2K

The bottom line: One of the first applications built to find and remove malware and spyware, Ad-Aware's reputation is well-justified. The latest version continues the publisher's tradition of adroitly addressing user concerns, yet some annoyances remain.

Review:

Ad-Aware 9 continues the development progress that publisher Lavasoft began in the previous version. No longer content with offering only malware protection, Ad-Aware now includes antivirus protections licensed from Sunbelt, the makers of Vipre, as well as interesting in-house improvements.

Lavasoft first started changing Ad-Aware's protection engine more than a year ago in version 8.1, when it introduced Genotype. … Read more

Most power-line networking devices on the market, such as the Netgear XAVNB2001, the Western Digital WD Livewire, and the Linksys PLK300, are based on the HomePlug AV standard and therefore cap at 200Mbps. While this is plenty fast for general Internet-surfing needs, it's not fast enough for media-intensive applications, such as high-definition movie streaming. Trendnet is bound to change this.

The company announced today what it says are the first power-line options on the market to be based on the new IEEE 1901 standard. They will offer up to 500Mbps throughput speeds--again, that's 250 percent faster than the … Read more

Looking for a basketball game this season? The choice is simple: NBA2K11. EA has pushed its contender, NBA Elite, to 2011, so your only option for any action this fall comes courtesy of 2K Sports. Though that might make those who like choice a little apprehensive, the good news is that 2K11 has pulled out some extra surprises to turn what was already a really strong game into a classic overall package.

Adding Michael Jordan on the cover seemed like a publicity stunt at first, but the extra challenge modes and authentically re-created vintage playoff games help add something timeless to a game that's destined to be replaced next year. Maybe the idea's pretty smart: collector's features could make certain editions of sports titles worth keeping.

Jeff: 2K Sports has dominated the basketball video game market for years now, so it's no shock that NBA 2K11 is the most realistic basketball game ever made. Though the game's laundry list of tweaks and improvements are all welcome additions, we were floored to see how deeply detailed the game's Michael Jordan mode has been developed.

The amount of painstaking detail that must have gone into crafting the Jordan Challenge mode in NBA 2K11 should not be overlooked. Sure, we've seen sports games opt for a gimmicky add-on before, but the Michael Jordan features in 2K11 are anything but.

Just getting his Royal Airness to even grace the cover is an achievement in itself, but giving the player the chance to participate in 10 of his most legendary games is something any basketball fan--casual or die hard--can instantly relate to. Not only are 10 of his most iconic games represented with astonishing attention to detail, the opposing teams in which he faced are sized up right down to game-accurate plays. Each of the 10 challenges transports the player back in time--complete with uniforms and fashion styles of that specific era.

Jordan himself has been captured with mind-blowing precision, from his casual mannerisms, shooting technique, even down to his iconic tongue that came out during his spectacular slam dunks. The Jordan Challenge is one of the most substantial side quests we've been presented with in a sports game, and something fans of basketball should not miss.

Scott: As for me, I'm not actually a basketball fan at all. Other than attending a few NBA drafts and watching the Lakers three-peat in the late '90s when I lived in Los Angeles, I've lost touch with who's even playing in the NBA, other than the lineup for the Miami Heat. I've treated sports games as my educational tools. I learned a ton about the NFL through Madden over the years. I'm banking on NBA2K11 to do the same for me and hoops.… Read more

This season the hockey world is being presented with a trio of titles, including the first-ever EA-published hockey game on the Nintendo Wii. There's a lot of puck talk to come, so hop over the boards with us as we skate through each of the games in our hockey video gaming wrap-up for 2010.

NHL 11 (PS3, 360) For some time now, EA's NHL series has set the tone for realistic hockey simulation. The franchise's groundbreaking deke-stick control propelled the game into a level of authenticity that a hockey title hadn't been able to achieve prior. With NHL 11, mostly everything we've come to love and expect remains in tact, we're just not sure how long these subtle updates and improvements will continue to dazzle fans of the sport.

This year, EA has focused mostly on tweaking existing gameplay. That said, there a few notable additions we really enjoy like accidental stick breaks, new deke moves, a more natural and realistic body-checking system, and the ability to "cook" a pass for more power.

The overall speed of the game does feel a bit slower this time around, which we believe was done to increase realism. EA says the game utilizes a new physics system, and though it's definitely noticeable with body checking, we don't think it's that apparent with the puck. We may be nitpicking here, but at times we wish it would flutter more or bounce around on its end. When it stays horizontal too much, we think the game loses some of the unpredictability of the sport.… Read more

After well over a decade of "development," 2K Games announced today that Duke Nukem Forever will actually see the light of day. The publisher went on to say that Gearbox Software has taken the reigns on the project, rescuing it from development limbo after the game's original studio 3D Realms went under. Gearbox Software is responsible for titles such as the recently successful Borderlands.

The game will be on display at this weekend's PAX 2010 convention in Seattle, where press and gamers in attendance can have a go at the title 14 years in the making. … Read more

2K Sports NHL 2K11 brings console-like hockey gameplay to your touch screen and manages to pull it off well, with only a few minor annoyances. If you've played console hockey games, you'll feel right at home; pick from any of the NHL licensed teams (with all your favorite players) and hit the ice for an Exhibition game, play an entire 82 game season, or you can practice in the Free skate and Shootout modes. There is no multiplayer option in NHL 2K11 (Wi-Fi or otherwise), but hopefully that's slated for later versions.

The control system consists of … Read more

When I bought my 32GB Wi-Fi only iPad, one of the first apps I downloaded was Netflix. With the added screen real estate and the capability to use the Netflix Watch Instantly library, the iPad became a great device to watch a movie on the go. I quickly found that the iPad-Netflix combo also works great as a personal movie screen when the rest of the people in the house are watching something else.

Just this week, Netflix announced they updated the Netflix app to work on the iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Now, along with being able to update your Netflix queue while away from your computer (previous iPhone app functionality), you'll be able to watch full-length movies and TV shows right on your iPhone as long as you're a Netflix member. The free Netflix app even works work connected via a 3G network,  so you can watch on your commute or really anywhere as long as AT&T's 3G coverage is strong in your area.

With the iPad I think this functionality made a little more sense because of the size of the screen. I wonder whether watching movies and TV on the iPhone is something that will really take off. Let me know in the comments what you think about watching Netflix on your iPhone. Will you use it?

This week's apps include a photography app that lets you organize multiple images into a collage and a big-name ice hockey game that's both fun and loaded with features.… Read more

Mafia II is the long-awaited follow-up to the 2002 cult-classic Mafia. Though it's not necessarily a direct sequel, the game does make the occasional nod to the original as well as iconic films like "Goodfellas."

Mafia II will be available Tuesday for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Jeff: Make no mistake; Mafia II is not Grand Theft Auto in 1951. For starters, Mafia II is not an open-world sandbox game. That said, a quick glance at some gameplay footage would have you thinking otherwise. No, Mafia II is as linear as titles come, and though the city map of Empire Bay is littered with gun shops, clothing stores, and auto repair stations, that is just about all you can do in town.

Instead of choosing which mission to take part in, Mafia II instead threads the player along a collection of chapters that ultimately tell an engaging and highly entertaining story of the title character, Vito Scaletta. The narrative is some of the best we've seen in a game, and we were equally impressed with how well the characters were voice acted. From a strictly storytelling standpoint, we don't think any of the GTA games can touch what Mafia II has been able to convey. … Read more

Today on preGame we pick out a nice suit and get our hands dirty with a live demo of Mafia II.

But first, we'll take an in-depth look at the trailer to last week's announcement of a brand-new BioShock game, BioShock Infinite. Does the game take place in the same universe as the original? Will there be Big Daddies in Infinite? Join us as we tackle some of the big questions raised from the thrilling video.

A ton of gaming news to hit today, so we round up the major stories including Mass Effect 2 coming to the … Read more