Combining simplicity of use, private data storage and file sharing, the Transporter storage device could be useful in the workplace as well as the home.

Already completely funded on Kickstarter and shipping later this month according to the project details, the Transporter allows users to easily setup a completely private file sharing network without having to rely on the cloud for data storage. Developed in Santa Clara, California, the obelisk shaped hardware simplifies the process of networking devices between friends, family or co-workers. The Transporter offers remote access from any Internet-connected device like laptops or smartphones and there’s no monthly recurring fee to access your data through the Transporter.

Similar to the cloud, users can link multiple Transporter devices in order to share data. The proximity of the devices doesn’t matter as long as the Transporters are connected to the Internet through a wired  or wireless connection. 

For instance, someone with a Transporter in Los Angeles can link to another Transporter in Boston in order to constantly sync data between the devices. In addition, a secondary Transporter device isn’t required to access the data as long as an invite has been sent over email. A user can share photo albums and videos privately with family by sending them a link instead of uploading the private data to a remote server using a third-party service like Dropbox. 

Regarding design, the device is covered in a black plastic shell which pops off in order to connect a 2.5-inch hard drive. The Serial ATA (SATA II) device allows users to connect a hard drive between 160GB to 2TB in capacity. Besides the power connection and Ethernet port, the LED ring on the front of the Transporter provides a visual indicator of storage space left on the attached hard drive, Internet connectivity and hard drive activity. While initial setup requires a wired connection, there’s also an option for a Wi-Fi adapter for positioning the device away from the main router in a home or office. 

Since data is never stored online, the privacy of a Transporter network is significantly better than third-party networks. While the cost is somewhat significant up front, the Transporter will ultimately save consumers and small business owners money in monthly fees over time.

For instance, the cost of a single Transporter and the average 1TB 2.5-inch hard drive is about $270. According to the project details, that’s enough space to store 1000 high definition movies, 200,000 songs or 500,000 photos. However, the cost of one year of Dropbox’s premium 500GB plan is $49.99 a month or a $499 yearly fee. 

Though the browser interface, users can check out extensive details about the type of data on their network of drives. In addition, the interface allows users to set bandwidth limits on downloading and uploading data as well as alter the number of users or Transporter devices that can access specific folders. Email invites to view data within a specific folder can also be sent through the interface. Beyond the browser-based controls, the Transporter software includes a desktop application to monitor data transfers as well as a folder to browse files that’s very similar to the standard Dropbox folder. Files can be dragged and dropped from the desktop interface in order to be shared with users.

To date, the group behind the Transporter has raised approximately $169,000 and the Kickstarter funding round ends on Friday Jan 11, 2013. Windows and Mac clients will roll out at launch and an iOS application is currently in active development for Apple mobile devices. 

2012 was a transitory one for gaming, as the industry slowly prepared itself for the transition towards the next generation of consoles, even as it explored new business models to keep it relevant post-recession. We look back on the 10 biggest changes last year, and what they may mean for the future.

Now that 2012 has become yet another victim of the oppressive march of time, we can look back on the year as a whole and employ a bit of hindsight to differentiate those things that will have a lasting impact on the gaming industry from those that were just momentary fads that faded away, or perhaps were just ahead of their time – cloud gaming, for example.

It was an important year in gaming, and it may take a few more cycles around the sun to truly understand its impact. Some trends this past year saw a major spike and should continue to influence the industry for years to come, while others could be the harbinger of the end for others. Time will tell.

But for now there are certain trends that are obvious, trends that will color the gaming industry at least through the next year and likely for years to come. Here’s a look back at 2012 and the major trends that will have a lasting impact on the industry.  

The Rise of Kickstarter

Kickstarter was not the first crowd funding platform, nor did it debut last year, but in 2012 the word “kickstarter” came to be synonymous with all crowd funded projects in tech – just as tissues will forever be genericized as Kleenex, even if they aren’t made by the Kleenex brand. This new method of funding wasn’t limited to gaming by any means, but the gaming industry may be forever changed by it if this last year is any indication. 

In 2012, Kickstarter exploded in the gaming scene and became a legitimate source of funding for relatively big titles being created outside of the established studio system. You won’t see the next Call of Duty title being funded by the crowds anytime soon, but the service did provide some intriguing properties. It also became a new source of financing for developers not interested in the current studio system, developers like the legendary,  former LucasArts designer Tim Schafer and his upcoming Double Fine Adventures which raised over $1 million in 24 hours, as well as Wing Commander creator, Chris Roberts, who returns to gaming with Star Citizen, the most successful Kickstarter game funding campaign to date, with over $6 million donated by backers. It gives those developers freedom and creative control that they would not receive otherwise, and it also gives them a decent budget to work with. 

But the Kickstarter avenue isn’t just for independent developments. Until Star Citizen came along, the best funded game honors belonged to Project Eternity, which is being developed by Obsidian Entertainment. The Fallout: New Vegas developer felt that the type of game they wanted to make wouldn’t be well received by publishers, so it went to Kickstarter for help, and that isn’t an uncommon story. 

Of the 10 best-funded Kickstarter projects, seven are directly related to gaming. All 10, however, were funded in 2012. The Kickstarter trend exploded last year, and the results will be felt throughout 2013 and on. There has already been a good deal of success from Kickstarter-funded projects, but 2012 saw a higher level of expectation and money. Many of those projects will be released in 2013, and assuming they are at least moderately successful, there is no reason to think this trend won’t continue and grow.

The Kickstarter phenomena even gave birth to a new console of sorts, with the Android-based console, Ouya, due out later this year. Maybe it will succeed, maybe it won’t. But it is a direct result of Kickstarter, and a look at the way that crowd-funding is likely to continue to influence gaming in the years to come.   

The Growth of Mobile Gaming

This topic has been so well covered, it almost seems too obvious a choice, but the success of mobile gaming over the last year is still worth a mention. Thanks to the rise of smartphone and tablet technology, mobile gaming became a major factor in the gaming industry in 2012.

The numbers are still coming in, but by Q1 there were reportedly over 100 million mobile gamers in the US alone, which would be a 34-percent increase based against Q1 of 2011 – and mobile gaming simply grew from there.

Regardless of what the final numbers end up looking like, mobile gaming was the one sector of the gaming industry that actually grew in 2012. Mobile gaming is like to plateau at some point – and that could happen as soon as this year – but the expansion has proven mobile gaming to be a thriving and legitimate sector. Because of that, even the developers that are traditionally slow to embrace change are likely going to be looking for ways into the mobile gaming side of things. Expect to see even more franchise games make the jump to mobile in the coming year.  

The success of mobile gaming in 2012 is also likely to shift the way that gaming is seen in 2013 and beyond. It is no longer just the providence of the hardcore gaming fans, locked into their console or desktop gaming rigs for hours. Instead the industry is expanding to become more encompassing. And as smartphone and tablet technology continues to improve, the mobile gaming market will become more competitive, which means we can expect better games. It could also once and for all help to end the negative stereotype of the traditional gamer, since the new average gamer is a sizable chunk of the population.

The Changing Business Model and The Legitimization of Digital Downloads

The recent recession was a watershed moment for the world, and the tech and gaming industry were no exception. Industries were shattered, and most (if not all) were at least forced to re-examine the way that they did business. There is no “getting back to normal”, and manufacturers and developers that work exclusively with products that can be labeled as “luxury items” were forced to change, and, in many cases, downsize as their former customers re-prioritized their budgets. 

During a recession, entertainment industries traditionally do fairly well as people are happy for a brief respite from the realities of the economic hardships they face. That proved to be true for movies and music, plus TV viewing figures were as solid as ever, but the gaming industry wasn’t quite so fortunate.

That makes sense though, since the gaming industry is inherently more expensive than paying for a movie or an album. A CD or a movie ticket cost between $10 and $15 dollars generally, while a new game runs around $60. Buying an individual song is even cheaper, while purchasing an add-on for a game can start at $10 and go all the way up to equal the original package. The pricing model is completely different, which left gaming far more vulnerable than film or music.

Developers and publishers realized this and have been ramping up their presence beyond the confines of traditional releases. That has led to an explosion of digitally distributed content, and this year some of it has even surpassed in quality what you can find on store shelves. There is also the growing free-to-play genre highlighted by titles like League of Legends and PlanetSide 2, but 2013 is more likely going to be influenced by free-to-play than 2012 was. 

This has been a long time coming, of course. The Xbox Live market place was designed for this, as was the PlayStation Network, and other services that don’t rely on physical media – like Steam – have all been geared towards this shift. But it is only really in 2012 where things began to pay off in a big way, both financially and critically.

This year saw the digital release of games like Journey and The Walking Dead, as well as countless others. It legitimized the delivery method and showed gamers that you could have exceptionally good games at a lower price point, and that the consistency of good releases available digitally was only going to get better.

It also opened up gaming a bit in terms of creativity. With the budget of AAA games skyrocketing, developers are less likely to take risks on unproven properties and gameplay. That isn’t the case for digital downloads. Indie developers now have a greater chance than ever before to excel, and larger teams can use the digital distribution scene as a test ground, both for their own riskier ideas, and to find new talent without having to look too hard. 2012 also saw a huge increase in digital add-ons, including new DLC for games, as well as bonuses for buying the game new at a particular spot. Expect that to increase even more in the next year, and the years coming.

The final numbers of money spent on digital content aren’t in yet, but it will be significant. For developers, it is a new business model to explore, but for gamers it is a new way to think about where and how to get their games, all while saving a bit of money.

The Next War Begins

If you have been following the gaming scene, then it’s impossible to not know about Nintendo’s new console, the Wii U. It is a divisive console among gamers, underpowered and featuring a hard-to-explain new controller as its centerpiece. Yet, the console sold out immediately and demand remains high.

But the system itself is just a small part of what it signifies. The Wii U marks the first step towards the next generation of consoles, and with it the next generation of gaming. This generation of consoles lasted longer than anyone thought it would, with the Xbox 360 celebrating its eighth anniversary this year and the PS3 just a year behind it. And yet, despite the age, there aren’t many clamoring for the next wave of gaming tech, at least not in the same way that gamers used to get excited for new hardware.

The systems are advanced enough at this point to offer upgrades in software, which has made them feel fresh. That will likely carry over to the next Xbox and PlayStation, which means the next gen may be in place for several years to come, and the five year cycles will officially be a thing of the past. That all began with the Wii U.

Even if Microsoft and Sony hold off on releasing new hardware (and Microsoft almost certainly won’t), the gauntlet has been thrown down, and gamers are poised for yet another shift. Microsoft and Sony will both be closely analyzing the release of the Wii U – both its triumphs and failures – throughout 2012.

The Wii U was the start, and it joined the handheld PS Vita, which was also released last year. The Nintendo 3DS was released in 2011, but it wasn’t until 2012 that it really began to gain momentum. Even though it will probably be 2013 that is remembered as the beginning of the next great hardware war, its roots were firmly set in 2012.

The Year of the App

Part of the reason for the delay in releasing new hardware (besides the obvious reasons like cost), is that there is still plenty of potential in the current gen’s hardware, specifically the Xbox 360 and PS3. Both Microsoft and Sony realized that hardware was only one part of the potential of their gaming systems, and so in 2012 we saw a massive influx of software that made the gaming systems into far more than they ever were before.

This wasn’t something that started in 2012, but last year was when apps on the consoles went from being an interesting bonus to a focus of the system. Microsoft especially has embraced this, and the 360 in many ways became a prototype for the Windows 8 operating system, which is heavily integrated with downloadable apps.

Sony has been a little slower to embrace the app revolution, but with the 360 now capable of playing HBO content, the new ESPN app that features “Monday Night Football” (among other programming), and the ability to search and find almost any media content online to rent or buy, the next generation of consoles will certainly follow suit and make this a staple of each systems’ capabilities. Nintendo is well aware of this, and not only offers apps, but native programs that are designed to combine them all and make it easier to use.

From the start of this cycle of consoles, the manufacturers have claimed that their systems are more than just gaming consoles, they are home entertainment devices that anyone could enjoy. Turns out they were right, and the incredible influx of new apps introduced in 2012 – each providing their own libraries full of content – proved that.

Streaming Games and the Emergence of Pro Gaming

Pro gaming is nothing new – just ask the Koreans, who are so far ahead of us on that front that they even have their own match-fixing scandals to go along with the major gambling revenues based on gaming competitions. This last year saw a spike in American pro gaming, though, thanks to several online platforms like Twitch, which not only made it easy to stream any game, but is also being incorporated into some PC titles to make it as easy as touching a button.

With the rise of streaming game content being generated by users came the inevitable monetization of that. Pro gaming is still in its infancy, but there is no question as to whether or not there is an audience for it. With millions tuning in to watch other people play games online for fun, the next obvious step is to watch others play games with some stakes on the line.

It might be years before pro gaming becomes a truly legitimate pastime, but the success of streaming games proved that it can be done from a tech point-of-view, and there is an audience waiting to embrace it. Somewhere out there right now there are several very smart, and very motivated people working on ideas to expand pro gaming into the mainstream. It may take time, but 2012 showed it can be done. 

An image of the Nexus 4 without its signature sparkly back plate has surfaced online.

Google and LG’s Nexus 4 made quite a splash when it debuted in the Google Play Store on Nov. 13. The device was so well received that it sold out within minutes in the US and the UK. Although the holiday season has passed, it still seems to fluctuate in and out of Google’s inventory.

Now, it seems that LG may be releasing a slightly altered version of the widely received addition to the Nexus family. An image of the Nexus 4 without its sparkled glittery back has surfaced on mobile news blog Auto-oMobile. Although the rear body appears to be missing its speckled design, it seems to uphold the same glass build.

It’s important to keep in mind that since this information has not come directly from Google or LG, it must be considered rumor. The photo could easily be a mockup created by any Internet user, and the website does not specify where the image came from. It does, however, say that readers have sent in tips saying that their recently received Nexus 4 is different than the shinier model that previously shipped.

“No matter what angle you hold it at or lighting conditions, it seems to have lost the glitter effect,” the post reads.

This reportedly altered design has also sparked concern in the XDA developers’ forum, where users have shared varied opinions on the alleged change. Some have said that the new back plate could make it less susceptible to cracking, while others appreciate LG’s creative hardware design.

This plain glass back cover has only appeared in the most recent batch of Nexus 4 handsets, according to the report. If these rumors hold up to be true, it’s possible that this could be an isolated incident only affecting certain Nexus 4 smartphones. Only time will tell if Nexus fans will have to adjust to this new aesthetic style, but we’re sure to hear word from Google or LG if this persists. With a smartphone in such high demand, it’s unlikely that officials would fail to acknowledge a significant change in design. Let’s not forget that both Google and LG were overwhelmed by demand for the Nexus 4 following its launch, so perhaps this purported design change could be attributed to a shortage of materials.

A mobile version of the desktop software Ubuntu for smartphones has officially been revealed.

The gap between mobile devices and PCs is becoming smaller and more blurred as handsets and tablets evolve. Now, a major player in the PC universe is making a presence in the smartphone industry, as Canonical has just unveiled the first Ubuntu themed operating system for mobile devices.

Just yesterday Canonical began to tease that an Ubuntu-based software for phones would be revealed, but until Wednesday many of the details remained a mystery. The company wasted no time, as Canonical posted a countdown teaser on Ubuntu’s homepage on the first day of 2013. The phrase “So close, you can almost touch it” was posted alongside the countdown, alluding that a significant announcement would come soon.

Touted as a “superphone that’s also a full PC,” the Ubuntu mobile operating system will be built around existing Android kernel and drivers. However, it will not use Java Virtual Machine but does promise to use “the full power of the phone.” This Ubuntu-based smartphone OS will support both ARM and x86 processors, which means that Android hardware manufacturers and developers should be able to adopt the operating system with little trouble.

Although Ubuntu’s mobile software is still in its early stages, an Android version of the Linux-based operating system was announced about one year ago in February 2012. This marked the first step toward a mobile presence for Ubuntu and Canonical chief Mark Shuttleworth says that the software’s Android variant is set to launch this year. No carrier or manufacturer support has been announced yet, but the mobile Ubuntu handset should be provided by a “high end” Android manufacturer, according to The Verge.

Full-fledged Ubuntu handsets are expected to come in early 2014, and this would line up with the company’s production schedule seeing as Ubuntu for Android was announced in early 2012. While we may not be seeing an Ubuntu device anytime too soon, a number of demo phones have been shown off in the UK. Over the next couple of weeks, downloadable images of the development platform will be available for the Galaxy Nexus. This device is the only known handset that will support Ubuntu for now, but Canonical is likely to roll it out to more devices as developers perfect Ubuntu’s mobile ecosystem.

Alan Wake wasn't the hit that Microsoft thought it would be when the game came out in 2010, but from the sound of things, developer Remedy Entertainment is going to get a shot at making Alan Wake 2.

The holiday season is past and now video game developers are ready to discuss the future rather than current games that need to rack up sales. Remedy, creators of Max Payne, are gearing up to unveil their next game. Rather than break into another property it appears that the company isn’t done with its horror series Alan Wake.

Remedy updated its official Alan Wake Facebook page on Monday, announcing that both Alan Wake and its downloadable sidestory Alan Wake’s American Nightmare are on sale on Steam. It teased “greater Remedy news to come in 2013.” That alone isn’t enough to point towards a new game, but Alan Wake writer Sam Lake took to Twitter that day teasing more. “In 2013 we can finally start revealing what we’ve been up to,” said Lake, “Can hardly wait. It’ll be cool.”

Lake has been teasing a proper sequel to Alan Wake since June. Back then he Tweeted, “It’s all true. It will happen again, in another town, a town called Ordinary. It’s happening now.” That in turn linked to a blog titled House of Dreams that mimicked much of the original Alan Wake’s story.

Other members of the Alan Wake staff have hinted at an Alan Wake 2 in the past. “There will be more Alan Wake, if we have anything to say about it,” said writer Mikko Rautalahti, “It’s a bigger story than just one game, and we want to make it very weird and scary and wonderful. We have a very definite story arc and the weird and horrible things that happen to him, and what he needs to do in the end to put things right. Then he needs to do something else. We’ll get to that when the time comes.”

It’s been quite a while since the last time Microsoft published a brand new intellectual property intended for core gamers rather than the family-oriented Kinect crowd. It’s hard to blame them since Alan Wake was not exactly a runaway success. After a prolonged, troubled development, Alan Wake sold just 2 million copies over the course of two years. That would be enough to justify a sequel for many independent companies, but Microsoft is in the Halo and Gears of War business, expecting upwards of 5 million copies sold within a year of release. 

Facing sluggish support from content distributors, Intel's rumored set-top box will have to wait before it can change how we watch TV.

Looks like Intel won’t have its rumored TV product ready for CES next week. According to the Wall Street Journal, delays with content agreements are hampering the development process, making it more difficult for the chip maker to bring the technology into your living room.

The report comes just days after rumors surfaced that Intel was interested in developing a set-top box for release this year, leveraging existing broadband service to deliver live television to customers. Sources with TechCrunch stated that the device would complement existing cable service, allowing viewers to watch and record broadcast and cable television while also accessing content via Netflix and other streaming sites. It would be Intel’s first foray into the consumer space, and an ambitious one at that. The move mirrors recent efforts made by the likes of Boxee and Roku to develop integrated solutions for television viewership, but adds tailor-made advertising to make the experience completely curated and personal. In effect, Intel would beat both Apple and Google into a space that has dogged them for years.

However, the dream was deferred. The Journal reports that cable companies have been loath to license their content to anyone that might disrupt their already lucrative business model, especially one as untested in the consumer space as Intel. The chip maker has reportedly reached one deal, but that’s far from enough to offer a robust solution to make cable cutting the norm. The delays have thrown the 2013 debut of Intel’s television solution into question.

Intel has long expressed interest in the pay-TV business, already having developed technology for real-time video encoding and distribution and even working with Google to develop the ill-fated Google TV. However, the company faces an uphill battle in dismantling the deeply entrenched TV market. Luckily, 2013 has only just begun.

The Wii U is a very family-friendly console, but the kind people at SugarDVD are working on an app that will also allow the machine to satisfy a person's more base desires.

If you know the name “SugarDVD” it’s for one of two reasons: Either you work in the work in the porn industry or you remember the company as the people who made the first blatantly pornographic applications for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. See, SugarDVD’s scheme is very simple: Much like any number of online porn sites, users are asked to pay a $7.95 monthly subscription fee, and in turn are offered access to SugarDVD’s immense library of high-definition pornographic films. The key difference here is that instead of pulling up SugarDVD’s website on your laptop, the company’s applications allow you to pull down all your smut directly through your favorite console.

“But my favorite console is the Wii U! Why doesn’t it offer pornography too?” you’re undoubtedly shouting, and you’re correct. At the moment the Wii U does not feature a SugarDVD app, but that should be changing shortly. Speaking to Complex, the company has revealed that it is currently hard at work on a Wii U app. There’s no official release date for the app just yet, but given the company’s experience at building this kind of thing it shouldn’t take too long.

The real question here is how Nintendo will take this news. The company has been moving away from its kids-only reputation at a glacial pace, but we just can’t see Nintendo president Satoru Iwata smiling to himself and thinking that the one element missing from his company’s latest console is hardcore pornography. Microsoft and Sony are largely hands-off with really hardcore censorship, but Nintendo may well see this app as a huge threat to its public mindshare. The company might even sue to keep the app from the market.

Beyond that though, we’re wondering who exactly might want to use their Wii U as a porn appliance. If you own a Wii U, we’re going to assume you own some other sort of computing device capable of pulling up a web browser and in that case, you have access to quite literally unending archives of nudie pictures, movies and anything else your perverted little mind might desire. As far as pornography is concerned, we live in a post-scarcity society, so who exactly is going to spend nearly $8 a month to watch people have at it via the same console they use to play the latest Mario Bros. sequel.

Then again, if SugarDVD can come up with a really inventive use for the second screen on the GamePad, we might be convinced to give the app a shot.

As Microsoft shakes up the PC industry, Valve prepares its response to the Windows 8 “catastrophe.”

Consoles and PCs have traditionally been like oil and water. Consoles are locked-down devices that prevent you from tampering with their hardware and software, while PCs invite users to modify those aspects as much as they like.

This dynamic is changing, though. With the launch of Windows 8 and its Microsoft-controlled Windows Store, PCs are becoming more closed and console-like – much to the dismay of Valve, Blizzard, and famed Minecraft developer Notch. In response, traditional PCs are preparing to fight consoles on their own turf, pushing into the living room with the Steambox and even more open PC-like devices like the Android-powered Ouya console.

The Windows 8 bomb and Steam for Linux

Microsoft’s Windows 8 served as the catalyst that shocked Valve into action. Valve was likely working on Steam for Linux for a long time – but Valve’s unconventional management structure, where employees work on whatever they feel like working on, meant that it wasn’t a priority.

Something changed with the launch of Windows 8. Gabe Newell, co-founder and managing director of Valve, publicly spoke out against Windows 8, calling it a “catastrophe for everyone in the PC space.” Microsoft’s Windows 8 appeared to be the start of a more closed Windows environment. Apple already prevents users from installing software outside of its own software store, meaning third-party software stores, like Steam, are not allowed. All software for iOS devices must go through Apple’s app store and play by Apple’s rules (unless you jailbreak). Just like the Steam store can never run on Apple’s iOS, Steam can never run on Windows RT. Will Steam be blocked in a future version of Windows? It’s possible, and that’s what scares Valve.

Inside Valve, it was all hands on deck. Newell began considering Steam for Linux a high priority and Valve began hiring experienced Linux developers. Steam for Linux was now really on its way.

Valve isn’t the only one making a Steambox

After developing and launching a console-like “big-picture mode” for use on televisions, Valve has now confirmed plans to release a Steambox console of its own design.

Valve plans to “unify” the living room and the traditional PC. This means a more console-like PC in the living room will compete with the Wii U, Xbox, and PlayStation on their own turf. More interestingly, Valve is taking a page out of Microsoft’s old playbook. Third parties will be able to develop their own console-like PCs that come pre-installed with Steam. In addition to Valve’s own console, you’ll likely see Steamboxes from many other manufacturers. You could even build a gaming PC, hook it up to your TV, and plug in an Xbox 360 controller to get the Steambox experience today.

Valve wasn’t the first to come up with the idea of a more open, PC-like console. The aforementioned Ouya will offer more open software and even PC-style upgradable hardware, and its massively successful Kickstarter campaign demonstrated that gamers still care about these things. Of course, since it’s an Android-based console, the Ouya won’t run traditional PC games. Still, PC games on the Ouya may be closer than we think with cloud-streaming services like OnLive onboard. The success of the Android Humble Bundles (a bundle of three or four games for Android-based mobile devices and PCs) also shows that the same games can be made to work on Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Steambox: Windows or Linux?

If Valve were playing it safe, the Steambox would run Windows so it could take advantage of Steam’s massive catalog of Windows games. However, there are strong indications that the Steambox could be based on Linux. Steam for Linux is still in beta (in fact, it’s now in an open beta that anyone can join), yet the Steam for Linux store is now prominently featured on Steam’s home page, leaving the Mac OS X store buried at the bottom of the Games menu. Though Steam for Linux is still in beta, it already looks more important to Valve than Steam for Mac.

Valve may be using Steam for Linux as a beta test for its console, which could run Steam on top of Linux. This isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem, since Google’s Android and Chrome OS both run on top of Linux. The Google Chrome browser came to Linux before Chrome OS was created, which gave Google time to work on the software that would become its new OS. 

Either way, we’ll likely see third-party Steamboxes that run Windows. Of course, you could also build your own. Even if Valve’s Steambox runs Windows, Valve is grooming Linux to be a credible alternative if it needs to make the leap.

Next stop: Steam OS?

Valve is likely doing much more than simply porting Steam to Linux. If it can spur enough developers over to Linux, the open-source OS would become a viable desktop option for many PC gamers, too. But it may not be the traditional Linux on the desktop that the Linux geeks were waiting for.

Steam already offers software in its store, including programs for budgeting and photo editing. As the Steam software store continues to expand, we’re seeing more pieces of the puzzle for a new platform fall into place. Valve could release a Steam operating system that hides Linux under the hood like Chrome OS and Android do. We might one day find ourselves choosing between PCs running Steam OS and PCs running Windows – each with their own, mutually exclusive app stores.

In an era when Amazon is rumored to be making a smartphone compatible with its Android App Store, and Microsoft is baking its own app store deeply into Windows, walled gardens look like the future. Perhaps it’s only logical that Valve would expand Steam into its own operating system and device ecosystem. Linux gives Steam a platform not beholden to Microsoft or Apple.

“We’ve been a free rider, and we’ve been able to benefit from everything that went into PCs and the Internet,” Newell said at Casual Connect in Seattle back in July. “We have to continue to figure out how there will be open platforms.”

For Valve, Steam on Linux and the Steambox are the start of figuring this out. PCs running a “Steam OS” brand of Linux may be the next part. One thing’s for sure: it’s going to be an interesting few years for PCs and gaming.

It looks like the new Tomb Raider sequel will feature a fully-functional multiplayer component. Beyond that, we're largely in the dark.

Rumors have been swirling for weeks now that the heavily-anticipated Tomb Raider (the one being released on March 5, not the original from 1996) will include multiplayer gameplay options alongside the series’ standard singleplayer action/platforming campaign. Rumors much like this one, which we published less than a week ago. Unfortunately, developer Eidos and publisher Square Enix have both been totally mum on the subject. Well, until this morning anyway.

A new post on the official Eidos forums written by Tomb Raider community manager Meagan Marie lends official credence to all of the rumors. “Tomb Raider will include a multiplayer offering thanks to the hard work of our sister-studio, the hugely talented Eidos Montreal,” Marie writes. “The team at Eidos Montreal has been working away at the multiplayer while we focused everything on the single-player offering.”

This is where you’d normally expect the community manager to list a number of reasons why the multiplayer component of their assigned game will be the greatest thing since Lara first battled a Tyrannosaurus with akimbo pistols, but instead we’ve been rebuffed. According to Marie, all of the information the company is currently willing to hand out is locked up in an exclusivity deal with OXM magazine. The next issue of OXM features Lara on the cover and includes a sizable feature on the game and its multiplayer additions, so it is suggested that we wait and pick up a copy whenever they become available.

As for that one new, solid piece of information — that the multiplayer component was developed by Eidos Montreal — we’re not sure how to feel about it. As a whole, the studio’s only really notable work to date was on the excellent Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and while we quite liked that game, it was one of the few modern AAA games to completely ignore multiplayer gameplay. Thus, unless Tomb Raider’s online matches involve upgrading synthetic body parts and throwing refrigerators at hapless enemies, we have no idea what Eidos Montreal might bring to the table with its involvement. Hopefully whatever Eidos Montreal contributes is legitimately excellent, as this is the team that’s been tapped to develop the inevitable Thief 4. We’d like to be sure the studio has full, solid design chops before it gets its hand on such a hallowed license.

As rumors surrounding Warner Bros. big screen adaptation of DC Comics' Justice League ramp up, we've finally got word on which heroes might feature in the movie.

Though Warner Bros.’ Justice League movie won’t hit theaters until 2015, the Internet has been churning out rumors since the film was first announced. This too is one of those rumors, as denoted by the headline, so please take everything you’re about to read with an appropriately-sized chunk of salt.

Now, on to the story. Given the lengthy history of the Justice League superteam — at this point the team is older than the parents of most people reading these words — the key problem with adapting the group for film lies in deciding which characters to prominently feature. Obviously there’s Superman and Batman, and you’d probably want to have Wonder Woman in there, both for purposes of gender equality (or as close as a film based on a comic book can come to actual equality) and because she’s certainly a big name among both comic readers and the mainstream audience, but beyond that who do you include?

A site called Cosmic Book News hopes to answer this question by laying out a series of cinematic character biographies that it claims come directly from an anonymous source at Warner Bros. Again, all of this is unfounded, and we’re only going on the word of this one website, but otherwise the info looks legit. Have a look:

• Superman is essentially the same character from Man of Steel, and Zack Snyder is consulting regarding the writing of the character.

• Batman: The strategist of the group. Batman doesn’t really want to be involved with these super powered beings he considers too powerful. Easily the most complex written.

• Wonder Woman: She has only been in man’s world a few short months. The Wonder Woman script Michael Goldenberg is developing will be set before the Justice League movie.

• Green Lantern: Will be Ryan Reynold’s character from the Green Lantern movie, but will be freshly written with a more serious tone.

• Flash: The most popular hero in civilian eyes who loves media attention, but when called upon is very serious.

• Martian Manhunter: Alien who has lived on Earth in secret for over a hundred years who has knowledge of Darkseid and his reign. 

• Aquaman: Will be the King of Atlantis who has a key role in the film.

Further, the site goes on to point out that a number of other, less-notable characters could also appear in the film:

• There will also be a heavy military presence in the film which in future rewrites could include characters featured in Man of Steel or even Amanda Waller (Angela Bassett) of which neither are included in the first draft.

• Alfred Pennyworth is in the film in a minor appearance.

• Lois Lane is also in the film in a cameo.

• Darkseid’s Elite will be featured who go up against the Justice League early on in the film.

While we made sure to denote this information as rumor, it does match up with everything we know (or think we know) of the film so far. This earlier rumor claims that Social Network star Armie Hammer might find himself playing Batman in this film (which nicely coincides with this rumor’s no-duh conclusion that the Dark Knight would appear in Justice League), while this one claims that Darkseid will be the film’s antagonist (which ties in with that mention of his Elite). Otherwise the list reads like a roster of the heroes most likely to strike a chord with your average movie-goer, and that’s almost certainly what Warner Bros. is aiming for.

It may be months before we receive any official confirmation on any of these characters being in the film, but in the meantime it seems safe to assume that this will be the roster for the eventual Justice League movie. Our condolences go out to anyone who was hoping to see Vibe in a starring role.

Yesterday we reported that Canonical had a count-down to a new version/feature for Ubuntu. The banner hinted that the news had something to do with touch. Now we have official word, the news is that they will be showing off their Ubuntu phone OS at CES 2013.

Before you get too excited, they might showing off the device to entice developer interest, but they have already confirmed the first full-fledged Ubuntu devices won’t be making their way to the market until early 2014.

The Ubuntu phone OS promises that it will be highly compatible with Android devices, so hardware/phone makers won’t have to do very much to make versions of their hardware that run on Canonical’s mobile OS. The company also promises that the device will be build around the existing Android kernel and drivers, but won’t use a Java Virtual machine, and that means it will allow the OS to use “the full power of the phone” as they say.

Canonical’s chief Mark Shuttleworth says that “Ubuntu for Android” will be their first step towards truly entering into the mobile world. This special version will run on existing Ubuntu devices alongside Android, and will arrive sometime later this year. By 2014, they will have a true/full Ubuntu phone and promise it should be by a high-end Android device maker.

For now, the official developer phone for Ubuntu phone OS is the Galaxy Nexus, which tends to be a favorite for this kind of project, as even Firefox OS utilizes the G-Nexus for testing.

So what kind of special features does Canonical bring to the table? Canonical says that swiping in from the four different edges of the screen will let users switch apps and search for content, they say thumb gestures in general will play a big roll in navigation. Ubuntu hopes to provide a design that is quite a bit different from the competition and claims it will be able to handle multitasking at a level that other mobile operating systems can’t.

If the rumors are true, Apple may be in the process of adopting high-speed 5G wireless for 2013's Mac lineup.

Apple may be on the verge of pushing the next major wireless standard this year. According to The Next Web, Cupertino is partnering with Broadcom to bring high-speed 802.11ac wireless connectivity to its upcoming Mac lineup.

IEEE 802.11ac, otherwise known as 5G WiFi, is the next generation of networking standards currently being developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. It rests on the 5GHz wireless frequency, and promises speeds, according to Broadcom, three times faster and six times more power-efficient than legacy 802.11a/b/g/n networks that presently reside on the crowded 2.4GHz channel.

Suffice it to say, that means extremely speedy Internet for Mac users, moving along at speeds at up to 1GB per second.

Broadcom is one of only a handful of companies, including Qualcomm and Mediatek, supporting the new standard, which is undergoing late-stage revisions and is slated for final approval this November. While Asus began producing its first notebooks with 5G chipsets last year, the industry at large has been slow to move forward on the technology. However, an early 2011 study showed the WiFi Alliance projecting 802.11ac connectivity surging to one billion devices by 2015.

Apple designing Macs with these chipset could be a boon for users, regardless of their ecosystem of choice. How Macs interact with one another will make streaming content via AirPlay almost instantaneous and easy. What’s more, building 5G wireless into such products as the iPad and iPhone can’t be too far behind. This move could be the push the industry needs to adopt this new super-fast standard and push it into homes everywhere.

Sick of just being a name associated with old, out-of-date means of photography, Polaroid may have found a way back into the fray. A plan to open retail stores where consumers can edit and print out photos from their smartphones and online services will begin next month, with the first store opening in Florida.

Polaroid has managed to exist long after the instant film camera went out of style. Now the company finally has the opportunity to return to its forte. Polaroid is preparing to launch retail stores, called Polaroid Fotobar, that will allow people to edit and print photos from their smartphones.

The company plans to open ten of the Fotobars over the course of 2013 with the first set to open its doors to the public next month in Delray Beach, Florida. The concept is to essentially allow passers-by to walk in, wirelessly send photos from their phone or access them from their social network accounts, and make edits like red-eye removal or adding a filter on the desktop workstations, and print off the finished product.

One of the biggest selling points of the Fotobar is the amount of options available on each step of the process. Sources for images can range from the camera on a mobile device to the photos stored in apps like Instagram and Picasa or shared on Facebook. Editing options will allow for customization in contrast and brightness, along with other means of image manipulation. The picture can be printed on various material like metal or bamboo and then can be framed in any variety of ways. Finished products are shipped out from the Fotobar within 72 hours of completion. Not quite as instant as the original Polaroid cameras, but we’re betting it looks a little nicer.

Plans for the Fotobar don’t seem to stop just at printing pictures. Polaroid appears to want the stores to function as a sort of an analog-style art resurgence, with fine art hanging on the wall as inspiration, an extra studio room for classes, and experts in store to offer tips to customers during their photo development.

While Polaroid is still a notable name in photography, it’s been awhile since the company has really been relevant. Perhaps the Fotobar, along with its new digital cameras, will be its first step back into the mainstream, as we’re sure the company isn’t surviving on hipsters buying vintage cameras from thrift stores.

The Nintendo 3DS has been impressively secure since its release in 2011, protected from the piracy that plagued the Nintendo DS. Members of the Nintendo homebrew community now claim they've cracked the system, paving the way for bootleggers.

The honeymoon is over for the Nintendo 3DS. The Nintendo handheld’s greatest success to date hasn’t been turning around its sales performance after needing a massive price cut six months after its 2011 launch. Where the 3DS has soared compared it the original DS is in its blocking of piracy. Developers abandoned the Nintendo DS even though the device is the best selling video game hardware in history because of rampant piracy through R4 flash carts and other devices that worked around the device’s security. The Nintendo 3DS has been safe to date, but now the handheld has been hacked, opening the door for pirate software.

It all started on Dec. 16 when console hacker Yellows8 posted images online of a Nintendo 3DS displaying a screen reading, “We hacked it!” The 3DS in question was running the most recent firmware released by Nintendo which the company has said is the most secure to date. At the time, the hacked 3DS could only display text and members of the 3DS homebrew community believed the exploitable aspects of the 3DS’ firmware could be fixed immediately with another patch at Nintendo.

On Sunday, though, homebrewers showed that they’ve already made significant progress with the device, posting images of homemade code producing images on both of the 3DS’ screens. While many celebrated the cracking of Nintendo 3DS because it would allow the device to run homemade software as well as allow players to work around regional restrictions to play import games, others noted that this means the Nintendo 3DS would be vulnerable to the same piracy that plagued its predecessor.

“Piracy on the Nintendo DS crippled the DS retail market, especially in Europe,” said Renegade Kid’s Jools Watsham. Watsham created 3DS eShop title Mutant Mudds as well as DS shooters like Dementium and Moon. “We’ll never know how/if Dementium II landed in as many hands as the first game, Dementium: The Ward due to the rampant piracy at the time. Dementium: The Ward sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide, which is a great success for an original mature-rated title on the DS. Recorded sales of Dementium II are less than half that.”

“If piracy gets bad on the 3DS, we will have no choice but to stop supporting the platform with new games. Some say that piracy leads to more game sales, claiming that it enables players to try before they buy. Bullshit… If these hackers really want to mess with the guts of a 3DS, why not become legit developers for it and let the world enjoy their talents?”

Nintendo declared the 3DS piracy free in September with the release of firmware version 4.4.0-10U. “While some acts of piracy are still possible in its DS-compatibility mode, as we had to ensure that the Nintendo DS software could still be played on the Nintendo 3DS, the Nintendo 3DS itself still maintains a robust security system, even after this much time has passed since its launch.” Now the company has to go back to the drawing board.

With sci-fi developments like Tobii's Rex camera becoming more common, it could be just a matter of time before the mouse and trackpad are consigned to the trashcan.

For those of you who have found the touch controls of the Windows 8 interface troublesome, Tobii has a new approach for navigating your computer. According to Engadget, Tobii is launching Rex, an eye-tracking camera that can be used to control a machine running the latest Microsoft OS. 

The eye-tracking technology will work with the full range of Windows 8 computers, from tablets to hybrid laptops to desktops. About the size of a pen, the USB-connected camera attaches to the bottom of your monitor. Rex is meant to be used with a trackpad and mouse, so you won’t be able to toss those in the trash just yet. The mouse gives a greater degree of control over the clicking and selection, but your eyes do most of the broad navigational motions. The product is built on Tobii’s Gaze UI, which debuted similar features of eye control for a proprietary Windows 8 laptop last year. 

The bar-shaped Rex bears more than a passing resemblance to Microsoft’s Kinect. The Kinect has been touted as a tool for the military and for doctors, but it seems unlikely that Microsoft hasn’t considered the potential to link up the motion sensor with its own computers. In fact, Surface general manager Panos Panay said during an “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit that Microsoft used Xbox 360 controllers with the Surface tablet, but had not tested out Kinect for that purpose. With the extra competition from Tobii to push Windows 8′s navigation into new territory, perhaps the Microsoft crew will be more interested in developing alternative approaches to controls. 

Rex is currently only available as a special edition for developers at a price of $995 through the company’s website. Tobii said it anticipates making 5,000 consumer units available later this year. The price point for the consumer model will need to be significantly cheaper because, despite the serious coolness factor, the audience for a Windows 8-only device is pretty limited. It will be interesting to see if and when similar eye control setups appear for other computer models and operating systems. 

Skeptics thought Torchlight 2 might suffer thanks to its proximity to Diablo 3, but the Runic Games dungeon crawler has done quite well, selling 1 million copies in its first three months.

When we look back at 2012, we remember at as the year of Kickstarter, the year of the indie game like Fez, the year of the indie mod-cum-standalone official game like DayZ. Really though, 2012 was the year of Diablo. Blizzard’s dungeon crawler returned to the prominence it held over a decade ago. Not just because of Diablo 3 either. The minds behind that series returned to the format big time, developing upcoming titles like Marvel Heroes and major hits like Torchlight 2. Nothing demonstrates the popularity of the loot crawl like Torchlight 2’s success. The game has sold 1 million copies after just three months.

Developer Runic Games announced the milestone on Monday to celebrate the close of a big year.

“We had an amazing 2012, and proud to say that Torchlight 2 has sold over 1 million units!” said the studio on Twitter.

The original Torchlight, released at the tail end of 2009, was also a success but at its current pace the sequel is set to outpace its predecessor by a wide margin. Torchlight didn’t hit 500,000 copies sold until six months after its initial downloadable release. It wasn’t until July 2011, nearly two years after that release and following a retail PC release, a Mac version, and an Xbox Live Arcade edition, that the game hit the 1 million sold milestone. Torchlight 2 has sold 1 million copies as a PC-only game, though, and Runic has no plans to port the game to consoles this time around.

There was some worry that Torchlight 2 wouldn’t connect with gamers, predominantly because it was releasing so close to Diablo 3. Runic originally announced Torchlight 2 as a spring 2011 game before delaying it until July 2011 and then later into 2012, closer to when Blizzard would unleash its years-in-development sequel. Runic founders Max and Eric Schaefer, two of the minds behind original Diablo studio Blizzard North, actually found that the huge popularity of Diablo 3 helped their game. “We’re doing pre-sales on Steam, and the day Diablo 3 released they shot up by 40 percent,” said Max Schaefer in an interview this past summer, “They’re bringing in lots of people into this genre, and people are becoming aware of what we’re doing through them. We’re kind of piggybacking on their marketing.”

What’s next for Runic? There are “no plans” for a console version of Torchlight 2 and the plan to make a Torchlight MMO has been junked. “We really need to take a break,” said Runic’s Marsh Lefler, “Something slightly different will be nice. We still love RPGs, especially action ones.”