• May 2013 - The Announcement of the Xbox One

    Its Now May 2013 and the Next Gen Console race is hotting up. Today May21st we have the announcement of the New Xbox One and details coming in all the time of the PS4. If your a fan of mobile phones then im sure you have already brought a Samsung Galaxy S4. If your after a WiiU then Target are selling the console at a decent £240.

  • June 11th, 2012

    PEGI to become UK law on July 23rd 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 22:11
    1. Categories:
    2. DCEmu

    The pan-European PEGI games ratings will be made legally enforceable in just a matter of weeks.
    An update from trade body UKIE today says the ratings will become law on July 23rd.
    There has been a number of delays around getting the self-regulation marks to become a legal requirement - abolishing the BBFC's remit over games - for sometime.
    It was first recommended that the PEGI labels were made law five years ago.
    But the UK Government started to process to legally endorse PEGI when parliament reconvened last month.
    UKIE - previously known as ELSPA - and its members have been on a campaign to see the legal process through.
    Not only that, they will also kick off a range of promotional efforts to raise awareness about the ratings to the public.
    Making PEGI law would mean that retailers could face prosecution or a fine if selling 12, 16 and 18 rated games to those under those ages.

    http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/pegi-...ly-23rd/097749     ...
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    Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier tops UK charts 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 22:08
    1. Categories:
    2. DCEmu

    Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier maintained its UK all-formats chart domination for the third week in a row, even after a 48 per cent drop in sales compared to the prior week.
    Max Payne 3 also clung on to its position, sticking at number two (though it, too, saw a significant drop in sales, falling 36 per cent).
    Electronic Arts' FIFA 12, meanwhile, benefited from Euro 2012, fighting its way back up to number three after a 48 per cent boost in sales.
    Battlefield 3 also made a return, reaching number four, perhaps bolstered by the launch of DICE's premium service for the game.
    The only new entry this week was Game Of Thrones, which debuted at number six.
    01. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (Ubisoft)
    02. Max Payne 3 (Rockstar)
    03. FIFA 12 (EA)
    04. Battlefield 3 (EA)
    05. Sniper Elite V2 (505 Games)
    06. Game Of Thrones (Focus)
    07. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Activision)
    08. FIFA Street (EA)
    09. Mario & Sonic London 2012 Olympics Games (Sega)
    10. Dirt Showdown (Codemasters)

    http://www.edge-online.com/news/tom-...tops-uk-charts     ...
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    UK government to scrap ICT from 2014 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 22:05
    1. Categories:
    2. DCEmu

    The UK government has today officially announced its intentions to replace Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with a "fresh approach to teaching technology in schools" from September 2014.
    The announcement follows the completion of the government's consultation on the UKIE-led Next Gen Skills Computer Science coalition's proposal to reform ICT, based on recommendations from the Next Gen report.
    "Overall, there was a broad consensus amongst respondents that the existing Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets for ICT were not fit for purpose," reads the Department for Education's consultation document. "Over half of respondents were in favour of disapplying the Programmes of Study and around half were in favour of disapplying the Attainment Targets and statutory assessment arrangements."
    In the interim, schools will still be required to teach ICT, but from September 2012, teachers will be able to introduce greater computer science content and tailor courses to suit their pupils' needs.
    "We welcome today’s announcement from government as it broadly follows the approach outlined in our response to the ICT consultation," says Next Gen report co-author and Next Gen Skills coalition chair Ian Livingstone. "We welcome the disapplication of ICT in its current form and the opportunity that this gives schools to teach children rigorous computer science.
    “Creating an education system where Computer Science is taught is fundamental for our economy and future competitiveness. We believe that the Government should set out a vision for Computer Science so that every child learns the concepts and principles of Information Technology and Computer Science from primary school age onwards, and later to specialise in Computer Science if they wish.
    Michael Gove announced the government's plans to wind down ICTin January this year.
    “Since January all the major awarding bodies have now announced their intention to offer a GCSE in Computer Science, thereby removing a massive roadblock to the introduction of Computer Science in schools," Livingstone continues.
    "Ultimately Computer Science should be an option on the English Baccalaureate, to ensure that it is seen by teachers and parents as a high status ‘fourth science.’ Next Gen Skills is currently working with professional bodies to ensure that new qualifications are sufficiently challenging and engaging enough for pupils, schools and industry.”

    http://www.edge-online.com/news/uk-g...scrap-ict-2014     ...
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    Phil Harrison: Microsoft isn't marginalising gamers 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 22:03
    1. Categories:
    2. Xbox 360 News

    Microsoft executive Phil Harrison insists his new employer isn't leaving gamers behind in its bid to transform the Xbox 360 from a games console into a multimedia device, telling us he believes "gamers are going to be pretty well catered for" during the next 12 months.
    Microsoft's E3 2012 press conference last week suggested that the company was more interested in playing up Xbox's new role as its all-in-one entertainment brand than as a games console. There was the announcement of the Spotify-rivalling Xbox Music service, the Nike + Kinect Training fitness software, and the intriguing, multiplatform SmartGlass technology.
    Gamers felt rather left out, but speaking to us at the show last week, Harrison - the former Sony exec who joined Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business division two months ago - said the games shown on stage and the show floor proved that Microsoft still had gamer interests at heart.
    "Game consumption on the console is going up," he said. "Entertainment consumption is going up, and is now higher then games, but games are growing as well. I have no concerns about what that means for gamers, whether they're core gamers or casual gamers or somewhere in between.
    "This E3, we have announced that our top five franchises are all returning on Xbox 360 within the next 12 months, and I don't know of many times in a platform's history when that has happened, whether on Xbox or any other console.
    "Halo, Gears Of War, Forza, Fable and Dance Central, all returning in a bigger, better way. I think gamers are going to be pretty well-catered for."
    The suspicion remains, however, that E3 2012 was light on surprise new announcements because, behind closed doors, the industry is gearing up for the next generation of console hardware. Harrison wouldn't be drawn on whether there was ever any weight to claims that Microsoft had planned to unveil the Xbox 360 successor at E3 this year, but does confirm that the company has more in the works than it showed on stage.
    "From a Microsoft perspective, I think we showed in a 90-minute press event a pretty good selection of the things we're working on," he told us. "But by no means did we show everything. Inevitably, there'll be new games available for next year."

    http://www.edge-online.com/news/phil...alising-gamers     ...
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    Splashtop Drops Windows 8 Metro Testbed Onto Android 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 21:58
    1. Categories:
    2. Android News

    Want to try out the Windows 8 Metro interface on your Android tablet? Splashtop apparently has a solution. The company previously released a Windows 8 Metro testbed for the iPad back in April, and now it has one for Android devices, which is available in the Google Play Store. You'll need a PC with the Windows 8 Release Preview installed, but once you have that taken care of, you'll be able to poke around Microsoft's new touch interface on any Android tablet

    http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/06...d-onto-android     ...
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    Apple News From WWDC and iPhone 5 Rumors 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 21:57
    1. Categories:
    2. Apple iPhone

    Apple has just announced the next-generation Macbook Pro with a retina display. Starting today you can also order a MacBook Pro upgraded with Ivy Bridge CPUs, and Nvidia graphics. Mountain Lion got some various updates, and as expectediOS 6 was announced. In rumor news, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a note to investors, 'Based on the release schedule for iOS 6 GM, there is a very good chance iPhone 5 will start shipping also in early September.

    http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/0...phone-5-rumors     ...
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    Microsoft plans SmartGlass support 'for all first-party titles' 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 21:55
    1. Categories:
    2. Xbox 360 News

    Recently unveiled tech to be a single app

    Microsoft is to incorporate its new SmartGlass tech into all of its future first-party titles.
    As reported by Joystiq, Microsoft Studios corporate VP Phil Spencer said that once the tech is released in autumn, new games will allow users to connect their Xbox 360 with their tablets and smartphones.

    "It just makes so much sense for a developer who wants to supply, maybe not time-critical information, like 'that enemy is getting ready to shoot you,' but information that augments what's happening on screen,” he said.
    "I think you'll see information sharing, context sharing while you're in the room, with video and with games, as well as gameplay happening in more distributed environments."
    Spencer confirmed that SmartGlass would come in the form of a single app that can be used to sync up with a user’s gamertag.

    http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...t-party-titles
     ...
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    Mobile gaming is making handheld consoles a "niche" 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 21:52
    1. Categories:
    2. PSP News,
    3. Nintendo DS News,
    4. Nintendo 3DS News,
    5. Playstation Vita News

    Sony/Nintendo shipments take a beating from phones and tablets.
    A couple of years ago, if you heard gaming war cries like 'Hadouken' in public, it would have come from a Sony PSP or Nintendo DS – especially in 2008 when combined device shipments peaked at 47 million.
    However, ABI Research says you're now more likely to hear the sounds coming from smartphones and tablets.
    It claims the mobile is pushing handheld consoles towards a "sustainable niche" market, estimating that Sony/Nintendo handheld gaming device shipments will fall to 38 million in 2013, and stay flat to 2017.
    Michael Inouye, senior analyst at ABI, said: "Mobile devices will compete with dedicated handheld gaming devices, but select consumer segments like core gamers and those individuals who do not want or have a smartphone or tablet will still provide some demand."
    An example of the turning tide was demonstrated last year when the Nintendo 3DS started off strong during its Q1 2011 launch, but Q2 forced the Japanese firm to slash the price from $249 to $170 to keep buyers interested.

    http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/...a-niche/018273     ...
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    26.7 per cent of tablet users pay to watch content 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 21:50
    1. Categories:
    2. PC News

    Bigger screens are improving the chances of monetising streams.
    This is increasing the potential for direct monetisation of video. The study concluded that of those viewing video at least once during the month, one in four (26.7 per cent) paid to watch content – and 25 per cent of the users say they would pay premium prices for their content.
    Just 20 per cent of smartphone users watch video on their device monthly, compared to 53 per cent of tablet users, while 10.3 per cent and 24.6 per cent watch the content as much as three times per week, respectively.
    Meanwhile, 25 per cent pay premium for their tablet video viewing.
    Results show consumers are becoming ever more connected, with a quarter of smartphone owners using a tablet, up 13.9 per cent year-on year, while 10.4 per cent of feature phone owners also use tablets.
    Females are more likely to use tablets than men, while both genders aged between 25-34 are the most likely to use the device with 24.4 per cent, followed by 35-44 year-olds on 21.4 per cent.

    http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/...r-video/018276     ...
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    iOS 6: Siri on iPad, 3G Facetime and more 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on June 11th, 2012 21:49
    1. Categories:
    2. Apple News,
    3. Apple iPad,
    4. Apple iPhone

    200 new features rolled up in new version of the platform.
    As usual, Apple took the stage at WWDC to reveal the goodies in its new OS update, which will be available to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users this Autumn as a free software update.
    There were no real fireworks, but enough to keep the pressure on rivals and spook a few independent firms with updates that encroach on incumbent territory.
    So, for example, Apple also did the expected and booted out Google Maps. It replaced it with a new mapping solution with local listings for over 100m businesses integrated with Yelp.
    Interestingly, the maps are updated with real-time crowdsourced data – all very alarming for location firms like Waze and Navmii, which base their apps on this model.
    There was also a new Flyover feature with photo-realistic interactive 3D views.

    http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/...nd-more/018281     ...
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