of the controller's face buttons were used to jump and to duck obstacles, respectively.
The start of your adventure more or less coincides with the start of season one. You find your way to the beach with some help from Vincent (that's the dog), and when you arrive you see that Jack (that's the doctor) is busy trying to help other would-be survivors. True to character, he wastes no time enlisting your help. You're asked to deal with a potentially dangerous fuel leak from the plane engine that's still roaring on the beach. This puzzle, like many others in the game, involves arranging differently shaped fuses on an electrical board to divert power where it's needed. Fuses, we're told, were scattered all over the island when Oceanic flight 815 crashed, and considering that these puzzles can be solved only if you have the correct fuses in your possession (it's highly unlikely that you ever won't), you'll do well to pick up any that you see.



Your primary objective in Lost: Via Domus, as is alluded to in the Latin portion of the title, is to find a way home. Of course, you'll be exploring plenty of locations along the way, and although the events of the game are set solely during seasons one and two of the TV show, there will be opportunities to visit locations that were never shown until season three. Furthermore, Lost: Via Domus will let you explore environments that have never been fully revealed in the show, including the Black Rock interior and the area behind the mysterious magnetic wall inside the Swan. Other locales that ended up not being story-critical in the game (we know of at least two, but don't want to spoil the surprises for you) can still be explored, though they're present only as hidden Easter eggs that you'll have to jump through hoops to reach.
Interestingly, Lost: Via Domus is divided up into episodes similarly to the show, even to the extent that each episode starts with a recap of the previous one and ends with a show-style cliffhanger. Besides being faithful to the experience of watching Lost on TV, the episodic structure of the game has afforded the development team a relatively easy way to have time pass on the island as your adventure progresses. For example, while playing through the first episode, you'll notice that the castaways aren't really functioning as a group yet and are wandering around the beach looking for possessions lost in the accident. If you attempt to talk to the character Sun, you'll also notice that she responds only in Korean. In later episodes, just like in the show, Sun will speak in English (she kept her language lessons a secret from her husband), and the beach is covered with makeshift shelters constructed from crash debris and other materials found on the island.

To talk too much about the events that we saw transpire during our demo would risk spoiling the story that's such a big part of Lost: Via Domus. We can tell you that you'll be doing a lot more with your favorite characters from the show than just talking to them, though. For instance, you'll get to go hunting for boars with Locke and, given that even the game doesn't include a map of the island, you can assist Sayid in his efforts to draw one. We can also tell you that you'll be spending plenty of time in darkened labyrinthine tunnels where, among other things, you'll need a good supply of flashlight batteries. Like everything else in the castaways' postcrash world, batteries are a valuable commodity that you'll need to either scavenge for yourself or acquire through trades with other characters. Practically every item that you pick up on the island has an approximate monetary value associated with it, so, for example, you might find that you're able to swap a $50 "Apollo" candy bar for any number of more commonly available (though much more useful) items.
We didn't get to spend nearly as much time with Lost: Via Domus as we would've liked on this occasion, particularly considering that this was our first opportunity to play it and the game's release is only a little more than a month away. We came away from our meeting with Ubisoft feeling confident that fans of Lost will get a kick out of joining their favorite characters on the island, but we're not entirely convinced that the game's conversations and exploration will be nearly as interesting for the rest of you. The action sequences and puzzles certainly have a more universal appeal, but those appear to have been designed with the TV audience rather than gamers in mind, and are unlikely to pose a significant challenge. We look forward to bringing you more information on Lost: Via Domus in the not-too-distant future.

Motorola OEM Wireless Bluetooth Headset H500 (Pink Edition)

Motorola OEM Wireless Bluetooth Headset H500 (Pink Edition)
Streamlined and sophisticated, the Motorola Bluetooth Headset H500 provides wireless connectivity and convenience. Combining an ergonomic design and versatile ear hook, this sleek headset can be worn on either ear. Created to be ultra comfortable, the Motorola H500 is so easy to wear that you’ll forget you even have it on! But don’t be fooled by its good looks – this petite powerhouse provides impressive battery power to boot and an omni-directional microphone to clearly pick up your voice. A perfect companion for a variety of Bluetooth compatible 1.2- and 1.1-enabled mobile phones, the Motorola H500 is a must-have accessory for communicating in style.

Ergonomically Enhanced
Offering improved comfort and sound quality over its predecessor, the Motorola H500 provides a sleek, ergonomic design that fits to your ear, allowing for comfortable wear over extended periods and providing an enhanced seal for outstanding audio performance. Style and comfort are only part of this package – the headset boasts up to 8 hours of talk time** or 130 hours of standby time** from a single charge, giving you plenty of juice for all of your wireless connections!

Mod Multi-tasker
Whether you are managing the office or party planning on-the-go, the Motorola H500 is perfect for multi-tasking with flair. Equipped with a multifunction button it’s easy to place, receive or end calls – all from one button! Conversations will occur sans interruptions, as the vivid blue LED light provides a visual cue to others – or if blue is not your color; you have the option of turning off the LED light.

Free and Easy
Don’t be tied down by wires. The Motorola H500 works with you to help you communicate on the go – connecting with devices up to 30 feet away. Or give your mobile a rest and connect with your Bluetooth-enabled PC for hands-free Voice over IP (VoIP)* use.


SUMMARY OF FEATURES:

* Compatible with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, PCs, PDAs, printers that support headset and hands-free profiles2
* Ergonomic earhook with improved back housing design to form fit to your ear
* Enhanced audio performance
* Up to 8 hours of talk time** and 130 hours of standby time**
* Multi-function button to control 3-way calling, call start and end, hold, mute
* Removable earhook to allow the headset to be worn on either ear
* Advanced volume controls include orientation technology to assure that volume controls will always be upright
* Blue LED light to notify when the headset is in use, or turn off this feature if you choose
* Bluetooth* 1.2 provides quicker pairing, better audio with less dropped calls and reduced interference from other devices1

You can trust the high quality and performance of original accessories.


COMPATIBILITY:
You may click on the model to see all its available accessories.
Compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone

Lost Season 1 -EP 4 Walkabout - Plot (Spoiler)

When boars raid the fuselage, Jack decides it has to be burned. Four days after the crash the survivors discover that their food is exhausted, and wonder what to do. Locke reveals the many hunting knives he possesses and suggests they should hunt boar in the jungle, and he, Kate and Michael set out to do so. Michael first enlists Sun to look after Walt until he returns. Sayid gives Kate the transceiver and asks her to find a signal.

In a flashback, Locke is at work in an office building playing a game of Risk during his lunch hour. His manager, Randy, taunts him when he discovers that Locke is going on an Australian walkabout, saying that there are things that Locke can't do in his condition. "Don't tell me what I can't do," Locke says angrily.

At home in his studio apartment, Locke is talking to a woman named Helen on the phone and tells her of his walkabout opportunity. He invites her to go to the walkabout, but she declines and says that she does not meet customers. She then tells Locke that continuing the conversation will mean charging for another hour, but that he "can't afford it". He says he doesn't care about the money, but she hangs up on him. Locke angrily hangs up his phone.

Michael is injured and Locke is thrown off of his feet while hunting, while Kate escorts Michael to the beach and Locke continues (after having a strange episode with his legs going numb apparently). Along the way she climbs a tree to use the transceiver, but when she sees the monster she drops it, and the transceiver breaks. Locke has a close encounter with the monster. However, instead of running from it, he stands his ground.

At the beach the castaways are clearing supplies out of the fuselage. Claire decides to lead a memorial ceremony for the deceased passengers. Boone suggests that Jack talk to Rose, who has been somewhat distant since their arrival on the island. Rose tells Jack that her husband, who was in the tail section of the plane when it crashed, is still alive. Michael and Kate return to camp. Sayid is angry that Kate broke the transceiver. When she goes to tell Jack about Locke, Jack sees a man in a suit walk into the jungle. Jack chases after him and Kate follows. They find Locke covered with blood with a slain wild boar.

In a flashback, Locke is in Australia talking to one of the leaders on the walkabout. He refuses to let Locke come because of his condition, saying it's too big of a risk for the insurance company. As the man gets up to leave, Locke is revealed to be in a wheelchair. In a flashback to minutes after the crash, Locke is lying on his back in the sand. He wiggles his toes, then slowly and clumsily stands up when Jack asks him for help with the man under the wreckage.

That night, Claire holds a memorial service for the dead passengers using information she found in their passports, wallets, and luggage. Charlie takes a hit of heroin before attending; his stash is running low. Jack is not among the group.

Lost Season 1 -EP 3 Tabula Rasa- Plot (Spoiler)

The group tends to the marshal, and in the process, Jack learns about Kate's past.

The signal party returns down the mountain, but decides not to tell the others about the French transmission. When a fight breaks out over who should keep the gun, they agree to give it to Kate. When they get back Kate secretly tells Jack about the French transmission.

In flashbacks, Kate is in Australia and is awakened by a farmer, Ray, who wants to know why she is sleeping in his barn. Using the alias Annie, Kate is offered a job on the farm. When she later leaves the farm, she accepts a ride from Ray to the train station, but learns that he is planning on turning her in to the authorities for reward money. When she sees the marshal driving behind them, she jerks the wheel and causes the vehicle to crash off the road. When trying to save Ray, though, she loses her chance to escape.

Walt finds Locke playing backgammon, which he explains the history of. Locke then reveals to Walt a secret about the island. Michael asks Walt about Locke, and instructs his son to stay away from the man. Walt says that Locke's secret is that a miracle happened to him. Michael looks for the dog Vincent in the jungle and stumbles upon a topless Sun washing herself. Locke eventually finds the dog by using a dog whistle that he made, but he gives the dog to Michael, saying that he thinks Walt's father should be the one to find the dog.

The marshal's loud moans of pain take a toll on the group. He tells Jack he wants to speak to Kate alone. While she is in the tent, Hurley tells Jack that Kate has a gun. Jack sees Kate leave the tent, and they hear the gun being fired. Sawyer walks out of the tent and says he did what had to be done. However, the cries continue, and Sawyer reveals that he shot him in the chest, not in the head. He was aiming for his heart but missed. The bullet pierced the Marshall's lung thereby prolonging his death. Jack throws an extremely shaken Sawyer out of the tent and then euthanized the Marshall. He then walks out of the tent in cold sweat.

Kate offers to tell Jack what she did, but he declines grimly stating that their past lives aren't really important seeing as how everyone aboard the plane is evidently dead to the world.

Lost Season 1 -EP 1&2 Pilot - Plot (Spoiler)

"Part 1"

Jack Shephard awakens in the jungle, disoriented, battered and bruised, noticing for a fleeting moment a yellow Labrador retriever darting through the bamboo forest. As he attempts to gather his thoughts, he discovers a small bottle of vodka in his suit pocket. Finally able to stand, he crashes through the jungle vegetation and emerges onto an expansive beach, where he is confronted by the carnage of the airplane crash of Oceanic Flight 815 piloted by Seth Norris portrayed by Greg Grunberg. Jack, a distinguished surgeon, darts from one survivor to the next, organizing the survivors, giving orders and administering medical aid. In quick fashion, he rescues a man pinned under wreckage, assists the pregnant Claire and enlists Hurley to watch her, and administers CPR to Rose, saving her life.

After the initial shock of the crash passes, Jack retreats to a quiet area beyond the beach to tend to his own minor injuries when he notices Kate watching him. He asks for assistance, which she reluctantly gives, and helps suture the wound on his back. During the procedure, Kate reveals that their plane had broken apart in mid-air. Hours later on the beach, while Kate curiously observes Jack tending to a critically-injured unconscious passenger, survivors Michael and Walt discuss what to do with the bodies in the wreckage, while an uninterested Sawyer looks on. Sayid organize a clean-up crew, while Hurley salvages meals from the plane's galley and distributes them to the survivors. Shannon refuses chocolate offered by her brother Boone, believing that rescue is imminent.

That night, the peacefulness of the camp is disturbed by loud roaring noises and crashing trees emanating from the nearby jungle. In the morning, Jack decides that the survivors need to send a distress signal to have any hope of rescue, and he believes the best solution is to use the plane's transceiver, located in the cockpit of the plane. Kate claims to have seen smoke from somewhere within the jungle and asks to come with Jack to find what is hoped to be another part of the plane's wreckage. With Kate and Charlie, Jack sets off into the jungle to find the cockpit. As they move deeper into the jungle, they encounter a sudden rainstorm. When the trio finds the plane, resting against a tree, they are forced to climb through the rows of seats to reach the cabin. Inside, they find the pilot still in his seat. Charlie disappears into the bathroom while Jack and Kate find the pilot awaking with a start from a concussion. He tells them that the plane had lost radio contact six hours after take off, where it turned back for Fiji and hit turbulence. The plane was a thousand miles off course when it crashed.

Meanwhile, on the beach during the rainstorm, a group of survivors takes refuge in the wreckage. While huddled there, a young Korean man, Jin, tells his wife, Sun, that she should remain close to him at all times. Even though most of the survivors have taken shelter, John Locke remains outside and sits alone in the rain on the beach with his arms outstretched. Back in the plane's cockpit, the conversation is interrupted when the strange roaring noise that the group heard from the jungle the previous night returns. When the pilot investigates, he is seized by something outside, which drags him through the cockpit window, prompting the trio to grab the transceiver and flee. During the escape, Charlie falls. Jack returns to help him, while a terrified Kate runs on. After the entity disappears, Kate, Charlie and Jack reunite and find the pilot, his bloodied corpse suspended in a tree top.



"Part 2"

Jack, Kate, and Charlie head back to the beach. Kate asks Charlie what he was doing in the bathroom, and he says he was sick, but in a flashback, it is revealed that Charlie had been doing drugs in the bathroom, and attempted to flush his stash but had been prevented by the sudden onset of turbulence.

On the island, while looking for his dog Vincent, Walt discovers a pair of handcuffs. After he shows Michael the cuffs, Sawyer attacks Sayid whom he believes is an Iraqi terrorist who blew up the plane. They are soon stopped by Michael and the returned Jack. Sayid manages to repair the transceiver, but it does not have a signal or much battery life. While working on it, he reveals to Hurley that he was a communications officer with the Iraqi Republican Guard in the Gulf War. While reading a letter sadly Sawyer decides to go with Sayid and the group (Kate, Charlie, Shannon and Boone) to bring the transceiver inland in an attempt to reach higher ground and get a better signal. Along the way, they are attacked by a charging polar bear, which Sawyer shoots and kills. He then explains that he got the gun from the body of a dead U.S. marshal. Sayid accuses Sawyer of being the marshal's prisoner. Kate takes the gun from Sawyer, and Sayid instructs her on how to dismantle it. At this point, Sawyer becomes relatively disliked by the other survivors.
Shannon attempts to understand the signal
Shannon attempts to understand the signal

A flashback shows the final moments of the flight. Kate is talking to the marshal, the same injured man to whom Jack had been tending, on the beach. On the plane, it can be seen that Kate is wearing the handcuffs that Walt found in the jungle. As the turbulence hits, the marshal is knocked unconscious by a falling suitcase. Kate uncuffs herself, and puts the marshal's oxygen mask on him before attaching her own, at which point the tail end of the plane suddenly breaks off and falls away.

Back at the beach, the marshal wakes up during the operation and asks Jack, "Where is she?" Inland, Sayid turns on the transceiver and it has a signal. However, it is being blocked by a transmission in French that has been repeating for over sixteen years. Shannon translates it: "I'm alone now, on the island alone. Please someone come. The others are dead. It killed them. It killed them all." The group gives each other meaningful looks before Charlie says "Guys, where are we?".

To be continued...

Prison Break Series

Prison Break is an American serial drama television series that premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company on August 29, 2005. The story revolves around a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit and his brother's elaborate plan to help him escape his death sentence. Created by Paul Scheuring, the show is produced by Adelstein-Parouse Productions in association with Original Television and 20th Century Fox Television. The current executive producers are Scheuring, Matt Olmstead, Kevin Hooks, Marty Adelstein, Dawn Parouse, Neal Moritz, and Brett Ratner.[1] Its theme music is composed by Ramin Djawadi, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2006.[2]

The show recently concluded its third season. The uniqueness of Prison Break is attributed to its serialized story structure, a similar format used by Lost and 24, and to its setting, as very few television series were primarily set and filmed in a prison.[3] Its success and recognition as a prison drama revived interest in the genre.[citation needed]

Due to the Writer's strike, there are only 13 episodes which have currently been produced for the third season. Although the strike was resolved on the 12th of February it is still unknown if, or when more episodes will be produced.

24 Serie

24 is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning United States television series. Broadcast by Fox Network in the USA and syndicated worldwide, the show first aired on November 6, 2001, with an initial thirteen episodes. In January 2007, 24 was made available online to U.S. viewers through Fox on Demand. The first six seasons were all centered around the fictional Los Angeles branch of the U.S. government Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). It has been announced through various official sources, including issue #11 of The Official 24 Magazine, that CTU will be completely absent during the upcoming seventh season. The main characters will still be working for the U.S. government, although it is as yet unclear which branches of the government will be involved, although the FBI has been mentioned.

24 is presented in real time, with each season depicting a 24-hour period in the life of Jack Bauer, who works with the U.S. government as it fights threats on U.S. soil. Bauer is often in the field for the fictional Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) as they try to safeguard the nation from terrorist threats. The show also follows the actions of other CTU agents, government officials and terrorists associated with the plot. The first six seasons of the show were all based in Los Angeles and nearby locations - both real and fictional - in California, although occasionally other locations have been featured as well - most notably, Washington, D.C., where a significant portion of the action took place during the fourth and sixth seasons. Promotional materials for the seventh season have already established that, departing from tradition, it will be set primarily in Washington, D.C. (It is worth mentioning that a 2005 24 spinoff made exclusively for cell phones, 24: Conspiracy, was also set in Washington, D.C.)

After leading actor Kiefer Sutherland won a Golden Globe for his role in the first 10 episodes, the ratings of the show increased, leading FOX to order the second half of the season. There have been six seasons of 24 produced. On May 15, 2007, it was confirmed that FOX has ordered seventh and eighth seasons.[1] A motion picture based on the show has been written and was scheduled to be filmed in 2007 for a 2008 release but plans for production were put on hold to focus on the TV series.[2]

The seventh season, originally scheduled to premiere on January 13, 2008, was initially postponed in the wake of the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike to ensure a non stop season, a trademark of the show since the start of its fourth season in January 2005.[3][4] It is now officially postponed until 2009.[5][6]

Lost Serie

Lost is an American serial drama television series that follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, after a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney, Australia and Los Angeles, United States crashes somewhere in the South Pacific. Each episode typically features a primary storyline on the island as well as a secondary storyline from another point in a character's life. The show was created by Damon Lindelof, J. J. Abrams and Jeffrey Lieber, and is filmed primarily on location in Oahu, Hawaii.[1] The pilot episode was first broadcast on September 22, 2004.[2] Since then, three seasons have aired, with a fourth season currently being aired. The show is produced by ABC Studios, Bad Robot Productions and Grass Skirt Productions and airs on the ABC Network in the United States. Its soundtrack is composed by Michael Giacchino. The current executive producers are Abrams, Lindelof, Bryan Burk, Jack Bender and Carlton Cuse.[3] Because of its large ensemble cast and the cost of filming in Hawaii, the series is one of the most expensive on television.[4]

A critical and popular success, Lost (often written entirely in capital letters) garnered an average of 16 million viewers per episode on ABC during its first year, and won numerous industry awards including the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2005,[5] Best American Import at the British Academy Television Awards in 2005, the Golden Globe for Best Drama in 2006 and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Reflecting its devoted fan base, the show has become a part of American popular culture with references to the story and its elements appearing in other television shows,[6] commercials, comic books,[7][8] webcomics, humor magazines, a video game[9][10] and song lyrics. The show's fictional universe has also been explored through tie-in novels, board and video games, and alternative reality games, The Lost Experience and Find 815.[11]

In May 2007, it was announced that Lost would continue for its fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons, concluding with the 117th produced episode in May 2010. These three final seasons were planned to consist of 16 episodes each, running weekly in the spring uninterrupted by repeats, though the recent WGA strike has called this exact episode count into question.[12][13] The fourth season premiered in the United States on January 31, 2008.[14]