While at this stage the problems aren't being reported in any great number, Microsoft are bound to be concerned about reports of a number of issues regarding its new Surface tablet its accompanying Touch Cover keyboard.
With any new gadget or device you buy, you expect that over time it’ll begin showing up marks and nicks. But when things start to look a bit shoddy after just a couple of weeks – usually a time when you’re still carrying it around like you would a newborn baby – then of course it’s cause for concern, as much as for the manufacturer as for the owner.
So no doubt Microsoft will be studying with interest a number of comments that have started to appear on a Surface forum in recent days regarding its Touch Cover accessory, the new ultra-thin keyboard/cover which can be used with the company’s recently launched Surface tablet.
Accounts of the edge of the cover “peeling” and “ruffling up” along the magnetic edge where the Touch Cover connects with the tablet have been reported in the forum, while a piece in The Verge claims that a split in the same place exposes a wire.
Currently, there are only a few Touch Cover owners in the forum remarking on the issue, but if it turns out the keyboard/cover has a design fault, it could become more of a problem for the Redmond-based computer giant in the coming weeks.
Commenting on the issue in a statement issued on Friday, a company spokesperson said, “Microsoft makes every effort to ensure our customers receive a high quality product. We are in active contact with our customer support operations and are aware of a small number of instances of material separation.”
Meanwhile, The Next Web has reported a number of Surface owners experiencing “random mute events” where the audio switches off for no apparent reason. According to PocketNow, the culprit may be the Touch/Type Cover keyboards, which are “misreporting a press of their ‘mute’ keys.”
While this is certainly no ‘Antennagate‘ moment for Microsoft (for a start, the problem is with an accessory and not the main device), the company will doubtless be examining these early reports carefully in an effort to ascertain what action, if any, needs to be taken to eradicate future instances of these problems occurring.
You don't need to be at your desktop to need an answer
Google is officially labeling itself a "mobile first" company, predicting that most of its users will access its products via smartphones and tablets in 2013.
This shift away from being a desktop search engine was revealed by Google executives at the 2012 Open Mobile Summit in San Francisco, and picked up by Business Insider.
The idea is actually nothing new.
A Google spokesperson told TechRadar that "the mobile first strategy was actually first laid out by Eric Schmidt years ago."
It's only now that the former Google CEO and current chairman's strategy is coming to fruition on the users' end.
In 2012, Google users' mobile searches have increased 200 percent to-date, paving the way to a mobile majority by next year.
YouTube's strong mobile growth
The Google executives' belief that mobile will be the primary way people access the site by next year is only one interesting mobile-focused statistic publicized at the event.
YouTube, it turns out, received 25 percent of traffic and 40 percent of views from mobile devices in 2012. That's a 300 percent increase for this year.
A Google executive also predicted that YouTube's mobile traffic could surpass 50 percent soon, as it has already in Korea. Too much Gangnam Style?
Mobile software via Android hardware
Google's mobile focus isn't a surprise considering the company's business model is heavily invested in its Android operating system.
You don't need to be at your desktop to need an answer
Google is officially labeling itself a “mobile first” company, predicting that most of its users will access its products via smartphones and tablets in 2013.
This shift away from being a desktop search engine was revealed by Google executives at the 2012 Open Mobile Summit in San Francisco, and picked up by Business Insider.
A Google spokesperson told TechRadar that “the mobile first strategy was actually first laid out by Eric Schmidt years ago.”
It’s only now that the former Google CEO and current chairman’s strategy is coming to fruition on the users’ end.
In 2012, Google users’ mobile searches have increased 200 percent to-date, paving the way to a mobile majority by next year.
YouTube’s strong mobile growth
The Google executives’ belief that mobile will be the primary way people access the site by next year is only one interesting mobile-focused statistic publicized at the event.
YouTube was revealed to have received 25 percent of traffic and 40 percent of views from mobile devices in 2012. That’s a 300 percent increase for this year.
A Google executive also predicted that YouTube’s mobile traffic could surpass 50 percent soon, as it has already in Korea. Too much Gangnam Style?
Mobile software via Android hardware
Google’s mobile focus isn’t a surprise considering the company’s business model is heavily invested in its Android operating system.
Fable creator Peter Molyneux will only be making one more game, he claims. As you'd expect, he also claims it's going to be a really, really big deal.
Mere days after launching Curiosity, a quirky, inventive game that tasks players with slowly chipping away at a massive virtual cube in order to discover its contents, famed developer Peter Molyneux has stated that he will only create one final game.
“I’m only going to make one more game, I think,” Molyneux told the bizarrely-named “Beefjack” website. “And that thought — the thought of every ounce of my energy, every ounce of my experience, every mistake that I’ve made in every single game — if I can learn from that, and use that energy to make one game … that’s what I’m trying to do.”
As with Curiosity, while Molyneux is willing to pre-emptively hype his final title, he offers little in the way of solid details. ”Could I sit down and describe it to you in full at the moment? No, I can’t,” Molyneux claimed.“But that is my thought. We’re going to make a game, we’re going to learn what it is to make a game in today’s world, and it’s going to be the defining game of my career.”
Unfortunately, there are two problems with what Molyneux is saying here. First, the man is notorious for making impressive promises in the run up to a game’s release that have little to no bearing on the final product. This is why we try to warn readers to have a lot of salt on hand whenever tempted to believe any of Molyneux’s claims. Second, you’ll notice that Molyneux said he’s only making one more “game.” That’s important, as 22cans, the development studio Molyneux is currently aligned with, still has plans to release a number of “experiments” prior to Molyneux’s final game. Curiosity was the first of these experiments, and no one seems to know how many experiments the studio has planned. For all we know, Molyneux could keep churning out projects like Curiosity for the next decade before finally settling in to work on his magnum opus.
Now don’t get us wrong, we hold Molyneux in extremely high regard. Dungeon Keeper remains one of our favorite series of all time, and Populous is an utterly brilliant, engrossing piece of game design. However, we’ve learned over the years not to take anything Molyneux says at face value, at least not until we have concrete evidence of his claims. Thus, until we hear more about this mysterious last game, we won’t be writing his professional eulogy.
On a related note, those of you who have been enjoying Curiosity since its release earlier this week will be happy know that Molyneux and his colleagues at 22cans have created a patch for the game that improves a wide swath of its functionality. Molyneux had expected the title to be a success, but in his mind that meant that mere thousands of players would download the iOS game and slowly chip away at the mysterious cube. Instead, over a million people turned out to take a crack at Molyneux’s box and the game’s initial version simply couldn’t cope all that well. Today’s patch should make connecting to and playing Curiosity far more convenient, as well as extend the game’s necessarily limited shelf-life.
Oh, and Molyneux also claims that at some point today there will be a “huge” announcement regarding 22cans next experiment. We’ll keep you updated as information rolls in, but given that it’s currently 11:30PM in Surrey (the site of the studio’s headquarters), we aren’t holding our breath for anything too impressive.
Update: It turns out that the announcement has been delayed until next week. We are not surprised.
In an effort to offer cool, virtuous female role models to his young daughter, developer Mike Hoye opted to simply change the gender orientation of one of Nintendo's most iconic males.
It’s no secret that video games (and mass media as a whole) tend to focus on classic male hero archetypes. With few exceptions, most blockbuster games (and films, and comic books, and novels) are headlined by a gruff, badass dude with a chip on his shoulder and the skills and dry, cool wit to dispatch his foes in inspiringly bloody fashion. That’s pretty neat if you happen to be a guy, as we have endless fictional role models on which to build our own, real-world personas, but what if you happen to be a bit more distaff?
This was the problem facing Mike Hoye, a game developer and father who hoped that he could bond with his daughter Maya by playing video games with the young lady. Though the duo quite enjoyed Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Hoye found himself constantly having to mentally replace the game’s male pronouns when reading descriptive text to Maya. He wanted to instill in her the idea that women are just as capable of saving the world as men, so instead of tripping over he’s and his’s for months to come, Hoye decided to use his skills as a programmer to alter the game to his liking.
Hoye’s blog includes a pretty comprehensive description of everything he did (as well as instructions on how you too can enjoy Hoye’s alterations), but the quick version is that Hoye built a patch for the game for use with the Dolphin GameCube emulator. Once users have applied this patch, all of the game’s references to Link being a man have been replaced with descriptions of his newly female self. This wasn’t as easy as replacing “him” with “her” though, as Hoye had to make sure that each word he replaced occupied the exact same amount of space in the game’s memory as Wind Waker’s original text. Thus, some of the changes are a bit odd (“swordmain” instead of “swordsman,” for instance), but overall Hoye’s work does a pretty solid job of turning Link into a proper female role model for little Maya Hoye.
Of course, if you’ve played any of the Legend of Zelda games, you’re already aware that Link has never been seen as the classic pinnacle of masculine stereotypes. Even while slicing enemies in half, Link has always been effete, and his in-game grunts of pain are certainly not gender specific. For that matter, if you run a search for cosplayers dressed as Link, you’ll find a massive number of women who make surprisingly accurate doppelgangers of the Hylian hero.
Now that Hoye has gone to the trouble of turning Link into a lady, it makes us wonder who else might be ripe for a gender swap. The name “Samus Aran” is pretty neutral, right? What if she was turned into the man that fans expected her to be back when the original Metroid hit shelves in 1986? We’re not saying any of you should take on this project, as if you’re successful the blowback from angry Nintendo geeks will undoubtedly be massive, but if you’re willing to risk that verbal assault we’d love to see the finished results. Not for any gender equality reasons, but simply because discord makes great news.
The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is one of the largest showcases of new technology in the world. Hosted by the Consumer Electronics Association in Las Vegas, CES 2013 will open to press and exhibitors from every facet of the electronics industry, and TechRadar will be there. We'll descend upon the gambling capital of the world for four days of basking in the glow of the latest computers, televisions, cameras, phones and more.
With plenty of winners and losers, last year's CES 2012 was big news for many reasons. Firstly, the show floor opened on January 9th, a week later than usual. LG and Sony unveiled 55-inch Ultra High-Definition TVs, then the largest in the world. Intel gave us a glimpse of the touch enabled Ultrabooks we've been seeing everywhere lately. Lastly, and most notably, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave the company's last CES keynote, introducing the world to Windows 8's Metro interface, and announcing Xbox 360 apps for Fox, IGN and more.
To follow that, CES 2013 will be a mix of keynote razzle dazzle, sneak peeks at the latest tech, and introductions to products that will go from patently unaffordable to a given in every living room, a lot faster than you'd believe.
Before TechRadar hits the CES 2013 show floor from January 8-11, we thought we'd put together a preview of the gadget glory you can expect from our on the ground coverage.
While we don't necessarily anticipate a "radical" image reimagining, we do expect Samsung will take advantage of the stage (and a keynote speech) to introduce a new facet to its business identity – a refresh, as it were.
One of CES's exhibit categories is "Digital Health and Fitness," so Samsung will likely tack onto that theme with the introduction of products (or the retooling of current devices) that fit into the health and wellness category.
Samsung has reportedly hired a design team that's worked with Nike on some of that company's branding initiatives, so we'll likely see some dynamic stuff from South Korea in Vegas.
As Samsung continues to grow from an Asian powerhouse to a global one, how it sells itself to a broad international audience will be key to its future.
We expect Stephen Woo, president of Samsung Electronics' device solutions division, to set the tone of the company's refreshed self during his keynote address Jan. 9.
The debut of Ultra High-Definition television
It took a while but CRT televisions have finally become the stuff of garage sales and trips to grandma's house, and 3D screens have just started to crack the home market. Now everyone's lovely flatscreen is about to become a little bit obsolete, thanks Ultra High-Definition.
After a brief flirtation with 4K high-definition, the CEA settled on the name Ultra HD. However, Sony, always one to buck a naming trend (remember Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD?) has said it will stick with numbered moniker, calling its pixel-dense displays 4K Ultra High-Definition (4K UHD).
LG's 55-incher, we've its since topped
Still, everyone seems to be in agreement over the spec requirements set by the CEA, defining what it takes to be called Ultra HD. According to the group, Ultra means at least 8 million pixels, with a minimum resolution of 3840 x 2160, and an aspect ratio of at least 16 X 9.
Now the question is how big will the screens at CES 2013 be? There's debate between engineers as to whether anyone can even tell the difference between UHD and regular HD on a display that's less than 100-inches. And when will these TVs become affordable? Right now they're around $20,000 (UK£12,515, AUD $19,210), keeping them firmly in Donald Trump and Richard Branson territory.
Intel introduces a new mobile processor, stakes its claim
Intel is probably one of the most recognizable names coming to CES 2013, though it's not the only chipmaker making a stand on the Vegas exhibit floor.
We expect Intel to show up big at the event, schooling the competition on how it's done, and very likely announcing a new mobile processor or two as well as some destined for PCs.
Intel is in an interesting position in terms of its mobile future: although it claims to have 20 Windows 8 tablets sporting its new Z2760 processor coming to market soon, the firm's chips are currently only found in six smartphones.
ARM and its licensees (Nvidia and Qualcomm) are making a killing in the mobile space and all are heading down to Nevada for the show, creating a perfect storm for one-up-man ship on the Strip.
ARM-based chips, while found in major money makers like the iPad and various Android tablets, aren't terribly up to snuff when it comes to processing prowess.
Yet Intel hasn't even breached the realm of relevancy smartphone space, making CES the time where it needs to stake that claim.
There's been talk that Apple may chuck Intel as its CPU provider in the coming years. Cupertino recently developed a poppy processor for its iPad 4 – the A6X – a chip that's reportedly twice as fast as those found in older iPads.
For that reason alone, Intel has got to show why it's relevant in mobile and why it deserves to be considered the top chipmaker in the world now and for years to come.
We'd love to see Intel not only announce a new mobile processor, but unveil a new partnership. It's got to prove it can work well with others (and capture consumer imagination) if it hopes to move deeper into smartphones and tablets.
Nvidia trumps out Tegra 4
Nvidia's Tegra 3 has done quite for itself this year, jumping into phones like HTC's One X+ and tablets such as Google's Nexus 7 and Microsoft's Surface.
That doesn't mean Nvidia doesn't have its eyes to the horizon, and we believe the company will introduce its Tegra 4 processor come CES.
We might see the Tegra 3's successor at CES 2013
Word of the T40 (the new Tegra's model number) got going in April, with a report pointing to early 2013 as the time the Tegra 3's successor would ascend the throne.
At the time, it sounded like the Tegra 4 would fit four new Cortex A15 ARM chips, taking it way past the A9 Cortex chip summit.
Speeds of 1.8GHz are probably going to be average for the new processor, while by the middle/end of the year, 2.0 should be its cruising GHz.
If we're lucky, we might even see an Android or Windows 8 tablet poke about with the Tegra 4 inside.
Microsoft's show no more
The Consumer Electronics Show has long been Microsoft's chance to shine. The software giant has always given flashy presentations, usually involving celebrities. Shaq, Conan O'Brien, Ryan Seacrest, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and more have all appeared to help co-founder Bill Gates and current CEO Steve Ballmer show of the company's latest tech.
Sadly, CES 2013 will be the first year where Microsoft won't be giving one of its signature keynote presentations. It gave the world plenty of notice, saying in December 2011 that CES 2012 would be its last. Steve Ballmer's last presentation at the Las Vegas trade show focused on Metro, the new Live Tile-based interface for Windows 8.
Ballmer and Seacrest present at CES 2012
Companies have moved quickly to fill the space left by Microsoft's exodus. Qualcomm has nabbed the open keynote slot. The telecommunications mogul will be giving its Born Mobile keynote on Monday, January 7th. Meanwhile, satellite provider Dish and appliance manufacturer Hisense snapped up Microsoft's booth space in under an hour.
However, Venturebeat has quoted CEA president Gary Shapiro as saying, "Microsoft will have something" at CES 2013. While it's unknown what that something will be, there are plenty of possibilities. More Windows Phone 8 devices? A Microsoft Surface Pro running Windows 8? Its all in the realm of possibility.
LG unveils Smart TV platform underpinned by HP's webOS
While we expect LG to march out a bevvy of phones and TVs, including some we haven't seen before, what's really piquing our interest heading into January is word that it may launch a Smart TV service based on webOS.
webOS, the open source system developed by HP, could take the reigns from LG's antiquated NetCast Smart TV interface during the show, a move that wouldn't leave our jaws dropped.
HP delivered on its promise to walk out webOS to the public by September, a vow it made in January, and now it needs a big product and solid partner to get its face out there.
The marriage between the two should be equal – reports have HP providing the OS while LG will plug in its dual-core L9-powered motherboards.
If our expectations pan out, we'll likely see the death of LG's small screen partnership with the struggling Google TV service, a relationship LG championed at CES 2012 yet has since cooled.
Automotive electronics
The CEA estimates that factory-installed automotive technology will generate $8.7 billion dollars in 2013, so it's no wonder seven major car companies will be on the show floor.
Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru will be joined more than 100 auto tech companies displaying the latest in-car tech. This is a record setting presence for the automotive industry at CES.
Displays and presentations will include electric drive technology. GoElectricDrive TechZone will demonstrate electric vehicles paired with their respective charging stations, ones that can be used at homes and in public facilities. The Safe Driver presentation will show more than the typical hands-free devices, highlighting technologies that can help drivers park, watch their speed and avoid collisions.
However, not everything between automakers and car tech designers is completely sunny. With so much hardware being put into cars before they even leave the factory, will the aftermarket industry be facing an all-time low? A presentation titled "Are Automakers Running the Aftermarket Off the Road?" will address the issue.
What kind of cases and covers, or Microsoft Surface accessories are available on the market right now? Join us as we take a look at some great options for the Surface with Windows RT and the Surface with Windows 8 Pro.
If you’ve been tempted by Microsoft’s new Surface tablets then you’ll probably be on the lookout for a new case and maybe some accessories. There’s no denying that the magnesium shell and Gorilla Glass 2 screen look tough – just check out the skateboard demo – but that doesn’t mean you won’t want some protection or a practical bag to carry your shiny new tablet in.
We’re also going to take a look at the options out there for Microsoft Surface accessories. There are a couple of adapters that might prove essential and everyone could use some extra storage. The choices for cases are limited, partly perhaps because the Surface tablet has a built-in kickstand (something that cases and covers often offer) and partly because manufacturers are unsure how popular it will be.
This super-slim, pressure-sensitive keyboard doubles up as a protective cover. It also has a trackpad and some handy Windows shortcut keys. It snaps into place with a magnetic seal that’s quite strong. It’s great to have a keyboard cover that’s only 3.5mm thick and weighs just 0.46 pounds, but there is a drawback. Most reviews have pointed out that it is uncomfortable to type on because it is so flat and unresponsive. The color choices of cyan, magenta, and red are also going to put some people off, but don’t worry they come in black and white as well.
It is bigger and it only comes in black, but for serious typists the mechanical keys of the Type Cover are going to be far preferable to the Touch Cover keyboard. It is still only 6mm thick and it weighs 0.55 pounds. It also has the trackpad and shortcut keys and it clicks on with the same magnetic attachment. The Type Cover really makes the Surface feel like a laptop and it’s much easier to get used to than the Touch Cover which makes it well worth the extra $10.
A nylon sleeve isn’t going to offer major protection from bumps, but it will keep dust and scratches at bay. The close-seamed zipper has a neoprene lining and rubberized pulls for ease of use and comfort. The inner lining is soft, faux-fur which provides some cushioning from bumps and there’s a handy external pocket with a zipper for extras. It comes in a range of two-tone color combinations and it’s one of the few options on the market right now designed specifically for the Surface.
If you were expecting to find any extras beyond the power supply in your Microsoft Surface box then you’ll be disappointed. Many will consider these pricey adapters to be essential, and they are described as “proprietary”. For $40 a piece you can get an adapter for any HDMI-compatible display or one for any VGA-compatible display. This is definitely the simplest way to see your Surface content on a big screen or through a projector. Don’t feel that you have to splash out for the official adapter, though, because the Surface has a standard micro-HDMI port so any HDMI-to-micro-HDMI cable will do and if you shop around there’s no need to spend more than $5.
Since there is actually only 16GB free in a 32GB Microsoft Surface you might be looking for extra storage sooner than expected. The Surface supports microSD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards. You can pick one up from Amazon at about $10 for 16GB up to about $60 for a 64GB card. You’ll find the memory card slot behind the kickstand. For cheap storage without any added bulk a memory card is your best bet.
The Surface tablets also have a USB port. The RT has a USB 2.0 port and the Surface with Windows 8 Pro has a USB 3.0 port. If you invest in a fast flash drive you’ll be able to transfer files quickly and easily. You can back up emails or documents and you can watch movies or listen to music. These handy accessories are a cost-effective and convenient way to boost your storage capacity and they’re great for transferring files from your old PC or laptop. They come in all shapes and sizes and you can find a comparison via the link above. If you need more space then consider an external hard drive instead.
Bluetooth Headset ($50 to $150)
With support for Bluetooth 4.0 you could choose any Bluetooth headset to use with your Surface. The tablets do have built-in dual digital mics, stereo speakers, and a camera, but some people prefer a headset when they Skype. Whether you want to go for the Plantronics Voyager Legend or something from Jawbone, Motorola, or Aliph, really depends on your requirements and your budget.
All the gamers out there will be glad to learn that the Surface tablet supports wired Xbox 360 controllers. It won’t work with wireless controllers, but just like any Windows PC, if you plug a wired Xbox 360 controller into the USB you’ll be able to play games with it. This is more exciting for the Windows 8 Pro version of the Surface tablet because it will support a lot more games. It will be interesting to see whether Microsoft tries to make XBLA games available as it pushes more cross-compatibility with the Xbox 360 in your living room. The second screen app soon to be released on Windows 8 and RT, Xbox SmartGlass looks like the first step.
More ideas
The fact that the Surface tablets boast USB ports and have Bluetooth support means there is already a long list of potential Surface accessories. There’s no need to wait for a bunch of dedicated accessories to be released. You may well find your existing mouse or Bluetooth headphones will work with your new tablet. Post a comment and tell us about your favorite Surface accessories so far.
Ready for more Halo 4? 343 Industries has announced that the second episode of the game's Spartan Ops mode will debut on Monday, November 12.
Let’s be frank: You’ve spent the past week playing Halo 4, haven’t you? Of course you have. You know it, we know it, and developer 343 Industries knows it. That’s the trend with each new Halo title: Fans pick up a copy and spend the following days, weeks and months ignoring social and physical needs in favor of exploring the title’s every quirk and new-fangled addition. Unfortunately for Microsoft, this is a double-edged sword. Obviously the publisher likes seeing its flagship series repeatedly smash sales records and slowly erode the foundations of any romantic love that might exist among the world’s Halo fans, but at the same time this mad rush to plumb the depths of each successive Halo sequel means that players have seen everything the game has to offer in a matter of days.
To counter this, Halo 4 developer 343 Industries introduced the Spartan Ops game mode. Effectively, this mode is an episodic side story to the main Halo 4 campaign. When you first dropped your Halo 4 disc into your console, you had immediate access to the first episode of the Spartan Ops story, which could be enjoyed either on your own or with friends in the mode’s handy cooperative gameplay option. Given that the majority of you first played that episode days ago, you’re no doubt itching for more. Well, good news: This morning 343 Industries announced a released date for Episode 2.
As you might have gathered from the headline, Episode 2 will be available on Monday, November 12. Unlike most downloadable gameplay additions, this new episode will be totally free of charge, as Microsoft and 343 Industries have earmarked these Episodes purely as attempts to extend the shelf-life of the newest Halo sequel. The game is also set to feature a wide swath of for-pay DLC, so consider these Spartan Ops episodes to be a generous gift.
Oh, and because Microsoft refuses to half-ass any promotional efforts surrounding the Halo franchise — you don’t rent a land-locked European country for a PR stunt unless you’re very series about spreading your message — the company also issued a trailer for Episode 2 alongside the release date announcement. You can find it in full below, though you should really experience the first Spartan Ops Episode prior to hitting “play.” We refuse to be blamed for spoiling this thing’s plot.
Developer Silicon Knights has been ordered to recall and destroy games like Too Human and X-Men: Destiny, as the firm's use of Epic's Unreal Engine has been deemed unlawful.
For the majority of the past half-decade, developers Silicon Knights and Epic Games have been locked in a vicious legal battle. The former claims that Epic failed to fully document the feature set found in its famous Unreal Engine, thus sabotaging not only Silicon Knights’ titles built on top of this technology, but also games developed by a number of other companies. Further, it claims that instead of improving support for the Unreal Engine, Epic was actually channeling all of the licensing money it earned via the tech to improve its own Gears Of War series (to the detriment of possible competitors using the same engine). In turn, Epic claims that Silicon Knights has repeatedly violated the terms of its Unreal Engine licensing contract, to the point that the former has infringed on the latter’s copyrights.
That’s all a lot of “he said, she said,” but the important point here is that Epic eventually won the battle. In May of this year a court in North Carolina ruled that Silicon Knights had failed to provide ample evidence of its claims against Epic. As a result, the court decided to award Epic Games a sizable $4.45 million ($2.65 million for Epic’s counterclaim against Silicon Knights, and $1.8 million for Epic’s claim that Silicon Knights had infringed on its copyrights to the Unreal Engine).
While that victory is certainly a feather in the obsessively well-rendered cap of Epic Games, things would only get worse for Silicon Knights. On November 7 the court ordered Silicon Knights to recall and destroy any unsold copies of games it had created using the Unreal Engine technology. Silicon Knights has never been what you’d describe as a prolific developer, so while this directive affects only a small handful of games, it’s still a pretty striking decision. The list of titles Silicon Knights has to scrap includes games we barely know anything about (The Sandman, The Box/Ritualyst, and Siren in the Maelstrom) but also two titles that have been on retail shelves for quite some time. Specifically, 2011′s X-Men: Destiny and 2008′s Too Human.
According to the court order, Silicon Knights has until December 10 to gather and destroy all copies of these titles. That’s a little over a month, and while we don’t know exactly how many copies the company has to find and destroy, this seems like a massive undertaking, especially given recent rumors that only five employees remain at Silicon Knights. Whether the company can fulfill its obligations to the court remains to be seen, but to be honest with you we’re more interested in seeing how Silicon Knights fares after this event has been consigned to the annals of history. The company has been teetering on the brink of collapse ever since the Activision-published X-Men: Destiny proved an expensive failure, and this court order looks increasingly like a major nail in the developer’s coffin. Expect a report on the fallout just in time for the holiday season.
On the heels of Game Informer's GTA V cover reveal, a handful of distributors are offering GTA IV for $5. Elsewhere, you'll find half off Sleeping Dogs, 75% off Serious Sam titles as well as a Veteran's Day sale at Origin. Although we usually avoid listing preorder deals, it's worth noting that Get Games offers Hitman: Absolution Professional Edition for only $35.99 (40% off) along with 75% off the rest of the franchise. Also, in case you missed them: BioShock is free at GameFly, Indie Royale's Harvest Bundle expires in five days, while The Humble Bundle has launched its fourth Android event.
The fourth film in the insanely lucrative Transformers series will feature a new lead, a smaller budget, and a whole lot of explosions.
Michael Bay’s next Transformers movie has a new star and a fresh new logo.
Following up on a recent comment suggesting that the Boogie Nights and The Fighter actor Mark Wahlberg might join the fourth installment of his big-budget, live-action Transformers franchise, Bay officially announced a deal with the star on his website this week.
“Mark is awesome,” wrote Bay in an official statement about Wahlberg’s casting in the film. “An actor of his caliber is the perfect guy to re-invigorate the franchise and carry on the Transformers’ legacy.”
Along with confirming that Wahlberg will take over as the new, human face of the franchise — replacing previous franchise star Shia LaBeouf — Bay also debuted the official logo for Transformers 4 seen above.
Other than this piece of casting, little is known about the potential plot for Transformers 4, though Bay previously expressed a desire to keep the next installment of the franchise a little more “grounded” than its predecessors. Bay is reportedly working with a significantly lower budget for the film, so there’s no telling how that will be reflected in the film.
Transformers 4 is currently scheduled for release June 27, 2014. Production is expected to begin in 2013.
Browsing online porn sites has become increasingly dangerous thanks to a precipitous rise in "ransomware" viruses, which lock down victims' computers, and demand they pay hundreds of dollars for the ability to regain control of their machines.
Watch online porn? Of course you do. Nothing wrong with that. You’re only human. But we have to warn you: Perusing the NSFW side of the Web could land you with a nasty computer virus that allows criminal hacker gangs to take control of you PC, and hold it hostage until you cough up cash.
Known as “ransomware,” this type of nefarious software is one of the most rapidly spreading threats on the Internet, according to a new report from cybersecurity company Semantic (PDF). The reason: It is an easy way from cybercriminals to make money.
“This malware is highly profitable, with as many as 2.9 percent of compromised users paying out,” the report says. “An investigation into one of the smaller players in this scam identified 68,000 compromised computers in just one month, which could have resulted in victims being defrauded of up to $400,000 USD.”
Semantic researchers Gavin O’Gorman and Geoff McDonald, who authored the ransomware report, say that hacker gangs are likely raking more than $5 million a year by extorting their victims. “The real number is, however, likely much higher,” wrote the researchers.
While about 16 different versions of ransomware viruses exist, says Semantic, they all work in relatively the same way. Hackers trick users into installing the virus on their computer by either installing malicious code on websites, or simply buying ad space on (usually porn) sites, and then running ads that link to a page infected with the ransomware. Once a user clicks the ad, it is secretly installed on their machine through the browser.
After the virus has successfully installed, things immediately go wrong. The ransomware automatically disables a number of key programs that render the computer inoperable by the user. An image will pop up on the screen that is made to look like it’s from a law enforcement agency, like the FBI. The image will tell the user that their computer has been blocked, and they must pay around $200 within 72 hours, or risk arrest for failing to pay a fine for “viewing or distributing prohibited pornographic content”
“Because the compromised individual may have indeed been browsing a pornographic website prior to infection, the message carries some more weight,” the report says. “In addition, the nature of the message may be embarrassing to some, encouraging them to get rid of it at any cost.”
Users tricked by the scheme will then purchase an electronic payment PIN, and enter the number into a box on their computer screen. The hackers can then retrieve the payment. Not surprisingly, however, the hackers rarely uphold their end of the bargain, and victim’s computers remain locked.
According to Semantic, the number of ransomware infections in the U.S. has skyrocketed over the past few months, jumping from about 1-2 percent of total worldwide infections in March to 20-50 percent of infections, as of September.
Fortunately, there are a number of easy ways to avoid infection. First, don’t click any ads on porn sites. Second, make sure all your programs and plugins (like Flash and Java) are all up to date. And finally, install anti-virus software (this is a good free one), which will easily detect any ransomware and clean it off your machine.
Welcome to Digital Blend, your one-stop shop for coverage and recommendations of all things relating to mobile gaming, digital marketplaces, and indie titles (for the week ending November 11).
Welcome back to Digital Blend, our weekly look at the world of downloadable video gaming that exists at the fringes of the mainstream. That means we look at the hottest new mobile game releases, downloadable content drops on consoles and PCs, indie darlings that deserve your love and attention, and the best gaming values under $20. We’re back from a Superstorm Sandy-induced one week hiatus; best wishes to you and any friends or loved one who might have been affected by the recent natural disaster.
Keep your comments and feedback coming. We want to hear from you! Did you try something you read about here and enjoy it? Is there a particular game you think we’ve overlooked or news you want to share? Any questions you are dying to ask? Let us know! Your thoughts, feedback, suggestions and (constructive!) criticism are welcome, either in the comments section below or directed at yours truly on Twitter, @geminibros.
Making headlines…
* The word on the virtual street is that Microsoft is working on a Surface-like 7-inch Xbox tablet. The device would reportedly run on a modified version of Windows 8 and come equipped with enough internal horsepower to support the sort of gaming experience that you’d usually expect to see on your TV. The rumor also suggests that development is underway now at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley labs, with several Xbox-related buildings there having recently been locked down to keep prying eyes away. Nothing’s confirmed of course, but it would certainly make sense given Microsoft’s recent first foray into mobile tech development.
* Skyrim fans have reason to rejoice this week. The next DLC pack for Bethesda’s 2011 RPG is officially titled and dated: Dragonborn arrives on December 4, 2012, returning longtime fans to the island of Solstheim, last seen as an expansion pack for Morrowind. That’s not the best news though. You ready? Dragonborn allows players to hop on the back of a dragon and ride it like a horse. Just soak that in for a bit. Then check out the new trailer. It’s badass.
* In other Skyrim news, fans who play the game on PlayStation 3 or PC have reason to rejoice. All Skyrim DLC enjoys 30-day Xbox 360 exclusivity, and while the PC version has gotten the Dawnguard DLC, the PS3 release lags behind with no Skyrim DLC whatsoever. Bethesda has apparently run into technical difficulties in the process of porting the content to the Sony platform, but a tweet this week from the developer promises that the team is “close” to additional platform releases. There’s no further clarification yet, but Skyrim fans will certainly want to keep watch for updates.
* In one of the more bizarre developments of the week, an accidental outing of a new Uncharted game, called Uncharted: Fight for Fortune, represents a little bit of a detour for the franchise. The unannounced game is apparently a PlayStation Vita-exclusive casino/card game, according to a translated ratings classification for the title from Brazil. There’s also a rating assigned to the game in Australia that lists it as a multi-platform release, so it seems that Fight for Fortune could be a cross-buy/cross-play title. Reports of these ratings did prompt Sony boss Shuhei Yoshida to tweet about it; you can take that as pretty official unofficial confirmation.
* Skyrim fans aren’t the only ones who can rejoice this week. Lovers of Blizzard’s StarCraft 2 and Diablo 3 have an exciting development to crow about as well. The latest Activision Blizzard earnings call revealed some news about both games concerning additional content. On the StarCraft side, Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime confirmed that the long-in-development Heart of the Swarm expansion will be heading to PCs sometime in the first half of 2013. It’s an uncharacteristic move for Blizzard, which typically subscribes to the “when it’s done” mentality of addressing release timeframe questions. Morhaime also confirmed that work is underway on a Diablo 3 expansion, though he offered no details on what it would be or when we might see it. That’s more like it, Blizzard!
Top buys for the week…
Chaos on Deponia :: PC :: $19.99
Regular readers of this column know that I have a big soft spot for adventure games, and Chaos on Deponia happens to be a beautiful adventure game. The cartoon-style animation and stellar writing will keep you riveted throughout. You don’t need to have played through the previous game, Deponia, to enjoy Chaos. That said, you should absolutely play through Deponia too if you haven’t already.
Karateka :: Xbox 360 :: 800 MS Points
Jordan Mechner’s pre-Prince of Persia classic Karateka springs to Xbox Live this week as a full-fledged 3D remake. The unusual fighting game is really just a rhythm game disguised behind chop-socky action. Remakes like this one are always hit-or-miss, but this one happens to hit, and hard. It was unconventional when it was first released in 1984 and it remains unconventional now.
When Vikings Attack :: PlayStation 3 / PS Vita :: $9.99
I could describe the Sony platform-straddling When Vikings Attack, but I think Eurogamer did a bang-up job of doing so in its own review: “It’s a slapstick game about groups of drunken idiots that’s designed to be played by groups of drunken idiots.” This is a simple yet ridiculously chaotic party game built around the idea of controlling a mob as a singular unit, using it to attack other mobs by throwing random objects their way. The last mob standing is the winner. Simple. Fun. Do it.
Angry Birds Star Wars :: Mobile + Windows 8 :: $0.99 – $2.99
It’s quality over quantity for the lineup today, but my hands-down pick of the week is, without a doubt, Rovio’s Angry Birds Star Wars. I’ll admit up front that there’s a bit of fanboy fanaticism fueling my decision, but ABSW also happens to be an excellent game by Angry Birds standards and an all-around superior mobile game in general. The song remains largely the same, so you should be immediately familiar with the concept of slingshotting a variety of birds at rickety structures with the aim of killing the pigs inside. The difference here is that both sides are dressed as Star Wars characters — Original Trilogy too! — and you’ve got a whole new set of Star Wars-y birdy abilities to draw from. The Force is most definitely strong with this one.
Chinese carrier China Mobile reportedly released two new images of China's version of the Nokia Lumia 920, the Lumia 920T, on Friday.
Along with the images came a host of new details on the Lumia 920T's specs , including a claim that the Lumia 920T will have a faster processor than the Lumia 920.
According to the report, the Lumia 920T runs on a Snapdragon S4 Pro MSM8960T with an Adreno 320.
In comparison, the standard MSM8960 (minus the "T") found in the Lumia 920 packs an Adreno 225, making the Chinese Lumia 920T superior, said mobile news site GSM Insider.
Some inside specs (Credit: GSM Insider)
Lumia 920 vs. Lumia 920T
Everything else that's known about China's Lumia 920T suggests that, besides the processor, it's identical to the Lumia 920.
That includes a 4.5-inch display with a resolution of 1280x768, according to Friday's report.
The Nokia Lumia 920T launch is expected to take place at a Windows Phone 8 event in China on Dec. 5.
Will Steven Spielberg's passion project give Daniel Day-Lewis another Oscar?
Let’s just dispense with all of the usual deliberation and give Lincoln star Daniel Day-Lewis the Oscar now.
In some ways, the run-up to this year’s Academy Awards shares some similarities with the story that plays out in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln – a biopic that casts Day-Lewis as the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Unfolding against the backdrop of the Civil War as Lincoln pushes to gain approval for a slavery-ending amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Lincoln portrays the popular President as a leader struggling with the ever-present red tape and legislative process that prevents a quick end to slavery and the war dividing the nation. For both Lincoln and the movie’s audience, the proper outcome of all the political wrangling is obvious, but the film focuses on why such a debate needed to happen and the deft balancing act required of the President to keep the 13th Amendment in motion while juggling a Civil War and his responsibilities at home.
And yes, much like the film’s portrayal of the 13th Amendment’s ratification, the decision to give Day-Lewis the Oscar will inevitably involve lots of debate and a resolution that most people expected from the start.
Of course, that’s not to say that Day-Lewis’ performance is the only thing Lincoln has going for it. The film surrounds its lead with a fantastic cast of actors who provide pitch-perfect performances in nearly every role, and the project itself serves as yet another affirmation of Spielberg’s impressive talents behind the camera. Even so, there’s little doubt that Day-Lewis’ performance is the focal point, the foundation, and the driving force behind Lincoln.
It’s worth noting early on that Lincoln is not a traditional biopic, as it doesn’t give us the standard birth-to-death narrative, and instead covers a relatively short period of time in Lincoln’s life. That period of time, however, is a carefully chosen window that offers tremendous insight into what sort of man he was and why history holds him in such high regard.
IT’S ALL IN THE HISTORY
Clearly a passion project for Spielberg, Lincoln is a film made by and for history buffs – something that works to both its benefit and detriment at various times. Much like he’s done with so many other films, Spielberg has a knack for finding the most compelling character arcs history has to offer and making the theater a classroom of sorts. The lesson in American history taught by Lincoln isn’t as subtle as the one found in Saving Private Ryan, but the movie does a nice job of staying in mainstream territory rather than veering into hardcore historical-drama turf.
Still, Spielberg’s in-depth knowledge of the subject matter occasionally leads to some glossing-over of character relationships and the political architecture of the time, which could be confusing to some audiences. With the shifting alliances between parties and politicians playing a major role in the film’s drama, certain moments lose their punch if you don’t have a firm grasp on the hierarchy of key players in American history or the balance of power at the time.
While Spielberg does a fantastic job of giving the film’s impressive cast room to do what they do best, even great performances by Tommy Lee Jones (as radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens), Sally Field (Mary Todd Lincoln), and James Spader (Democratic operative W.N. Bilbo) never quite reach the bar set by Day-Lewis in the title role. Field in particular does a magnificent job of diving into her character and giving the audience as many layers as it can handle, but even during some of her finest moments, your eyes are drawn to Day-Lewis, who’s often seen in the background casting Lincoln’s eyes toward the woman he loves and filling each scene with more emotion than any monologue could ever provide.
In fact, it’s those subtle elements of Day-Lewis performance in Lincoln that lift the movie to the next tier and really make the film feel less like a history lesson and more like a story about a very real man with very real emotions. There’s no need to tell the audience that Lincoln is carrying the weight of the war and his presidency on his shoulders, as Day-Lewis conveys that burden every time he wearily drags himself up – shoulders-first, at times – and painstakingly moves from one room of the White House to the next. His interpretation of Lincoln spends much of the film in a state of quiet, contemplative silence with his eyes closed, only to suddenly offer up a platitude of some sort or, in rare occasions, deliver a thundering analysis to his advisors of how things need to proceed. With Day-Lewis’ version of Lincoln, every word is planned and every movement is tortuously deliberate.
CONCLUSION
Lincoln arrives in theaters with all of the hype one would expect from a film with this sort of high-profile pedigree, and it’s to the credit of Spielberg and his cast that it manages not to just match expectations but exceed them. It’s easy to go on and on about Day Lewis and his performance (which will likely earn him another Oscar for his mantle), but in the end it’s the success of all the supporting elements that make Lincoln a triumph for both its lead actor and the film as a whole. That Day-Lewis can give such a noticeably magnificent performance despite the great work of Jones, Field, and so many others just might be the best reason to give him the Oscar in February.
Seven SEALs under investigation for revealing secrets during Warfighter's development have been disciplined.
Back in September while under investigation for his novel No Easy Day, former U.S. Navy SEAL and author Matt Bissonnette also fell under further government scrutiny for his involvement with Electronic Arts and developer Danger Close’s military shooter Medal of Honor: Warfighter. Although Bissonnette had since left the service, his contributions as an adviser to that game and the details of his book both came under investigation by the Department of Defense for potentially releasing classified information regarding how the SEALs operate. Along with Bissonnette, seven other active duty Navy SEALs also served as consultants for the game.
A new report now suggests that those seven SEALs have been disciplined, and all those involved are under further investigation regarding their role in the game’s development.
According to CBS News, the Navy SEALs in question (at least one of which served on the successful mission which resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden) served as paid consultants for Warfighter, and may have revealed military secrets while assisting EA with the game. There has been no word on what specific secrets were revealed, and in all likelihood that information will never be released. The report indicates that all seven SEALs have received letters of reprimand — a major impediment to future promotion– and have had half their salaries docked for two months.
News of The Department of Defense taking an interest in the SEALs’ involvement with Warfighter first hit the wire in September, but focused primarily on Bissonnette. His book No Easy Day, which he wroteunder the pseudonym Mark Owen, gave a firsthand account of the raid that targeted bin Laden. Although the market is no stranger to first hand accounts of military missions told by those that participated in them, all such projects are supposed to first be submitted to the Pentagon for approval to ensure that no classified information is released. In the case of both Bissonnette’s book and with the SEALs that worked on Warfighter, no approval was ever sought, although Bissonnette’s lawyer claims that the book was properly vetted by a special operations attorney prior to release. At the time, EA indicated that it wasn’t aware the SEALs’ required any government oversight for their role with the game.
Leading up to and after its October 23 release, Warfighter‘s marketing has promoted the game’s ties to real-world military experts and well-known military scenarios – including an upcoming map pack for the game called “Zero Dark Thirty” that recreates the SEAL Team Six raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound.
Rumors have Apple moving away from the Intel chips currently used in Macs to the ARM-based chips used in mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad. But would such a seismic shift make sense?
Apple’s Macintosh computers rely on processors from chipmaking giant Intel – just like the vast majority of the world’s PCs, notebooks, and servers. However, Apple’s iOS device line, such as the iPhone, iPads, and iPod touch, rely on processors based on designs from ARM. These chips aren’t as fast or powerful as mainstream Intel processors, but they’re cheaper and they consume far less power, making them ideal for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.
Now, Bloomberg is citing three unidentified sources saying Apple is seriously investigating shifting Macs from Intel to ARM chips, and new developments from ARM are adding fuel to the fire.
Could Apple move Macs away from Intel to ARM-based processors? What hurdles would Apple face, and how would ARM-based Macs stack up?
Here we go again
With the original iPad back in 2010, Apple revealed it was designing its own ARM processors rather than relying on chips designed by Samsung or other manufacturers. (That first chip was the Apple A4, which quickly moved to power the iPhone 4 as well.) With Apple designing its own chips, speculation immediately mounted that the company might one day move its Macintosh computers away from Intel to its own ARM-based processors. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Apple has changed the Mac’s processor architecture. Apple has already shifted the Mac’s processor architecture three times: from Motorola 68000s, to PowerPC, and then to Intel. If there’s a company with experience managing these transitions, it’s Apple. And each time Apple has unveiled a new processor, that speculation has started anew.
What’s different this time around?
ARM 64-bit architecture
Current ARM-based chip designs use 32-bit architectures. For now, that’s ample for most mobile and tablet applications, but one significant ramification for desktop computing is that these processors can only handle about 4GB of memory. Macs today ship with a minimum of 4GB of RAM, and many ship with 8GB, so using a 32-bit architecture just isn’t feasible for today’s desktop computers. However, last week ARM Holdings took the wraps off its Cortex-A50 series, the first ARM processors designs with a 64-bit architecture. (One of them also can claim the title as the world’s smallest 64-bit processor.) Suddenly, managing the amount of memory common in today’s desktop computers—and even high-end servers and workstations—is within reach.
ARM doesn’t make chips; it designs then, and licenses those designs to companies like Samsung, Qualcomm, and (of course) Apple. It will take time for firms to implement 64-bit designs of their own. Nobody is expecting 64-bit ARM chips to be a reality on the market for another year or 18 months. But the market is no longer holding its breath for ARM to release 64-bit designs: now, the work can begin.
It’s also worth noting Apple’s relationship with ARM is much older than its relationship with Intel. It goes all the way back to the 1980s, and Apple collaborated in early stages of ARM processor development. That resulted in Apple owning a over 40 percent of ARM, and that stake helped Apple weather its mid-1990s death spiral as it repeatedly padded its bottom line by selling ARM shares to lower its losses.
Apple is getting results
Apple’s work to design its own processors isn’t just a vanity project: It’s about getting performance and capabilities that can’t be matched by other mobile device makers using stock parts. Apple has invested heavily in acquiring chip design expertise (in part through the acquisition of PA Semi and Intrinsity. Apple has consistently been increasing the clock speed of its processor and graphics cores and getting improvements through architectural adjustments. Unveiling the latest iPad, Apple also revealed its latest A6X processor was laid out by hand, rather than trusting the details to CAD tools. The company is clearly willing to sweat the details and design processors that specifically support things like its Retina displays without sacrificing battery life compared to previous, lower-powered products. That expertise can directly translate to notebook and desktop PC designs.
New Technology group
Part of Apple’s recent executive shakeup (which saw the ouster of iOS chief Scott Forstall) was the creation of a new Technologies unit under Bob Mansfield, including Apple’s semiconductor teams, described as having “ambitious plans for the future.” Although the Technologies group is tasks with unifying all of Apple’s wireless efforts, as VP of Mac Hardware Engineering, Mansfield oversaw the development of things like Apple’s iMac and MacBook lines. While the industrial design of Macs remains the province of Jonathan Ive, actually getting them built still seems to fall on Mansfield’s shoulders, in addition to being in charge of chips.
Thinner and lighter
When Apple introduced the MacBook Air back in 2008, it was deemed almost impossibly thin, and the line continues to set the bar for ultraportable notebooks. Apple built the original MacBook Air using a custom Intel processor; one of the reasons Apple was able to beat other PC makers to the super-slim form factor was that it wasn’t using off-the-shelf parts. Apple has continued to demonstrate with the Retina MacBook Pros, ongoing MacBook Air line, and the latest iMac that its obsession with thin-and-light computer designs continues unabated. Although Intel has acknowledged Apple has has provided valuable input into its chip designs, Intel is not making custom processors for Apple, which poses a problem moving forward. It will be difficult for Apple to keep its PC products in front of the rest of the market if it’s forced to use the same off-the-shelf processors as everyone else. Design considerations alone might be incentive to Apple to start seriously looking at alternatives to Intel.
Would OS X run on ARM?
Apple bringing its OS X operating system to ARM might seem like the equivalent of Microsoft bringing Windows 8 to ARM devices in the form of Windows RT: a potential seismic shift in the product landscape. However, Apple has a head start. Its iOS operating system is based on Mac OS X, meaning the two share a large number of core technologies. Much of the groundwork for running OS X on an ARM chip already exists, and there’s long been speculation Apple has been bringing up most of OS X on ARM systems for years just as a proof of concept.
A bigger question is how well OS X would run on ARM processors: Would it deliver a reasonable desktop experience? By some benchmarks, the A6 processor Apple uses in the iPhone 5 already substantially outperforms any PowerPC notebook Apple ever made, and the A6X in the latest iPad scores even higher. And with the power available in notebooks and desktop computers (as opposed to phones and tablets), Apple could push the processors to significantly higher clockspeeds. Apple could also improve performance and keep heat levels down by adding more processor cores. That would increase the cost of each processor, but Apple’s chips are so much less expensive than Intel’s mainstream CPUs that Apple could afford to eat a bit of expense there.
(Doubt that? Intel’s published price lists (PDF) run from $117 for a low-end Core i3 chip to $999 for a high-end Core i7. Bulk customers like Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and HP presumably get a significant discount, but the contrast is stunning: iSuppli estimates Apple pays under $20 for its A6 processor.)
Given how many people find Apple’s iOS devices totally acceptable for lightweight gaming, Web browsing, email, managing photos and entertainment like movies and music, it’s fair to guess hypothetical ARM-based Macs would be able to meet those same sorts of needs easily. On consumer notebooks and desktop systems, the real performance constraints are usually memory, storage, and networks, not the processor.
However, once one gets beyond mainstream computing needs, ARM chips aren’t going to be able to stand up to Intel in the foreseeable future. That means folks who rely on their Macs for content creation, high-end gaming, software development, and compute-intensive applications like large databases, software development, real-time digital signal processing (think musicians and DJs), would suffer from a switch to ARM processors. These are the same users who purchase Apple’s highest-priced, highest-margin Macintosh computers and constitute many of Apple’s most loyal and lucrative Macintosh customers. It seems unlikely Apple would kick them to the curb, so if Apple does move Macs to ARM-based processors, higher-end Macs are likely to stay with Intel.
Barriers to OS X on ARM
This doesn’t mean making OS X practical on ARM chips would be a cakewalk. Assuming Apple can indeed overcome possible performance hurdles with its own 64-bit designs down the road. Other barriers include:
Backward compatibility
Just as Windows RT can’t run old Windows software, a hypothetical ARM-based Mac wouldn’t be able to run old OS X software. In the past, Apple has always provided an emulation layer that let old software continue to run, albeit slower. Apple’s cleanest transition was from PowerPC to Intel: Its Rosetta PowerPC emulators let Mac users transition the vast majority of their existing PowerPC software to their new Intel Macs without batting an eye, letting them continue to use their software, then upgrade to new Intel versions over time.
It’s not clear that Apple could manage a transition from Intel to ARM so easily. Russia’s Elbrus Technologies recently announced an x86 emulator for ARM that can let ARM chips run software compiled for Intel processors, but it can only deliver about 40 percent of the ARM processor’s performance through emulation. Elbrus thinks it can bring that level up to 80 percent by the end of 2014, but considering ARM chips are already slower to begin with, that may still mean sluggish performance. The alternative is Microsoft’s approach: Bar legacy software outright.
A desktop version of iOS?
The Mac used to be Apple’s market-leading product… but then it was eclipsed by the iPod, and then by the iPhone, and then by the iPad. Where Apple customers used to come to iOS devices with a knowledge of Mac OS X, now it’s much more likely Apple customers come to the Mac after getting into the Apple ecosystem on an iOS device. Apple’s “back to the Mac” emphasis in Lion and Mountain Lion is about taking elements of iOS and taking them back to OS X so iOS users feel more at home. The Mac App Store, Notifications, and full-screen mode all arose from this effort.
If Apple can’t support legacy Intel apps, would it make sense to essentially make a version of iOS for the desktop? It have the advantage of being instantly familiar to millions of existing iOS users, with hundreds of thousands of existing apps available on launch day. However, apps originally designed for smartphones and tablets generally would not translate well to a notebook or desktop computer. After all, Apple CEO Tim Cook was quick to criticize Microsoft for the sacrifices made by its own hybrids. Apple would also have to make some changes to iOS to match desktop users’ expectations. For instance, multitasking under iOS is currently limited to a handful of tasks that can be delegated to the operating system, all in the name of power management and maximizing battery life. Many desktop users would expect more robust multitasking, without a significant impact on battery life.
What about Intel’s stranglehold?
Apple likes to control its own destiny. Part of that fierce independence comes from total control of product design from the ground up, from the silicon in the chips to the finish on the case to the pixels on the screen. With its Macintosh computers, Apple doesn’t control two key parts of the package: the processor and the graphics chip, which it relies on Intel and Nvidia for. If Apple were to make its own ARM processors, it would liberate Apple from dependence on Intel’s rigid upgrade schedule, which controls the rest of the PC industry.
Of course, putting ARM chips into Macs – or threatening to – could simply be a clever way to exert leverage on Intel. Intel scored a tremendous public relations coup back in 2005 when Apple switched from PowerPC to Intel processors. Although Intel can certainly afford to lose Apple as a client on purely financial level, the damage to Intel’s reputation could be substantial – after all, Apple is one of the most-watched and most-respected companies on the planet. Toying with the idea of a switch to ARM chips could give Apple significant negotiating chips with Intel, maybe even enough to get the chipmaking giant back to making custom processors only available to Apple, like it did with the original MacBook Air.
