New theory on iPad Mini release emerges

New theory on iPad Mini release emerges

Mighty rumors are forming around the Mini

A new theory on when the could-it-be-or-not iPad Mini surfaced Thursday, with tech journalist John Gruber weighing in on why releasing the Mini tab on the same day as the iPhone 5 would be a big blooper for Apple.

He also offered a tenable timeline for when the Cupertino company unleashes the 7.85-inch touchscreen slate on the world.

"I don't think Apple would want reviews of both a new iPhone and new-size iPad appearing at the same time," Gruber wrote on Daring Fireball.

"Why share the spotlight? Why have another Apple product battling with the iPhone for the top spots in news coverage?"

Gruber is notoriously in the know with well-placed sources, so he could very well know what he's talking about.

He goes on to call the iPhone "too big, too cool," taking up too much attention no matter how big a stage Apple sets for it. Any other device would not only get pushed to the sidelines, the glow around the handset itself would diminish.

"It's in Apple's interest to keep that attention undiluted."

Best-case scenario

It behooves Apple, Gruber continued, to hold two separate events for the next-gen iPhone's launch and the iPad Mini's delivery.

In fact, Gruber even came up with a timeframe for the launches.

"First, an iPhone event, focused solely on the new iPhone and iOS 6," he envisioned. "Then, the iPhone ships nine days later, and there's another wave of iPhone-focused attention as the reviews come in.

"Then, in the first or second week of October, Apple holds its traditional 'music event,' exactly along the lines of the events at which they've been debuting new iPods for the last decade."

It's at the second event, Gruber postulates, that Apple will introduce the smaller iPad.

'iPad Air'

Interestingly, Gruber never called the "new-sized iPad" the "iPad Mini" in his post but refers to it as the iPad Air.

This device, he wrote, would be a smaller, thinner and cheaper iPad. He hypothesized the tablet could debut at the music event (or, rather, "iTunes event") next to a new iPod touch - "just an iPhone without the phone" - along with a new or updated iPod music players.

The thread that ties this event together, he wrote, could be consuming iTunes media content.

Backup

Apple journalist Jim Dalrymple, who reposted part of Gruber's theory on The Loop, gave the writer's theory a nod by responding, "Oh that Gruber is a smart fellow."

Dalrymple's apparent approval of Gruber's guesswork is fueling even more speculation that Apple could indeed hold two events within a month or so of each other, giving ample attention to each without pulling the public and media in two different directions.

Whether Gruber and Dalrymple know something the rest of us don't is highly possible, so we wouldn't be surprised if, as the days unfold, we look back at Gruber's hypotheses and wonder if he had a crystal ball all along.


Source : techradar[dot]com

New theory on iPad Mini release date emerges

New theory on iPad Mini release date emerges

Mighty rumors are forming around the Mini

A new theory on when the could-it-be-or-not iPad Mini surfaced Thursday, with tech journalist John Gruber weighing in on why releasing the Mini tab on the same day as the iPhone 5 would be a big blooper for Apple.

He also offered a tenable timeline for when the Cupertino company unleashes the 7.85-inch touchscreen slate on the world.

“I don’t think Apple would want reviews of both a new iPhone and new-size iPad appearing at the same time,” Gruber wrote on Daring Fireball.

“Why share the spotlight? Why have another Apple product battling with the iPhone for the top spots in news coverage?”

Gruber is notoriously in the know with well-placed sources, so he could very well know what he’s talking about.

He goes on to call the iPhone “too big, too cool,” taking up too much attention no matter how big a stage Apple sets for it. Any other device would not only get pushed to the sidelines, the glow around the handset itself would diminish.

“It’s in Apple’s interest to keep that attention undiluted."

Best-case scenario

It behooves Apple, Gruber continued, to hold two separate events for the next-gen iPhone’s launch and the iPad Mini’s.

In fact, Gruber even came up with a timeframe for the launches.

“First, an iPhone event, focused solely on the new iPhone and iOS 6,” he envisioned. “Then, the iPhone ships nine days later, and there’s another wave of iPhone-focused attention as the reviews come in.

“Then, in the first or second week of October, Apple holds its traditional ‘music event,’ exactly along the lines of the events at which they’ve been debuting new iPods for the last decade.”

It’s at the second event, Gruber postulates, that Apple will introduce the smaller iPad.

‘iPad Air’

Interestingly, Gruber never called the “new-sized iPad” the “iPad Mini” in his post, but refers to it as the iPad Air.

This device, he wrote, would be a smaller, thinner and cheaper iPad. He hypothesized the tablet could debut at the music event (or, rather, "iTunes event") next to a new iPod touch - “just an iPhone without the phone” - along with a new or updated iPod music players.

The thread that types this event together, he wrote, could be consuming iTunes media content.

Backup

Apple journalist Jim Dalrymple, who reposted part of Gruber’s theory on The Loop, gave the writer a nod by responding, “Oh that Gruber is a smart fellow.”

Dalrymple's apparent approval of Gruber's guesswork are fueling even more speculation that Apple could indeed hold two events within a month or so of each other, giving ample attention to each without pulling the public and media in two different directions.

Whether Gruber and Dalrymple know something the rest of us don’t is highly possible, so we wouldn’t be surprised if, as the days unfold, we look back at Gruber’s hypotheses and wonder if he had a crystal ball all along.

Until mid-September and October roll around, read the latest rumors, news and updates about the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini.


Source : techradar[dot]com

EA’s Peter Moore says game discs aren’t going anywhere soon

electronic arts retail

EA's chief operating officer says that packaged goods are going to be part of the games business for a while to come.

EA may see its future in free-to-play PC games but it doesn’t foresee the end of physical games in the immediate future. In fact, despite years of decline in video game retail, EA expects that the impending release of the Xbox 720, PlayStation 4, and even Wii U will revitalize the ailing business of selling games in a store.

The company’s digital revenues grew to $1 billion last fiscal year and it expects that to increase to nearly $2 billion before this year ends. Physical disc sales are still going to pull in the bulk of its revenue though.

“The tipping point will come,” EA chief operating officer Peter Moore told MCV, “But it’s not that packaged is going away, it’s that digital is going up. Let’s not misunderstand this. Our forecast the year is to also do $2.6 billion in packaged goods. So there will be a £40 console game (the UK equivalent of a $60 game in the US), but there will be an iPhone experience and a PC experience too. There is always an opportunity for a Battlefield or a FIFA.”

He’s right. After all, people are actually still buying music CDs and DVDs. The all-digital future is coming, but it won’t be here even in the next five years. What Moore doesn’t address though is how there will be fewer and fewer retail games. Battlefield and FIFA, games that will sell millions of copies, will be available as discs, but will Persona 4 Arena, something that will only sell in the hundred of thousands? Not a chance.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Sleeping Dogs PC demo now available on Steam

Sleeping Dogs was released last week and the game has since been garnering positive reviews from critics and gamers alike -- it currently has a metascore of 83 in our Product Finder engine. If you’re on the fence about spending your hard earned cash, however, Steam is now offering a free demo for PC.

The game is also available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles, but publisher Square Enix reportedly green lighted extra resources for a higher-quality PC version. Among the perks you can expect is support for DirectX 11 graphics effects, a separate 5GB high-definition texture pack (not included in the demo, it seems), interface optimizations, and support for multiple monitors as well as stereoscopic 3D.

Developed by United Front Games, the game was originally titled True Crime: Hong Kong and supposed to be a reboot of the True Crime franchise owned by Activision, but the latter canceled work in February 2011. It was later revived as Sleeping Dogs after Square Enix acquired the rights to the game. According to senior producer Jeff O'Connell, under Activision the plan was for the PC edition to be outsourced, but United Front got to develop it internally and “make sure the PC version was everything it could be.”

Reviewers have called it "one of the best open world games of recent years”, with solid combat mechanics reminiscent of Batman Arkham City’s, excellent driving sequences and a compelling story.


Source : techspot[dot]com

Reborn adventure series Broken Sword: The Serpent’s Curse seeks $400K on Kickstarter

Broken Sword 5

Charles Cecil's much-loved 2D mystery series Broken Sword is back with The Serpent's Curse.

Back in June, we reported that Britain’s Revolution Software and adventure gaming auteur Charles Cecil were gearing up to make a new game in their Broken Sword series. Turns out those rumors were true: Revolution opened a Kickstarter campaign on Thursday raising funds for the development of Broken Sword: The Serpent’s Curse, the first entry in the series since 2006’s Broken Sword: The Angel of Death.

Unlike Angel of Death, Broken Sword 5 will return to the rich 2D animation of the earlier games in the series. Artists that have worked with Nickelodeon, Disney, Dreamworks, Sony and others are going to provide the visuals for Broken Sword’s first original HD outing. Veteran voice actors, including Rolf Saxon who voices lead George, will return for the new game.

Speaking of George, he and his constant companion Nico are once again caught up in a Parisian mystery in Serpent’s Curse. It all starts with a stolen painting but the adventure becomes a “race against time as dark forces from Europe’s turbulent past are woken from their slumber.” Sounds like Templar trouble to me.

Like Brian Fargo’s InXile Entertainment and its new RPG Wasteland 2, Revolution turned to Kickstarter due to trouble finding adequate funding in the traditional video game publishing world. Unlike InXile though, the issue hasn’t been finding publishers willing to pay for the game, but finding publishers willing to share the profits. “Revolution adventures have had considerable success—but the traditional publishing model has prevented us receiving the required royalties to fund future games. With limited financial reserves we have been unable to fund our own titles and so we have not benefitted from their success.”

Revolution is aiming to raise $400,000. As of this writing, the campaign hasn’t been open for 24 hours and it’s already raised nearly $110,000.

Broken Sword: The Serpent’s Curse is just the latest point-and-click adventure success story on Kickstarter. Al Lowe’s Leisure Suit Larry rebirth raised $650,000 in April. Gabriel Knight creator Jane Jensen raised $435,000 in May, funding three games including Moebius in the process.

It’s great to see Broken Sword back in action, especially hand animated rather than as a polygonal game like Angel of Death. Something from Revolution’s world is lost when rendered in the third-dimension.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Photo of HTC Proto leaks

Photo of HTC Proto leaks

Could Proto be ready for primetime? (credit: The Verge)

TechRadar caught wind of a new HTC phone coming down the pipes a few weeks ago, but we didn't know much about the device except its placeholder name - 'Proto' - and a few specifications.

Now, thanks to a leaked image, we might actually know what this thing is going to look like.

With a matte black frame and ample 4-inch screen, the Proto in many ways resembles the company's One V, though this model doesn't have that phone's protruding "chin," giving it a more seamless look.

One V redux

When TechRadar got a hold of the Proto's leaked specs, we learned it'll likely run a dual-core 1GHz, contain 512MB of RAM and feature the aforementioned 4-inch WVGA SLCD screen.

Four gigabytes of internal storage and a 5MP camera round out the Proto's proposed features. While the Proto will probably get its own flare and flavor, these specs point to a phone inline with the One V.

Bottom of Proto
A Beats Audio stamp tells much about this phone (Credit: The Verge)

Thanks to this image, we know for sure it'll carry Beats Audio music technology in its 9.62mm thick body.

Can we expect to see the Proto pronounced at the IFA tech show, which kicks off next week in Berlin? Or are we looking at a phantom of a phone not quite ready for primetime?


Source : techradar[dot]com

Facebook and Pandora get Android updates with new features

Facebook and Pandora get Android updates with new features

Now you can pester friends with excessive photo uploads from anywhere

It is apparently official Android update day for some big-name apps, with both Facebook and Pandora adding new features today.

Android users can more easily upload their photos to Facebook thanks to the latest app update. Rather than the ponderously uploading each photo one by one, the photo upload feature now allows users to select multiple images to upload in one fell swoop then tagged and captioned to your liking.

The Facebook app also adds the ability for users to create events right on their Android device, something still lacking from the iOS Facebook app.

Facebook messaging also gets an enhancement with the ability to now include emoji characters and photos in your messages.

Opening Pandora's app

Online radio app Pandora also sees an update today on Android, bringing it up to speed with the last month's updates to the iOS app.

The update gives Pandora a revamped UI, improving app navigation and giving it a blue and white color scheme that bears a striking resemblance to Facebook's own.

In terms of actual features, the Pandora app also now lets users browse song lyrics and artist bios on their Android device. Users can also rate and review songs that they have heard, as well as view similar tracks and artists to find new music.

Both the Pandora and Facebook app updates are free to all users, and can be downloaded straight from the Google Play store.


Source : techradar[dot]com

J.D. Power ranks Verizon highest in network quality

J.D. Power ranks Verizon highest in network quality

Verizon still tops nationwide network quality

J.D. Power and Associates has released its latest rankings for US wireless providers, placing Verizon at the top of the pack.

The survey questioned wireless users from across the country on overall network performance and key areas like dropped or lost calls, audio issues, failed text messages, and slow download speeds.

For purposes of the survey, the country was split into six regions represented by the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, North Central, Southwest, and West areas.

In five of those regions, Verizon consistently outperformed other wireless carriers with fewer customer complaints over dropped calls, connection issues, and transmission failures. This was the sixteenth consecutive report where Verizon ranked best in the Northeast region.

"This latest study once again speaks loudly and clearly to the outstanding performance of the Verizon Wireless network in terms of customer satisfaction," said Verizon chief technical officer Nicola Palmer.

"With our 4G LTE high-speed network's blazing fast speeds and superior nationwide coverage, Verizon Wireless remains committed to providing its customers with the best networks, devices and innovative services."

The Midwest disagrees

The one region keeping Verizon from a US monopoly on network quality was the North Central region, which ranked US Cellular just slightly above Verizon. The North Central region consists of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

US Cellular seems to be the local favorite for the Great Lakes states, with this marking the fourteenth consecutive top ranking for the carrier.

J.D. Power and Associates conducts its Wireless Network Quality Performance Study twice per year, surveying approximately 27,000 wireless users across the country.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Pandora for Android hands on: It’s not ugly anymore!

Pandora brings a much-needed update to its Android app. We go hands on to take a look at what has changed in the streaming music service's redesign.

The folks at Pandora have always been rather fond of their Android audience. As they should be. Since releasing its first mobile apps in 2009, Pandora has seen a 1,585 percent increase in its mobile audience. Despite this huge increase in on-the-go audience, the Pandora Android app has gone relatively unchanged. Today, Pandora makes amends with an update that brings a complete redesign.

While the mobile market has been good to Pandora in terms of users — it has 50-100 million Android users alone —  the streaming radio service’s apps have left a lot to be desired. Because the Android user base is so fragmented, it’s hard to create an app that works on every device. The revamped version of Pandora adheres to the new style guidelines for Android apps set by Google, which ideally will optimize its functionality and accessibility across the Android market.

The app sports a new blue and white skin that makes it far more aesthetically pleasing. One thing that is oddly unchanged is the widget, which still uses the same black and white color scheme as the old app. The button layout also remains the same on the widget. It could have just been passed over in the process, but considering the actual function of the widget didn’t change, it’s kind of surprising Pandora didn’t slap a new coat of paint on it. Nonetheless, it functions how you’d expect and looks just fine as it is.

More important than the color pallet (unless you’re worried about having your music app make your eyes or something) is the in-app navigation, which also got touched upon in the redesign. While the standard playback buttons are in the same place, the controls for other options like buying or bookmarking a  track have been moved to a drop down menu. This is an improvement over hiding them on the Menu button, though tapping the Menu button will reveal their new location as well.

If you’re looking to learn more about the song that is currently playing, you’ll no longer have to aim to hit the tiny information button. Instead, a sizable button that shrinks and expands the album art reveals details about the artist and the song. Both are presented as snippets and you can choose what you’d like to read more about. Track information details why Pandora selected songs for your station as well as similar songs. When available, song lyrics also appear. Artist information includes a full biography, discography, and similar artists.

The Pandora for Android app revamp doesn’t feel so much like a total renovation as much as it does slight remodel. It’s not a new house for Android users, but it’s a new coat of paint and some shifted furniture. It’s noticeable enough and it improves the overall functionality of the product, but don’t expect a lot of new functionality. There are already millions of Pandora users that are listening to streaming music on their commutes or in their cubicles. Odds are, this isn’t going to scare any of them away. You can download the update from the Google Play store and give it a shot yourself.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia, Samsung and 20 others create coalition to improve indoor location-based services

Nokia, Samsung and 20 others create coalition to improve indoor location-based services

Indoor mapping is about to get a whole lot better

It's no secret that indoor positioning technology isn't ideal—anyone who's tried to pinpoint their location while inside an office, convention center or other large building can attest to that.

Now 22 tech companies, including Nokia, Samsung and Sony Mobile, have banded together to form the In-Location Alliance, a Justice League for the victims of poor indoor positioning everywhere.

The member companies forming the In-Location Alliance have vowed to make indoor positioning services more accurate, efficient, mobile, and easy to implement and use, according to a press release from Nokia.

Sony followed up with another press release, stating that the Alliance was formed "with the goal of driving the innovation and development of indoor positioning."

An indoor mapping dream team

The In-Location Alliance is comprised of companies that range from phone and other device manufacturers to mapmakers and semiconductor experts.

Here's the complete list of participating companies:

  • Nokia
  • Samsung
  • Sony Mobile
  • Broadcom
  • CSR
  • Dialog Semiconductor
  • Eptisa
  • Geomobile
  • Indra
  • Insiteo
  • Nomadic Solutions
  • Nordic Semiconductor
  • Nordic Technology Group
  • NowOn
  • Primax Electronics
  • Qualcomm
  • RapidBlue Solutions
  • Seolane Innovation
  • TamperSeal AB
  • Team Action Zone
  • Visioglobe

Their solutions will reportedly be based on Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi technologies.

Following pilots from Alliance member companies this year, the indoor location solutions could be implemented in some devices as soon as 2013, according to official reports.

The hero this industry needs

"The aim of the In-Location Alliance is to act as a pioneer opening up new business streams for indoor environments," reads a press release credited to the Alliance itself in Nokia's press release.

"Indoor positioning is the next frontier of mobile services, offering great opportunities to enhance consumer experiences."

There are certainly some high-profile firms involved, though it seems two of the companies who would have the most interest in improved indoor mapping tech - Google and Apple - are conspicuously missing.

TechRadar has reached out to the Alliance to find out whether these companies were approached about joining up.

In the announcement, the Alliance does note that it's open to any company "who is ready to further investigate business opportunities in indoor location based services and see value and benefits in industry collaboration," so maybe it's not too late.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Nokia, Samsung, Sony, and 19 others create In-Location Alliance to improve indoor location-based services

Nokia, Samsung, Sony, and 19 others create In-Location Alliance to improve indoor location-based services

Indoor mapping is about to get a whole lot better

It's no secret that indoor positioning technology isn't ideal—anyone who's tried to pinpoint their location while inside an office, convention center or other large building can attest to that.

Now 22 tech companies, including Nokia, Samsung and Sony Mobile, have banded together to form the In-Location Alliance, a Justice League for the victims of poor indoor positioning everywhere.

The member companies forming the In-Location Alliance have vowed to make indoor positioning services more accurate, efficient, mobile, and easy to implement and use, according to a press release from Nokia.

Sony followed up with another press release, stating that the Alliance was formed "with the goal of driving the innovation and development of indoor positioning."

An indoor mapping dream team

The In-Location Alliance is comprised of companies that range from phone and other device manufacturers to mapmakers and semiconductor experts.

In addition to Nokia, Samsung and Sony Mobile, the In-Location Alliance is comprised of Broadcom, CSR, Dialog Semiconductor, Eptisa, Geomobile, Genasys, Indra, Insiteo, Nomadic Solutions, Nordic Semiconductor, Nordic Technology Group, NowOn, Primax Electronics, Qualcomm, RapidBlue Solutions, Seolane Innovation, TamperSeal AB, Team Action Zone and Visioglobe.

Their solutions will reportedly be based on Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi technologies.

Following pilots from Alliance member companies this year, the indoor location solutions could be implemented in some devices as soon as 2013, according to official reports.

The hero this industry needs

"The aim of the In-Location Alliance is to act as a pioneer opening up new business streams for indoor environments," reads a press release credited to the Alliance itself in Nokia's press release.

"Indoor positioning is the next frontier of mobile services, offering great opportunities to enhance consumer experiences."

There are certainly some high-profile firms involved, though it seems two of the companies who would have the most interest in improved indoor mapping tech - Google and Apple - are conspicuously missing.

TechRadar has reached out to the Alliance to find out whether these companies were approached about joining up.

In the announcement, the Alliance does note that it's open to any company "who is ready to further investigate business opportunities in indoor location based services and see value and benefits in industry collaboration," so maybe it's not too late.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Exploring The Cave’s roots with Ron Gilbert

We chat with Ron Gilbert on the pre-Maniac Mansion beginnings of Sega and Double Fine's The Cave.

Early next year, Sega will release The Cave from Double Fine, a unique adventure game cooked up by none other than Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion creator Ron Gilbert. When I sat down to take my first look at the game for Digital Trends a couple of months ago, I was surprised to learn from producer Matt Hickman that Gilbert’s original concept for The Cave predates even Maniac Mansion.

Intrigued, I put out a call to Sega via carrier pigeon (or possibly email) begging for a few minutes of Gilbert’s time on the phone. The request was accepted and Gilbert graciously took some time out of his schedule last week to chat about the birth of The Cave, all the way back in the days of hair metal and slap bracelets.

“Essentially, the idea that I had was these three characters that go in and explore this odd, sentient cave,” Gilbert said. “It was an idea that I was playing around with probably about a year before I got the job at Lucasfilm [in 1984]. I had done a bunch of a design and I had drawn all of these big maps and whatnot, and then it kind of went away.”

It’s impossible to really trace what the original inspiration behind The Cave was, but Gilbert admits to being heavily influenced by the text adventure game Adventure and the more rudimentary game that it was spawned from, Colossal Cave Adventure. A title that is typically pegged as the very first adventure game.

“There’s a lot of influence from Adventure,” Gilbert admitted. “Adventure, for me, was the first adventure game I ever played. I played it on the college mainframe computer with all of my friends. So that was a huge influence, and Colossal Cave also. Those were huge influences for me in adventure games. So I think when I was putting together The Cave just recently, going back and looking at Colossal Cave Adventure, I always liked the purity of that. You were just going into this cave.”

The original idea for The Cave was eventually backburnered for one reason or another, becoming one of those pet projects that continued to percolate in Gilbert’s mind. The appeal of telling this story about three characters exploring a sentient cave never went away. The character count is now seven under the Double Fine/Sega banner, but players will still be locked at choosing three to explore with when the game opens.

The character selection feels like a direct echo of Gilbert’s work on creating Maniac Mansion‘s beloved cast of player-selected characters — three are chosen at the start of that game as well — and that’s very much the intention. The original plan called for three, but Gilbert cites the classic Lucasfilm Games (later, LucasArts) adventure as a factor in helping to shape the current vision of The Cave.

“That was something I really liked about Maniac Mansion, that you started out the game and you got to choose from this group of people. I always like that when I talk to people who really played and liked Maniac Mansion, it seems that everybody always has their favorites. They have their dream team that they like to go into Maniac Mansion with,” Gilbert said.

“It was an unintended consequence, but it was something I liked. So when it came to really fleshing out The Cave, I really wanted to do that again rather than having these three set characters go into it, like it was originally planned 25 years ago.”

As much as the character selection is an essential part of the game, the star character is meant to be that titular cave. It’s the only speaking role in the entire game, and as a result it’s the character that players will form the closest bond with as they play. This facet of the game is actually formed by one of Gilbert’s core attitudes toward adventure games.

“Adventure games for me have always worked well when they take place in constrained environments,” he explained. “When adventure games allow you to roam the world, they kind of start to fall apart a little bit, but [it works best] when you can get them into these constrained environments. The main character of an adventure game, to me, is the world. For Maniac Mansion, the main character in that game is that house. For The Cave, the main character really is that cave.”

Now, after nearly 30 years of living and transforming inside Gilbert’s brain, The Cave will finally be dug out for players to enjoy. Thank his relationship with Tim Schafer and Double Fine, a studio known for delivering some of the most inventive interpretations of the adventure game genre that there are.

“A year and a half ago I was hanging out with Tim and we were talking about games and stuff, and I mentioned this idea that I had had for this cave,” Gilbert said. “He was really intrigued by it and wanted to know if I just wanted to come to Double Fine and let Double Fine make the game. I thought that sounded like a great idea, so here we are.”


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Apple issues first Mountain Lion maintenance update

Apple today released the first maintenance update for its new OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion operating system. Weighing in at just 24.2MB, OS X 10.8.1 is somewhat of a minor update that includes general operating system fixes to improve stability and compatibility. Apple’s release notes lists fixes to Migration Assistant, an issue playing audio through a Thunderbolt display, improved compatibility when connecting to a Microsoft Exchange server in Mail, and the resolution of a bug that could prevent iMessages from being sent.

Apple didn’t list any battery life improvements -- a complaint some MacBook users have had since Lion -- but the battery percentage now shows up in the menu bar again.

The update is available directly from Apple's site or via the Software Update mechanism that directs users to the Mac App Store for updates and requires a system restart.

Apple-centric blog 9to5Mac reports that the Cupertino firm is already testing OS X 10.8.2, with fixes and improvements reportedly focused on Messages, Facebook, Game Center, Safari, and Reminders.

OS X 10.8.1 update release notes:

This update includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability and compatibility of your Mac, including fixes that:

  • Resolve an issue that may cause Migration Assistant to unexpectedly quit
  • Improve compatibility when connecting to a Microsoft Exchange server in Mail
  • Address an issue playing audio through a Thunderbolt display
  • Resolve an issue that could prevent iMessages from being sent
  • Address an issue that could cause the system to become unresponsive when using Pinyin input
  • Resolve an issue when connecting to SMB servers with long names
  • Address a issue that may prevent Safari from launching when using a Proxy Automatic Configuration file
  • Improve 802.1X authentication with Active Directory credentials

Source : techspot[dot]com

Atlas to complete Nokia Windows Phone 8 trio

Atlas to complete Nokia Windows Phone 8 trio

Verizon gets in on the Windows Phone 8 madness

A third though not-so-different Nokia Window Phone 8 device is pegged for release soon.

Codenamed "Atlas," the phone is said to be virtually identical to the "Arrow," a mid-range device that AT&T and T-Mobile will pick up.

However, Arrow and a second device, the "Phi," have a tentative announcement date September 5 while the Atlas won't make it's debut until later this year.

Atlas is said to be a Verizon version of its straight shooting doppelgänger.

Tertiary device

Atlas completes the rumored trifecta of Nokia Windows 8 handsets that'll be announced in the coming weeks and months.

The carrier's hero device, the Phi, is said to have a Lumia 800/900-esque large curved display and polycarbonate body. AT&T will carry this puppy exclusively.

Arrow's a Lumia device, too, sources say, and presumably the Atlas will be as well.

All device names are code names, by the way, though name changes at a later stage might be a miscue by Nokia.

When the carriers plan to unleash these phones on the world remains unknown, but TechRadar will keep you posted on any and all developments.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Sony Mobile cuts 1,000 jobs in Sweden, headquarters returning to Japan

Sony Mobile cuts 1,000 jobs in Sweden, headquarters returning to Japan

Sony's Mobile, Liverpool branches face closures and job cuts

Beleaguered tech giant Sony is taking steps to right the ship this week, with its Sony Mobile division announcing a move back to Tokyo, Japan and a 15 percent reduction in its global workforce.

Sony Mobile's headquarters in Lund, Sweden will be closed, with the company notifying Swedish authorities that 650 jobs will be lost as a result.

Another 350 jobs will also go on the chopping block over the next year, which Electronista is reporting will be primarily made up of Swedish consultants.

U.K. reorganization

Sony Mobile isn't only casualty of the parent company's reorganization following a $312 million Q1 loss, with Britain's Sony Liverpool software studios also being closed.

Senior Vice President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios Michael Denny told staffers the Liverpool studio was being "reorganized," but the WWSE Team Liverpool studio where the company's legendary WipEout was created is definitely closed, Sony confirmed.

The Liverpool studios were opened in 1984 by Psygnosis, who was purchased by Sony in 1993 and rebranded as Sony Liverpool six years later.

The Sony Liverpool campus will continue to host FQA, GFPQA, XDev, CSG-Video, Localisation services and WWSE Finance, with some WWSE Team Liverpool staffers relocated to other departments, while others will become victims of further cuts.

Sony plans to cut 10,000 jobs worldwide as part of its "One Sony" restructuring efforts.


Source : techradar[dot]com

The Border Lands is Gearbox’s retro-style Borderlands 2 prequel

Borderlands 2 demake

It's a mark of a good game when its rules translate from a modern epic like Borderlands 2 to a 16-bit style throwback like The Border Lands.

Gears of War sucks. Not as a game, those games are great, but as a cultural force. Cover has ruined video game shooting. Who wants to hide behind a corner and trade shots with someone crouched behind rubble like they’re in reality or something? Video game shooting used to be about playing the angles. In Quake and Unreal, it was about circling opponents in erratic orbits, lining up perfect aim. Even further back, with your Contra and your Smash TV, it was even more rigid, locking your shots into eight directions only. Modern shooters could learn a lot from ye olde school.

Good on Gearbox then! In hyping up September’s Borderlands 2, Gearbox has taken a page out of the Dark Void playbook and made a “lost” 1989 prequel, The Border Lands. Axton, Maya, Zero, and Salvador aren’t new characters at all! They’re just the stars of the old game, brought back for 2012.

The Border Lands isn’t as taut a game of angles as Smash TV, but the principal is the same. Each stage is a contained square with obstacles dotted about. Enemies slowly pour in dropping new gear as you fell them, and you gain levels upping your health. Sounds familiar, yes? The secret to success is placing the obstacles between you and the enemies to slow their approach.

Wait a minute.

Damnation! Even as Borderlands is brought back to the 16-bit era of game design, cover-based shooting rears its ugly, conveniently placed blocks in our path!

Joking aside, it’s an interesting exercise to see Borderlands rules boiled down to their most basic and find that they are, for the most part, just as fun on the small scale as the are writ large. The Border Lands is illuminating—Shooting bad guys and receiving a rare reward is as interesting as having a massive inventory of superpowers and guns. Being in a cramped little box instead of a living, diverse planet like Pandora doesn’t diminish the good time.

So what do all the modern amenities in proper Borderlands 2 really give the player? Is the environment its own reward? Does the OCD-inducing loot collection make the shooting and strategy richer?

Not really. Borderlands 2 does have co-op though. There’s the kicker.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nokia Phi and Arrow WP8 Devices Expected to be Unveiled On September 5th

On September 5th Nokia and Microsoft will unveil two new Windows Phone 8 devices at a special event. The working names for the two phones are the “Arrow” and the “Phi”.

What all do we know about them so far? Not a whole lot, other than they are part of Nokia’s Lumia range. The Phi is expected to hit AT&T, while the Arrow will be a mid-range device for both AT&T and T-Mobile.

A third handset that is essentially the exact same thing as the Arrow is also said to exist, under the name Atlas . What makes this one different? It’s being rebranded for Verizon, or so the rumors claim. This is good new for MS fans that have Verizon as a carrier, since the carrier hasn’t had a Windows Phone device supported for over a year now.

What can we expect with Windows Phone 8? For one thing, the newest version is shedding the old Mobile core and becoming more like Windows 7 and 8 with a NT core. This means better cross-compatibility between Windows 8 apps and Windows Phone 8 apps for starter. Other improvements include better Skype integration, and a heck of a lot more.

Nokia represents some of the best Windows phones out there, and their WP8 offerings are likely to be no different. Are you looking forward to Windows Phone 8 and the newest WP8 Nokia devices?



Source : mobilemag[dot]com

Samsung, Nokia, and Apple dominate phone sales in spring 2012

Mobile phone market share for Q1 2012

Wondering who shipped the most handsets in the second quarter of 2012? ABI research reveals the top 11 players.

There aren’t many surprises when it comes to analyzing the top 11 manufacturers in the worldwide mobile handset industry in the second quarter of 2012. All the top brands you would expect to see are present and correct. The top three will surprise no one – Samsung, Nokia, and Apple (in that order). Of course, this analysis from ABI Research analyst, Michael Morgan, covers every handset shipped, not just smartphones.

Samsung accounted for 26 percent, Nokia shipped 23.1 percent, Apple 7.2 percent, ZTE 5.4 percent, and LG 3.6 percent. You can see the full run down on Fierce Wireless, which has detailed sales figures. Keep in mind, these are shipments rather than sales, but it still gives you a good idea of the top players.

Morgan runs through an analysis for each manufacturer on the list. We’ll give you the condensed highlights. Samsung is doing very well, with over 50 million smartphones shipped. Nokia shipped a roughly even split of Symbian and Windows Phone devices, but WP8 is liable to have a detrimental impact on sales of those WP7 devices. Apple’s iPhone sales slowed, but with the iPhone 5 just around the corner, we can expect a major spike for them soon.

ZTE made it into the top five for the first time ever. Huawei is another rising star from China, along with TCL (Alcatel). Things don’t look so great for LG, RIM, or Motorola, as they all showed a decline from the first quarter of 2012. Sony Mobile and HTC showed a slight improvement over their first quarter results.

With plenty of new releases on the horizon, we can expect the rest of the year to be an interesting battle. Can Apple catch Samsung? Probably not. Can Motorola turn things around with a new line-up? Maybe. Will Nokia’s new WP8 line make up for the WP7 smartphones already shipped? We’ll have to wait and see.

(Image via Fierce Wireless)


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Interplay resurrects Fallout creator Black Isle Studios but…

Black Isle Studios, creator of Fallout and Planescape: Torment, is back according to Interplay. What do key creatives from that studio say?

Sometimes a reunion tour is magic. Post-punk band Mission of Burma started playing shows 20 years after its dissolution in the early-‘80s last decade and turned out to be better songwriters than they used to be. Amazing. Then there’s the Smashing Pumpkins, a grisly, hollow imitation of the band fronted by a flailing Billy Corgan and staffed by college kids.

Interplay says it’s reuniting the legendary RPG studio Black Isle Studios. Which reunion will it be?

Interplay is the saddest zombie in the video game business. Nearly 30 years ago, founded by InXile Entertainment’s Brian Fargo, it was a standard bearer for creative video game production. It transformed electronic role-playing and action games alike with early BioWare works like MDK and Baldur’s Gate, it pushed comedy in unexpected genres with brawlers like Clayfighter and Earthworm Jim. A decade back though, Interplay started to disintegrate. It was delisted from the NASDAQ exchange.

Its only presence in the industry was as a corporate interest trying to hold onto lucrative IP. Its unofficial death came in 2003 with the closure of Black Isle Studios, its core development house behind Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment, and Fallout. A version of Interplay exists today, but it’s a groaning automaton, belching back out digital re-releases and failing to fund new projects.

On Wednesday, Interplay suddenly opened a website as well as Facebook and Twitter pages for Black Isle Studios. “Our goal has always been to make the world’s best RPGs. Black Isle Studios is back,” reads the site.

Don’t start getting too pumped up, Planescape fans. This is no Mission of Burma reunion. Brian Fargo said via Twitter, “I just read that Interplay is bringing back Black Isle. Hmmm… Not enough info for me to comment.”

Fargo’s a busy man though, working hard on his own reunion show with Wasteland 2. It’s understandable if he’s not in the loop. What about Obsidian Entertainment though, the studio behind RPGs like Fallout: New Vegas staffed by Black Isle Studios icons like Chris Avellone?

“Doesn’t involve Obsidian at all,” Avellone told Eurogamer, “No idea what it’s about. I wasn’t aware anything beyond the name was left at Interplay.”

This new Black Isle Studios seems about as substantial as the supposed Fallout MMO Interplay was making last decade as it fought to keep the rights to the series out of Bethesda’s hands.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Samsung sits up and takes Note with new S-Pen apps

Samsung sits up and takes Note with new S-Pen apps

I've got style but I'm not a stylus

Samsung has announced a number of new apps that utilise the company's S-Pen technology.

With the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 now sitting alongside the Galaxy Note and rumour the Note is set to get a successor, Samsung is making sure that people are actually putting the S-Pen stylus to work.

And the best way to do this is to entice with a bundle of new apps. The S-Pen ready applications are split between Samsung's own app store and Google Play.

The pen is mightier...

On the Samsung app store, there's: Drop The Beat, Geotag, Stargazer, Spot Difference, YouDraw and Need For Speed.

All of these use the stylus in a different way – for example You Draw tests your drawing skills while Drop The Beat will have you tapping away with your S-Pen like a person possessed.

On Google Play, Where Is It?, Trace A Face, The Official Top 40 and Easy Phone Sync have been released – all of which take advantage of the S-Pen's pointy functionality.

"The S-Pen is so precise it's inspired a whole host of new apps and we believe it will change the way people use tablet devices," said Simon Stanford, Vice President, Telecommunications and Networks, Samsung UK and Ireland.

"For example, the S-Pen makes it easy to edit photos with incredible accuracy on the device's large 10.1-inch screen using the embedded software, Adobe Photoshop Touch."

Just don't use it as a toothpick, or coffee stirrer, or anything that's not phone or tablet related really.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Resident Evil 6 director Eiichiro Sasaki talks terror, tension and tie-ins

resident evil 6 zombie game

As the driving force behind Resident Evil 6, Eiichiro Sasaki has had a hand in everything from the unusually rigorous, Alien-inspired game scripting to how it relates to the franchise movies.

The director behind Capcom’s epic new Resident Evil 6 game was at Gamescom 2012 to discuss the huge sequel. The game offers players four unique interactive stories, three of which will allow cooperative gameplay. With a new Resident Evil: Retribution movie opening just before Capcom releases the game, and a straight-to-home video computer-generated sequel, Resident Evil: Damnation, coming out as well, this fall will be dominated by all variations of Capcom’s zombie franchise. Resident Evil 6 director Eiichiro Sasaki talks about the virtual and linear sequels in this exclusive interview.

What were some of the cinematic influences for Resident Evil 6?

There were a lot of cinematic influences in Resident Evil 6, but the most specific one I can point to is for Chris’ campaign. The real influence for that comes from the movie Aliens. If you think about that movie, you have this group of people who trained really hard and they start from a position of confidence and security, but as they get more and more involved in the situation it gets worse and worse and members of their team get picked off one by one. Well, the same thing happens to Chris. And as the situation progresses for him, things get worse and worse, until in the end it’s just him and Piers that are left to fight the menace that faces them. I think this type of experience, this kind of terror that you feel from seeing teammates fall one by one, is something that you can only feel from playing Chris’ campaign.

What are the challenges of developing four unique storylines within the overarching Resident Evil 6?

The biggest challenge for us is trying to make them all feel unique. We want to make sure that they all felt like a different campaign when you’re playing them. We have Leon’s campaign, which has more of that classic Resident Evil gothic horror feel; Chris’ campaign, which I already spoke of; Jake’s campaign, where you’re going to feel this tension because you’re always being chased by this creature that won’t stop stalking you; and the fourth campaign is Ada’s campaign, which you can play after you complete the other three campaigns. Hers is a little different because it’s a single-player experience that is more reminiscent of the original Resident Evil games. Because she’s a spy, you’re going to have to use some stealth moves to get in and infiltrate certain areas. She’s a woman of mystery and there’s just a different atmosphere that surrounds her campaign compared to what is in the other three.

resident evil 6 game charactersHave there been any influences on you from what they’ve done with the Resident Evil movies that have impacted Resident Evil 6?

They’re great movies and Paul Anderson has done a great job as director of those films. It really shows that he’s a big fan of the series. I think more than us taking cues from him, he’s done a lot to actually incorporate a lot of elements from the games themselves into the movies. He’s taking more from us than vice versa.

Have you been able to go to any of his sets for the films and if so what’s that been like?

I really want to go so badly, but unfortunately I just have not been able to get there. But the executive producer of RE6, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, has been able to attend and he has been impressed with what they’re doing.

What’s it like having your Resident Evil characters like Ada Wong and Chris Redfield starring in Resident Evil: Retribution?

It speaks to the power of the franchise that what we’ve created in the games that they can be exploited in so many different ways. We’re trying to tell our own unique stories with Resident Evil 6 and Hollywood is trying to tell its own Resident Evil stories. I mean Resident Evil can be done in books, movies, games, whatever. It really is a multi-purpose franchise. It’s interesting to see how they overlap in many ways, but I would prefer that each medium does something unique to that medium. I want the Hollywood movies to take where they think Resident Evil should go in their direction. And I want the games to do with Resident Evil what they do best and make sure that they’re offering the best gaming Resident Evil experience out there. It’s really great that you can see Resident Evil take shape in so many forms.

With so many characters to deal with in Resident Evil 6, what role did the voice actors play in bringing these characters to life?

They really brought the characters to life. One of the ways we were able to do this was through full performance capture. This wasn’t the case for all of the actors, but many of the motion-capture actors and the voice actors were the same person, so they really brought the character to life. They really became that character during the course of the creation of the game. Another thing we did differently is that usually with games you write a script and pass it to the actors and they read it and perform it. It’s normally a very quick process. But we wanted the actors to be more involved, so from the very beginning when we selected the actors for this project we had meetings with them. The game’s scriptwriter and I sat down with the actors and really tried to come up with a direction for these characters to take. We tried to really create realistic, three-dimensional characters. I really think that’s the way we want to do it in the future to get the most out of these performances. Voice acting is a critical part of the game’s production and you can’t just treat it as an afterthought.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Sony culls Wipeout creators Studio Liverpool after 28-year run

The game development team at Studio Liverpool, one of Europe’s longest-running game studios was closed by its parent company Sony yesterday, without any prior warning and in the process cancelling all games in production. Among them were two rumored titles due to be released for the upcoming PlayStation 4 games console.

According to unnamed sources speaking to Eurogamer, the two affected PS4 titles include Wipeout, which has been in production for the last 12-18 months, and another title said to be a “Splinter Cell style game.” Sony will retain the rights to the Wipeout franchise but its long-term future is uncertain.

The studio first opened its doors in 1984 as Psygnosis, an independent developer and publisher who went on to release Obliterator and Shadow of the Beast in the 80s before hitting the headlines in the 90s with the publishing of DMA Designs’ Lemmings titles. In 1993 Sony acquired the gaming firm in a bid to bolster its game console ecosystem, before incorporating it into their Sony brand and renaming it Studio Liverpool in 1999.

Sudio Liverpool's most recent work includes the release of Wipeout 2048 for Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld, and they also took part in extensive testing of the device during its development. The decision by Sony to shutter the studio will not affect the other departments, and although it’s still currently unconfirmed, the Guardian has been informed that the game developers will be relocated to other studios in the UK.

Sony’s full statement is below.

It has been decided that Liverpool Studio should be closed. Liverpool Studio has been an important part of SCE Worldwide Studios since the outset of PlayStation, and have contributed greatly to PlayStation over the years. Everyone connected with Liverpool Studio, past and present, can be very proud of their achievements.

However, it was felt that by focusing our investment plans on other studios that are currently working on exciting new projects, we would be in a stronger position to offer the best possible content for our consumers.


Source : techspot[dot]com

Microsoft’s new logo proves you gotta be square to be hip

Microsoft's new 2012 corporate logo breakdown

For the first time in 25 years, Microsoft has updated its corporate logo. If you hadn't guessed, it now looks a lot like Windows 8.

Microsoft has been inventing new products for decades, but today marks the first time it’s changed its corporate logo in 25 years. As a nod to the new style of Windows 8, and an admission that tiles really are everything to Microsoft right now, the company’s new logo has a completely square version of the classic Windows symbol included on it, complete with the red, green, blue, and  yellow squares. In addition to the Windows symbol, the Microsoft wording is now in a simpler, more Windows 8-style font as well and is now colored gray instead of black. If you take a trip to Microsoft.com, you’ll already see the new logo in use. 

Though the Windows operating system has always had a symbol similar to this, albeit not as modern, this is the first time Microsoft has put the Windows symbol on its corporate logo. The change shows how deeply Microsoft is committed to its new strategy. Nearly every product, from Azure to Zune, has been reworked and altered to fit in with Windows 8. Even the Xbox, once a completely separate brand, now has an interface with Live Tiles (or should we call them window panes?) covering it.

We won’t know whether or not Windows 8 is a smart move for Microsoft for some time, but it is interesting to see how boldly the software giant is pushing its new design style. Microsoft claims that the new logo will be used “prominently,” going forward. Expect to see old Microsoft logos disappearing around the world as the great purging and re-invention of the Microsoft logo begins. If you get nostalgic though, you can always search Google  Bing for old Microsoft logos!


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Truly Unlimited High-Speed Data Coming to T-Mobile USA, No Really


Yes, it’s true that T-Mobile already has a $50 plan that gives you unlimited talk and text, but the “ unlimited data” part of that equation downgrades from high-speed to 2G after you hit the 2GB cap. Given our need for high-speed wireless data all the time, that just won’t do and T-Mobile is finally changing its tune.

Starting on September 5, T-Mobile USA will offer a truly unlimited data option where you get to stick with the company’s 4G speeds regardless of how much data you consume. Go ahead and stream that Internet radio and watch YouTube clips to your heart’s desire. This truly unlimited data option rivals what MetroPCS announced just yesterday. Keep in mind that both Verizon and AT&T cap their data, so that leaves Sprint as the only other major carrier to have unlimited data.

To get unthrottled unlimited data with T-Mobile, you’ll need to tack on an additional $20 fee on top of the existing $49.99 unlimited plan. That brings you up to $69.99, which is still cheaper than the totally unlimited plan from Sprint. Now if only T-Mobile could figure out a way to get the iPhone 5 as part of its lineup…



Source : mobilemag[dot]com

LG Optimus G to get Snapdragon S4 superpowers

LG Optimus G to get Snapdragon S4 superpowers

S4 Pro - powerful stuff

LG's rumoured 'super' phone looks like it is set to become reality, with Qualcomm confirming it is working with the electronics giant on a new phone.

Earlier this week, rumours had it that LG was developing a new uber-powerful smartphone called the LG Optimus G.

It was also thought that Qualcomm would power the device and this has all-but-been confirmed by the chip maker.

According to Qualcomm it will be supplying its Snapdragon S4 Pro platform to LG, which will fit nicely into LG's forthcoming quadcore smartphone and offer "a superior mobile experience for voice, web browsing, games, user interfaces and other graphics applications".

Chip chat

And when it says superior, it really means it. Benchmark tests for the S4 Pro chip have it way out in front of the current crop of mobile devices, thoroughly beating current devices such as the Galaxy Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy S3.

And the bonus of the chip is that it should be more battery friendly than Tegra 3 and Exynos chips – and even surpasses specs for the PS Vita.

As for an LG Optimus G release date, it is likely we will see the phone out in September in Korea. Here's hoping it will be shown off at IFA 2012.


Source : techradar[dot]com

The Power of the Quad-Core Snapdragon is Coming to LG

Qualcomm has announced an upcoming partnership with LG involving the use of the Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor. At the moment, LG is keeping quite about its part in the the development, but rumors already have leaked about a phone that more than likely is going to be the fruits of this partnership.

While most of LG’s Optimus line is low-to-mid range quality devices, the Optimus G is a bit of a powerhouse and looks to be LG’s attempts at going after the high-end market in a big way. What all is aboard the Optimus G, if we believe the rumors? Besides a quad-core processor, the phone is said to have 2GB of RAM, a 13MP camera and a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display. The G is also said to utilize 4G LTE technology.

As you can see, it looks to be a monster, especially compared with many of LG’s other devices. LG is know for quality products, but generally has targeted more modest specs on its devices. Could this be the beginning of a bigger shift for the company’s handsets? I personally am quite curious to see how this one turns out, what about you?



Source : mobilemag[dot]com

Lumia Phi and Arrow - Nokia Windows Phone 8 details emerge

Lumia Phi and Arrow - Nokia Windows Phone 8 details emerge

Nokia and Microsoft, still sitting in a tree

With September inching ever closer, sources close to Nokia have begun to spill the beans on what we will see from the Finns at the September 5 Windows Phone 8 launch.

The sneaky sources have let slip that there will be two new Windows Phone 8 devices from Nokia, one codenamed "Arrow" and the other "Phi".

The Verge's sources reckon they'll both be Lumia handsets, with Nokia Phi being an AT&T exclusive so possibly US only to begin with, but if it's a flagship handset, we don't imagine this will be the case.

Finn Phi phone fun

The Phi will also come with a large curved glass display and a polycarbonate casing, in line with the photo leak we saw earlier this month.

The Phi details are backed up by analyst Eldar Murtazin who often shoots his mouth off about upcoming Nokia hardware with varying degrees of accuracy.

He reports that the Phi has a 4.7-inch OLED screen and a "high-capacity" battery. If all the sources are to be believed, the Phi will sit at the higher end of the range as successor to the Lumia 800 and 900.

Deatails on the Arrow are scarce, but it is said to be a mid-range handset also running Windows Phone 8.

TechRadar will be on hand at the joint Microsoft-Nokia event to bring you all the factual details as they break; until then, check out our initial thoughts on the software in our hands on Windows Phone 8 review.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Oh, the irony: Startup launching Bitcoin debit cards in two months

Bitcoin is about to enter the physical real world now that startup BitInstant aims to create a debit card system based on the BTC currency.

You may remember hearing about the P2P puesdo-currency Bitcoin: a virtual monetary system that allows users to pay anonymously, bypass bank regulations, and avoid transfer and withdrawal fees. Last year, Bitcoin experienced quite a crash and security breach that made the currency nearly worthless – dropping from the exchange rate of $17 to merely a few pennies. Bitcoin has surprisingly got itself back together in the past months, and now a New York City-based startup wants to normalize its use again by introducing a Bitcoin debit card system.

Known as BitInstant, this Bitcoin debit card would act like your average prepaid card that you can use to make every day purchases, withdraw money, or transfer amounts to friends and merchants. The card hold a maximum of $1,000 in Bitcoin credit (BTC) limit, and would contain QR codes in the front that are scannable by a BitInstant app to link users directly to their accounts. 

bitcoin“You’re at dinner with a friend? Forget PayPal, just scan his or your card with your Bitcoin app,” BitInstant CEO Charlie Shrem explains to Ars Technica. This process bypasses transfer fees if friends do not bank with the same company though users are allowed to keep each money transfer as BTU or convert them into US dollars, in which case a conversion fee would be charged.

So why would anyone use a Bitcoin debit card in place of actual prepaid cards in the first place? For one, BitInstant would attract those who’ve actually had successes at mining Bitcoin. Since the e-currency is in its own entire realm, advanced Bitcoiners can run complex softwares to generate BTC and BitInstant would allow these users to spend their hard-earned Bitcoins in real life, anywhere they want. The transfer would also be as instant as handing someone cash, meaning transactions can take place between any two users in the world without waiting for third-party middlemen to process the transfer.

Still, the entire concept of BitInstant cards seem ironic, to say the least. The point of Bitcoin is to provide anonymity and leave banks out of the money transfer equation, yet introducing a bank-issued Bitcoin card would bring both issues back to the forefront. We can’t imagine that a bank would issue a BitInstant card without so much as providing a trackable feature on the card, ruining the whole anonymous transaction feature Bitcoin had going for it. Even if BitInstant and the banks that issued the cards cannot publicly release transfer history made on the card, we’re pretty sure one can get a hold of that information if a user can acquire a police warrant to make banks give them that data.

But hey, if the whole futuristic e-currency idea seems fancy to you, by all means, preorder your Bitcoin debit card with BitInstant and its public Google Doc signup sheet.

(Photo mockup of Bitcoin debit card by Ars Technica.)


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Are new unlimited data plans from T-Mobile and MetroPCS a good deal?

Unlimited Data (Shutterstock carlosgardel)

T-Mobile and MetroPCS have joined Sprint in offering truly unlimited data plans: no data caps in sight. Should AT&T and Verizon customers disgruntled by rate changes make the jump? Maybe, but make sure to read the fine print.

T-Mobile has always offered “unlimited” mobile data service, but it came with an asterisk and a flurry of fine print at the bottom of contract agreements. Users could use all the data they wanted, but once they exceeded a monthly threshold for their plan — usually 2GB or 5GB a month — T-Mobile would throttle performance down to about 128Kbps. That’s enough to check email or post a quick status update, but forget uploading a bunch of photos, watching video, or even streaming music.

Now, T-Mobile has announced it will offer truly unlimited data plans: All the data you can use, no throttling, for a fixed fee of $20 to $30 per month on top of a traditional voice plan. The rates will be available beginning September 5. The move comes one day after regional carrier MetroPCS announced its own unlimited 4G LTE data plan starting at just $40 a month — although that’s just a promotional rate, so there’s no telling how long MetroPCS will keep it on the table.

Are the plans a good deal? And are they enough to keep mobile consumers interested in T-Mobile and MetroPCS as the companies struggle to compete with behemoths like AT&T and Verizon Wireless? After all, T-Mobile and MetroPCS have one thing in common when it comes to attracting (and retaining) customers: neither offers the iPhone.

T-Mobile’s unlimited plan

T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s new unlimited data plan will be available starting September 5 as a $20 add-on to a Value voice-and-text plan, or a $30 add-on to a Classic voice-and-text plan. That brings the cost of a single line Value plan with unlimited nationwide data to a total cost of $69.99 per month (excluding taxes and fees), while a single line Classic plan with unlimited data will cost $89.99 a month — again, omitting taxes and fees. The unlimited data plan is not available separately or with any of T-Mobile’s other options, including pre-paid service.

While T-Mobile has made a point to include no throttling, that isn’t to say T-Mobile’s unlimited data plan is now asterisk-free. Although T-Mobile calls the service its Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, T-Mobile’s variety of 4G is still its souped-up HSPA+ network. To be sure, that network does hop along, routinely offering download speeds of 8 Mbps or more in areas with decent coverage and in theory jumping all the way up to 42 Mbps. But top speeds are available only to phones specifically engineered for T-Mobile’s network. While the company is working hard to transition its network to be more broadly compatible with other 3G phones, they aren’t there yet. Similarly, T-Mobile’s transition to “true” 4G LTE service isn’t scheduled to be available to consumers until sometime in 2013. Bottom line: Customers who want decent performance from a T-Mobile smartphone need to live in an area with reliable service and have a T-Mobile’s phone.

One more caveat: Folks taking advantage of the unlimited data plan won’t be able to use their devices as mobile hotspots to share their mobile broadband connections with other devices, like tablets, gaming devices, or computers. T-Mobile users who want hotspot capabilities will pay at least $94.99 a month — and have a 5GB monthly data cap.

MetroPCS’s unlimited plan

MetroPCS logo

MetroPCS is also rolling out an unlimited data plan, offering unlimited voice, text, and data on a single line for $55 per month. Existing MetroPCS customers can pick up the unlimited service for $50 a month on additional lines. Unlike T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network, MetroPCS’s unlimited data plan is LTE-ready: MetroPCS is already rolling out 4G LTE to its service areas, and customers with LTE phones are eligible to use unlimited data on that LTE network.

There are a couple of catches. The first, of course, is that MetroPCS is a regional carrier. If you don’t live in one of the 17 metropolitan areas it serves (which, admittedly, includes New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, the San Francisco Bay area, and Dallas), customers can’t get their service. Furthermore, even existing MetroPCS customers probably need a new phone to take advantage of the company’s new LTE network. Right now, fewer than 10 percent of MetroPCS’s customers have phones that can use its new high-speed network. MetroPCS’s unlimited data plan offer is a pretty transparent attempt to get its existing customers to upgrade to new LTE-capable devices — not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Unfortunately, the pricing on MetroPCS’s unlimited 4G data plan is a promotion: it’s not a permanent offering. (Not that any mobile plan can really described as “permanent.”) MetroPCS hasn’t said how long it plans to run the promotion, but the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) it could last three to six months. When the promotion ends, MetroPCS will revert to its current $70 a month price for unlimited data.

Finally, like T-Mobile, MetroPCS’s unlimited 4G data service does not include using a 4G device as a mobile hotspot.

How they stack up

smartphones

T-Mobile and MetroPCS aren’t the only players in the U.S. mobile market that offer unlimited data. The biggest player in the field is Sprint, which has so far bucked the trend of major mobile operators in either throttling data or instituting data caps. Sprint’s unlimited data service starts at $109.99 per month (plus tax), and for now is limited to 3G service. (That’s a $99.99 plan plus a $10 a month “premium” for using it with a smartphone.) Sprint is still in the process of rolling out equipment for LTE service and had planned to have 12,000 sites up and running by the end of 2012, although there have been some delays as the company works to get fiberoptic backhaul in place. Broad LTE coverage from Sprint isn’t expected until 2013.

Sprint’s unlimited data plan seems to make both T-Mobile’s and MetroPCS’s high-performance offerings seem like a bargin. However, Sprint offers broader coverage than T-Mobile (and especially MetroPCS), and Sprint can also offer customers the iPhone.

Of course, AT&T and Verizon Wireless are fond of telling customers that their capped data plans only impact a small percentage of customers who use mammoth amounts of mobile data: According to the companies, most customers never come close to hitting their monthly data limits. Verizon currently starts capping individual users at 2GB of data per month and charges $15 per GB of overage. AT&T starts off with a 3GB monthly cap and charges $10 per GB of overage.

Pros and cons

Cell tower

Are either T-Mobile or MetroPCS’s unlimited data plans a good deal? The answer most likely depends on whether you’re already a T-Mobile or MetroPCS customer — and how you feel about buying a new phone.

Neither T-Mobile or MetroPCS currently offer the iPhone, so if you’re dead-set on an Apple device, these plans are out.

If you already have a smartphone running Android or another platform on another carrier, you’re in a similar situation. MetroPCS’s LTE network uses 1,900 MHz and AWS frequency bands, so 4G phones from AT&T and Verizon won’t operate on its LTE service. In other words, you’ll need to buy a new device to get high speed service on MetroPCS, even if you have a 4G phone on another network.

If you already have a smartphone from AT&T, T-Mobile’s unlimited data plan might be an option — eventually. Right now T-Mobile’s special flavor of high-speed HSPA+ only works with devices designed for its network; however, T-Mobile is in the process of reconfiguring its network in such a way that some AT&T 3G/4G HSPA+ devices — including the iPhone — will be able to use its services. (T-Mobile already has more than a million customers using iPhones on its network, but they’re currently limited to 2G EDGE service.) As T-Mobile’s redeployment proceeds and it shifts to embrace the same frequency bands as AT&T, some AT&T handsets owners — including iPhone owners — could find T-Mobile’s new unlimited data plans very tempting. But that network redeployment hasn’t extended very far yet, and T-Mobile doesn’t expect to complete it until sometime in 2013.

Bottom line: Both T-Mobile’s and MetroPCS’s new unlimited data plan offers are primarily tempting to existing T-Mobile and MetroPCS customers — particularly customers who are on the edge of buying a new phone. In that sense, they’re sound business moves. T-Mobile has been steadily losing subscribers without the iPhone. Unlimited data plans are a good way to keep existing T-Mobile contract subscribers on board. For MetroPCS, the unlimited data promotion is a good way to convince existing customers to upgrade to new devices that can use its shiny new LTE network. The plans aren’t going to be ground-shaking turning points for either company — but they should help keep some of their most valuable smartphone customers happy.

[Images via Shutterstock / carlosgardel, Shutterstock / Sam72]


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Nearly half of US consumers say they don't need 4G LTE

Nearly half of US consumers say they don't need 4G LTE

Do you need 4G?

Ofcom may have given the green light to Everything Everywhere's 4G plans for the UK, but a lot of people think the technology is unnecessary.

In a study of 3,000 US consumers, nearly half say they don't need 4G LTE. Though considering more than a quarter of all respondents think all 4G technologies are the same, maybe it's worth taking these results with a pinch of salt.

Piper Jaffray carried out the study. Its analyst Christopher M. Larsen published the paper.

The study found 47 per cent of respondents said they didn't need 4G LTE, while 26 per cent thought all 4G technologies were the same. Only 15 per cent said they thought 4G LTE was the best 4G wireless technology.

The study also found that consumers aren't fussed about which operator has the best 4G LTE network.

4G in the UK

Ofcom recently said it was ok for Everything Everywhere to roll out its 4G network in the UK, much to the annoyance of the other networks. O2, Vodafone and Three will have to wait until the spectrum auction at the end of the year before they can deploy their own 4G networks.

Apple's latest iPad is equipped for 4G in certain markets, though not the UK or Australia, despite the company's marketing blurb. It was subsequently forced to stop labelling it as '4G' everywhere in the world.

The iPhone 5 is expected to be announced on September 12, with many thinking it could be 4G-enabled as well.

Via Apple Insider


Source : techradar[dot]com

Verizon Blackout Points Towards a Sept. 21 iPhone 5 Release Date

We figured that the next iPhone would be released some time in the fall, and then it looked like we narrowed it down to September. Now, there is further evidence that the iPhone 5 release date will be September, thanks to an employee announcement from Verizon Wireless. You see, they blacked out vacation requests for the period covering September 21 to September 30.

Normally, the reason why they would black out vacation requests is that they expect that period of time to be particularly busy. It’s not out of the ordinary to see blackout periods for Black Friday or for during the Christmas shopping season. So, why would they black out a little over a week toward the end of September? It has to be the new iPhone, right?

All staff at all of Verizon’s retail stores have been banned from taking vacation from September 21 to September 30, calling for “all hands on deck” during that time. Naturally, Verizon wants to make sure that their stores are suitably staffed for the onslaught of iFans wanting to get their hands on the newest iPhone. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if AT&T has launched similar efforts for the same time.



Source : mobilemag[dot]com

New iPhone 5 to launch with dual-core chip?

New iPhone 5 to launch with dual-core chip?

It's all about what's inside...

New components for the new iPhone 5 have surfaced, suggesting it will be underpowered compared to rivals.

The new iPhone is set to launch within the next month and components have been pouring onto the web.

The newest item is a logic board exposed to show more of the phone's innards, but what's more interesting is the fact Apple could be bringing the new iPad's A5X chip to the iPhone 5.

The power of TWO CORES

This is only a dual-core offering, which would put the new handset behind the likes of the HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S3 and LG Optimus 4X in the smartphone power wars.

iPhone 5
Credit: Sina.com

However, it's worth noting that power isn't everything and the graphical grunt of the iPad 3 would still be impressive on a new iPhone – a lower speed of CPU will certainly help with battery power too.

Given that we've possibly seen the iPhone 5 battery already without much of a power increase, this seems plausible – here's hoping that Apple can keep up with the rest of the pack when it comes to making a decent smartphone experience.


Source : techradar[dot]com

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