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Ill say it once and Ill say it again: if youre a mobile and/or social gaming startup, nows your time to get funded. Still.

Mobile gaming startup TinyCo announced Friday that it has raised $18 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Ron Conway, Keith Rabois, and several other angels. Marc Andreessen will join the companys board of directors.

This isnt a fluke and its hardly a risk. Andreessen Horowitz and the participating angels are well-known, experienced investors that still see a bright future (and great ROI) in gaming startups developing for Facebook and the iPhone.

So far, the young studio has released two titles to the App Store, Tiny Chef and Tap Resort Party. In the first, you design and run your own restaurant, and in the second, you design and run your own island resort. Both apps are free, but TinyCo recoups any losses by charging for virtual goods, or specialty items, within the game.

The games, TinyCo says, have been downloaded by over 10 million iPhone users to date.

Mobile and social gaming seem endlessly hot, and todays round affirms that. Three that have raised institutional rounds in the past two weeks include Digital Chocolate with a $12 million Series D, Ayeah with a $530,000 seed, and Raptr, with a $15 million Series B.

Mobile-social gaming is at a pretty nascent stage, said co-founder Ian Spivey. In 12 months, its going to be a very different landscape with 100 million new Android handsets and 50 million more iOS handsets coming on. More and more people are going to become comfortable making in app payments and the quality of games is going to go up. We want to give ourselves all the tools we need to become that market leader.

Already made up of 37 employees, from technology companies as well-known as Playdom, Electronic Arts, Amazon, Microsoft and others, TinyCo is still looking to hire more. And now it has the funds to make those hires. Right now, the startup lists over 20 open positions in design, engineering, production and more, and all are located at TinyCos headquarters in San Francisco, Calif.

TinyCo was co-founded by Suli Ali and Ian Spivey in 2009.

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Its Friday! Well done everyone, we made it. Nows as good a time as any to look back at all the exciting announcements weve seen this week. We got to see the first clips of both Battlefield 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and today we even got a glimpse of Thief 4. Then at the last minute another giant clock appeared, this time counting down to a massive Call of Duty related announcement next week.

If you think this week has been good for PC gaming news, next week is going to be spectacular. GDC is about to kick off, and Tims out there right now, limbering up using special games journalist preparation techniques (make coffee pour coffee drink coffee repeat) to prepare himself for the storm of news thats about to hit San Francisco. Be sure to keep checking PCGamer.com as the week unfolds, well be covering all the latest announcements right here.

Right now, though, we have this huge list of PC gaming news from around the world hanging around, and thought wed share it with you. Read on for words on Robot Entertainments new game, a Dr Who MMO and what Florence and the Machine have to do with Dragon Age 2.

• Robot Entertainment have stopped working on Age of Empires Online, and have announced their new game, Orcs Must Die!
• World of Tanks breaks Eve Onlines server record.
• Professor G. Christopher Williams wonders how often we actually look at the monsters were killing in games.
• Former Bizzare staff have formed a new studio called Lucid Games.
• For better or worse, theres going to be a Dr. Who MMO.
• Theres a new Might and Magic Heroes VI combat trailer out.
• Florence and the Machine are doing the Dragon Age 2 soundtrack.
• The new FEAR 3 trailer looks over the games environments.
• Via Reddit, the first two Elder Scrolls games are free to download and play.
• Recently in the end of day links, we posted a link to a video of a man destroying everyone in Modern Warfare 2 with a keyboard and mouse. Heres the device that lets you do it.

Today in the office, Ed is dead. He found himself beaten too many times by the Shogun 2 demos historical battle that the dishonour drove him to commit seppuku. He will be missed, until his zombie form stumbles in on Monday. Meanwhile, Tom Francis spent lunchtime testing out the new community maps for Team Fortress 2 and I sharpened my pitchfork of +1 spider skewering in preparation for the Rift headstart, all the while wondering what might be announced in the next seven days. What would you like to see at GDC next week?

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NASA Ames Research Center may wind up with a central role in emerging commercial space opportunities, the Palo Alto Daily News reports.

The Mountain View research center was named in the 2012 fiscal year budget proposed by President Barack Obama as a new emerging commercial space office.

The budget puts emphasis on commercial space flight, with $850 million in funding to help private companies in the effort.

NASA Ames would be a clearing house in helping the space agency better use commercial opportunities and get feedback from the commercial sector.

Ames already has an office, called Space Portal, set up to work with the private sector.

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Apples new 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro laptops are powered by AMD Radeon HD 6490M and 6750M graphics. According to AMDs Stanley Ossias, MacBook Pro owners can now game pretty much anywhere, as the laptops are capable of rendering intense visual detail and delivering unprecedented frame rates.

Were also seeing more game developer interest for gaming on the Mac, Ossias explained.

Coupling that interest with up to 3x the graphics performance can only mean more choice in game titles for Mac gamers everywhere.

To illustrate his point, Ossias quoted Feral Interactive developer David Stephen, who recently stated that it was an exciting time for Mac gaming.

We are [certainly] grateful for the great support that AMD has given us to make sure that titles such as BioShock, Mini Ninjas, Battlestations: Pacific, Borderlands, Lego Harry Potter perform beautifully with AMD GPUs, said Stephen.

Interested in gaming on your new or old MacBook Pro but dont know where to start?

You might want to check out Steam, which boasts a sizable library of digital downloads, including classic games and recently released titles. ??

And of course there is always Eve, which can be downloaded here.

As TG Daily previously reported, the 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in two models: one with a 2.0 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6490M and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,799 and one with a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 750GB hard drive starting at $2,199.

The 17-inch MacBook Pro – which is priced at $2,500 – features a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and a 750GB hard drive.

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Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden wants two doctors who practice at Atlantic Womens Medical Services to be suspended for failing to report Kermit Gosnell, a Philadelphia abortion doctor whos facing murder charges for killing seven babies and one patient.

As part of what his office calls an ongoing investigation, Attorney General Biden has asked the Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline to immediately suspend Albert Dworkin, MD, and Arturo Apolinario, MD

Biden says Dworkin failed to report Gosnells misconduct which he should have known about in his role as board certified obstetrician and gynecologist of record for the Womens Meidcal Society where Gosnell practiced in Philadelphia. The AG says Apolinario also failed to report unprofessional conduct by Gosnell in Delaware.

In a statement, Biden says, Reporting professional misconduct is the law. It is intended to help ensure patients receive the quality care they deserve and expect. We will aggressively pursue action against anyone who fails to comply.

Biden is also seeking a cease and desist order against Panzy Myrie, the owner of Atlantic Womens Medical Services in Wilmington. Myrie is accused of falsely representing herself as a licensed medical doctor and gynecologist even though shes never been licensed in Delaware. Biden is asking the Board to impose the maximum fine against AWMS for failing to report unprofessional conduct.

Earlier this year, members of Delaware Right to Life urged Biden to launch an investigation into not just AWMS, but all abortion providers in the state to ensure that state laws are being followed.

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The Scoop

Over the last several years Hyundai has been gaining market share, most notably from Toyota and Honda, as Canadians turn to this Korean brand for value.

The plan was rather simple: make a well-designed car, pack it with goodies and sell it for less. It worked.

Now with the introduction of the hot Hyundai Sonata and this new Elantra, it’s clear Hyundai doesn’t just want to compete — it wants to dominate. With almost 25 per cent of all cars sold in Canada being compacts, this latest Elantra is a big deal. So big that the automaker has huge plans for it, most notably the number one sales spot held by the Honda Civic for the past 13 years. A mighty goal, and one that Hyundai plans to win.

The Skin

The 2011 Sonata made a statement when it was introduced last year, proving that an inexpensive car doesn’t have to be boring. The flowing lines we first saw on that car have migrated to the Elantra with very good effect. Hyundai refers to its design language “fluidic sculpture,” meaning the car has the impression of moving when it is simply standing still. The sharply raked front headlights and grille flow easily back over the car to a high rear trunk deck. This part of the car obscures the view out the back, making parking tricky. Kids might also have limited views out the side windows due to the sloping roofline. People up to six-feet tall can easily sit in the back seat. The Elantra starts at $15,849 and gets 15-inch wheels. To get 16-inchers, the GLS needs to be ordered at $19,799, while the top Limited gets 17-inch wheels for $22,699.

The Cockpit

The same amount of attention paid to the exterior has also been focused on the interior. The dramatic looking centre console has elegant looking dials and buttons, and is framed by sweeping lines that create an overall design that looks more expensive. The seats are comfortable and the way all the pieces fit together is as good as any in the car business. The soft-touch dash flows up and away from the driver making the reach to the radio a bit too far. This is really only a problem on the base model, however, which doesn’t get radio controls on the steering wheel. The base model comes nicely equipped with power windows and doors, height adjustable driver’s seat and a USB port. For $17,999, the GL upgrades with Bluetooth, air conditioning and heated front seats. This is where Hyundai is smart. To get heated seats on a Civic, Corolla or Mazda3, a buyer will have to fork out well over $21,000. Clever packaging.

The Ride

The exterior and interior are all icing on the cake when it comes to this new Elantra, I’m most impressed by the power and handling. The new 1.8-litre engine, called “Nu,” puts out 148 horsepower but is much lighter than the engine it replaces, making the 2011 Elantra feel very lively. The responsive engine is matched to either a six-speed manual or a very effective six-speed automatic transmission. Even though the automatic can be shifted manually, it didn’t require the extra work — it was so willing on its own.

Another high point is standard disc brakes at all four corners providing aggressive braking, something not usually found in this class. Cornering is sure-footed thanks to the lighter weight, translating into a high fun-to-drive factor. The only shortcoming is the rather vague power steering that never really gives a solid sense of direction.

The Good, The Bad

Good:

Hyundai has class-leading fuel numbers, with just 4.9 L/100km on the highway

Bad:

Hyundai has to improve that steering feel.

Zack’s verdict

The top-selling cars in this segment are the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda3, with the Chevy Cruze and new Ford Focus also making some noise in this hot segment. If you are looking for the fun factor, the Elantra has the goods to play with the hot handling Civic and Mazda3. The powerful engine feels better than the similarly powered Mazda3; it just has better pull at lower speeds. The interior blows the Corolla out of the water and competes nicely with the very stylish interiors found in the new Focus and Cruze. Overall, the Elantra has fun, function and style and takes a bit from all the competitors to maybe make it the best all around compact car. With solid pricing and a growing brand appeal, the plan to topple the Civic for top spot might be a stretch, but let’s check back in a few years. It could be a different story.

zack@motormouth.ca

The Lowdown

Power: 3.0-litre turbo six-cylinder with 300hp

Fill-up: 11.3L/9.7L/100km (city/highway)

Backup: 4-year/80,000km

Sticker price: $45,500

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DALLAS — There was no hiding the Dallas Mavericks true feelings about Carmelo Anthonys move to the New York Knicks Monday night.

Thats great; great for the West, Dirk Nowitzki said. Hopefully Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan go East next. Its good for the West. Denver is tough to play, especially there.

Anthony and the Denver Nuggetstook the Mavs out of the second round two years ago in five games. This season, the Nuggets are 2-1 against the Mavs, most recently snapping Dallas 10-game win streak in Denver on a buzzer-beater shot by Arron Afflalo. The Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzliesare the only Western Conference teams with winning record against the Mavs this season.

But, Denver, 2-1 against the Mavs, is the lone team with a winning record with a healthy Nowitzki in the lineup for every meeting. The Spurs are 2-0 against Dallas without Nowitzki, and Memphis is 2-1 against Dallas, but picked up the second in Nowitzkis first game back from a sprained right knee and he was ejected after playing just 15 minutes.

Anthony averaged 29.7 points on 55.7 percent shooting and 9.0 rebounds in three games against the Mavs this season. The other key former Nugget heading to New York, veteran point guard Chauncey Billups, has been pretty good against the Mavs, too. He was on fire from beyond the arc to start the last game to get the Nuggets off to a big lead. He averaged 21.3 points and 50 percent from 3-point range in the three games.

As of today, the second-place Mavs and seventh-place Nuggets are positioned to meet in the first round.

Its good for the West and for us, but not so good for the East, Jason Terry said of the trade that. Thats going to be a tough team to beat.

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DAKAR, Senegal — The muscular efforts by the Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo to remain in office after losing an election appeared to be intensifying this week, with assaults by his troops on a neighborhood of Abidjan, the country’s commercial capital, and deaths among soldiers and civilians in several other districts of the city.

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Luc Gnago/Reuters

A body in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, after clashes on Wednesday between rivals and backers of the president.

Related

• Ivory Coast Forces Fire on Protesters
  (February 20, 2011)

• Times Topic:
  Ivory Coast

On Wednesday, the Abobo neighborhood, which supports Mr. Gbagbo’s rival, came under renewed attack by Mr. Gbagbo’s forces, according to residents reached by telephone and news agency reports. One resident said that Mr. Gbagbo’s tanks had arrived in midafternoon and that the area was under sustained assault by rocket launchers.

“It’s not the Kalashnikovs anymore,” said the resident, Ahmed Fofana, referring to the assault rifles favored by Mr. Gbagbo’s forces. “It’s rocket launchers. We can’t go out anymore, it’s too dangerous.” Mr. Fofana said civilians had died and several houses had been destroyed.

The violence reflected a deteriorating situation in what was once West Africa’s commercial hub, as well as a possible prelude to a civil war that had been feared since the November presidential election, when Mr. Gbagbo’s rival, Alassane Ouattara, was recognized as the winner by the international community. The initial tough line taken by African nations against Mr. Gbagbo’s effort to hold on to power has weakened, with a number of influential nations, including South Africa and Angola, edging away from the regional position that he must go. Ivory Coast was seen as a test case in the continental commitment to enforcing democracy.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast’s economy is collapsing under the weight of international sanctions. Major banks in Abidjan, a normally bustling seaport of around four million people, have closed in the past two weeks, and the incumbent’s diplomatic isolation outside Africa is almost total. There was renewed talk on Wednesday by a former mediator in the crisis, Prime Minister Raila Odinga of Kenya, of a possible operation to remove Mr. Gbagbo by force.

Wednesday’s violence came after several days of clashes in Abobo and two other neighborhoods. On Tuesday, several of Mr. Gbagbo’s forces were killed in an ambush in Abobo, according to various reports. The number was difficult to verify; a Gbagbo spokesman, Alain Toussaint, said by phone that three soldiers died in the attack and that seven “terrorists” were “neutralized,” while local newspapers and news agency reports said 10 members of Mr. Gbagbo’s armed forces were killed.

On Monday, 12 civilians in the Koumassi and Treichville neighborhoods were killed by forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo, according to a statement released by Mr. Ouattara.

The deaths came as the latest of numerous resolution efforts by African leaders ended: the presidents of Chad, Mauritania, South Africa and Tanzania were leaving Abidjan to the sound of gunfire after meeting with Mr. Gbagbo and Mr. Ouattara on Monday and Tuesday. A fifth leader named as a mediator by the African Union, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, was blocked from going to Abidjan following hostile demonstrations against him by the Young Patriots, a violent youth militia loyal to Mr. Gbagbo.

Mr. Gbagbo has maintained power by continuing to pay the salaries of soldiers and key civil servants. But it is unclear how much longer he can do so. His access to the country’s accounts at the regional central bank has been curtailed since mid-January. Shippers of cocoa, the country’s major export, appear to be largely acceding to trade bans called for by both Mr. Ouattara and the European Union. At least five banks, including two French banks that control most of the market, have shut this month.

Mr. Gbagbo subsequently announced that he would “take control” of the local operations of some of the banks that had been shut. What that might mean in practice is unclear, since accounts are generally controlled electronically from outside the country.

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