• 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.

  • July 5th, 2012

    Amazon's new Kindle Fire set to debut in early August? (update: maybe July) 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:46
    1. Categories:
    2. Android News
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    We knew that there would be another Kindle Fire at some point, but we didn't know when it would arrive, or exactly what it'd look like. If the latest report from the China Times is true, however, we can expect Amazon's new slate to ship around August 7th. Like the first Fire, this new version will be built by Quanta, with a metal chassis and displays provided by LG and Panasonic. Other details, like its size or the contents within said metallic frame, are still nowhere to be found. What we can tell you is that the new tablet can't get here fast enough for Amazon given the Fire's declining sales numbers and its freshcompetition from Mountain View.
    Update: Looks like something was lost in translation -- it turns out the China Times report actually states that the new Kindle Fire is set to make its appearance in July or August, not specifically on August 7th.

    http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/04/a...ing-in-august/     ...
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    PlayStation 3 to get downloadable PS2 catalog later this month 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:44
    1. Categories:
    2. PS3 News
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    If you've been aching to wile away hundreds more hours replaying Final Fantasy classics on the go, then Sony Japan's got some good news for you. It's finally revealed that the ability to play those charming, if a little dated, PSOne titles will arrive on the PS Vita's next software update, version 1.80, later this summer. This little nugget was tucked away behind the news that a handful of PS2 titles, playable on allversions of the PS3, will launch in the Japanese PlayStation Store on July 25th. The first wave of titles include Biohazard Code: Veronica, Siren and Dragon Force, all priced between 800 and 1,200 yen. No news yet, however, on when (or if) a similar retro-gaming bounty will arrive outside of Japan.

    http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/05/p...es-on-ps-vita/     ...
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    Apple aware of corrupt apps issue, working on a fix 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:42
    1. Categories:
    2. Apple News,
    3. Apple iPad,
    4. Apple iPhone
    Article Preview

    Earlier this morning, reports started circulating that the App Store was pushing corrupt binaries to iOS and Mac users, resulting in constant crashes of the affected apps. Marco Arment, of Instapaper fame, was one of the first to notice and very vocal -- bringing the issue to the attention of many in the media and at Apple. The list of affected apps is pretty staggering, including such high profile titles as Angry Birds Space, Yahoo! Search, Google Reader and, of course, Instapaper. The number of developers affected now tops 115, so we'd hold off on those updates. For the first several hours Apple was mum on the issue, but it has finally acknowledged the problem in the support forums and even reached out to developers via email. Suspicions seem to be that the FairPlay DRM is at the root, but until we have official word from Apple we'll refrain from laying the blame at its feet. Cupertino is working (we assume tirelessly) on a fix, which will hopefully be delivered sooner, rather than later.

    http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/05/a...king-on-a-fix/     ...
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    Report: Sony planning super slim PS3 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:40
    1. Categories:
    2. PS3 News
    Article Preview

    Sony could be ready to announce to a new PlayStation 3 model, according to new documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission.
    The images posted on Pocket News refer to a CECH-4001x model, which Eurogamer suggests is a new, slimmer console that will be launched at Gamescom in August.
    Sony has yet to comment on the FCC documents.
    "We haven't announced anything new on PS3 in terms of hardware revisions," president of Sony's Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida told Eurogamer in June.
    "We should never say never - hardware guys are always looking at ways to make things cheaper, smaller."


    http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...super-slim-ps3     ...
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    Battlefield 3 dev says modern FPS setting getting "stale" 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:38
    1. Categories:
    2. PS3 News

    DICE's general manager calls out the next FPS trend as near-future

    EA DICE

    www.dice.se

    DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson believes first-person shooters need to do more to innovate. Before Modern Warfare hit the scene the big time period in first-person shooters was World War II, but these days players can't get enough of fictionalized version of current conflicts. Troedsson called out the modern setting as one way FPS developers have been resting on their laurels.
    "I think we're going to start seeing people moving away from the modern setting, because every now and again settings or themes start to get stale and then everyone jumps over," Troedsson told Edge Online. "You know, at some point dinosaurs are the hottest thing and everyone is making games with dinosaurs, but there are trends. It used to be WWII, and recently it's been the modern era and people are now moving towards near future."
    "But it's a bit cheap to just say, 'Okay, we're going to switch and go back in time or into the future and that will be innovation'. It will definitely drive the franchise forward for whatever game, but it's not true innovation, it's more a thematic change that has a perceived value to the gamers out there. But as a developer you can only make so many games in one particular era, and then you personally start to get a bit bored with it," he added.
    Troedsson said that developers need to push themselves, technically and thematically.
    "I think it's our responsibility as game developers to always push ourselves when it comes to the experience of games. To always make sure that when we put games in the hands of consumers that we are proud of what we've done," he said.
    "We want people to be amazed when they look at our games. We want to make the best game that we can, and we want that game to be the best one on the market. If gamers think that, then we've done our job. We're not there yet, but we're working on it."

    http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-getting-stale



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    PS4, Xbox 720 "will fail if they let retail dictate game pricing" 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:36
    1. Categories:
    2. Xbox 360 News

    Both the PS4 and Xbox 720 will fail if they do not reject physical media in favour of digital distribution, the co-founder of Codemasters has boldly claimed.
    In what amounts to a scathing attack on games retail, David Darling stated: “Sony and Microsoft cannot let the retailers dictate game prices going forwards if they want to break free from the current over-priced model, their next consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 need to be digital only, or they will fail.
    “Consoles have become like dinosaurs heading for extinction as their natural retail habitat begins to change. These ancient beasts must now adapt to a new environment where platforms like Steam, Facebook and Apple’s App Store are pushing innovation.
    “The industry is transitioning from boxed to digital games. Physical media like DVD is dying out and gaming is rapidly moving to digital distribution. If hardware manufacturers such as Sony and Microsoft do not manage this transition soon, they will be overtaken and left behind by companies who are embracing digital distribution wholly and completely.
    “If the next generation consoles have media drives like DVD to keep distributors and retailers happy so they can sell physical product this will make the machines uncompetitive. They will not be able to compete on price. The retailers will say to Sony and Microsoft “you can’t sell game X at retail for $60 and then sell it in your App Store for $2.” However, console-makers will need to sell games for $2 or else they will not be competitive with Apple.”
    What must not be forgotten, however, is that Darling does have a vested interested – he is currently the CEO of digital games firm Kwalee.
    Why Darling believes that big-budget core games and smaller-scale digital titles can co-exist is uncertain. He also does not address the fact that the type of software that is currently predominant on console would take an age for consumers to download.
    Indeed, he even attacks those who may still harbour a preference for disc-based games.
    “Luddites are always resistant to change,” he adds. “In the 1812 the new technology they didn’t like was the mechanised weaving loom. In 1986 it was the CD when they preferred old vinyl music records.
    “Today there is resistance to the idea that physical media, such as DVD, and its retailers will disappear completely and give way to digital distribution. But changes are happening very quickly.
    What is true, however, is that publishers will need to find a way to compete on price. Yes, there will always be consumers willing to pay £50 to play the big triple-A titles. But they are likely to become an increasing minority.
    Next-gen consoles certainly need to embrace more flexible pricing models if they wish to grow the core market.

    http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ps3-x...pricing/099051     ...
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    Rufus Hound promotes Mario Kart 7 tournament 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:35
    1. Categories:
    2. Nintendo 3DS News

    Comedian Rufus Hound is joining Nintendo to promote the upcoming Mario Kart 7 tournament.
    Due to take place this summer, the Britian’s Fastest Family Tournament offers keen Mario Kart 7 players a chance to win a Honda Jazz and other Nintendo goodies as well as the coveted Mario Kart 7 trophy.
    Rufus Hound will host a number of videos offering families tips and tricks to perfect player’s racing technique.
    Hound said: “What are you doing just sitting there. Grab your Nintendo 3DS, call your father, harrang your grandpa, get practicing for glory awaits Britain’s Fastest Family!”
    The tournament will run across England, Scotland and Wales with regional heats taking place at 30 HMV stores throughout August.
    If you fancy yourself as a karting pro, and have a semi-competent family to back you up, then find out more information at www.nintendo.co.uk/britainsfastestfamily.

    http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/rufus...rnament/099059     ...
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    UK games store count plummets 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:31
    1. Categories:
    2. DCEmu

    There are 300 fewer games specialists on the High Street in 2012.
    MCV?research has shown the combined number of GAME, HMV and Blockbuster outlets has plummeted from 1,465 to just 1,144.
    GAME took the biggest hit, with hundreds of branches closed when the chain went into administration in March.
    Conversely, supermarkets keep growing, with Tesco’s reach rising to 2,975 stores and Sainsbury’s taking its tally to just over 1,000.

    http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/uk-ga...lummets/099067     ...
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    'Full' Moshi Monsters iPad app coming soon 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:29
    1. Categories:
    2. Apple iPad

    Mind Candy believes that tablets are the future of gaming – and it wants to make the most of it by brining a ‘full’ Moshi Monsters app to iPad.
    With over 60m registered users, the desktop version has already been joined by some spin-off iOS apps, as well as DS title Moshi Monsters: Moshlings.
    But Mindy Candy’s chief executive Michael Acton-Smith wants to ensure his company is ready for the future.
    "We're hopefully going to launch Pocket Moshi or Moshi-on-the-Move or whatever it's called in the next few months," he told The Guardian.
    "We're going to make it free, and hopefully have millions of kids playing it. 18 months ago, we were saying like most people 'are kids really going to have mobiles? Are parents going to buy £500 iPads for their kids? And the answer is absolutely yes.”
    "We really firmly believe at Mind Candy that the tablet device is going to be the dominant form of entertainment for kids over the next few years. If we just focused on desktop, in the next year or two we'd be a dinosaur."
    The company’s tablet aspirations span wider than this, however. Acton-Smith wants to see the company evolve into a content provider for third parties, with the idea being that it would be a safe, reliable source that parents can have confidence in.
    "This could be a great opportunity for promoting new apps that third parties have developed," he added. "We're almost thinking of Mind Candy as a publisher curating apps that we'd like to promote to our audience.
    "Until recently, great ideas could get lucky and bubble up. We've seen Angry Birds and Talking Tom and a host great stuff, but that's getting harder and harder.
    “That's where we see potential for us to come along as a publisher… We can curate new apps and say 'this is fantastic', and present it to our audience."

    http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/full-...ng-soon/099068     ...
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    Raspberry Pi prototyping boards available at adafruit 

    by
    wraggster
    Published on July 5th, 2012 23:27
    1. Categories:
    2. PC News
    Article Preview


    If you’re one of the lucky few with a Raspberry Pi, adafruit has two things you might be interested in if you’re into GPIO hacking.
    First up is the Pi Cobbler kit. It’s a 2×13 ribbon cable with a breakout PCB ready to attach to a solderless breadboard; perfect for playing around with (or cobbling together… get it?) the GPIO pins on your Raspi.
    Next up is the Pi Plate kit that comes complete with enough perfboard space, screw terminals, and female headers to kill a yak. All the GPIO, I2C, and SPI pins are broken out on the Pi Plate, making it very easy to prototype a semi-permanent Raspi circuit.
    They might be just prototyping boards now, but we expect these Pi Plates to quickly evolve into a truly useful device with the addition of a few level shifters, port expanders and a few ADCs and DAC thrown in for good measure. If you’re still on the fence and thinking about buying a Raspi, I ordered one last week from element14 and now have an expected ship date of November 5th. These things must be reallypopular.

    http://hackaday.com/2012/07/05/raspb...e-at-adafruit/ ...
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