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by Published on April 25th, 2012 21:57- Categories:
- Apple iPhone
Up 88 per cent year on year to drive quarterly profit to $11.6 billion.
When will it ever end? Well, it has to at some point. But until then the Apple money machine just keeps on rolling.
Its new financials are amazing - revenues at $$39.2 billion, compared to US$24.7 billion a year ago, with profits nearly doubled to $11.6 billion, compared to US$6 billion last year.
In addition to those iPhone sales, Apple sold 11.8 million iPads during the quarter, a 151 per cent year on year rise. It also sold 4m Macs and 7.7 million iPods. And guess what? Its iPod sales were actually down 15 per cent unit on the year-ago quarter.
Overall, that makes 365m iOS devices since the launch of the first iPhone in 2007, including 67m iPads.
Apple also confirmed its app store now has more than 600k apps available, and that theiTunes Store as a whole generated $1.9bn in revenue last quarter.
http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/...s-in-q1/017843 ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 01:30- Categories:
- Retro Consoles/Translation News
Bummed that you won't be making it out to E3 this year? Well, at least you'll be able to console yourself with your very own tiny iPad arcade. According to Ion, the iCade Core, the latest in the company's line of nostalgia-inducing Bluetooth tablet controllers, will be shipping to UK customers in mid-June for ￡49.99 ($81) a pop. The iCade Mobile will be hitting right around the same time for the same price. Now you'll finally be able to experience Pac-Man the way it was meant to played: on a tablet attached to an oversized joystick.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/24/i...r-you-in-june/ ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 01:28- Categories:
- Apple News,
- Apple iPad,
- Apple iPhone
After the most recent quarter Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer was proud to let us all know that there are now 365 million iOS devices "in play," with over 50 million sold just in Q2. With the iPhone now available in 100 countries on 230 carriers and the new iPad shipping in over 40 countries, the continued growth isn't much of a surprise. Obviously, as the number of devices in the hands of users increases, so does the number of apps, and in this quarter the iTunes app store topped 600,000 apps -- including over 200,000 specifically designed for the iPad. The iPad in particular was singled out as being a driver for growth. Tim Cook said that 67 million iPads have been sold since the first model debuted. By contrast, he claims it took 24 years to sell that many Macs. Oppenheimer said that the education market was increasingly turning to the tablet, purchasing them by a margin of almost two-to-one over Macs. The San Diego school district in particular ordered 10,000 this quarter and has plans to purchase 15,000 more. Even the government is getting in on the action, with the air force using them as flight guides. For more details from Cupertino's earnings call check out our live blog.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/24/3...-in-education/ ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 01:24- Categories:
- Apple iPad
The company continues its relentless growth
Apple's latest quarter once again beat Wall Street expectations in both revenue and earnings, sending its shares up 4% after the close of the market. Apple's revenue for their fiscal second quarter was $39.2 billion, up from $24.67 billion in the same quarter last year. Apple's profit was $11.6 billion, which works out to $12.30 per share, up from $6.40 per share in last year's Q2.
Analysts had expected Apple's earnings to be $10.04 a share on $36.81 billion in revenue, according to a consensus estimate from Thomson Reuters.
This is all driven primarily by iOS; Macintosh unit sales grew by 7% compared to last year, while iPod unit sales declined 15%. Looking at the specific hardware numbers, Apple sold 35.1 million iPhones during the quarter, an increase of 88%. The company also sold 11.8 million iPads, an increase of 151%.
Putting the numbers in perspective, Microsoft sold about 16 million Xbox 360s worldwide in 2011, and Sony is expected to sell about 15 million PS3s worldwide for their fiscal year (which ended in March). Nintendo's total 3DS sales from March 2011 to March 2012 will probably end up at about 12 million units worldwide.
Apple is currently selling almost 12 million iPhones every month, and about 4 million iPads every month. Apple is selling about 10 times as many iPhones every month as Microsoft sells Xbox 360s, and about 4 times as many iPads (and 12 times as many iPhones) as Nintendo sells 3DS units every month.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...stimates-again
...by Published on April 25th, 2012 01:16- Categories:
- DCEmu
A misleading hatchet job in the tabloid press shouldn't distract us from genuine risks to children who play online, says Johnny Minkley
"Xbox paedophile predators 'move in on prey within two minutes of contact'", screamed the Metro last Wednesday, the story making the front page of its dead-tree edition.
The morning commuter-bothering freesheet has form here, as the games industry well knows. A stable mate of the Daily Mail, it is after all the same publication that brought us the shocking news: "Video gaming lead to surge in rickets". Which proved as fair a reflection of the facts as one might have expected.
Signaling its intent to treat the latest games-related research it had no intention of reading properly with its customary bulletproof standards of accuracy, the paper illustrated the piece with an image of an original Xbox.
Gamers and the games press reacted to it not with self-righteous anger, but wearied resignation. Conditioned as the industry is to hysterical tabloid scapegoating, our Pavlovian response is to sigh then sneer.
But even if we feel we have good reason to resist taking the Metro's account at face value, given the seriousness of the issue it shouldn't be allowed to distract from an examination of the source.
The European Online Grooming Project Report was produced by a team of researchers at London's Kingston University. It seems the Metro based its piece solely on the press release that accompanied last week's publication - which features the word "paedophile" in the headline and "Xbox" and "PlayStation" in the body - jackpot, in other words, for hacks desperately scanning the wires for something to cut and paste.
In the release, one of the authors of the report, Professor Julia Davidson, explained that predatory online chat can "become sexualised within two minutes". The release added that "the report highlights how gaming platforms, such as Xbox Live and PlayStation Network are also used to target children, particularly boys."
Kingston Uni's press office told me last week that the Metro's "headline was very misleading", but added: "The report focuses on all online gaming, not just Xbox Live, as well as social networking."
Indeed, the authors of the research revealed that they found evidence of online gaming services being used for grooming. Here's the key relevant findings taken from the full 152-page document:
"Online game platforms were used by some men that were attempting to groom young boys. Grooming via game platforms helped to reinforce the fantasy aspect of offending behaviour and gave the men credibility in the eyes of the young men being approached."
"In some respect, this approach represents a 'rational choice' for men sexually interested in boys, as the evidence suggests that young men tend to be online playing games more than young females."
"There are two dimensions of online gaming that made this method an attractive place to target young people. The first was that playing a game, such as online role- play, helped to reinforce the fantasy, or 'unreal' aspect of what is clearly offending behavior."
"The second dimension relates to online gaming performance reinforcing the credibility of the offender as somebody worth talking to. That is, being competent at online games and 'leveling up' by gaining experience points means a great deal to some online players. Consequently, some offenders talked about how they could use their considerable online scores as a way to 'attract' and open up conversations with some young boys."
Horrible stuff. And while none of us is likely to be surprised that gaming - as with any other connected service - is being exploited by sexual predators, these details stand out: that would-be groomers are somehow able to delude themselves into believing what they're doing is harmless because of the "fantasy" aspect of gaming; and that having good game stats facilitates contact.
Grooming via game platforms helped to reinforce the fantasy aspect of offending behaviour and gave the men credibility in the eyes of the young men being approached
The European Online Grooming Project Report
The games industry has been ahead of the tech curve in taking measures to protect children. All modern gaming systems feature parental controls as standard - sensible, well-designed means with which to prevent kids from accessing content inappropriate for their age and from engaging in online contact.
And there's good practical advice and information out there, from organisations including the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, The UK Council For Child Internet Safety (formed in the wake of the Byron Review), and UKIE - if you know where to look for it.
But, as I wrote here recently in relation to age ratings, the real problem remains that too many parents either don't know parental controls are there or don't bother to use them, and see video games as inherently harmless virtual babysitters.
It's all too easy to be knee-jerk dismissive of the sensationalist anti-gaming agenda that persists ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 01:04- Categories:
- Playstation Vita News
A third PSP game has been removed from the PlayStation Store after it emerged that the title was being used to allow homebrew gaming on Vita.
Prior to its removal Super Collapse was being used by hackers to access and run homebrew software Vita Half-Byte loader which, amongst other things, allows consumers to run Game Boy, NES, SNES, N64 and Mega Drive emulators.
Crucially, the hack did not allow users to play pirated Vita software.
The game will likely be reinstated to PSN once the hack has been removed and, more likely than not, a further Vita firmware update released that will close the loophole.
Last month Sony removed both Everybody’s Tennis and MotorStorm Arctic Edge from the PSN Store as they also allowed hackers to circumvent some of the Vita’s security measures.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/sony-...oncerns/094921 ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 01:03- Categories:
- DCEmu
Konami has lifted the lid on this year’s on this year’s instalment of its popular football series PES 2013.
The game will “see the series returning to its roots, with the emphasis on the individual skills of the world’s best players, and giving the player the total freedom to play any style of ball, which includes for the first time full control over shots”.
The changes were decided upon after consultation with both football fans and followers of the series.
Konami also says that the players will be more life-like than ever before, with individual stars modelled to match the running motions and playing styles of their real-life counterparts.
The new PES FullControl system offers a new dynamic touch model that allows players to subtly adjust how they receive the ball from traps and various other scenarios. R2 can be used to stop the ball dead, killing the speed of a well-hit pass or using its speed to beat a defender.
Manual passing has been added to by manual shooting, allowing players to for the first time determine a strike’s power AND height.
Dribble speeds have also been slowed to better replicate the real-life game, with full 360 degree movement present and correct.
There’s also the new Response Defending system which offers a more flexible approach to protecting the goal, with a greater degree of control. Goalkeeper control has also been expanded and distribution of the ball improved.
AI has also been tweaked “to eradicate any illogical elements to the way players move and run”, while defensive and offensive moves will be executed with greater tactical precision than previously. Keepers, in particular, have had an extensive overhaul to their decision processes.
“This is an exciting time to be part of the PES community, and PES 2013 marks a new level of playability with the return to our key ethos of utter control and freedom,” European PES team leader Jon Murphy stated.
“Football is all about making magic happen with skill and precision, and PES 2013 truly encapsulates this. Fresh faces within the development team and some very exciting ideas will breathe new life into the PES series, and we look forward to showing what we can do in the coming months.”
PES 2013 will be released on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, 3DS, PS2 and PSP this autumn - notice the lack of a PlayStation Vita SKU.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/pes-2...s-roots/094918 ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 00:59- Categories:
- PS3 News
Activision could be preparing to shock the Call of Duty world with a surprise announcement next week – a near-future setting for the title currently known as Black Ops 2.
The hint comes from tongue-in-cheek YouTube show FPS Russian. The latest episode demos a quadrotor RC attack drone that bears more than a little resemblance to a quadrotor pictured in one of Activision’s Call of Duty teaser pics yesterday.
“Technology in this baby isn’t going to be out there for at least another decade,” the presenter is keen to press. “This is truly a weapon of the future.”
He adds: “If you can’t wait 10-15 years my sources tell me that this beauty might be in the next Call of Duty game.”
And the real kicker – the video signs off with the following message: “A big thank you to the makers of Call of Duty for sponsoring this video.”
Just in case you’re wondering – yes, the footage in the video is fake. Take a look for yourself:
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/black...setting/094924 ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 00:52- Categories:
- Nintendo 3DS News
The GAME is well and truly on.
Having yesterday announced that it had secured an exclusive Assassin’s Creed III SKU, GAME has today gone one step further by nabbing exclusive UK rights to Heroes of Ruin.
The Square Enix RPG is due out on 3DS in the UK on June 12thand can only be bought from GAME. It can currently be pre-ordered for £34.99 on GAME’s website.
The deal is yet more great news for a GAME that appears back on its game following a turbulent start to the year that saw it fall into administration and, for a brief period, stare down the possibility of closure.
The UK arm of the business was eventually saved by retail specialist OpCapita, which also later moved to acquire the Spanish and Portuguese operations.
OpCapita has since gone on to win over all of the suppliers with whom the previous management had fallen out with and now appears to be almost back to full-strength – albeit it with a drastically reduced store count and hundreds of former employees still pursuing redundancy payments.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/heroe...e-in-uk/094933 ...by Published on April 25th, 2012 00:50- Categories:
- Xbox 360 News
German developer Crytek has said that it is focused on delivering DirectX 11 level graphics on Xbox 360 and PS3 for its upcoming release Crysis 3.
DirectX 11 is a graphical standard currently reserved for high-end PC games, although the studio is convinced it can get Crysis 3 running on consoles at a similar standard to the DX11 PC build.
"We want to make sure as much as is humanly possible can translate from a DX11 variant into a DX9 variant, that will work almost as good on an Xbox console to whatever extent we can, because we don't want the experience to be different between the platforms," Crytek’s director of creative development Rasmus Højengaard told Eurogamer.
"It is very, very difficult, but it is possible. It just requires a lot of effort.
“Some of the stuff these guys are making work on consoles now is absolutely amazing. It's render features that shouldn't theoretically work on consoles, but they've managed to construct code that can emulate a similar thing from a… hack and slash sounds wrong, but they don't have the same streamlined pipeline you would have with a DX11 structure, but they can get to a similar result just by experimenting and using tips and tricks."
However, while the studio already has previously DX11-only features such as parallax occlusion mapping up and running on console, it will scale back its ambitions if it fears that performance will take too big a hit.
Added Højengaard: “What it all boils down to is to what extent they're able to use this without choking the console."
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/crysi...box-360/094934 ...- Search DCEmu
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Catherine: Full Body’s English translation for the Vita