New trademarks hint that Level-5 is localizing Yasumi Matsuno and Suda 51's Guild 01 Nintendo 3DS games for the English speaking market.

Guild 01 is a bizarre package. Level-5, the studio behind Professor Layton, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, and Dragon Quest IX, gathered together a would-be Justice League of Japanese developers for a compilation of games for the Nintendo 3DS. It’s a weird one by any stretch of the imagination, the sort of oddity that’s made in Japan and then never escapes. Against all odds, English speakers may yet get a chance to try out the comp.

Siliconera reported on Monday that Level-5 filed trademarks in the United States for Liberation Maiden and Crimson Shroud. These are two of the four games in Guild 01.

Liberation Maiden is a shooter made by Suda 51 of Grasshopper Manufacture. You control a high schooler who succeeds her dad as president of Japan. Like all presidents, you then have to fight off an alien invasion.

Crimson Shroud is a mostly text-based role-playing game made by Yasumi Matsuno. Matsuno’s name has faded in recent years but he’s responsible for some of the best RPGs ever made, including Ogre Battle, Tactics Ogre, and Final Fantasy XII.

Since these games were trademarked separately from Guild 01, it seems likely that Level-5 will bring them over as downloadables in Nintendo’s eShop.

Data from UK demographics firm YouGov suggests Apple's brand perception is best amongst the over-35 set. Could this be a problem, or an asset?

In addition to being one of the world’s most valuable companies, Apple has been one of the world’s most valuable brands for most of the past decade. Now, however, there are signs age may be starting to take a second bite out of Apple’s famous logo. Where Macs, iPods, iPhones, and iPads are certainly embraced by youth all over the world, a new survey suggests Apple’s brand perception is most positive with folks aged 35 and over — and actually declining with the coveted 18 to 34 demographic.

Is Apple’s famously loyal customer base starting to show grey around the temples? And what impact could that have on Apple’s prospects — and products — as the company continues into the 21st century?

How YouGov’s BrandIndex works

News of the potential aging of Apple’s biggest fans comes from UK market research company YouGov. For several years, YouGov has been conducting qualitative BrandIndex brand perception surveys in an effort to understand how consumers in different marketplaces and demographics think about a particular brand — and its competitors. Of course, YouGov’s interest in this information is in selling the analyses to the companies that own those brands — and/or to their competitors — as a way of measuring the comparative “health” of their brand in key markets.

The BrandIndex measurement of the health of the Apple brand is pretty straightforward: YouGov just asks consumers “If you’ve heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?” If a response is positive, the brand gets a point. If the response is negative, the brand loses a point. YouGov then normalizes the scores to run from 100 to -100, meaning a score of zero would be an utterly neutral collective brand perception.

Changes in Apple’s brand perception

Although YouGov’s BrandIndex is primarily intended as a tool for the marketing industry, the company has been collecting BrandIndex data for a while — and the measure’s comparative simplicity gives it a degree of self-consistency absent in one-off surveys conducted by many market analysis firms. For instance, take a look at how YouGov’s brand perception measurement of Apple has changed over time: the grey line represents respondents aged 18 to 34, while the red line indicates respondents aged 35 and older.

Up until mid-2009, the 18-34 demographic consistently had a much more positive brand percent of Apple than the 35-and-over set. In the second quarter of 2009 the 35+ crowd surged and essentially matched the positive brand perception of the younger group — that would have been around the time Apple introduced the original iPad and the iPhone 3GS — but generally the 18-to-35 group had a more positive average perception of Apple.

At least, up until about mid-May of 2011, when the 35+ crowd began demonstrating a surge of positive regard for Apple. Although the 18-34 crowd also marked an uptick — corresponding to the release of the iPhone 4S — the 35-and-older demographic has consistently held a higher opinion of Apple than the younger set ever since.

(That massive dip in Apple brand perception across both age ranges around August 2010? That was the tempest-in-a-teapot over “antennagate“.)

Maybe those Genius ads were on target?

Looking at how Apple’s positive brand perception seems to be shifting to older customers, YouGov speculations that Apple’s recent “Genius” series of television advertisements — which were generally panned by digital media — may have been uncannily on target.

“It may make sense that the ‘Genius’ ads were airing during the Olympics, where the prime time audience is easily over 35 years old,” YouGov’s Ted Marzilli wrote. “It appears that the 35+ demographic, which includes Boomers 50 and over, may need more product hand-holding than the younger group.”

The U.S. television audience for the Olympics may well skew older, although preliminary Olympic viewership figures in the United States show NBC’s Olympic coverage dominating all age demographics. NBC was quick to claim that almost half of all Olympic viewers had watched the games on tablets. Given that smartphones and tablets have generally been more quickly embraced by younger users, presumably many of those tablet users were in the under-35 crowd. (The BBC, interestingly, only saw about a quarter of its audience tap in via smartphone or tablet — presumably because the BBC wasn’t operating on a tape delay and actually covered all Olympic sports.)

Couple the Olympics perhaps-older-skewing audience with the fact that the Genius ads focused on the Macintosh (which, despite the recent release of OS X Mountain Lion, is Apple’s longest-standing product), you seem to get a recipe for Advertising for the Aged.

The risks — and benefits — of being fuddy-duddy

It’s important to note that brand perception doesn’t always have a strong correlation to sales. On average, YouGov’s BrandIndex finds perception of Apple’s brand has been consistently highly positive for the last four years — although there is a downward trend that probably has a few of Apple’s advertising and marketing partners kicking around different ideas. Nonetheless, even if Apple’s brand perception is slowly dropping according to YouGov, the company’s sales and revenue are healthy. In testimony at Apple’s high-profile infringement trial with Samsung, Apple’s senior VP of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller noted new models of the iPhone roughly sell the same number of units as all previous generations combined. That’s a situation any other company in the world would envy, and why negative perceptions about “antennagate” and supposed consumer disappointment about the iPhone 4S (when people were expecting an “iPhone 5″) haven’t made much difference for Apple, even in the short term.

Furthermore, there are certain advantages to appealing to older consumers. Older consumers tend to have more disposable income and be less price sensitive than young consumers, many of whom are in early stages of their careers (assuming they’re not living in their parents’ basement and trying to wait out the substantial youth unemployment that has accompanied the recent recession). Particularly with the Macintosh, Apple has historically made its money in the higher-end, higher-margin area of the market: the company has historically dominated the sales of computers priced at $1,000 or higher, fueling perceptions of an “Apple tax” built into the price of every Mac.

Having a positive perception among older consumers can also have indirect benefits to Apple’s business, since older user are more likely to be able to influence purchasing and technology policies and purchasing at schools, businesses, and enterprises. Instead of Apple devices getting into big organizations simply because they’re in employees pockets, positive perceptions amongst movers and shakers is more likely to get Apple gear officially sanctioned.

But it’s a fine line. Back in the old days, there used to be a mantra in IT departments that “nobody ever got fired for buying IBM.” Eventually, that became “nobody ever got fired for buying Microsoft.” Although the phrase refers to the ubiquity and broad compatibility of the company’s products, it’s not a compliment: it basically means that product purchasing is being done on the perception of a brand and its stability rather than the technical merit, quality, or capability of a product. Purchases happened because they appealed to the fuddy-duddies, not because they were the best tools for the job.

IBM and Microsoft continued to enjoy strong revenues and growth long after their brands started to become synonymous with complacency — heck, Microsoft’s Windows empire is still hugely formidable amongst both businesses and consumers. But if Apple wants to avoid falling into the same morass of tired branding and even FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) as its customers get older, it may want to appeal to the same qualities that brought them to Apple in the first place — the ability to step beyond the status quo and “think different,” if you will — rather than treat seniors with disrespect and denigrating humor.

But, if that fails, Apple can probably earn lots of positive vibes by giving away iPhone bumper cases. It worked last time.

Nintendo's fall release schedule for 3DS is packed, but two high profile titles have slipped to 2013.

Delays aren’t a bad thing. Sometimes a game just needs more time in the oven. Even if the people making it decided, you know, this is finished, we have literally placed all that and a bag of chips into the ROM, sometimes waiting a little bit longer to get it out is the best idea. Then a good game can be polished to the point of greatness, or it can be released at a time when there will be fewer high profile games jockeying for people’s attention and dollars.

The Nintendo 3DS has been no stranger to delays over the past year. Kid Icarus: Uprising was supposed to be ready for launch and it ended up releasing nearly a year later this past March. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon was also supposed to be ready for the Nintendo 3DS quite a long time ago, but after a couple of delays, Nintendo announced at E3 2012 that it would be out in time for Christmas. None too soon based on my time with it in June.

Luigi’s Mansion won’t be out in time for Christmas though. Nintendo released an expansive release calendar detailing the 3DS and DS line up through the end of the year and Luigi’s Mansion did not make the cut.

In this case, Nintendo is wisely giving Luigi room to breathe. Between now and Christmas, Nintendo alone has New Super Mario Bros. 2, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, and Paper Mario: Sticker Star just to name a few and that’s on top of a few third-party games that Nintendo is aggressively marketing itself like Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.

Next Level Games has been working on Luigi’s Mansion for around two years now and the game is nice and polished in demos. It’s not a game that’s going to really steal people’s hearts and minds away from even a Paper Mario game. Best let it breathe on its own.

Konami’s Castelvania: Lords of Shadow—Mirror of Fate, formerly scheduled for October, will join Luigi’s Mansion in 2013. That game however could use the extra development time. When I played it at E3 2012, Mercurysteam’s first handheld Castlevania was a mess. It looked like a bowl of chunky soup and played like a stiff old man. It lacked the vivacious color of past portable Castlevanias but even its dour atmosphere lacked the polish and sheen of the original Lords of Shadow. A few more months will do the game nicely.

Sony made another purchase toward creating a cloud entertainment empire with PlayStation at the center.

More than a month after Sony announced it would acquire cloud-based streaming video game service Gaikai, the company plans to make another major purchase that will develop its cloud gaming business. Sony and Japanese broadband company So-Net signed a filing that will make the latter a fully owned subsidiary.

According to ZDNet, Sony intends to purchase the 42 percent stake in So Net it doesn’t already own for approximately $764 million. Sony already owns a majority stake in the company but the acquisition will, in the company’s words, allow it “a full leverage of So-net’s business portfolio and assets.”

That full leverage focuses in particular on So-Net’s usage for Sony’s cloud-based entertainment businesses. It plans to use So-Net to “advance the pursuit of cloud services and interactive entertainment experiences in Japan and Asia” as well as “an expansion of Sony’s network service platform to Asia outside Japan as well as within Japan.”

So-Net’s a good grab for Sony. The company currently has more than 2 million broadband subscribers and its sales totaled approximately $1.2 billion last fiscal year. Sony needs that kind of healthy influx of cash, especially considering its brutal losses.

The So-Net purchase does more than just increase Sony’s control of an already reliable earner—It’s another pillar in the company’s impressive attempt to future proof its entertainment business. Gaikai gives Sony an established infrastructure to relaunch its PlayStation business around streaming as well as physical disc and digital download sales.

Gaikai and So-Net also compliment Sony’s mobile business. In October of last year, Sony bought out Ericsson’s share of the two company’s joint venture Sony Ericsson. The brand has lost significant market share to other Android handset makers like HTC and Samsung, not to mention the still booming Apple.

Sony has tried to hold an iron grip around entire industries before. When CD sales crumbled in the face of digital distribution, Sony invested heavily in the Blu-ray disc format, trying to get a foothold and failing miserably in the process. Blu-ray was shortsighted though. The future of entertainment is in cloud-based streaming services, and Sony has shown impressive foresight in its acquisitions. So-Net will allow it to reach millions of customers directly, hoping to offer them streaming PlayStation service, in addition to music and movies through the Sony Entertainment Network.

The question now is whether it will look to partner with a broadband provider in the US or purchase one outright.

Apple iPhone users can make VoIP calls through Imo.im -- something Android users have been able to do since February.

Apple iPhone users, you’re in luck: Imo.im isn’t just for instant messaging anymore. The IM aggregator service announced today that it now allows iOS users to make VoIP phone calls, a feature that has been available on Android devices since February.

Imo calls can be made over Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G connections on iPhones running iOS version 3.1 and higher. The Imo VoIP service is a bit limited, however; calls made from Imo only work between Imo users, or contacts on third-party services including Google Chat and Skype. When we inquired about Imo’s plans for offering native calls to cell phones and landlines, the company informed us that it had no intention of doing so any time soon.

VoIP services are in particular beneficial to international callers, as it has become the defacto method for bypassing exorbitant long-distance rates.

Imo, which was creatd by former Googlers and brothers, Ralph and Georges Harik has clearly benefited from the death of Meebo Messenger in June. Imo has grown its user based with a healthy 4 million mobile downloads and 700,000 daily users since its inception in 2007. And Imo.im has become a one-stop shop for its users to chat on any of the 11 of the most-used instant messaging services including Facebook, AIM, Google Chat, Skype and other third party messaging platforms.

Watch Imo’s VoIP for iPhone capabilities below:

The Mechromancer, a fifth, downloadable character for Borderlands 2, is built for novices. Gearbox's lead designer described it another way.

Know this, oh ye studios and publishers: After 30 years, gender issues have overtaken violence as the hot button issue in video games. Earlier this year, Square-Enix was taken to task for not one but two of its studios’ depictions of women. Gearbox is now under fire as a newly announced downloadable character class for Borderlands 2 was described as “girlfriend mode” by one of the game’s lead designers.

Gearbox detailed a fifth playable character, the Mechromancer, that will be available as DLC for Borderlands 2 around two months after the game hits shelves. Taking inspiration from Jamie Hewlett’s (Gorillaz) old comic book character Tank Girl, the Mechromancer is a punk girl in a jean jacket,  pigtails, and a robot arm. Her support ability summons a giant tank named Deathtrap who, unlike commando Axton’s turrets, is there to draw fire away from the player.

The Mechromancer is different from other characters in a different way. One of her three skill trees, the chain of abilities unlocked as you progress in the game, is called “Best Friends Forever.” Those skills are built to make the game significantly easier than playing as one of the other classes. For example the “Close Enough” skill will give shots fired a chance to ricochet so the player doesn’t have to aim particularly well.

So what’s the problem? Making Borderlands 2 more accessible without affecting the core game has to be a good thing, right? The problem is how Hemingway described the Mechromancer to Eurogamer during a Gearbox studio tour. “The design team looking at the [Mechromancer] concept art and though, you know what, this is actually the cutest character we’ve ever had. I was to make, for the lack of a better term, the girlfriend skill tree. This is: I love Borderlands and I want to share it with someone, but they suck at first-person shooters. Can we make a skill tree that actually allows them to understand the game and to play the game? That’s what our attempt with the Best Friends Forever skill tree is.”

Hemingway’s statements ignited a firestorm of angry Internet goers and the game remains a trending topic on Twitter as of this writing. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford took to Twitter himself on Monday morning to defend Hemingway and the game.

“There is no universe where Hemingway is a sexist,” said Pitchford, “The future DLC Mechromancer class has a skill tree that makes it easier for less skilled co-op partners (any gender!) to play and be useful.”

While Hemingway’s phrasing could certainly be seen as patronizing, Borderlands 2 is hardly a bastion of video game misogyny. The game is written by Anthony Burch, who along with his sister Ashly Burch is responsible for the surrealist comedy show Hey Ash, Whatcha Playing. The only serious topic that show ever tackles is how women are depicted in games, and the writer has shown a keen awareness of problematic game creation.

Hemingway chose his words poorly. If people want to take Gearbox to task for being misogynists, take them out for releasing Duke Nukem Forever.

5 years after People Can Fly was acquired by Epic Games, co-founder Andrian Chmielarz and two artists have left the studio.

These are rambling days in the video game industry. Around 4 years ago when the game industry began contracting, major publishers bought up independent studios in record numbers, with designers seeking the relative financial security of the larger corporate body. Today though, more and more of those same developers are striking out on their own, many leaving behind the studios that they helped found. Painkiller and Bulletstorm studio People Can Fly was acquired by Epic Games during that rush in 2007. On Sunday, three of People Can Fly’s key staff left the studio to pursue new opportunities.

Polygon reported that creative director and studio founder Andrian Chmielarz, lead artist Andrzej Poznanski, and principal artist Michal Kosieradzki have all left People Can Fly. Chmielarz said on Twitter that People Can Fly’s current project, spinoff Gears of War: Judgment won’t be hurt by their departure. “Gears fans, you’re going to love Judgment. It’s in great hands. And don’t worry, you’ll hear about my plans soon enough.

Epic president Mike Capps confirmed the staff changes and spoke fondly of all three. “Andrian Chmielarz, Andrzej Poznanski, and Michal Kosieradzki have parted ways with People Can Fly and Epic Games in order to pursue other opportunities, which they will announce of their own accord,” said Capps, “Over the past decade, they have been instrumental in building People Can Fly into the talented team that it is today. We wish them well in their future endeavors.”

Gears of War: Judgment is in development at both People Can Fly and Epic Games proper, unlike People’s last game Bulletstorm. Bulletstorm, published by EA, was well received by critics for its swift, cartoonish violence and satirical tone but the game was considered a commercial disappointment. It’s been hinted that this is why the studio is working on Epic’s most popular property rather than another new IP. Chmielarz and the others’ leaving the studio makes sense then; if they can’t pursue the creative goals the most want to at People Can Fly, it’s wise to seak out new opportunities.

These are only the latest major departures from Epic. Director of production Rod Fergusson, one of the stewards behind the entire Gears of War franchise, left the company last week to join BioShock Infinite studio Irrational Games.

Rambling days indeed. Many players from the world of Epic are hitting the road, even as the company is expanding.

Google announced on Sunday that it will cut 20 percent of Motorola employees in addition to closing 33 percent of offices worldwide.

Monday morning did not arrive with pleasant news for the Motorola Mobility work force. Google, which bought Motorola in May, told staff Sunday that it will begin cutting 20 percent of its employees and closing 33 percent of its offices worldwide.

The move is inevitable, seeing as how Motorola has been struggling to be profitable, losing money in fourteen of the last sixteen quarters, reports The Wall Street Journal. This 20 percent cut will account for approximately 4,000 jobs from its 20,000 employees along with 30 out of its 90 offices slated for closure. A third of the layoffs will come after United States-based employees though it has not been specified which facilities will be affected.

In reducing its work force, Google said in its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that this change will “shift its emphasis from feature phones to more innovative and profitable devices.” Which makes sense, since Motorola will have a long way to catch up with Android giants Samsung and HTC.

According to The New York Times, Motorola aims to “stop making low-end devices and focus on a few cellphones instead of dozens.” This means a cut of 27 phone models to select, higher end editions — ones that are packed with unique features no other phones have such as the ability to recognize who is in the room based on voice or batteries that can last for days. Still, an analyst even described Motorola as being “left in the dust by the competition and kind of missed the smartphone transition,” so these ambitions are purely hopeful, to say the least.

The cuts are slated to cost Google no more than $275 million which will be recognized in the third quarter, with continuing charges to incur within the next few quarters. Google told investors that they should anticipate “significant revenue variability” as part of an overall restructuring to make Motorola a viable company again.

“While lower expenses are likely to lag the immediate negative impact to revenue, Google sees these actions as a key step for Motorola to achieve sustainable profitability,” Google stated in the SEC filing.

With Motorola in the hands of the search engine giant, do you think it has a chance of coming back with innovative mobile devices? Or is it true that it has truly been left behind by the likes of Samsung and Apple?

Apple may rule the touchscreen, but when you need a good keyboard and mouse, Microsoft still knows how to craft a winner.

Though Apple has been long-heralded for innovation in industrial and software design, Microsoft may now have the lead in one of the most critical parts of the user interface. The introduction of Microsoft’s “Wedge” peripherals is the latest indicator that, though Apple makes better computers, Microsoft makes better tools for controlling them.

In the eye of the beholder

Apple’s biggest advantage might be its lead in industrial design. The company’s keyboards, mice, and touchpads are beautiful in a way that no other company has matched. The Magic Mouse may be the best example. Its combination of beautiful lines and excellent materials makes it look like something from the future — but not a dystopian future, a hopeful one. I can’t help but agree with our review’s description of the device as “absolutely gorgeous.”

Apple’s Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard are also beautiful products. While not as stunning as the Magic Mouse, they remain better-looking than input hardware produced by any other company. This lead in “beauty” is even more significant when you consider how old its peripherals are. The Wireless Keyboard (Chiclet-style), Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad were released in August 2007, October 2009, and July 2010, respectively.

Other hardware makers have caught up since those releases. A glance through Microsoft’s current crop of mouse offerings reveals many quite attractive products. Some of these — the Arc Touch Mouse, Touch Mouse, and Wedge Touch Mouse – seem at least partially inspired by Apple’s minimalist ethic. Others, like the Sculpt Touch Mouse or the Touch Mouse Limited Edition Artist Series, accent Microsoft’s hardware with color or graphics. While Jonathan Ive might find such ornamentation abhorrent, many users will leap at the opportunity to add personality to their computer hardware. Either way, Microsoft has differentiated its product line to provide less- and more-styled options, pleasing users of all stripes.

Getting hands on

Apple’s sexy designs only go so far, though. Peripherals must be highly usable. Apple’s design-centric models seem to fall flat here.

While we lauded the Magic Mouse’s beauty and build quality, read further and you will learn that the Magic Mouse is “terribly uncomfortable to hold.” Other reviewers agreed with this assessment, and some reports even implicate the Magic Mouse, Apple Wireless Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad in causing repetitive stress injuries.

Granted, too much time with any computer peripheral can cause an over-use injury. But Apple’s apparent disregard for ergonomics makes its products more stressful to use — a troubling choice given the tendency for Apple users to spend long periods of time on their machines.

Microsoft, in some cases, makes Apple’s mistake of eschewing hand comfort for striking design – the Wedge Touch Mouse and Arc Touch Mouse certainly favor flair. However, many of its offerings — notably the Comfort Mouse 6000, the Wireless Mouse 5000, and the aforementioned Touch Mouse – acknowledge the fact that mice are often used for hours on end. Each has been designed to be comfortably held by a human being. Point, Microsoft.

Redmond has even more of a lead in ergonomic keyboard design. Microsoft’s reduced-size Arc Keyboard has a footprint similar to that for the Apple Wireless Keyboard. It lacks the keyboard’s minimalism and materials, but it’s certainly not ugly. I’d be happy to pair one with my MacBook Pro. The Arc also beats Apple on comfort by offering a curved shape to reduce hand strain, and on price. At $59.95, it’s $10 cheaper than Apple’s Wireless Keyboard. Users seeking an ergonomic solution on a tighter budget can also look to the Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000, which Lifehacker credits as a good budget solution.

Innovation isn’t just new shapes

Apple’s history in peripherals has been one of innovation and technical excellence. Unfortunately, Apple may have spent too much time resting on its laurels. That the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Wireless Keyboard remain competitive years after their release is a credit to Apple’s designers. But Apple’s last addition to the computer peripheral landscape was its Magic Trackpad. With that launch now more than two years in the past, all of the innovation seems to be by Apple’s competitors.

The recently announced Wedge Keyboard is a great example. If it offers a quality typing experience, the Wedge Keyboard seems to be the clear choice for the tablet user in need of keyboard input thanks to three innovations: a compact form factor and two unique features in its cover. Held in place with magnets, the cover’s removal triggers the keyboard to connect to your computer (a la Apple’s Smart Covers). Very slick. It also folds into a stand for a tablet computer. This is a smart, innovative design choice. For tablet owners who need to type, the Wedge Keyboard very much deserves a home in your satchel alongside your tablet — even if it is an iPad.

The Arc Touch Mouse, though, is the strongest indicator of Microsoft’s growing peripheral design prowess. Its smartest innovation is its form factor. The Arc Touch’s body is flexible. When in use, the “handle” half of the mouse curves down to create a classic “mouse” shape — though with striking empty space where a traditional mouse’s body would be. When not in use, the user flattens the mouse’s handle, making it that much easier to pack and take with you. The neatest part is that curving the handle turns the Arc Touch on. Flattening turns it off. This is a brilliant design choice: An intuitive physical action removes the need for a power switch. Much like the Wedge Keyboard, activating the device in response to tactile input is a great trick, and I really like how Microsoft has implemented it in the Arc Touch.

The future

Apple has a lot of irons in the fire. The lack of innovation in its peripherals may simply be due to focus on other irons, or belief that other irons are more important. Apple’s most recent work in user input has been with its touch devices, and with Siri. Focusing on those methods of control means less focus on keyboards and mice.

Maybe an upcoming Apple keynote will conclude with a Stevenote-esque “one more thing” introducing new keyboards and mice. A guy can hope, anyway. In the meantime, at least I have Microsoft. And no — the irony of that statement is not lost on me.

With the Google Nexus 7 on the market, Barnes & Noble has slashed the prices of its Nook Color and Tablet lines to remain competitive.

Google’s move to undercut 7-inch tablets and readers by pricing the Nexus 7 at $199 has been a resounding success. But luckily for consumers, the price cutting doesn’t end there. Now Barnes & Noble is feeling the pressure, and has slashed the prices of its Nook Color and 8GB tablet by $20 and its 16GB tablet by $50.

The Nook Color is now priced at $149 (from $169). The Nook 8GB Tablet can be purchased for $179 (from $199), while its 16GB counterpart is now only $20 more expensive than the 8GB at $199 (from $249).

Barnes & Noble is banking on its new pricing strategy to lure shoppers from the Nexus 7. Both tablets are based on the Android operating system, but the Nook offers 16GB of storage at the same cost of an 8GB Nexus 7. Based on our own review time with both units, we still have to give the Google Nexus 7 our recommendation in lieu of the Nook.

With reports of a 7-inch iPad and Amazon’s Kindle Fire 2, pending a release announcement, Barnes & Noble has to scramble to find a way to salvage its market share in 7-inch tablets, a space the Nook and Amazon Kindle Fire once dominated. It should be interesting to see what Barnes & Noble will bring to the table with its Nook Tablet 2, purported to arrive in November.

With promising technology, high-profile developer support, and lots of cash, the Oculus Rift might be the gaming display of the future.

Virtual reality gaming edged several steps closer to reality this week, as the Oculus Rift project raised over a million dollars more than the founders’ $250,000 Kickstarter goal.  It joins a slew of competitors — Microsoft’s “Project Eyewear” prototyped virtual reality on the Xbox, Sony is messing about with 3D goggles built with Sony’s typical the-future-as-seen-from-the-90s product design, and smaller companies are exploring virtual reality contact lenses that can add all kinds of wildly distracting data to your field of view when you’re trying to cross the street.

What distinguishes Oculus Rift from other attempts to turn us all into Geordie La Forge is its high-profile developer support. John Carmack, a man who often seems to regard video games as an excuse to play with new hardware, has been tinkering with VR gaming for years, and he’s decided that Oculus founder Palmer Luckey will be his sherpa on the journey to The Matrix.

Before meeting Luckey, Carmack had built an elaborately kludged-together system for head tracking and display involving a Kinect, a TrackIR, a Razer Hydra, and “a couple different inertial-tracking based units.” But once he tried out Luckey’s prototype of the Oculus Rift, he decided that its impressive optics and elegant drivers (Carmack is a man who looks at a well-designed hardware driver the way most men look at the contents of their trousers) would be the platform for his impressive E3 demo of the virtual reality system. 

The E3 demo sparked a wave of interest in the device, and the latest developer to express interest in supporting it is Markus ‘Notch’ Peterson, creator of out-of-nowhere hit Minecraft. Peterson hasn’t promised to bring Minecraft to the device, but he has tweeted his excitement about the Rift, and says that if it supports Java, his upcoming sci-fi game 0X10C will support it.

The success of the Kickstarter campaign doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to smell the Cacodemon just yet. Carmack wants to get several hundred dev kits to professional game developers, and start getting feedback on what works and what doesn’t, before any schlub with $300 can pretend his living room has been captured by the Strogg. Previous attempts at head-mounted game displays have been beset by problems of ergonomics and migraine-induction, so Carmack and Luckey don’t want civilians sticking their face into it until they’ve made sure it won’t cause headaches, nausea, or the melting of your eyeballs. Nate Mitchell, the VP of product, goes so far as to say ”We are hoping consumers stay away from it,” perhaps the first time a technology company executive has put those words in that order.