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PS4 Blu-Ray Drive Is 3x Than PS3’s, Features Boosted Storage Sub-System

The Game Developers Conference in San Francisco is well under way, with some details on Sony’s upcoming next-gen console, the PlayStation 4. Sony Senior Staff Engineer Chris Norden went into greater technical detail on some of the PlayStation 4’s underlying hardware.

Contrary to rumors stating that Sony would abandon the numbering structure for its next-gen console, the next PlayStation will, indeed, be called the PlayStation 4.

PS4’s Blu-Ray drive is three times faster than the current PS3 drive, Norden confirmed. Keeping in mind that the PS3 is equipped with 2x BD drive capable of reading Blu-ray discs at up to 9MB/s speed. The three times faster solution is a 6x BD drive that can read discs at up to 27MB/s, which should be enough not only for modern games, but also for next-generation 4K video discs, assuming that they are Blu-ray or compatible with the drive (or use the same 405nm wavelength as BD).

He added that the hard drive in every console will be “very large” and that real names can be used within PS4’s friend system, subject to the players’ approval. PS4’s social functionality will also allow for more than 100 friends, the current limit on PS3.

PS4’s Eye motion camera comes with a tilt sensor so it can tell when a player is facing in the wrong direction, or if the camera itself has fallen off of your TV stand (or wherever you choose to place it).

Norton explained that PS4s memory outperforms the DDR3 you can find in many high-end PCs, and that its 8GB of GDDR5 RAM offers developers “Crazy high bandwidth”. Simplicity was also key, said Norton.

“If you’re coming from the PS3 you’re probably quite used to the headache of having to split memory architecture, you can’t quite use all of it, the speeds are really wacky on some of it – we don’t have that with PS4. It’s eight gigs, it’s there, it’s easy,” he said.

“You’re getting some really amazing memory with PS4 and we’re really excited about it.”

Other hardware related improvements that the engineer mentioned are all-digital buttons and sticks on the DualShock 4 controller, ability to charge the controller while the console is off as well as a mono headset in every PlayStation 4 box.

[Engadget]

March 28, 2013
EA Reveals Battlefield 4 With A 17-Minute Trailer

Battlefield 4 will land on PCs this autumn following EA’s reveal of the upcoming shooter within a 17-minute gameplay trailer.

Powered by the Frostbite 3 game engine, EA touted a more open world single player than previous entries to the Battlefield series, and stated that users would “experience huge environments”, although the 17-minute trailer, which you can view below appears to show the title’s more linear elements.

“We are so humbled and proud to debut Battlefield 4 on a global stage with simultaneous events in San Francisco and Stockholm,” said EA executive Patrick Soderlund.

The 17-minute video is jam packed with amazing graphics, intricate story lines, and plenty of action.

Small details like facial animation and ridiculously realistic lighting effects are definitely very apparent. Maybe a new graphical coat of paint is all it’s going to take for us to get excited about the first-person video game genre again. It’s expected that Battlefield 4 will go head-to-head against Activision’s still un-announced, but very expected, next-generation Call of Duty title later this year.

The YouTube video is titled “Fishing in Baku” and was released on Battlefield’s website as well as the “Battlefield 4” YouTube page.

“These 17 minutes of ‘Battlefield 4’ gameplay provide an exclusive look atBF4‘s single-player campaign. With dynamic destructible environments, epic vehicular combat and the chaos of all-out war, ‘Battlefield 4’ gives you the freedom to do more and be more for an unrivaled entertainment experience,” says a statement on the video game’s website.

The game will be released on the PlayStation 4 and next-generation Xbox but it will also, surprisingly, receive a pared down PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 release.

Players can pre-order Battlefield 4 now, which will entitle them for a Premium expansion pack. Meanwhile, PC gamers can order the Digital Deluxe edition currently on Origin, which includes the title and additional in-game items.

Those who pre-order will also be granted access to Battlefield 4’s multiplayer beta once it launches.

Check out the trailer for Battlefield 4 below.

[PCR, YouTube]

March 27, 2013
Microsoft To Release Windows Blue Public Beta At BUILD 2013

There’s certainly been no shortage of leaks surrounding Microsoft’s Windows Blue in recent weeks, but now the company has confirmed that the long-rumored Windows 8 update is underway.

Microsoft confirmed to The Verge on Wednesday that the public preview version of Windows Blue will debut at its Build developer conference in late June. Sources familiar with the company’s plans revealed that Microsoft began working on a “milestone” preview of the software update earlier this month.

Some of the features that have been exposed in the new build include a new File Manager app, improved multi-monitor support, more customisation options for the Start screen and a Windows Phone-style”slide-to-shut-down” feature.

Microsoft is also said to be working on various new first-party apps for Windows Blue, in addition to some of those already revealed in the leaked build. Further, it’s said that Blue will indeed introduce optimisations that will bring Windows 8 to smaller 7- and 8-inch tablets. The leak has already revealed that the minimum resolution that will support the side-by-side Snap View for apps has been lowered to 1024x768px.

Frank X. Shaw, Corporate Vice President of Corporate Communications at Microsoft states that customers have already experienced the “ongoing rhythm of updates and innovations” – aka new devices, services and apps — that have rolled out over the last six months. This continuous development cycle is the new normal across Microsoft.

What’s more, Microsoft is very likely to choose a different name for Blue, as this is only the internal codename for the company’s new “set of plans.”

The BUILD 2013 conference is happening in June this year at San Francisco.

[The Verge]

March 27, 2013
Unreal Engine 3 To Get Oculus Rift Support In April (PR)

Unreal Engine 3, widely known as the driving force behind a plethora of successful PS3 and Xbox 360 games, is going to add support for the upcoming Oculus Rift headset via a development kit update.

Today, the companies are announcing that Epic’s latest Unreal Development Kit (UDK) will be available with Oculus-ready code for every developer who has purchased the Oculus Rift game development kit. On top of that, all Unreal Engine 3 source licensees will receive the Oculus-Unreal Engine 3 integration code for free. The idea is that this will jumpstart the market for virtual reality games on the Oculus Rift platform.

“Developers have used Unreal Engine technology to create some of the most memorable games in history,” said Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic Games. “We view virtual reality as a massive technological step forward, and are arming all developers with the tools to create game experiences that represent the future. Our partnership with Oculus will bring the highest quality experiences to virtual reality games.”

Slated for the first week of April, the new UDK will include an updated Epic Citadel cross-platform tech-demo, which depicts a graphics-rich medieval castle village, with Oculus Rift support to go on.

On the other hand, Oculus Rift dev kits will begin shipping out to Kickstarter backers this month.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]Custom UDK to Ship with All Oculus Rift Developer Kits
Epic Games and Oculus VR Partner to Help Unreal Engine Developers Build the Future of Games

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA (March 25, 2013) – Oculus VR, Inc., developer of the highly anticipated Oculus Rift, announced that it will provide a custom, Oculus-ready version of Epic Games’ Unreal Development Kit (UDK) to every developer who has purchased the Oculus Rift development kit. In addition, all Unreal Engine 3 full source licensees will receive the Oculus – Unreal Engine 3 integration code free of charge. These new offerings mark Oculus’ entry into Epic’s premier UE3 Integrated Partners Program (IPP). The deepened partnership between the two companies is designed to support all Unreal Engine developers wanting to take their games to a completely new level of immersion.

“Developers have used Unreal Engine technology to create some of the most memorable games in history,” said Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic Games. “We view virtual reality as a massive technological step forward, and are arming all developers with the tools to create game experiences that represent the future. Our partnership with Oculus will bring the highest quality experiences to virtual reality games.”

Epic Games and Oculus have been collaborating since the launch of Oculus’ Kickstarter campaign to improve and optimize the integration with UE3. The custom Oculus-ready version of UDK, the free edition of UE3, will include the Epic Citadel tech demo, a medieval castle and village which developers can explore in virtual reality with the Rift.

“We’ve said from the start that independent developers were as important to us as AAA developers,” said Brendan Iribe, CEO of Oculus. “The Unreal Engine and UDK have proven time and again that they are premiere engines for all game developers. Our relationship with Epic shows our commitment to give every developer the chance to create the next amazing game experience.”

The Oculus Rift is a virtual reality headset that allows users to step into the game. It provides an immersive, stereoscopic 3D experience with a huge field of view-110 degrees diagonally-and overcomes the latency problems that have plagued previous VR gaming headsets, where movement in the game lags behind movement of the player’s head. Developer kits for the Oculus Rift, which game developers can use to create Oculus-ready VR applications and interactive content, will begin shipping to backers at the end of March 2013.

The custom, Oculus-ready version of UDK will be available from the Oculus Developer Center the first week of April.[/toggle]

[Via Engadget]

March 26, 2013
Mystery Buyer Of 1 Million BlackBerry 10 Phones Turns Out To Be e-Distributor Brightstar

Earlier this month a mystery company purchased one million BlackBerry 10 smartphones from BlackBerry. It was was a notable transaction because BlackBerry 10 just launched and because it was the biggest single order BlackBerry (formerly RIM) has ever received in one fell swoop.

Fast forward to Monday, and we now know the identity of the buyer. According to perennially bearish investment firm Detwiler Fenton, the buyer of the 1 million Blackberry 10 units was wireless distributor Brightstar, reports AllThingsD.

“A couple of years ago, Nokia, RIM and Samsung made up over 80 percent of Brightstar revenues, with RIM potentially comprising nearly half of that, I believe,” Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair told AllThingsD. “So [this is] no surprise.”

Brightstar is a massive distributor of cell phones and other gadgets. AllThingsD had originally predicted that the partner was Brightstar competitor Brightpoint, but its sources said the speculation was “a point off” but that they had the “bright” part correct. Putting two and two together, the news outlet was able to guess Brightstar.

The mystery is solved and regardless of who made the purchase, it still represents a risk-taking investment on someone’s part. So when you look at it that way, someone still has the hots for BlackBerry 10.

BlackBerry reports quarterly results March 28 and its early Blackberry 10 sales–in more than 25 markets–are sure to be hot topics on the company’s earnings conference call.

[Via All Things D]

March 26, 2013
Google+ Now Supports Animated GIF Profile Pictures

Google is taking a page out of Facebook’s book and is pushing images as a main part of Google+. As part of this initiative, it has added support for Gifs to be used as Google+ profile pictures.

[pullquote_left] “Our gif to you. You can now use animated gifs for your profile photo,” the official Google+ account announced on Monday. [/pullquote_left]

Some users are happy about the new feature, taking advantage of it to post animated snippets of themselves in various states as an avatar 2.0 kind of deal. Others, however, are expressing displeasure at the change, stating that animated profile pictures are distracting and ugly, and detract from the Google+ experience.

According to the announcement, animated Gifs are now supported on both desktop and mobile devices. However, TNW reports that this feature does not apply to iOS devices as of now.

As Matt Steiner, the person who first posted that Gifs are now supported, said, “[it is] like newspapers in Harry Potter.” We imagine some creative people will make use of this to do some funny and interesting things, much like people did with Facebook cover photos when they were first introduced.

Google also provides a link directing users to a search on “How to make a GIF” in an attempt to encourage users to have one such animated image of their own.

[Via Google+, Slashgear]

March 26, 2013
Windows 8 Mail, People, Calendar Apps Updated, Ditch Google Calender Support

Microsoft previously promised to release updates to Windows 8 core apps before Windows Blue becomes available, and it seems we don’t have to wait long before that happens – these updates will roll out tomorrow, Tuesday, March 26, according to a post on the company’s official blog.

None of the updates reinvent the proverbial wheel, but each app is receiving numerous tweaks designed to improve basic usability. Windows tablet owners will be especially happy with the new-look apps.

The Mail app will support organizational functions like flagging emails and creating folders. The Calendar app will get a new look and meeting scheduling support. And the People app will sport a new command bar to make it quicker for you to navigate through your contacts. There are a few other changes too of course.

When Microsoft released Windows 8 in October, its core productivity apps lacked deep functionality and features. Mail couldn’t even compare with Outlook.com, let alone with the full-blown Outlook Office application. Calendar had the basic bones, but again, lacked functionality compared to the Outlook calendar. And People was more novelty app than something actually useful.

However, it turns out that the newly updated Mail, Calendar, People and Messaging app for Windows 8 has removed support for Google Calendars entirely, pulling the ability to sync both new and existing calendars due to Google pulling the plug on Exchange ActiveSync support. Upon attempting to use the updated app you’ll receive a message similar to the one below, instructing you to reconnect your account.

We can’t connect to [address]@gmail.com because Google no longer supports Exchange ActiveSync. Reconnect to get your emails and contacts using a different method. Cancel to save your drafts and reconnect later

Once the update is available tomorrow, just tap or click on the “Updates” link that appears in the top right-hand corner of the Windows Store to install the update. If you have the Windows Store pinned to your Start screen, its live tile will alert you that you have an update available. You are required to go to the Windows Store to get the update as it won’t install automatically.

March 26, 2013
Autogyaan: Ford India In The Soup Over Sexist Figo Ads

Ford India has landed itself in a tricky spot after controversial advertisements of the Figo made their way on to the internet last week. The advertisements, reportedly made by the creative team at the Indian arm of advertising giant, JWT, emphasize on the boot space offered by the Figo, but are taking serious heat for being sexist and distasteful.

In one of the commercials, the infamous former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi is shown grinning in the driver’s seat as three skimpily clad women are shown bound and gagged stuffed into the boot. In another version, we see Paris Hilton similarly kidnapping fellow millionaire socialites, the Kardashian sisters. There’s a third, comparatively less offensive version, with Michael Schumacher having managed to fit Sebastien Vettel, Lewis Hamilton & Fernando Alonso in the Ford Figo’s boot. All three commercials feature the tagline, ‘Leave Your Worries Behind’.

The timing of the ads is especially poor, with the recent uproar in the nation over stronger anti-rape laws, and the parliament’s recently passed anti-rape legislation on everyone’s mind. Since a large number of India’s masses might not identify Berlusconi, Hilton or the Kardashians, JWT India’s attempt at black humor may backfire and evoke a strong reaction towards Ford India and the Figo.

Ford India has since apologized, in the form of the statement given to NBC

We deeply regret this incident and agree with our agency partners that it should have never happened…. The posters are contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within Ford and our agency partners.

If they keep up with such risky tactics, it might be a little while before Ford India leaves its worries behind.

March 26, 2013
Yahoo Acquires Mobile News Start-Up Summly

A London teenager has sold a mobile app he first designed in his bedroom for between £20 million and £40 million.

Nick D’Aloisio, 17, said he would probably buy a new computer and trainers after Yahoo bought his Summly software for an undisclosed sum.

Yahoo said today on its blog that Nick D’Aloisio will join Yahoo along with the rest of his team.

The free iPhone app automatically boils down lengthy news stories and features to make them more “user friendly” for a mobile screen.

Chief Executive Officer Marissa Mayer is focusing Yahoo on providing Web services that are customized for individual users, and aims to add engineers by buying small technology startups, she said on a conference call last year. Yahoo has acquired at least six such teams — including Jybe Inc., Stamped Inc., OntheAir, Snip.it and Alike — since Mayer took over in July.

“Most articles and Web pages were formatted for browsing with mouse clicks,” Yahoo said on the blog. “The ability to skim them on a phone or a tablet can be a real challenge. We want easier ways to identify what’s important to us.”

Mayer has said she sees the company building sites and technologies that are daily habits for consumers, such as checking e-mail and stock tickers. In January, she said she’s focused on technology that will personalize content from the Web and deliver it to people on their handheld devices.

“We think about how do we take the Internet and order it for you,” Mayer said. Yahoo intends to be “a feed of information that is ordered, the Web is ordered for you and is also on your mobile phone.”

[Via Bloomberg]

March 25, 2013
HTC To Drop ‘Quietly Brilliant’ Tagline

HTC’s making some sweeping changes to their marketing lately with a new announcement that they are dropping the “Quietly Brilliant” tagline in future product ads, according to WSJ.

“We have a lot of innovations but we haven’t been loud enough,” said Mr. Ho, a Singaporean who is HTC’s third marketing chief in less than two years. The new approach, he says, will be bolder.

One such example is HTC’s attack on the Samsung Galaxy S 4, referring to the device as “#thenextbigflop” on Twitter. Ho also said that HTC will be stepping up its advertising efforts by growing its digital marketing budget by 250 percent from 2012, while its traditional marketing budget will grow by 100 percent.

HTC will begin its “bolder strategy” with a new marketing campaign for the HTC One with themes like “bold,” “authentic,” and “playful.” Ho says “bold” will demonstrate that HTC wants to be more aggressive in their marketing speak. “Authentic” will reinforce focus on HTC’s innovation and “playful” will highlight new features that are based on consumer demand.

Ho confirmed the firm will up its worldwide marketing budget 250 per cent on last year, and also told the newspaper: “We have a lot of innovations but we haven’t been loud enough.

Ho stepped outside of the marketing conversation by confirming the delay of the HTC One is due to camera supply shortages.

“Our friends in the media have been asking why there has been a delay in shipments for the new HTC One, whether there is a component shortage. There is some shortage, because the phone’s camera was designed specifically for us, and production cannot be ramped up so quickly.”

[Via Wall Street Journal]

March 25, 2013
Evernote 5 For Android Brings New Camera Features, Revamped UI

Evernote updated the Android version of its app Monday to version 5, bringing an enhanced look to the app as well as a number of new features including support for the app’s Smart Notebook.

A multishot feature lets users snap multiple photos of a moment, and save them without ever leaving the in-app camera. Evernote is also bringing its “page camera” over from iOS, which uses the smartphone’s camera to turn Evernote into a pocket scanner. The page camera finds the edges of scanned pages, removes any shadows and improves the contrast, Evernote says.

The Page Camera function comes particularly in handy with Evernote’s Smart notebook. The Moleskine notebook is designed specifically to work along with Evernote. Dots on each page help page Camera create the optimal representation of a page within Evernote. Smart Stickers allow you to tag a page in real life, while simultaneously tagging the virtual page as well.

Premium users also get to enjoy some new goodies, namely in the form of Document search. Evernote will now search through attached documents, spreadsheets and presentations from the universal search.

Your shortcuts are always just a swipe to the left away, offering you quick access to your most frequently used notebooks and notes.

Engadget reports that there are continued issues with Evernote’s text recognition, which tends to be slow for non-premium users.

[Via Engadget]

March 25, 2013
“XCOM : Enemy Unknown” Coming To iOS

Firaxis has announced that the full version of console and PC strategy title XCOM : Enemy Unknown will release on iOS.

XCOM‘s developers spoke with Joystiq on Saturday after revealing the iOS port of the award-winning strategy game during a PAX East panel. The iOS version of XCOM : Enemy Unknown, they said, will arrive fully intact, with all the features available on its PC and console counterparts.

“It is a straight port,” XCOM lead designer Jake Solomon said. “We have not made any gameplay exceptions. You play the exact same game… it’s just now fully playable on an iPhone or an iPad.”

XCOM : Enemy Unknown is a re-imagined version of the 1994 game X-COM: UFO Defense. The game puts players at the head of a secretive agency charged with protecting Earth from extraterrestrials. Players must monitor alien activity throughout the globe and respond to it with force. They can scramble jets to shoot down UFO’s, or send teams of agents into battle against alien ground forces. Players will directly control their agents in turn-based battles. They’re also in charge of researching new technologies to ensure that their team is adequately equipped to stop the alien invasion.

The game’s developers stressed that XCOM : Enemy Unknown on iOS will be a premium product and priced accordingly.

“It’s going to be priced appropriately for what it is,” Solomon said. “It’s going to be a premium price point. It is the game. It is the full game.”

Some questions remain, however. Will multiplayer make the port? Will any kind of cross-platform saving or online matches be possible?

March 25, 2013
Hyperkin RetroN 5 Console Announced, Can Play Old Game Cartridges
Today, Hyperkin officially showed off their console, and it’s been renamed the RetroN 5, since it has five cartridge slots.

Announced at this weekend’s Midwest Gaming Classic, the RetroN 5 made an appearance as both a rendering, and as a shiny red prototype console, still bearing the RetroN 4 badge, and without the promised GBA slot.

According to Slashdot, the Retron 5 will support cartridges from all of the following:
- NES
- SNES
- Genesis
- Famicom
- Game Boy Advance
- Mega Drive
- Super Famicom
- Game Boy Color
- Game Boy
Rather than using emulators on a PC to play ROM copies of old classic Nintendo and Sega games, the RetroN will allow you to play from original game cartridges and with original controllers, Slashdot reports.

In addition, it will offer an HDMI output for playing games on today’s HDTVs, and a special video enhancement circuit to ensure high quality playback at resolutions up to 720p.

The RetroN 5 will also offer technology to improve the audio quality compared to what you’re used to hearing from emulators, with the ability to increase playback frequency if you so choose.

The RetroN 5 uses an ARM-based System-on-Chip. Hyperkin prefers not to reveal the exact CPU/GPU and memory chips it uses, for fear of tipping off competitors. After all, the process of locating appropriate hardware for clone systems is a tricky one.

Hyperkin hasn’t revealed the pricing or an exact release date for the RetroN 5, but they’re hoping to release the system this July – though they were clear they want to give their development team enough time to put a shiny coat of polish on the finished product, so that date isn’t carved in stone.

You can watch the launch video below :

[Via Slashdot, Technabob]
March 24, 2013
Windows Store Hits 50,000 Apps

According to an unofficial tally by the site MetroStore Scanner, Microsoft has pushed past 50,000 total apps within the Windows Store.

The service also noted that there has been a large decline in new submissions since November of last year, with averages dropping from 400 to 150 in February before seeing an uptick to 200 in March.

It is unclear whether Microsoft’s new rewards program has helped in the growth. The company began offering developers $100 per app for new published apps submitted to either the Windows Phone Store or the Windows 8 Store before June 30th. Each developer can qualify for up to 10 apps per store, for a net total of $2000 in bonuses. All apps must meet standard certification requirements, and the app must do more than just launch a web page. Additionally, you cannot clone existing published apps.

The offers runs until June 30 but is exclusive to those living in the US.

As TechCrunch’s Matt Burns notes, it’s difficult to compare the growth of apps in the Microsoft Store versus rival Apple, which lists approximately 13,000 total apps or so in its Mac App Store as of this article’s writing, as there is a huge difference in the quality of apps available for the 2 OSs.

While this is good news for Windows 8 PC users, it’s not so great for Windows RT tablet users considering the iPad has 376,000 dedicated applications.

With that in mind there’s still plenty of work for Microsoft to do, but signs are more encouraging.

[Via TechCrunch]

March 24, 2013
Apple Acquires WiFiSLAM Indoor Location Tech Startup

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has acquired indoor mobile location positioning firm WiFiSLAM, in a deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million.

The Wall Street Journal‘s Jessica Lessin reports:

“Apple has acquired indoor-GPS company WifiSLAM, a sign that the war over indoor mobile location services is heating up. Apple paid around $20 million for the Silicon Valley-based company, according to a person familiar with the matter who said the deal closed recently.

The two-year-old startup has developed ways for mobile apps to detect a phone user’s location in a building using Wi-Fi signals. It has been offering the technology to application developers for indoor mapping and new types of retail and social networking apps.”

Founded in 2010 by former Google engineering intern Joseph Huang and Jessica Tsoong, WifiSlam develops technology that allows mobile apps to find a person’s exact location inside a building by using wi-fi signals. Such tech has been alluring to brick-and-mortar retail organizations that wish to gain more location-based data on customers as they browse a store, not to mention museums, theme parks, malls, and convention centers.

Apple could implement the positioning assets into its much maligned iOS Maps app as an answer to Google’s Indoor Maps initiative, which leverages crowdsourcing to deliver indoor location information for a number of sites worldwide.

[Wall Street Journal]

March 24, 2013