Apple has posted two new iPhone ads on its YouTube page in the hope of grabbing the attention of consumers and making a few extra sales this holiday season.

With the holiday shopping season about to kick off in earnest, Apple has rolled out two new ads featuring the iPhone 5 in the hope that it can persuade even more consumers to send their hard-earned cash its way.

The first ad (below), called ‘Turkey’, extols the virtues of Photo Stream, a feature of iOS 6 that allows users to easily share photos. “It’s picture-taking season. Share all the photos you want with just the people you want,” the narrator says in the 30-second Thanksgiving-themed ad, finishing off with the not altogether unexpected line, “It’s as easy as pie.”

For its second ad (below), titled ‘Orchestra’, the Cupertino company focuses on the iPhone 5’s noise-canceling ability, perhaps in anticipation of some rather boisterous family gatherings in the coming days. The producers of the ad secured the services of a small orchestra to illustrate this particular function of the phone, which “picks up the sounds around you and helps turn them down, so when the world gets noisy, calls sound better.”

With American shoppers predicted to spend an average of around $750 this holiday shopping season, we can expect to see tech giants like Apple roll out more ads in the coming weeks as they fight frantically for a piece of the consumer pie action.

Definitely ideal for anyone that carries several mobile devices, the Phorce smart bag will keep you powered without having to find an electrical outlet.

With a third of the funding goal already raised on Kickstarter, a group located in Amsterdam has developed a “smart bag” that allows users to charge their gadgets when on the go. Called the Phorce, the bag can charge up to three devices through USB at the same time and it can be used as a messenger bag, briefcase or backpack. For instance, a Phorce owner could charge a laptop, smartphone and digital camera all at the same time. 

When the 54Wh battery is at full capacity, it can charge an iPhone 5 completely up to eight times and the Samsung Galaxy III up to six times. Regarding tablets, an Apple iPad Mini can be charged twice and a fourth generation iPad can be fully charged once. A GoPro video camera can be fully charged eleven times and a typical set of noise-cancelling headphones can be charged up to sixty times.  

When it comes to laptops, the creators are offering details in regards to how long the battery will be able to charge specific Apple laptops. For instance, the MacBook Pro with the 15-inch Retina display can be charged for 3.5 hours. However, the MacBook Air in either screen size can be charged for seven hours. The creators are developing a version of the smart bag that specifically increases MacBook charging time.

The laptop pocket within the standard bag can store Windows laptops up to 14 inches and the Phorce bag for Mac users can store the 15-inch MacBook Pro. There is foam padding throughout the bag to protect devices and the fabric has been designed to help clean electronics like tablets and smartphones in order to keep the mobile devices fingerprint free. The outside of the bag is completely waterproof to keep expensive electronics completely dry.

In order to see the remaining power left within the Phorce smart bag, the creators have developed a smartphone application for the iOS and Android platforms. Linking to the bag over Bluetooth, a Phorce owner can view the remaining power left within the bag as well as how the power can be used to charge your gadgets. In addition, the user can turn on notifications that indicate when the battery within the smart bag needs to be recharged.

Interestingly, pairing the Phorce smart bag to a smartphone also enables a handy security feature. If a Phorce owner is in a hurry and happens to leave their bag behind by mistake, a notification will appear on the smartphone as soon as the phone leaves the range of the smart bag. 

To date, the creators of the Phorce smart bag have raised approximately $55,000 of the $150,000 goal to get manufacturing up and running. If the Kickstarter campaign happens to hit $750,000, the creators have promised to increase the battery capacity by ten percent without increasing the overall weight of the smart bag.

The standard version of the bag is currently priced at $219 on the Kickstarter page, but will eventually retail for $349. The version of the bag for Mac users is currently priced at $299, but is expected to retail for $449. According to the timetable, the bag will be delivered to Kickstarter backers by May 2013.

Activision and Treyarch join the Wii U launch title roundup with a port of this year’s iteration of the biggest game in the world. And while the Wii U giveth, the Wii U also taketh away.

This Thanksgiving millions of gamers all around the country will show their thanks by tossing a grenade at their fellow man (or woman), and then screaming that the lag is BS and that the game cheats. With the annual release of Call of Duty coming in early November, the Thanksgiving week is traditionally a time of heavy CoD online gaming – as any gamer that has suffered the dreaded delay of trying to find a game during the heavily trafficked hours can attest.

But typically this has been something that has been the providence of Microsoft and Sony console owners. There have been plenty of Call of Duty games on the Wii, but they are shadows of their 360 and PS3 cousins, with online traffic to match. That may change this holiday season though.

With the Wii U now available on shelves (or at least on eBay), Nintendo fans will finally have the chance to experience all the rage and disappointment highlighted by moments of sheer gaming ecstasy that the rest of their gaming brethren face as Call of Duty: Black Ops II heads to the Wii U.

For the most part, the game is the same as the version on 360 and PS3, complete with all the highs and lows. Some of the flaws that affected the game, most notably the lack of innovation, may actually be less of an issue for those that have stuck by the Wii only and missed the last few years of CoD games, but that is subjective.

The graphics in the Wii U version are somewhat odd. The majority of the time they are identical (or near enough) to the other versions, but there are a few exceptions. In some instances the animations and design noticeably better, especially in some of the facial expressions and designs of characters, as well as the the particle physics in smoke and light. In other instance like dense foliage, there are some slight degradations and anti-aliasing issues. It balances out, but the highs are a bit higher than the lows.

The real difference though, is of course the GamePad. It’s what sets the Wii U apart, and Treyarch has found a few good ways to incorporate that into the game.

While the default has the GamePad act as just a controller, leaving the touchscreen display unused, the Wii U version also allows you to play the entire full, HD, console quality game on the GamePad. Being able to plug in headphones and play the full Black Ops 2 campaign away from the TV is an excellent feature. 

While playing the multiplayer, the GamePad has two options for you to cycle through. If you like, you can play the game itself on the GamePad. It’s actually easier to follow and see enemies than you might think. It can’t quite make up for a giant TV, of course, but it is a good way to settle the arguments of who gets the TV. It’s a fantastic feature. The second choice displays all the options you can normally access by hitting the start button, including a map and all your loadouts (which you can select on the fly and have them ready when you respawn next). This is a great idea in theory, especially when a UAV comes and highlights the opposing players. But glancing down at the GamePad at the wrong time is a habit you don’t want to get into, and one that will cost you. You’ll need to train yourself to use it very sparingly, and more as a general reference to lead you to a place where your onscreen HUD can guide you.

The GamePad also allows you to play splitscreen minus the splitscreen. Where playing with two people at once on other consoles halves the screen, the GamePad becomes a second display, allowing much easier play for two players. 

Black Ops 2 also highlights a slight problem with the Wii U in general: the chat options. For Black Ops 2, you can turn the chat on or off in the display screen. While on, the GamePad acts as the mic, while it and the TV both broadcast the voices of other players. The odds of you being able to hear the voices clearly on a consistent basis are slim. Your better bet is to purchase a separate headset and mic, either a universal one or one of the few headsets specifically designed for the Wii U, and plug it into the GamePad – assuming you want to use the GamePad at all.

The GamePad is a solid and ergonomic controller, but Call of Duty was designed for a more traditional controller scheme – the entire engine was designed for use with a standard controller. A keyboard and mouse are easy enough to map buttons to, but the Wii U is just not designed for this type of twitch gaming.

Now, that said, this criticism is very much coming from someone that has put serious hours into Call of Duty on the Xbox 360 and the PS3, so I highly encourage you to take that criticism with a grain of salt. It can be a difficult transition, but like most things, probably just a matter of getting used to. Still, it feels a bit more imprecise than a smaller controller. Of course, there is always the Wii U Pro Controller, but that peripheral does not come with a headphone jack, so you will still need to use the GamePad as the source of your chat. That’s not really a bad thing though, since it gives you a second pad filled with info in front of you while playing.

So far there is also a serious lack of online competitors. While the 360 version is pulling in half a million players across all game modes regularly, the Wii U version rarely has more than a thousand. This may quickly change as Christmas approaches (and soon after), but for now it is worth noting.  

All of the above is also true for playing zombies, where communication is an essential method for surviving. If you can get used to the GamePad, you’ll be fine. If not, you’ll need to use both controllers at once. Playing it all on the GamePad is again a  highlight. 

Conclusion

In all the important ways, the game is the same as its counterpart on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, just with the GamePad, the occasionally heightened graphics, and the Wii U’s chat issues taken into account. The ability to play on the GamePad is outstanding, but the GamePad itself is a bit of a handful for this manner of gaming. It probably just takes time to adjust, and the less experience you have with this game (or style of game) on other consoles is probably a boon. The chat, something that is so vital to any good online play, is just a feature Nintendo didn’t put a great deal of effort into and instead left it up to the developers. In time, this will likely find a good balance, but for now Treyarch did the best it could with what it had. But if you are hoping for the Call of Duty experience for Nintendo’s new system, you now most certainly have it.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

(This game was reviewed on the Wii U using a copy provided by the publisher)

The original leaks of the Nokia Sea-Ray are pretty much spot on. At Nokia World earlier today, Stephen Elop and crew officially revealed the Nokia Lumia 800, ushering in the era of Windows Phone 7 devices from the Scandinavian company. This is the first Windows Phone 7.5 Mango device from Nokia, but it’s going to look strangely familiar.

Why? Well, the Nokia Lumia 800 is largely based on the pre-existing Nokia N9, except they’ve plopped Microsoft’s smartphone OS into the package. That’s a good thing, because the N9 is a serious piece of hardware! With the Lumia 800, you get a 3.7-inch AMOLED ClearBlack curved display, a 1.4GHz Scorpion processor, and that amazing 8MP f/2.2 camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. Rounding out the package are 16GB of internal memory, a free 25GB cloud storage account with Microsoft SkyDrive, and 512MB RAM.

Not surprisingly, Nokia is also loading the Lumia 800 with Nokia Drive and Nokia Maps. It’ll be made available in your choice of blue, magenta or black and it ships this month to France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and UK with Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan following suit before the year is out. A Canadian and American launch is tentatively scheduled for early next year. The European price is set at 420 Euro ($580), excluding taxes and subsidies.

Also announced at the Nokia World event is the cheaper Nokia Lumia 710. It’s also getting the Windows Phone 7 treatment, but it’s shape is more rounded. You still get the 1.4GHz processor and a 3.7-inch WVGA ClearBlack display though, as well as the option to get exchangeable back covers. Other specs include the 5MP camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, and aGPS. The estimated retail price for the Lumia 710 is 270 Euro ($373). Availability should be similar to the Lumia 800.

Convertibles, dockables, and sliders, oh my! The world of Windows 8 touchscreen laptops is a jungle. We'll help you decide which option is best for you.

Microsoft’s new touch-focused operating system has given laptop manufacturers the chance to be creative. The old keyboard-and-touchpad model has now been joined by the touchscreen and opened up the potential for mass-market appeal for products that were previously niche or didn’t exist at all.

These new options leave consumers with new questions. What kind of touchscreen laptop is best? What are the advantages and disadvantages of different designs? And is a touchscreen alone worth the premium? To answer these questions we’ve rounded up the most common types of laptops and carefully detailed each.

Convertibles

Convertible tablets have existed for years. They work by folding the screen over the keyboard using a hinge that swings or flips. Examples of this design include the Lenovo ThinkPad Twist, the HP Envy x2, and the Dell XPS 12 (pictured above).

Laptops that use this design are usually indistinguishable from a normal laptop when used in their regular mode. They are similar in weight to a normal laptop and often have chassis components similar to another, non-convertible cousin. Most convertibles have a display size between 11.6-inches and 13.3-inches and are easy to use as an every-day PC.

The added weight and bulk in tablet mode make convertibles pleasing to use as a tablet at home, but most are too heavy for frequent mobile use. Tablet mode is a nice extra, not the main attraction.

Dockables

 

A dockable is a laptop with a screen that detaches entirely. The screen contains the components critical to the laptop’s operation, so the keyboard is just a peripheral that connects via a laptop hinge. Examples of this include the ASUS Vivo Tab (pictured above), and the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro.

Dockables are a little unwieldy in laptop mode. Since the core system components are all in the display, they tend to be top-heavy, making them more cumbersome to use than their weight suggests. These products also tend to have small display sizes between 10.1-inches and 12.1-inches. Using a dockable as a primary PC is not ideal.

As a tablet, however, dockables are the best PC alternative. When the keyboard is removed, so is its weight, which is similar to that of an Android tablet or an iPad. A dockable provides the definitive Windows 8 tablet experience.  

Sliders

 

Sliders aren’t just a product of White Castle any more. They’re also a type of touchscreen laptop with a display that slides over the keyboard. The idea is similar to a convertible, but the hinge mechanism is more restrictive. Examples include the Toshiba Satellite U920t, and the Sony Vaio Duo 11 (pictured above).

Laptops that use this design tend to be light and small with a display size between 10.1-inches and 12.5-inches. They are similar in weight to dockables but don’t suffer from their top-heavy nature. Unfortunately, most pay for this by offering reduced keyboard space and little to no palmrest. Some also do not offer a touchpad. This can make navigation a chore.

As a tablet, sliders are close to dockables. The reduced size of the keyboard relative to other designs makes the laptop lighter. Still, sliders often feel a bit heavy when compared to dockables and to Android or iOS tablets.

Swing-hinge

A swing-hinge laptop looks normal but has a hinge that makes it possible to fold the display backwards until it is flush with the bottom of the laptop. Ta-da! You now have a tablet. The only current example of this is the Lenovo Yoga.

This design benefits from being indistinguishable from a standard laptop. Everything looks and acts exactly as the user would expect. Pricing benefits from this as well. The hinge is simple compared to the mechanisms in most convertibles, which is probably why the Yoga starts at $999 despite its capable hardware.

As a tablet, however, this design has some problems. It suffers from the weight issues of a convertible and it does not cover the keyboard. The keys are deactivated, of course, but they’re still distracting and unwieldy. These issues are somewhat forgiven by the fact the keyboard can act as a stand that holds the display upright on a flat surface.

Standard touch

Consumers don’t have to buy a crazy new design to grab a touchscreen. They’re easy enough to place in a standard laptop and many manufactures are doing just that.

Laptops without the ability to be used as a tablet, like the Acer Aspire M5 Touch (pictured above), will always be used primarily as a laptop. The touchscreen functionality can be thought of as a giant touchpad. Leaning forward to use it (because it’s father away that the touchpad or keyboard) isn’t ideal, but it can be good for making quick changes to settings or starting/stopping media playback.

We have no problems with adding a touchscreen to a laptop. However, we urge consumers to keep in mind how limited a touchscreen is when placed in a laptop that can’t be used as a tablet. A touchscreen installed in a standard laptop will be used a tiny fraction of the time and is not worth the $100 to $200 premium most manufactures are currently charging.

Think of it more like a backlit keyboard. It’s a nice feature that’s worth $20 – and that’s all.

Conclusion: What’s the best?

Now that you know about the different types of touchscreen laptops running Windows 8, we’re sure you’re still wondering which one is best. We do have some recommendations.

Convertible laptops are the best option for most people who want a touchscreen laptop. Its bulk in tablet mode is unfortunate but only a problem during mobile use. At home the device can be propped up by a laptop desk, a pillow, a reading stand or just the user’s legs. Convertibles also make great every-day laptops.

If you believe that you’ll use the device as a tablet far more often than a laptop, a dockable is the best choice. Dockables are the lightest and least unwieldy tablets. The best are nearly as good as an Android/iOS device. However, you may also want to consider buying a dedicated tablet because they are even lighter and usually less expensive.

Sliders are the only design we remain skeptical of. Their small size and tendency to eliminate the palmrest and touchpad makes them less than ideal in laptop mode, yet they’re not as light as a dockable when in tablet mode. It’s a trade-off that doesn’t work out well for anyone.

Our take on the best gifts for gamers, including the hottest hardware of the 2011 holiday season and the top 10 accessories, peripherals, and newly redesigned consoles.

The holiday season is upon us. Run for your life! Or, alternatively, check out some of the hot items in gaming that can bring a smile to the face of even the most well-supplied gamer! From consoles to accessories, peripherals to handhelds, this year has seen an explosion of new hardware, from the Wii U to the Vita. But if the price tag on those is alarming, there are still plenty of ways to satisfy all manner of gamers at all price points.

So this holiday season, if you are shopping for a gamer – they can be easily identified by their heightened hand-eye coordination, ability to multitask better than others, and improved eyesight (all proven facts, take that Jack Thompson) – we have some options for you. From the high dollar to the stocking stuffer, we’ve got you covered.

Grip-iT Analog Stick Covers, $4.99 The most economical item on our list also delivers the best bang for the buck. This is a gift for a true gamer, one who really puts hours into either their PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 – so much so that the grip on the analog sticks has begun to wear down. It’s a common problem even with moderate use, and any gamer can tell you that a slick and worn analog stick means it’s time to get a new controller. Or does it? With official controllers costing as much as $60, it feels like a waste to replace the whole thing just because a tiny piece of rubber has worn down. That’s where the Grip-iT analog Stick Covers come in. Simply pop a rubber cap over the thumb sticks and your old controller is as grippy as new. And for the price, you cannot beat that with a stick. Get it? Stick? Analog stick? Moving on.

Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Game Capture Device, $149 Hauppauge’s HD PVR 2, and its predecessor the PVR, allow you to capture video of a console on your PC. If you don’t see the benefit of that, then clearly this gift is not for you – but it may be for the gamer on your list. The device is simple and easy to use. You just plug your console and your TV into the PVR deck, and then have an output going to your computer. The included software will help to walk you through the rest. Again, if you aren’t sure what the point of that is, move along, move along. But for those with a use for that sort of video capture technology, this is an awesome gift to give them, and bonus points for thinking outside the box.

Microsoft Xbox 360 Bundle, $199 to $299+ If you aren’t familiar with the Xbox 360, then well done. Your stubborn obstinance and complete lack of cultural awareness is remarkable, and borders on a superpower. You can be sure that the gamer in your family is more than aware of it though. So if you are considering helping someone enter the brave new (7-year-old) world of the Xbox 360, then you have picked a good time.  The library is filled with years of hits, and the software continues to push this device into the realm of entertainment thanks to apps like ESPN, Hulu Plus, and HBO Go.  There are deals to be had this Holiday season and multiple bundles to consider.  One deal, for example, has the 360 with a 250GB hard drive along with incredible games Forza 4: Essential Edition (a trimmed down version of the excellent Forza Motorsport 4) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. This is a limited-time offer, but there are other deals to be had, as well as bundles that cost less and include the 4GB Arcade version of the console.  But trust us, with the constantly expanding selection of digitally distributed content, a bigger hard drive is a plus.  You can always purchase one separately at a later date though. So if you are interested in the 360, shop around and find the bundle that works for you. Some have the Kinect, others instead offer a larger hard drive and a game.  There are plenty of choices.

Moga Wireless Mobile Gaming Controller for Android, $49.99 The fastest-growing section of gamers can be found not on any one particular system, but on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. But even though mobile gaming is expanding, the limitations of the platform are apparent. You can offer a different product that can rival traditional gaming, but you’ll never be able to accurately recreate a game on a mobile device if there isn’t a comparable way to input commands. Enter the Moga. The Moga controller is a portable unit that connects to Android-powered devices through Bluetooth, and comes with a clamp that allows you to attach your device to the controller, giving you a new way to game on your smartphone or tablet. Calling it a game changer would be a silly and obvious pun, but also somewhat accurate. At the moment, the device only works on games designed with the Moga in mind, but the list is already fairly impressive, and continues to grow every day.

Nintendo 3DS XL, $204.99 Nintendo’s replacement for the best-selling gaming system of all time had a rough birth. It was plagued by an anemic selection of launch titles, a price point that was prohibitive, and a generally apathetic reception. There just wasn’t much heat behind the handheld system, and Nintendo knew it. Shortly after the launch, the Japanese gaming giant significantly lowered the price, and then immediately and profusely apologized to all the early adopters that had their loyalty to Nintendo rewarded by getting screwed. Several free games later, all was forgiven as the 3DS finally began to gain traction. The library has improved significantly, the apps available are better than ever, and the community continues to grow, making this an excellent time to pick up a 3DS. If you prefer to save a few bucks, the original model is available for $179, but for just $25 more you get a much bigger screen and a slightly more ergonomic design. In all other regards the two models are the same, but the larger size just makes more sense. Either model should make for a happy gamer come the Holidays though.

Nintendo Wii U, $299 or $349 Nintendo’s newly released Wii U signifies the start of the next generation of consoles. For many, that alone will make it the “hot” item this holiday season. Unlike the riot-spawning Tickle-Me-Elmo dolls that nearly set the world ablaze due to some shortages, you probably won’t be able to wrestle a console out of the hands of an unsuspecting shlub that came unprepared to fight to the death for gift-buying dominance; the vast majority of the consoles have already been purchased. For the few still unclaimed, the sooner you act, the better the chance you can snag one before the bloodbath to obtain one begins. Following the launch, units have already hit eBay at $100 to $150 mark up even though there are still units available. That price is probably going to be considered reasonable as December draws to a close. If you do manage to find available units – and you still have the option – the two models are similar, but the Deluxe Edition comes with a larger internal hard drive and a game, Nintendo Land. If cost isn’t an issue (lucky you), this is definitely the better model to purchase.

Power A Fus1on Controllers, $79.99 For the gamer who takes his or her gaming very seriously, you can never go wrong with a controller created specifically for tournament play. Like a fine wine, this gift will be best appreciated by true connoisseurs of gaming, especially those who revel in online play. As mentioned above in the section discussing the Grip-iT Analog Stick Covers, different analog sticks can help improve responsiveness. Well, it isn’t just the sticks that can be improved. Many of the changes are subtle, and unless you are constantly engaging in online action that requires incredibly quick reflexes, these improvements will mean very little to you. You may enjoy the slightly modified design, but most of the tweaks will be lost on you. For gamers anxious to squeeze even the tiniest bit of an advantage out of their controller, then the Power A Fus1on line for PS3 and Xbox 360 are worth a look. And if you are shopping for someone interested in trying their luck in a gaming tournament, you just found one of the best gifts imaginable.

PSN/Nintendo eShop/XBL gift cards, $19.99 and up There is something to be said for the thrill of opening a present and finding something tangible there, not to mention respecting the care that went into the selection of the perfect gift. But sometimes, when the act of buying a gift becomes a responsibility and not a joy, pragmatism has a good place in the discussion. In other words, if you have no idea what to buy the gamer in your life, why not buy them something they can use to buy something they really want? The digitally distributed market (content available to purchase and download online) has seen an incredible boost this year, and it shows no signs of stopping. In Q3 alone, digitally distributed content netted $1.4 billion in sales, up 22-percent from last year, and developers are taking note. Some of the best games released this year have been distributed digitally, and games are only one part of the content available on the various consoles. With gift cards, the recipient can also rent movies, download music, and generally consume a bevy of digital content. The price of the gift cards is, of course, entirely dependent on the amount you want to give, but most digitally distributed games cost around $15 (some more some less), so the $20 range seems like a decent gift, and anything after that is just a bonus.

Sony PlayStation 3 Bundle, $269 to $300 As with the Xbox 360, Sony’s console is more than just a gaming system.  It’s an entertainment hub featuring several apps that allow you to watch online media content through things like Netflix and Hulu, plus it is a Blu-ray player, which in itself has justified the purchase for more than a few households.  If this gift is specifically for a gamer, you are also granting access to the wide selection of PlayStation-exclusive titles, both full retail releases as well as countless digitally distributed games. Again, as with most of these options, this is a big gift due to the price. But if you are considering it, your best bet is to find a bundle with a decent hard drive that’ll allow the recipient to stock up on games delivered digitally, as well as one that comes with a game, because why not? There are plenty of options, but highlights include the Assassin’s Creed III bundle with a 500GB hard drive for $299, or the Uncharted 3 bundle with a 250GB hard drive for $249.

PlayStation Vita with Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation Bundle, $249 If the Nintendo 3DS isn’t your target’s proverbial cup of tea, then perhaps the PS Vita bundle will float their equally proverbial boats. Sony’s handheld system has been met with its fair share of criticism, including an underwhelming library despite some big franchise games, and a price point that puts it into the “luxury” item category. For the same price (or close to it), you can get a PS3 that has a built in Blu-ray player, or an Xbox 360 that has plenty of other uses that anyone in the household can share. But don’t count the Vita out yet. The library is improving, and the increasing availability of digitally distributed games, as well as classic PS One titles, is a huge boon. But besides being a gaming system, the Vita can also play videos, music, make video chat calls, and offer a slew of other media-based options. It’s a powerful piece of technology, but obviously its appeal is limited to those with the cash to drop, plus it’s better utilized by those who already own a PS3 (although that isn’t required). If none of that scares you off, there are a few options to look at, including one model with a 3G connection via AT&T, or another Wi-Fi-only model that will save you a few dollars. One particular bundle ships with the brand new Assassin’s Creed game made exclusively for the Vita, and it also comes in a snazzy white shell. If that sounds like minor deal, just tell that to the iPhone fans who were poised to flip over cop cars when the white iPhone faced shortages.

A new report from Korea says that Samsung is currently working on eight-core processors for its upcoming devices, hinting that users could see this tech in its Galaxy S4.

Samsung is rumored to unveil its next-generation handset, presumably the Galaxy S4, at 2013’s Mobile World Congress in February. However, even more interesting than when the smartphone may launch is the significant spec bump it could see.

The Galaxy S3 successor may feature eight processor cores, according to EE Times. This is double the amount of processors featured in high-end smartphone such as the Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 and S3 handsets, which are based on quad-core chipsets.

The Korean news source recently reported that Samsung is crafting a new processor that could expand on the companion core build found in Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chipset. Rather than packing a quad-core processor and a fifth core unit for background processing, Samsung could be planning to sandwich two quad-core chips into one offering, allowing for double the power.

The processor would also be the first chipset to use ARM’s big.LITTLE technology, which combines high performance with power efficiency to extend battery life.

Specifically, Samsung is believed to pair four Cortex -A15 cores with four Cortex-A7 cores. These higher-powered A15 chips are expected to perform the more demanding and daunting operations of a smartphone. The lower-powered Cortex A7s, however, would deal with daily tasks that do not require much battery power, the report says.

Back in August, it was reported that ARM already had two eight-core chips in the works: the T628 and T678. But what does this mean for mobile device users? These processors are said to be 50 percent more powerful than their predecessors without draining any additional power. These eight-core processor chipsets could even feature the potential to boast “console class gaming” for smartphones and support video workloads of up to 4K and 8K.

In addition to speculation about the processing power, Samsung may pack into its Galaxy S3 successor, rumors have also indicated that it could come with a 13-megapixel camera. Back in September, the Korea Times reported that Samsung will be unveiling a 5-inch Galaxy S4 at the Mobile World Congress in February, but Samsung later denied these rumors via Twitter.

“Please note that some media reported speculation that the Galaxy S’s subsequent models will be released,” read the tweet, which called the report “a simple rumor [that] is not true.”

Despite whether or not Samsung decides to release any new smartphones this spring, the development of eight-core processors is likely a sign of what’s to come for mobile tech.  

Rockstar Games has revealed plans to release a special 10th Anniversary Edition of the classic Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for mobile devices on December 6.

Can we all just take a moment to agree on one point before we get to the news? Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is, to date, the best Grand Theft Auto title Rockstar Games has ever created. Yes, objectively it features less content than San Andreas, and it’s not as technically impressive as Grand Theft Auto IV, but when has the series ever felt as awesome as when you were driving down the neon-drenched streets of faux Miami in a faux Lamborghini with Simon Le Bon singing “Hungry Like The Wolf” on the in-game radio?

Never, we say, and that’s why it’s so exciting to hear that Rockstar plans to resurrect Vice City just in time for the holidays. In an announcement issued this afternoon, the developer revealed that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 10th Anniversary Edition would debut on the iOS app store and Google Play on December 6. What’s more, either iteration of the game will only set you back a mere $5.

Given that Rockstar created a largely new title for this re-release, it only stands to reason that the firm would want to pack it with new features, right? Of course it does! Thus, Rockstar explains what’s new and interesting about this latest incarnation of Vice City:

This 10th Anniversary Edition brings the full experience of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to mobile devices, with native high-resolution graphics and several enhancements unique to the iOS and Android platforms including updated character models and lighting effects, new and more precise firing and targeting options, a fully customizable control layout and native support for Retina display devices.

That’s lovely to hear, but we would have been content with higher resolution graphics and the same touchscreen controls seen in Rockstar’s iOS version of Grand Theft Auto III. Prior to that game’s release it seemed crazy that anyone might actually translate the title’s complex controls to a touchscreen device, yet Rockstar somehow managed to pull it off, and Grand Theft Auto III stands as one of the best games to have been ported from a console to iOS. Assuming the same user-interface magic can be harnessed for the 10th Anniversary Edition of Vice City, that $5 price tag looks very enticing.

Virtua Fighter 2, Sonic the Fighters and Fighting Vipers will all be re-released on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network by the end of November.

If you spent any amount of time in an arcade in the early- to mid-90s, you’re likely well aware of Sega’s prominence in the field of giant, noisy video game machines. The company has been one of the biggest arcade game developers since the early years of the industry, and it remains one of the few companies still churning out arcade games to this day. Given how many arcade titles Sega has made over the years, it’s to be expected that some of them would be lost to the sands of time, but today we’re happy to report that Sega has officially revealed its plans to revive three of its classic arcade fighting titles for modern consoles.

According to a new entry on Sega’s official blog, Virtua Fighter 2, Sonic the Fighters and Fighting Vipers are all scheduled for release on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network in mere days (November 27 for PlayStation users and November 28 for Xbox 360 devotees). All three titles will feature a $5 price tag, regardless of which platform you purchase them on, and while that paltry amount isn’t enough to warrant a fully-upgraded re-release of these games, each will feature “support for full online multiplayer and achievements/trophies” on top of the otherwise arcade-perfect ports of these classic games. Unfortunately, as you can see from that Fighting Vipers screenshot at top, while the resolution of each of these games was increased to match modern gaming machines, none of the now-archaic art assets were reworked, resulting in arcade-accurate, yet arguably unattractive letterboxing during gameplay. We sent Sega an email to ask if these games will offer any other viewing modes, but have yet to hear back.

So, you read through all of the above and have become substantially psyched for these releases before realizing that you’ve never heard of these games before. Alright, Virtua Fighter 2 is familiar, but what the heck are Sonic the Fighters and Fighting Vipers? Sega’s blog offers an official synopsis of each:

Sonic the Fighters

Sonic the Fighters’s arrival in arcades in 1996 offered players a first-ever opportunity to take to the ring with characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, including Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose. Players had to battle their way through eight stages to collect chaos emeralds and once again thwart the evil plans of Dr. Robotnik and Metal Sonic!

Fighting Vipers

Fighting Vipers came to arcades and the SEGA Saturn the following year, in 1996, adding a new concept that was a fighting game first: destructible armor. Players could maximize their damage dealt by destroying an opponent’s protective gear, and could then finish the round by punching or kicking the other player right through the arena’s walls.

Those are pretty accurate descriptions, though most players view Virtua Fighter 2 as the real gem here. All three games actually play relatively similarly to one another owing to their similar gameplay engines, but Fighting Vipers lacks a necessary amount of polish and Sonic the Fighters was never really seen as anything more than a novelty fighter aimed at rabid fans of Sega’s most famous mascot. Completionists or those who refuse to admit that arcades are dead will want to nab all three titles, especially given that the entire lot can be had for a mere $15, but those of you who are new to the polygonal fighters created by Sega’s AM2 development wing should probably stick solely with Virtua Fighter 2.

Lenovo may become the number one smartphone manufacturer in China's market come 2013, ending Samsung's reign.

PC maker Lenovo is currently the number two player in the Chinese smartphone market, but that may change very soon. A report by Gartner claims that, by 2013, Lenovo is projected to become the top handset manufacturer in its home market of China. The research firm released a statement on Wednesday outlining Lenovo’s advantages in the Chinese smartphone industry that could boost the manufacturer to snag Samsung’s throne.

“It is the only local smartphone player that can compete with top global brands in China, thanks to its household brand recognition, nationwide distribution, strong portfolio and reasonable pricing,” Garner said in its statement.

The company is currently placed ahead of Apple in China’s handset market, and its target consumer audience will be one of the factors that could drive it to the top.

“The brand is positioned at the mid-to-lower end which will drive much of its future growth, and this is where global brands are less competitive,” the statement read.

It’s worth noting that Lenovo’s smartphone products have gained significant traction in China over the past year, as its market share has risen from 1.7 percent in the third quarter of 2011 to 14 percent in this year’s third quarter. Apple, by point of comparison, claims 6.9 percent of the smartphone market share in China. Samsung accounts for 16.7 percent, putting it ahead of Lenovo by a mere 2.7 percent.

But Lenovo isn’t the only company expected to see a growth come 2013. Next year, China’s entire smartphone market could double that of the United States. According to data from China-based startup incubator Innovation Works, factors such as the availability of 3G networks and the decrease in smartphone prices could greatly increase China’s smartphone market. Broadband wireless coverage is now available in 58 percent in China, and the cost for an “acceptable Android phone” has fallen to about $100.

“Smart phones are now spreading like wildfire,” writes Kai Fu Lee, CEO of Innovation Works, whose report was published on LinkedIn and Business Insider.

About one year ago China saw less than 50 million smartphone users in its market, according to the data. This year, however, is expected to reach an installed base of 250 million active smartphones. That number could double to 500 million next year, Lee writes.

Interestingly enough, Innovation Works does not mention Lenovo as one of the major players that could benefit from the expansion of China’s smartphone market. Lee predicts that Apple will “take a healthy and lucrative minority share” and mentions that some chipset and phone manufacturers will “have a field day,” but does not specify any particular companies.

More details on Microsoft's heavily-rumored set-top Xbox-based entertainment device have emerged, detailing the machine's operating system and supposed release date.

We’ve been hearing rumors that Microsoft has plans to dominate the home entertainment business with a cable box-esque device for quite a while now. As soon as we learned that Microsoft would be adding mainstream televised video content to the entertainment options available to Xbox Live subscribers, gossip began to spread suggesting that this was only a precursor to Microsoft’s grand assault on the moribund cable television industry. We’ve been promised a machine that will make our cable boxes obsolete, that could offer us all of our gaming, video and music content in a single convenient electronic package. A machine that would finally end the tyranny of endless digital decoders, analog inputs and herds of remote controls slowly drifting throughout the world’s living rooms.

The latest rumors, while less fanciful than whatever we were just talking about, are no less intriguing. They come to us courtesy The Verge, or more specifically, an anonymous group of insiders who claim to have special privileged information on Microsoft’s plans for this supposed “Xbox TV.” Assuming they are to be believed, the machine will be something of a low-cost alternative to the Xbox 360, that, while lacking the ability to play modern Xbox 360 titles, would be capable of streaming all the media found on Xbox Live, as well as certain, specific “casual” games. Hardware specifications haven’t been finalized just yet, but this device will allegedly run on a modified version of Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system, and its hardware will allegedly boot up almost instantly, offering immediate access to the machine’s entertainment options. According to The Verge, this machine is scheduled to hit store shelves just in time for the 2013 holiday season.

While we describe this report as a rumor, we should also state that it doesn’t conflict with anything we’ve heard so far. If anything, it does seem quite likely that Microsoft will release a set-top entertainment device at some point in the future, though until we have some kind of official confirmation, all of these notions of what it might or might not do will remain hearsay.

That said, The Verge report concludes with a quote from Microsoft that is equal parts vague and diplomatic — or, if you’re of a conspiratorial mindset, it’s exactly the kind of non-answer that confirms all of these rumors. ”Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend the console lifecycle by introducing controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention,” the company stated.

As usual, we’ll keep you updated as more information rolls in, particularly if it comes from Microsoft and has some kind of useful substance.

This week on DT Deals: The Parallels Mini Bundle! Soup up your Mac computer with a five-piece software suite the streamlines and optimizes performance, at a fraction of the retail cost.

You know what’s more impressive than a brand new Mac? A brand new Mac that’s fully optimized with some of the best third-party software available. And you know what’s even more impressive than that? Getting that software at a $185 discount. Sound good? Read on … 

The Parallels Mini Bundle contains five pieces of software that normally sells for $245; because we like you, and because this is DT Deals, you’re getting the whole kit and kaboodle for $60. And what, exactly, does this mini bundle of joy include? Parallels 8, which allows you to run the Windows OS on your Mac, the SnagIt screenshot-on-steroids program, MacOptimizer to ensure your OS runs smoothly, Rubbernet to optimize your network connections, and VirusBarrier to barrier-ize your Mac from viruses. This thing is so comprehensive, the only thing missing is the space between words in the product names. 

This deal starts today and lasts until November 28, so get on it. And remember: referrals can earn you $10, so start shopping and sharing!

Lucasfilm and Disney hire two more writers to work on the new Star Wars trilogy, one of whom has a long history with the series. Lawrence Kasdan, writer of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, will pen one of the new films.

The billion-dollar behemoth that is the reborn Lucasfilm under Disney is letting no grass grow as it swiftly develops a new trilogy of Star Wars movies. While Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3) was hired to write Star Wars Episode VII for release in 2015, Deadline reports that Lucasfilm and Disney have already hired writers to write scripts for Episode VIII and IX as well as produce those films.

The first of these writers is Simon Kinberg. Kinberg’s work as a screen writer won’t necessarily fill fans with confidence, as his resume ranges between tolerable but unexceptional films like Sherlock Holmes and Mr. & Mrs. Smith to outright stinkers like XXX: State of the Union and the Hayden Christensen vehicle Jumper.

The second hire is more promising. Lawrence Kasdan. Over the past thirty years, Kasdan has also written his fair share of duds, including the abysmal Stephen King adaptation Dreamcatcher and The Bodyguard. Three of the very first screenplays Kasdan ever wrote, though, were for The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Return of the Jedi. It’s nice to see one of the mind’s responsible for Star Wars’ best moments return to the series.

Libon, a voicemail integrated VoIP app launching on Monday in the Apple App Store, has every feature that you'll need to make phone calls, and more. Read our full hands-on impressions and interview with its creator.

It’s not often that you’ll find a corporation willing to dive head first into developing a technology that competes with its own core business, but that’s just what one European ISP is doing. French mobile network operator and Internet service provider Orange is taking a chance and launching a voicemail integrated VoIP app in the United States and Europe.

Orange Group, first founded in 1993, services over 180 million mobile customers. Giles Corbett, Head of Libon and CEO of Orange Vallée, a research and innovation arm within Orange Group, and his team came up with the idea when customers were demanding a product that was more comprehensive than the Over-the-top (OTT) voicemail platform called “ON Voicefeed” that Orange launched last year. Based on feedback, Corbett told us that Orange embarked on developing, “an app that would give [customers] all the benefits of VoIP in terms of quality and cost, but on top of that would have the use of a normal phone.”

The app, named “Libon,” was designed to make VOIP as close to what it’s like to answer a real call as possible. When you place a call to another person, a notification appears on the receiver’s phone and rings like a standard call over the cellular network. But much like Apple’s iMessage, Libon has the ability to recognize whether or not the phone has the app installed. If the phone doesn’t have Libon, users can still make calls at a discounted rate.

Intriguingly, Libon started its life as a voicemail app, and still has a few features in it that make it easy to customize voicemail greetings. You can tailor voicemail greetings based on a contact’s relationship with you. You can set the generic “I’m not here right now…” greeting specific to your professional contacts. But for your significant other or family members, you can set a more personalized greeting. If you’re too busy to listen to your voicemail, Libon can transcribe your voice messages and deliver them as text messages.

Corbett explained to us that Libon was built with a completely different architecture than Skype and claims to boast superior call quality. “It’s something that you can just use reliably and know that the call quality is going to work. The quality is usually much better than a standard mobile call, and better than other VoIP services.”

When we tried out the beta version of the app ourselves, the interface was unremarkable, but intuitive. Libon comes with a basic messaging feature as well, but it’s not as robust as Whatsapp, LINE, Kik, imo.im, or other texting alternatives. The calls were crystal clear, but did drop on occasion. Corbett told us that this could be because though the calling platform was switched on in Europe, which is necessary for uninhibited and clear calls, it wasn’t yet to be activated in North America (where we’re located) until its launch this Monday. Hopefully, by then, call dropping will be a non-issue.

If AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile had the gusto to develop their own applications and not be so concerned about maintaining their bottom lines by providing outdated services, the tech world would be a better place. Orange isn’t concerned with cannibalizing its own business. Instead, it’s looking forward and recognizing an opportunity. Corbett said that the company has kept an “open mind” about its own industry.

Libon is launching to 80 countries including the United States. This Monday, it will launch in the Apple App Store and it should come to the Google Play Store before the end of December. If you’re interested in this app, Orange is offering a promotion for those of you that have a loved one or friend staying overseas. For one hour per month, users can make phone calls using Libon to any international phone (even if they don’t have the app) at no cost.

Though we still have to wait a few more weeks, the updated, touch-enabled ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch Ultrabook has made an appearance on Lenovo's site.

Lenovo is reportedly preparing for a December release of its ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch Ultrabook. The X1 Carbon Touch will add Windows 8 and touch capabilities to the X1 Carbon model that came out earlier this year. The company hasn’t made an official announcement yet, but The Verge reported that Lenovo’s Windows 8 support for the machines includes multitouch support for up to 10 fingers. Unfortunately, the X1 Carbon Touch product page has since been removed from Lenovo’s website. It was probably an accidental leak by the company, but the buzz about a possible touch screen for the super-light laptop may end up being a good thing for Lenovo. 

Like the existing ThinkPad X1 machines, the X1 Carbon Touch Ultrabook is said to have a 14-inch, 1600 x 900 LED-backlit screen, which is Lenovo’s standard for what it calls HD+. While the official details are not out, you can compare the specs for X1 Carbon models with Windows 8 on Lenovo’s store. The Windows 8 version has an Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage via a solid-state drive. The current X1 Carbon laptops will run you up to $1,500, but Lenovo is offering deals on all of its X1 Carbon models during its Black Friday sale. Chances are we won’t be seeing the Touch models this early.

We’re assuming the touch model will have similar specs, but there’s no telling when Lenovo will issue an official release to quell the speculation. Check out our coverage of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s initial unveiling and our photos from our hands-on with the laptop. 

Nintendo Wii U's lost at least one game from its line up. Developer 4A Games won't make a planned version of Metro: Last Light for Nintendo's new console because the studio is dissatisfied with the available power.

When the Wii U made its debut at E3 2011, Nintendo brought along one of those loud montage trailers that shows off all the different games that are in the works for the system. On that list was a smorgasbord of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games like Ninja Gaiden 3, Batman: Arkham City, and Darksiders II, all of which weren’t running on Wii U technology at the time, but have indeed ended up on the new console. There were even games that haven’t come out at all, like Aliens: Colonial Marines and Metro: Last Light, in the reel. One of those games may not make the trip to Wii U after all. Metro: Last Light developer 4A Games is not very enthusiastic about Nintendo’s machine.

“We had an early look at [Wii U], we thought we could probably do it, but in terms of impact we would make on the overall quality of the game—potentially to its detriment—we just figured it wasn’t worth pursuing at this time,” said 4A Games’ Huw Beynon to Now Gamer, “It’s something we might return to. I really couldn’t make any promises, though.”

The company’s chief technology officer Oles Shishkovtsov was a bit more blunt: “Wii U has a horrible, slow CPU.”

Beynon does admit that 4A Games’ team doesn’t quite have the manpower to try and fit its game onto Nintendo’s machine and have it run as well as it could. “[Just] developing for the PlayStation 3 is a significant addition,” said the developer. 4A Games recently abandoned plans to develop multiplayer modes in Metro: Last Light as well, citing the important of the single-player campaign and the need to devote its limited resources to that.

The Wii U is having some growing pains when it comes to cross-platform development. Games like Mass Effect 3 perform noticeably worse on Wii U than on Xbox 360, a console that’s seven years the Wii U’s senior.

Does Wii U need the more powerful CPU to be a great console? Not at all. Computing horsepower doesn’t make great games. In 2012, though, games need to be available on as many platforms as possible for publishers to get a return on their investment, and Nintendo will be at risk if it isn’t easy to scale back many games for next-gen machines to its less powerful platform. The Wii U’s architecture may well keep third-party publishers away from Nintendo yet again.

We're getting a head start on Cyber Monday by scouring the Web for the best laptop deals.

Heading back to work after a turkey-filled four-day weekend is never easy, but knowing you can sneak onto your computer and score a great deal on a laptop without ever leaving your chair may make your Monday a little more tolerable. With Cyber Monday sales expected to reach $2 billion this year, according to Adobe Digital Index’s 2012 holiday buying forecast, you won’t be the only one snatching up good deals. 

Though iPads and iPhones are on the top of many wish lists this year, 19 percent of shoppers are planning to buy a laptop this holiday season. However, laptops are generally a higher-ticket item; maybe one you don’t think you can afford right now. Thanks to price-slashing Cyber Monday finds, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to snag a great deal on a laptop. Depending on what model you buy, you may even have some extra dough to spend on your loved ones. 

Though you may already be seeing ads for Black Friday, most retailers are keeping their Cyber Monday deals well under wraps. However, we’ve done a little digging and found a few Cyber Monday laptop deals that you can put on your shopping list now. 

Note: We will be updating this story as more Cyber Monday laptop deals are announced. Know of any we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below. Happy shopping!

Acer

Acer Aspire V3-771G-9456
Original Price: $899
Sale Price: $699
Savings: $200 (22%)

This Windows 8 machine has a second-generation Intel Core i7 2.2 GHz quad-core processor, 6GB of DDR3 memory, and a 750GB hard drive. It’s 17.3-inch HD+ screen features 1600 x 900 resolution, and LED backlight technology. Skype sessions will be easy with its built-in webcam and mic, and you can keep your files secure by using the built-in finger print reader. Ports include HDMI, two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports, and VGA. At just over 7 pounds, this 17-incher won’t be your best travel companion, but for under $700, it’s a great deal for a powerful machine. 

Acer Aspire V3-771G-9809
Original Price: $949
Sale Price: $749
Savings: $200 (21%)

At just over 1-inch thick, this Acer Aspire model features Windows 8, a third-generation Intel Core i7 2.2 GHz processor, a 1TB 5400RPM SATA hard drive, 8GB of DDR3 memory, and a large 17.3-inch HD+ Widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit display. Though it has a fairly thin design, at over 7 pounds, this is another 17-inch laptop you probably won’t be carrying around with ease. 

Acer Aspire V3-771G-9804
Original Price: $1,099.99
Sale Price: $899.99
Savings: $200 (18%) 

Hardly different from the 771G-9809 above, this model differs in storage. Instead of just having the SATA drive, the 771G-9804 has a 750GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive and a 120GB solid-state drive. Otherwise, except for the colors (the above comes in midnight black and this model comes in glossy grey) everything else is the same. Both models have Nvidia GeForce GT 650M graphics with 2GB of dedicated DDR3 VRAM.

Stay tuned for more deals …

Sega's Sonic & Racing All-Stars Transformed is the rare non-Mario Kart racing that is totally worth your time, offering new twists on the familiar with every race.

It’s unthinkable for a Nintendo platform to launch without a kart racer of some kind released in close proximity. That the Wii U’s launch kart racer stars Sonic the Hedgehog, Nintendo’s mortal enemy’s mascot from the ’90s, is insane. We’re many years removed now from the SNES/Genesis wars that raged throughout gaming’s fourth console generation, however, and Sega doesn’t have a console horse in the race anymore (R.I.P. Dreamcast). So Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a Wii U launch title, and the lone dedicated kart racer that launches alongside this first shot in the eighth console generation.

The verdict? Kart racing is still as fun as its ever been.

Sonic And His All-Stars

Sega goes pretty deep-cut with the assortment of familiar faces that fill out the race driver lineup. You’ve got the expected cast of Sonic characters, including the blue hedgehog himself, as well as Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, and others. Then there’s an assortment of characters pulled from other Sega franchises, including Golden Axe, Shinobi, Jet Set Radio, and Space Channel 5(!). Real-life racer Danica Patrick and Wreck-It Ralph‘s titular protagonist show up as well. You can even drop your Nintendo Mii behind the wheel of one of the game’s transforming karts.

Transformation is a fundamental component in just about any race you participate in. All-Stars‘ tracks transform in major ways over the course of a given race, with each lap serving up new routes for you to follow. This frequently sees you leaving the road completely, with your chosen ride transforming as you pass through clearly marked checkpoints into a boat or aircraft for these altered stretches of “track.” The changing conditions require constant adjustments to your play style since karts handle very differently on water and in the air.

It takes some getting used to, particularly the airborne sequences, but having this constant change of pace within a single race really adds to the fun. Not only are you constantly switching between vehicles, but you’re really never exactly sure of what the next lap will bring until you’ve played one race more than a few times. The course transformations are completely scripted, so you can still learn tracks with no problem. They really help cut down on the monotony of lap-based racing though; All-Stars‘ tracks feel much more like point-based endurance races. When you’re racing, that is.

A Grand Prix mode offers the familiar series of circuits that most kart racing enthusiasts know very well. There’s also an elaborate World Tour mode, which is built around competing at varying difficulties to earn stars. Your star count informs your ability to progress beyond certain points. Most of the races in World Tour simply unlock one after the other, but you’ll occasionally come to blocked-off locations that you can only pass through — to the next race, to a new car mod, or to an unlockable driver — if you’ve earned the required number of stars.

There are dangling carrots in the form individual character leveling that unlocks stat-tweaking vehicle mods, but the real winner here is the level of depth. All-Stars looks and acts a lot like a Mario Kart game with its scattered item boxes, diverse lineup, and drift-based boost capabilities, but it goes further. You’ll spend most of your time in World Tour racing, but some events will flip the script on you, requiring you to drift through stretches of track to add time to a countdown clock or keep boosting to keep a timer from reaching zero before you can cross the finish line. Some of these are easier to get the hang of than others — I’m still struggling with that latter “boost to stop the clock” match type — but if you fail any one event enough times, the game offers the option of skipping it. That might not help when you’re just reaching for more stars to get past the next unlock point, but it eases the pain of the occasionally steep challenge spike.

Second Fiddle For The Second Screen

The 10-player multiplayer modes seen in other versions of the game carry over to the Wii U — though the online crowd is very light and matches are difficult-to-impossible to find as of this writing — and the Nintendo console also allows up to five players to compete locally (one on the Wii U GamePad, four on more standard controllers). Tilt controls with the Wii Remote are less than ideal, but a Remote+Nunchuk or Pro Controller works great. In local five-player match-ups — which you can take advantage of in every game mode, including World Tour — the four non-GamePad users share splitscreen space on the TV while the fifth views the action directly on the GamePad.

That second screen isn’t really good for much else, though that’s hardly surprising. A real-time map is displayed on the GamePad’s screen while you race, but actually casting your attention down to it in a game where split-second reactions are necessary asks too much of the player. You can also swipe down on the GamePad at any point to shift the play entirely over to the second screen, a slick feature that for some reason is never actually explained in the game.

The Wii U also offers a couple of exclusive minigames built around Super Monkey Ball and Shinobi, though they appear to be… broken. My own experience in firing up either mode in local party play sees the match starting and then immediately ending, with one player declared the winner for reasons that aren’t clear. After poking around on the Internet, I’m seeing that the game’s day one patch seems to have created a few problems, but that also hopefully means we’ll be seeing a fix very soon. I’ll be sure to update this review accordingly when the situation changes, but for now it’s difficult to say much about the Wii U party games other than the fact that they exist.

Conclusion

It’s easy to look at Sonic & All-Stars Racing Trasnformed and call it a cheap cash-in. You’d be wrong about the “cheap” part, for one. And really, what’s wrong with Sega leveraging this killer lineup of memorable stars and mascots for a good, old-fashioned racing game? All-Stars is a deep and full-featured kart racer that embraces the familiar while offering new twists and fresh takes throughout. It’s not a must-own Wii U launch title, but it’s a great party game that also has the legs to give you a deeper experience, should you choose to pursue it. Definitely worth a look, for Wii U or for any other consoles that you might prefer to play it on.

Score: 8 out of 10

(This game was reviewed on the Wii U using a copy provided by the publisher)