Nexus 4 Available at T-Mobile USA for $50 for a Limited Time
US-based carrier T-Mobile has just kicked off a promotional offer for Nexus 4, which is now available for only $50/€40 with a new two-year agreement and after $300/€230 instant discount, $50/€40 mail-in rebate and $150/€115 web-only discount.
As BriefMobile points out, this is limited time offer and could any day given the fact that T-Mobile does not offer an dates on its official website.
There's more to it as the carrier throws in a free car charger to each customers who purchases the Nexus 4. In addition, T-Mobile has waived the $35/€25 activation fee. Check it out here.
T-Mobile Nexus 4 ships with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box. The phone packs a powerful 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, accompanied by an Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM.
Via: Nexus 4 Available at T-Mobile USA for $50 for a Limited Time
iPhone 5S/iPhone 6 Coming in 123 Days, According to Arrival.io
If you’re looking for a way to know when Apple is likely to release its next Mac or iDevice, look no further than arrival.io, a simple web site dedicated to tracking the arrival time of Apple’s next hardware upgrades.
Apparently inspired from MacRumors’ buyer guide, arrival.io was “made with love” by @brandon_weiss and @thejurgy who wished to offer Apple fans a more visual method of tracking down that next big announcement from Cupertino.
Unlike MacRumors’ colorful dots, arrival.io uses progress bars / gauges, along with actual numbers to inform visitors of when the next product release might occur.
That’s “might” occur. It’s not set in stone that Apple will unveil a new Mac Pro within 31 days, as the guide says. In fact, there’s a good chance Apple has abandoned the Mac Pro altogether.
For the next iPhone, you have 123 days left to wait, according to arrival.io. That means the iPhone 5S / iPhone 6 is coming in four months from now, just when Apple holds its annual WWDC conference.
Via: iPhone 5S/iPhone 6 Coming in 123 Days, According to Arrival.io
Linux Kernel 3.0.68 LTS Released with Minor Fixes
Greg Kroah-Hartman announced the immediate availability for download of Linux kernel 3.0.68.
This latest version in the 3.0.x branch comes with an impressive number of driver changes and fixes, but it also brings some very specific commits.
Highlights of Linux kernel 3.0.68:
• Make sure we can boot in case the BDA contains pure garbage;
• Do not leak kernel page mapping locations;
• A workaround in the boot failure on HP ProLiant DL980 G7 Server systems has been implemented;
• The store status for ACRS/FPRS has been fixed.
“I'm announcing the release of the 3.0.68 kernel. All users of the 3.0 kernel series should upgrade.
“The updated 3.0.y git tree can be found at: git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-stable.git linux-3.0.y and can be browsed at the normal kernel.org git web browser: http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-stable.git,” said Greg Kroah-Hartman in the email announcement.
Users of the Linux kernel 3.0.x branch are urged to update to the new version as soon as possible in order to fix any issues.
Download Linux kernel 3.0.68 right now from Softpedia.
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China Kills Plans for Live Execution Parade on TV
Last week, CCTV, the state-run Chinese network, announced that it would air a 2-hour TV special that would conclude with the execution of a vicious drug lord and his lieutenants, convicted of the murder of 13 people, which would air live.
It pulled the plug on airing the execution at the last minute.
ABC News reports that the people initially greeted the announcement with excitement, mostly because of the gruesome nature of the crimes Naw Kham and his people were charged with.
However, the same media outlet notes, as the execution parade proceeded on TV, reactions online became increasingly negative, with more and more viewers saying it was wrong.
“CCTV announced the two-hour special that would feature live reports from the location where the men would be killed by lethal injection in Kumming, Yunnan Province,” ABC News says.
The TV special aired but ended abruptly right before the execution, with CCTV offering no official explanation for the decision to go back on the initial announcement.
Via: China Kills Plans for Live Execution Parade on TV
T-Mobile Prism II Press Photo and Specs Sheet Leak: Jelly Bean and 1GHz CPU
US-based carrier T-Mobile plans to release a sequel to the affordable Prism I Android smartphone. This is the first time we heard about this follow up to Prism, so let's see what it has to offer.
According to evleaks, T-Mobile Prism II will sport a HVGA capacitive touchscreen display, but, sadly, the exact size of the screen is unknown for the moment.
Secondly, the smartphone packs a much better 1 GHz single core processor than the 600 MHz CPU embedded onto the original Prism model. Last but not least, Prism II will ship with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box.
The smartphone is manufactured by Huawei and goes by codename U8686. It is also worth mentioning the first press photo of of T-Mobile Prism II has been provided by evleaks as well.
Via: T-Mobile Prism II Press Photo and Specs Sheet Leak: Jelly Bean and 1GHz CPU
Get Cave Story+ with a 75% Discount on Steam for Linux
Cave Story+, a 2D action platformer developed by Nicalis and Studio Pixel that is available on Steam for Linux, now benefits from a 75% discount.
Regarded as one of the most famous indie games ever developed, Cave Story+ will provide a complete experience for all ages.
Cave Story+ features original (320x240) graphics and upgraded “HD” graphics, remastered music, six new play modes (including Wind Fortress, Boss Rush and more), over 20 epic boss battles through Mimiga Island, 15 levels to explore in the vast world, 10 unique weapons to find and upgrade, and four unique endings.
The game has accessible recommended Linux system requirements: Ubuntu 10.04 or newer, Intel Core Duo 2.0 Ghz and above, 512 MB RAM, 256MB Video RAM, and 200 MB HD space.
The offer will run until 18.00 GMT. If you are interested about Cave Story+ you should check the official Steam website.
Add us on Google+Via: Get Cave Story+ with a 75% Discount on Steam for Linux
A Gamers Week: March 3
For the first week of March our review section includes: Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, a platformer with incredible style, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the action title from developer Platinum Games and publisher Konami, and Star Wars Pinball from Zen Studios.
We also have a series of Gamer Diaries associated with March of the Eagles, the grand strategy video game from Paradox Interactive, and a running selection of news about the PlayStation 4.
As always, gamers can also enjoy the Weekend Reading features: one about the reasons I am already tired about the PlayStation 4 announcements from Sony and another about microtransactions and their uses.
As you already know, we also deliver an EndWeekGame piece about our free time and we have a selection of the most important news of the past week.
On Monday, Ubisoft talked about its desires for the next generation of consoles, including a shorter overall life, while Sony talked about the DualShock 4 design for the PlayStation 4.
On Tuesday, the company pledged to support Walking Dead like experiences and we got an exclusive talk with the producer of Blacklight Retribution, about to cooperative and free-to-play.
Wednesday saw Microsoft register a new slew of domain names linked to the coming Xbox 720 and its associated service, and witnessed the first details of the new Assassin’s Creed 4, which will be called Black Flag.
On Thursday, Obsidian talked about the Engagement melee battle mechanics for Project Eternity just as Ubisoft confirmed the existence of Black Flag via a cover reveal.
On Friday, a new leak talked about the processor of the coming Xbox 720 from Microsoft while the Achievements for the Citadel DLC for Mass Effect 3 were revealed.
Saturday saw one of the makers of Gears of War talk about piracy and R.R. Martin endorse the recently launched Game of Thrones Ascent Facebook title.
Via: A Gamers Week: March 3
SimCity Has No Abandoned City Mechanics, Says Creative Director
The rebooted SimCity introduces a lot of new ideas to the core city-building experience of the series and at least one of them might pose problems for gamers in the long term, if they are not careful about plotting their early moves in the game.
He tells Incgamers that, “if it really bothers you, you could destroy the whole region and start over but if you don’t want to do that you could send the city that is affecting the area a big gift of cash from the adjacent cities and use that to clean up.”
The option was not added because SimCity’s new structure encourages the creation of many specialized small settlements that can serve the needs of others, providing them with specialized goods and resources.
Quigley added, “we’re not ever going to kick you, we figured that would be the worst option. So if I invite you to play in my region and then stop playing, I can formally ask you not to abandon your city, but if you don’t do that, that city is basically yours forever, it is locked as yours.”
Maxis and Electronic Arts have no plans to create a way for players to take over another city without permission or to kick someone out of a region.
This basically means that each SimCity player will have to be very careful about those he invites to his own region, making sure that they are ready to play the game in the long term.
The rebooted SimCity is designed to appeal to long-term fans of the franchise and to newcomers as well, with curved roads and a focus on tracking citizen needs and performance.
Via: SimCity Has No Abandoned City Mechanics, Says Creative Director
Weekend Reading: PlayStation 4 Fatigue
The PlayStation 4 was officially revealed a little more than 10 days ago and I am already getting tired of hearing about the new Sony hardware platform and the amazing things it might or might not do on launch, later during 2013.
But I would appreciate if Sony focused on the core elements of the PlayStation 4 rather than talking about principles, values, openness, player focus, momentum and other marketing ideals.
We do have a list of the hardware specifications for the console, but we lack a clear idea of how powerful its processor is and how the shift to the X86 architecture will influence its performance.
It’s unclear exactly how many third-party developers are actually working on titles for the PlayStation 4, given the European list has shrunk from over 50 to around 30 in less than one full week.
We don’t know exactly how the traditional Move will work with the newer motion tracking capabilities integrated into the controller.
These are not trivial matters that can be clarified before launch.
I can understand why Sony is unwilling to show off the actual design of the console or its price.
But the fundamental features of the device should be revealed in full as soon as possible in order to give the public a clear chance to evaluate it and decide whether it’s worth a future purchase.
At the moment Sony is only offering details that increase the profile of the device and promising that more in-depth information will be delivered in the coming months.
I’m tired of hearing the same talking lines from leading Sony executives and would deeply appreciate a more sincere communication effort for the PlayStation 4.
Via: Weekend Reading: PlayStation 4 Fatigue
How to Install Apple Remote Desktop 3.3 in OS X Mountain Lion
Apple has updated a Support document on its web site acknowledging that users of Lion and Mountain Lion may be unable to install the latest version of Apple Remote Desktop, a software tool for managing Macs in a network.
Customers attempting to install Apple Remote Desktop 3.3 may see an error pop up. The dialog states that it requires Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard when, in reality, it does not.
To work around this issue, Apple has some instructions for users on OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.
The idea is to go inside the installer package and locate a file called Archive.pax.gz. Users need to expand (unarchive) the file, locate Remote Desktop and drag it to their Applications folder, then immediately run Software Update.
On Mountain Lion in particular, users must manually download the 3.3 update from Apple’s Support Downloads site. See Apple’s documentation for the full instruction set.
Via: How to Install Apple Remote Desktop 3.3 in OS X Mountain Lion
Ready for OS X 10.8.3 CrossOver Mac 12.1.2 to Improve Gaming Performance
CodeWeavers has released a new version of CrossOver, the company’s flagship software application that runs Windows programs on Apple’s Mac OS without virtualization. CrossOver 12.1.2 features optimizations for the upcoming OS X 10.8.3.
As Apple continues to address bugs in OS X 10.8.3 Mountain Lion, CodeWeavers has released a fully compatible version of its CrossOver software to include some performance improvements and optimizations.
These have all been fixed, according to the company.
Another bug, which caused Outlook 2010 to fail to open .xlsx, .pptx, and .docx attachments, has been addressed as well.
An error which caused Quicken to fail to connect to Chase Bank online is now patched, and Office 2007 and 2010 will now display help topics.
For Mac users, and gamers in particular, CodeWeavers reveal that its software engineers have managed to make some improvements to windowing in the Mac Driver.
Lastly, the company has tested this new CrossOver build against Apple’s OS X 10.8.3 betas and confirms that your gaming experience will be much improved under that particular version of the Mac OS.
“We are hopeful that changes in this version of CrossOver will mean that gaming performance will improve when Apple releases its upcoming OS X 10.8.3,” says CodeWeavers.
Originally released as a beta to developers in November, OS X 10.8.3 is Apple’s third maintenance update for Mountain Lion.
So far, the Cupertino giant has seeded no less than 12 betas to its sea of developers with instructions to test AirPlay, Graphics Drivers, Safari, and other core areas of the OS.
Apple has yet to release the software to the public. But when it does so, you can expect CrossOver to play along, according to CodeWeavers.
Download CrossOver Mac
Via: Ready for OS X 10.8.3 CrossOver Mac 12.1.2 to Improve Gaming Performance
GNOME 3.8 Beta 1 Is Now Available for Testing
Javier Jardón Cabezas proudly announced a few days ago that the first Beta release of the upcoming GNOME 3.8 desktop environment is ready for download and testing.
GNOME 3.8 Beta 1 has also been delay from the original schedule, six day this time, but it is now available for download and testing on the main GNOME FTP server, bringing many updated components, various improvements, new features, and the usual bugfixes.
GNOME 3.8 Beta 1 comes with the following updated applications: NetworkManager, NetworkManager Applet, Baobab, Caribou, Clutter, Cogl, Dconf, Empathy, Epiphany, Evince, Folks, Mutter, Nautilus, Tracker, Vala, Vino and Yelp. The ModemManager and libqmi packages have been added in this release.
The following main GNOME components have been updated in GNOME 3.8 Beta 1: GDM, Glib2, Glib Networking, Gmime, GNOME Calculator, GNOME Contacts, GNOME Desktop, GNOME Control Center, GNOME Disk Utility, GNOME Menus, GNOME Online Accounts, GNOME Session, GNOME Settings Daemon, GNOME Shell, GNOME System Monitor, GNOME Themes Standard, GNOME User Docs, GNOME User Share, GTK+, and a few other core libraries.
The next development release will be GNOME 3.8 Beta 2, which should be available for testing next week, followed by a Release Candidate version at the end of March. The final release of the GNOME 3.8 desktop environment will see the light of day on March 27th, 2013.
Download GNOME 3.8 Beta 1 (3.7.90) sources right now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a beta release and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended to be used for testing purposes only.
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Alpine 2.5.4 Linux Distro Is Powered by Kernel 3.6.11
The Alpine Team announced a few hours ago, March 1, that the Alpine Linux 2.5.4 Linux distribution is available for download.
Alpine Linux 2.5.4 is just a kernel security bug fix release, powered by a custom Linux kernel 3.6.11 that includes all stable kernel fixes up to version 3.4.34.
Highlights of Alpine Linux 2.5.4:
• Linux Kernel has been upgraded to 3.6.11 with all the patches from 3.4.34;
• Varnish has been updated to version 3.0.3;
• Zabbix has been updated to version 2.0.5;
• Added logrotate support to snmptt;
• Upgraded OpenSSL to version 1.0.1e;
• Pidgin has been updated to version 2.10.7;
• Postfix and Postfix Admin have been updated to version 2.9.6 and 2.3.6, respectively;
• Fixed setup-interfaces vlan-raw-device in alpine-conf;
• Rebuild many packages agains Linux kernel 3.6.11.
More details can be found in the official release announcement.
Download Alpine Linux 2.5.4 right now from Softpedia.
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Mage's Initiation Kickstarter Offers Insane Reward Packs Worth $450 to Lucky Backers
Himalaya Studios, the team that is now struggling to fund their Mage’s Initiation adventure/RPG title via KickStarter made an amazing announcement.
It appears that developers are willing to offer reward packs worth $450/€345 in game-related stuff to two random backers from their global backer pool upon reaching $10K milestones starting at $60K/€46K.
In order to raise the hype around the project, Himalaya Studios offers the following rewards to two random backers for each 10K/€7.6K milestone reached:
- 4 Game boxes (Fire, Earth, Air, and Water) containing game and soundtrack CDs;
- 1 Standard DVD Case/copy of the “Mages Initiation” game;
- 4 D'arc Polyresin figures - Fire, Earth, Air, and Water (4” x 3” x 3”);
- 3 Digital Copies of the “Mage's Initiation” game;
- 1 Digital Copy of the “Al Emmo & the Lost Dutchman’s Mine” game;
- 1 Digital “Al Emmo & the Lost Dutchman’s Mine” soundtrack (53 Tracks);
- 1 “Mage's Initiation” Poster (18” x 24”);
- 1 “Mage’s Initiation” 50-page Hardcover Art book;
- 2 Bronze “Severed Circle” Pendants;
- 3 Complete sets of character trading cards (15 foil packs, 120 cards total);
- 1 Art Lithograph, Signed by JP Selwood (8.5” x 11”);
- 2 Cloth Maps of the Land of Iginor (11” x 17”);
- 2 T-shirts (Mens or Ladies sizes).
According to developers, all shipping and customs duty costs associated with this treasure trove will be covered by them.
Keep in mind that this reward is in addition to whatever tier rewards the lucky winners pledged for. Check out the project on KickStarter here. If you wish to see this game published on Steam, you can also vote for it here.
Via: Mage's Initiation Kickstarter Offers Insane Reward Packs Worth $450 to Lucky Backers
PlayStation Network Will Be Down for 11 Hours Starting Monday, March 4
Sony announces that the PlayStation Network will be down for a scheduled maintenance period starting at 16 PM Greenwich Mean Time on Monday, March 4, with the entire service expected to be back online at 3 AM GMT on Tuesday, March 5.
In an official PlayStation Blog post, the team states that the services to be down include:
- PlayStation Store on PS3 and PSP
- PlayStation Network Account Management
- PlayStation Network Account Registration
Sony says that all those who are playing PlayStation 3 video games during the maintenance period will be able to continue collecting Trophies and that their profile on the PSN will be updated at a later date.
Gamers should be warned that, the last time when the PlayStation Network was down, service was resumed late and Sony failed to offer a reason for the problems that it faced, with some speculating another security breach.
Via: PlayStation Network Will Be Down for 11 Hours Starting Monday, March 4
PlayStation 4 Is Easier to Developer for than PS3, Says GRID 2 Developer
Clive Moody, a senior executive producer working on GRID 2, states that it is generally easier to create video games for the newly announced PlayStation 4 than for the previous home console with the same brand.
He tells Edge that, “I think from the off with PS4 architecture it’s going to be easier to get results.”
He adds, “The last thing we want as developers is stuff in the way of producing and creating experiences so that’s a massive plus.”
Sony says that it has chosen a X86 architecture for the PlayStation 4 in order to make sure that it’s very easy to create games on it and port experience that already exist on the PC, like Blizzard’s Diablo III.
Moody is also saying that Codemasters currently has no plans to launch GRID 2 on next gen consoles.
The racing game is expected to arrive during May.
Via: PlayStation 4 Is Easier to Developer for than PS3, Says GRID 2 Developer
Deadly Premonition Sequel Likelier than Ports, Says Game Creator
Hidetaka Suehiro, known to gamers as Swery, says that it’s unlikely Deadly Premonition will be launched on any platforms other than home consoles but suggested once more that a sequel might be in the works.
The developer tells MCV that, “If I had the chance to bring Deadly Premonition to these other formats, I might work on it. But I’d like to start a new project.”
His company might create a true follow-up for Deadly Premonition or a prequel to explain some elements of the game universe.
Suehiro also offered more information on the Director’s Cut version of the game, saying, “new players will be able to discover this unique world much easier than before.”
The new version of the game, on the PS3, is designed to support the Move motion control system and will also offer better controls and improved visuals.
Via: Deadly Premonition Sequel Likelier than Ports, Says Game Creator
Samsung Galaxy Ace IIx Arriving at Rogers for $225/165 Outright
Samsung's Galaxy Ace IIx has been available in Canada for a few months now, but Rogers has yet to add it to its portfolio of budget-friendly Android smartphones.
Well, it appears that’s about to change, as MobileSyrup reports the smartphone is now on its way to Rogers’ airwaves. Samsung Galaxy Ace IIx will be available for only $225/€165 on no-term.
The device ships with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system out of the box and packs a 1GHz single-core processor, which should be enough to run most apps and games.
Other highlights of the phone include: 5-megapixel rear photo snapper, 4-inch capacitive touchscreen display that supports 480 x 800 pixels resolution, Wi-Fi and 3G support, 4GB of internal memory, as well as microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB).
Via: Samsung Galaxy Ace IIx Arriving at Rogers for $225/165 Outright
Study: US Investors Interested in Cybersecurity Practices, Cyberattack History
Experts often say that cyberattacks are bad for the economy and the latest HBGary survey, conducted by Zogby Analytics, reinforces this.
It turns out that over 70% of American investors analyze the security practices of a company before taking any decisions. Moreover, 80% of them say they would probably not invest in an organization that’s been targeted by cybercriminals.
“For some time, we have said that cybersecurity cannot be a “checkbox” item on a company’s operational to do list,” explained Ken Silva, senior vice president of cyber strategy for ManTech’s Mission Cyber & Intelligence Solutions Group.
“This survey proves that today’s investors are more educated about the damage cyberattacks can cause to a company’s brand and financial bottom line. The high cost of cyberattacks cannot be understated.”
However, investors appear to be aware of the fact that cyberattacks are highly common and there’s nothing that companies can do to make sure they’re not targeted. That’s why most of them don’t look at the actual attacks, but at the corporate responses to cyberattacks.
So what types of security incidents are more concerning? According to HBGary, breaches that involve customer data are twice as concerning as those as a result of which intellectual property is stolen.
“Consumer data breaches grab the headlines and the large liability settlements. But the lack of concern for IP theft, underscores the need for broader education about the financial risk IP theft poses to a company” noted Jim Butterworth, HBGary chief security officer.
“The pilfering of American company trade secrets and other sensitive data is happening every day – costing our corporations billions of dollars in lost revenue.”
Add me on Google+Via: Study: US Investors Interested in Cybersecurity Practices, Cyberattack History
GANG Announces Nominees for Video Game Audio and Music Prizes
The Game Audio Network Guild is announcing the nominees for the 11th annual awards designed to honor the best achievement in audio and music use in video games.
G.A.N.G. president Brian Schmidt states, “This year’s G.A.N.G. award nominees continue to raise the bar, pushing creative boundaries, innovating in technology and delivering exceptional execution and production across all aspects of game audio.”
The complete list of nominees includes:
Audio of the Year
Diablo III
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Journey
The Darkness II
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Music of the Year
Fez
Journey
The Unfinished Swan
Wonderbook: Book of Spells
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
Sound Design of the Year
Diablo III
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Journey
The Darkness II
Best Soundtrack Album
Dear Esther
Halo 4
Journey
Mass Effect 3
The Unfinished Swan
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
Best Interactive Score
Diablo III
Journey
Sound Shapes
Starhawk
The Unfinished Swan
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Best Handheld Audio
Need for Speed Most Wanted
ORC: Vengeance
Ravensword: Shadowlands
Rayman Jungle Run
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Best Audio in a Casual/Social Game
Deadlight
Dear Esther
Ghost Recon Commander
Globulous
Solitaire Blitz
The Unfinished Swan
Best Cinematic/Cutscene Audio
Halo 4
Resident Evil 6
The Darkness II
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
Best Dialogue
Diablo III
Fable: The Journey
Far Cry 3
The Darkness II
The Walking Dead
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Best Original Instrumental
"Apotheosis" - Journey
"Heart of Pandaria" - World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
"I Have Begun My Ascent" - Dear Esther
"Pigs In Space" - LittleBigPlanet 2: The Muppets
"Outcast Theme" - Starhawk
"The Unfinished Swan" - The Unfinished Swan
Best Original Vocal – Choral
"Angelus" - The Darkness II
"Incantation" - Diablo III
"Main Menu" - Halo 4
"Main Theme" - Assassin's Creed III Liberation
"The Eored" - Riders of Rohan
"The Resistance Fighters" - Kinect Star Wars
Best Original Vocal – Pop
"Always" - Dear Esther
"I Was Born For This" - Journey
"Song of Liu Lang" - World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
"The Taking" - Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller
"Try And Forget Me" - 1954: Alcatraz
Best Audio Mix
Dragon's Dogma
Far Cry 3
Planetside 2
Prototype 2
The Darkness II
Best Use of Licensed Music
Kinect Star Wars
LittleBigPlanet Karting
MLB 12: The Show
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Tiny & Big: Grandpa's Leftovers
Via: GANG Announces Nominees for Video Game Audio and Music Prizes
Nokia Lumia 920 Now on Pre-Order in the Philippines
Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia is getting ready for the launch of its Lumia 920 flagship handset on the market in the Philippines, and it has already kicked off the reservation period for the device, it seems.
The smartphone can now be found available for pre-order in the country via Nokia stores, the company has announced, without offering a specific release date or price tag for it.
However, as WPCentral notes, the Windows Phone 8 handset was also listed for reservations through CMK Cellphones, a local phone store that has it available at 25,750 PhP (around $630 / €480).
Apparently, the smartphone will hit shelves in the country in red, white and yellow, at least this is what Nokia Revolution claims to have found out. The retailer is also said to be asking users for a 10 percent deposit for the device.
Via: Nokia Lumia 920 Now on Pre-Order in the Philippines
Gears of War: Judgment Season Pass Brings Access to Two DLCs, Double XP, More
Epic Games has just confirmed that its upcoming Gears of War: Judgment third-person shooter will receive a special VIP Season Pass that has access to two add-ons, which include lots of maps, new modes and weapons, as well as to a permanent double XP bonus and plenty of extra skins for weapons and armor.
Gears of War: Judgment is out in March and developer Epic Games has focused on getting lots of Xbox 360 owners interested in the new shooter.
We have already seen some new videos and even the leak of the actual game onto torrent websites.
Now, Epic has confirmed that Judgment will receive a special VIP Season Pass that includes to a variety of bonuses, like two separate add-ons and different perks, so check out the advantages below, via Epic Games.
- Two upcoming Game Add-on Packs that include six multiplayer maps, two new modes, and new weapon and armor skins.
- Early access to Game Add-on multiplayer maps so you can be the first to play.
- A permanent double XP boost to accelerate your ascent through the ranks.
- Five exclusive weapon skins and four exclusive armor skins.
The Gears of War: Judgment VIP Season Pass will launch alongside the game and costs 1600 MS Points.
Via: Gears of War: Judgment Season Pass Brings Access to Two DLCs, Double XP, More
Microsoft Unveils Touch-Optimized Website to Promote IE10
Microsoft has recently introduced the new Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7, but the company continues to promote the touch-optimized version of its browser with a new campaign.
This time, the Redmond-based technology giant partnered with singer, song-writer and composer Black Lewis for the creation of ExploreTouch.ie, a new website that plays the role of an interactive touch player to mix and create a song.
“Built entirely in HTML5, Explore Touch takes advantage of the innovative touch support of IE10 to create a site that can be swiped, tapped, scratched and rotated to fully explore the richness and depth of Blake’s track, Your Touch,” Microsoft said.
Of course, users are recommended to give the new website a shot in Internet Explorer 10, but we’ve tried it in some other browsers and everything worked like a charm.
Via: Microsoft Unveils Touch-Optimized Website to Promote IE10
Full Cast Announced for Dancing With the Stars, Season 16
After a rather lackluster All-Star season, ABC’s Dancing With the Stars needs a boost in ratings and it needs it badly. Sadly, chances of that happening with season 16 are slim to none, as the entire cast has just been announced.
As several media outlets point out, you might need your trusty Google on hand for this one.
Besides the highly unpredictable Andy Dick, singer Wynonna Judd and Kelli Pickler, few of the names of the stars on the list will probably ring a bell with mainstream audiences, but ABC honchos are keeping strangely optimistic.
With the announcement also came confirmation that Maksim Chmerkovskiy is out, as I also reported some time ago. No word yet on when – and if – he’s coming back.
Below is the list of the stars on season 16 of DWTS, together with their partners, the professional dancers.
Victor Ortiz with Lindsay Arnold
Kellie Pickler with Derek Hough
Wynonna Judd with Tony Dovolani
Ingo Rademacher with Kym Johnson
Zendaya Coleman with Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Andy Dick with Sharna Burgess
Lisa Vanderpump with Gleb Savchenko
Aly Raisman with Mark Ballas
Dorothy Hamill with Tristan MacManus
D.L. Hughley with Cheryl Burke
Jacoby Jones with Karina Smirnoff
Via: Full Cast Announced for Dancing With the Stars, Season 16
Frostbite 2 Command & Conquer Gameplay Footage Looks Impressive
Developer Victory Games is ready to offer more information on the upcoming Command & Conquer free-to-play video game and after launching screenshots and details the team delivers the first gameplay footage that uses the Frostbite 2 engine.
Frostbite 2 is quite impressive even if the game is still in pre-alpha stage and fans of the franchise will surely recognize some of their favorite units.
The video footage posted by VG247 also features developer commentary that mentions plans for an closed beta later during the spring.
Command & Conquer is set to be launched on the PC during the fall of this year.
The game will allow gamers battle other humans online and train in a skirmish mode but the Victory Games team plans to add a more extensive single player campaign after the game is released.
Via: Frostbite 2 Command & Conquer Gameplay Footage Looks Impressive
Oscars 2013: The Worst Dressed Ladies of the Night
The awards season is officially over now that the 2013 Academy Awards came… and went. With it being the biggest event in the film industry, pressure to look impeccable was huge on the celebrities attending – so great, in fact, that some of them collapsed under it.
We’re just going to assume that the ladies included on this year’s worst dressed list at the Oscars failed because they tried too hard, not because they lacked the money, the competent people or the inclination that would have made them more presentable on the red carpet.
In so doing, they opted for scooping, dangerously low cleavage or, in Liberty Ross’ case, a completely see-through mini dress.
Coincidence or not, but all three women who were too revealing for the occasion are models.
Irina Shayk has a gorgeous body and a face to match. Guests at the Vanity Fair afterparty nearly got to see the former close up and personal, and hardly recognized the latter because of the awful makeup job.
Revealing clothes and bad makeup are never a good combination.
Heidi Klum wore a ridiculously low cut golden dress that looked incredibly uncomfortable and out of place.
Ross, whom you might remember as the wife of director Rupert Sanders, with whom Kristen Stewart cheated on Robert Pattinson, on the other hand, wore a black mini that went see-through when the flashes were on, revealing both her breasts and her knickers.
We can’t include the photos here but, just so you can get the idea, it looked like this.
Brandi Glanville, former wife of Eddie Cibrian and reality star / author, did not have her backup dresses with her and ended up wearing a gown that she knew was too small for her.
Kristen Stewart’s dress was gorgeous but her styling completely ruined her: with messy and greasy hair, stained fingers and no manicure, the “Twilight” star looked as if she’d decided to attend the event at the last minute, even though she was one of the presenters – so she can’t use that excuse.
Last but not least is Melissa McCarthy. David Meister has been dressing her for years, but this grey, shapeless and unflattering number they decided on for the Oscars, in combination with the big hair, failed to do her any favors.
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Via: Oscars 2013: The Worst Dressed Ladies of the Night
Oscars 2013: Charlie Sheen Doesnt Need the Oscars, Throws His Own Party
The 2013 Academy Awards took place Sunday night at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood and, while many other stars who weren’t invited wished they had been, Charlie Sheen was throwing his own, Oscar-rival-worthy party.
Throughout the entire awards show, the Warlock with Adonis DNA tweeted up a storm, showing fans that, when it comes to partying, few are those who could keep up with him.
Check out some of the pics in the gallery below.
From showing him taking a Vodka shower or fallen to the ground, locked in an embrace with a tall metal ashtray, the photos also have aptly chosen descriptions.
“Late for the Oscars again.... c #Snubbed #JustMadeBail,” he writes in a tweet to the first photo above, showing him stumbling drunk on the edge of a lake, I think.
Deep down inside, I just wish these are old pictures he’s using because he looks pretty messed up in them, and he was just getting back to (a semblance of) normal again.
Via: Oscars 2013: Charlie Sheen Doesnt Need the Oscars, Throws His Own Party
Incoming 2013: Dead Island Riptide
What we know: Dead Island was a surprise hit when it launched during 2011 although much of the hype that surrounded the experience was due to the impressive cinematic trailer that had been launched for it earlier during the year.
With Riptide, the development team at Techland is aiming to capture the attention of the public with the same concept again and build on the initial success.
The new location allows the development team to introduce new environment types, including a swampy one, which will allow new enemies to take the player by surprise, and more variety is promised for the various quests and set pieces.
The four characters from the original Dead Island are returning to the game, complete with new items to use and new abilities.
A newcomer will join the undead powered party in order to test his own strength against the hordes.
Dead Island – Riptide will be launched on the PC, the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 on April 23 in the United States and three days later in Europe.
Why it matters: Dead Island was much appreciated for the slow motion reverse time trailer that first revealed the core themes and mechanics of the game.
Developer Techland and publisher Deep Silver have tried producing something similar for Riptide, but the promotional efforts have failed to ignite the same effect.
It will be interesting to see whether the expanded mechanics in Riptide will manage to get fans back into the undead-infested Pacific or whether the initial action experience was enough to satisfy our appetite for crushing zombie skulls.
The full Incoming 2012 series of articles can be read on Softpedia right here.
Via: Incoming 2013: Dead Island Riptide
MWC 2013: Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 Hands-On
As expected, Samsung announced the upcoming availability of its Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet, which might or might not be the spiritual successor of the Galaxy Note II.
For the time being, it’s unclear if this is Galaxy Note 10.1’s little sister or Samsung plans to make it the Galaxy Note II successor, thus skipping the Galaxy Note III.
All in all, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is more of a marketing move as the slate does not really feature anything innovative in terms of specs.
The slate is powered by a 1.6 GHz quad-core Exynos processor and packs 2GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB of internal memory, which can be further expanded up to 64GB via microSD memory card.
The 8-inch display supports 800 x 1280 pixels resolution. There’s also a 5-megapixel photo snapper on the back and a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available soon for around 500 USD / 380 EUR, depending on the location.
Via: MWC 2013: Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 Hands-On
SoundKonverter 2.0.0 RC 1 Improves Replay Gain Function for Mp3 Files
SoundKonverter, a frontend to various audio converters that can be used for different tasks including CD ripping, is now at version 2.0.0 RC 1.
SoundKonverter 2.0.0 RC 1 supports a large number of formats, such as flac, mp3, m4a, wma, ac3, and many others. If the user tries to convert a file that is not supported, the application will inform them which backend needs installation.
Highlights of SoundKonverter 2.0.0 RC 1:
• The option to not modify the audio stream of mp3 files when calculating Replay Gain has been added;
• The libav plugin has been added;
• Modify mp3 stream when forcing the recalculation of Replay Gain;
• Don't try to calculate Replay Gain if it is impossible;
• Sox effects are now working properly;
• A crash which occurred when encoding with sox and without filters has been fixed;
• Calculate Replay Gain if there is only one track in the album.
Check out the official announcement for a complete list of updates, changes, and new features.
Download SoundKonverter 2.0.0 RC 1 right now from Softpedia.
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NASCAR Abuses Copyright Infringement to Remove Horrific Crash Video from YouTube
Media companies are always asking for more copyright protection, for more tools to take down infringing content, for Google to do more to protect their business.
They argue that they need it all to thwart pirates who are threatening the livelihood of millions (Hollywood math) of people and that the fears of critics who argue that these tools and laws can and will be abused are unfounded.
As anyone who has used the internet and even a few of those who haven't will tell you, you can never take stuff "off" the internet, once it's there, it stays there.
But it doesn't hurt to try. NASCAR sent YouTube a takedown notice, on copyright grounds, for a video shot and uploaded by a spectator.
Quite obviously, NASCAR doesn't own the copyright to that video, despite claiming on race tickets that it owns everything you film, and in fact, it didn't even claim to, it said it tried to get it down out of "respect" for the families of those injured, 28 in total, 14 of which were rushed to the hospital.
Whether this was out of respect or out of wanting to control the story and keep people coming to races even if wheels may occasionally come raining down on their heads doesn't really matter, NASCAR abused a tool created to deal with copyright infringement to try and censor free speech.
That's all there is to it. It's hardly the first and it certainly won't be the last, as laws get more extreme, you can expect things like this or worse to happen on a regular basis.
The video was initially pulled down, as part of the automated response, but after YouTube reviewed the request, it reinstated the video, pointing out that there was no copyright infringement whatsoever.
It's nice to see that YouTube does sometimes ignore abusive requests, but this was a controversial video that was getting a lot of attention. More obscure videos won't get the same treatment, more often than not these types of abuses will succeed.
Via: NASCAR Abuses Copyright Infringement to Remove Horrific Crash Video from YouTube
How to Install the Ubuntu Phone OS Dynamic Wallpaper on Ubuntu
The following tutorial will teach Ubuntu users how to install the dynamic wallpaper, called Evolving Circle Wallpaper, inspired by the lock screen on the Ubuntu Phone OS, on their Ubuntu Linux operating system.
The Evolving Circle Wallpaper has been designed to display a 12-hour clock through the ring of dots in the main circle, turning white up to noon, then fading out up to midnight. It will also change its appearance depending on the time of day. It supports only the Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) and Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal) operating systems.
Step 1 - Adding the Evolving Circle Wallpaper PPA repository
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:muscovy/ppa
Enter your password and hit the Enter key again when asked. That’s it, the PPA has now been installed and you can proceed to the next step in the tutorial. Do not close the terminal window!
Step 2 - Install the Evolving Circle Wallpaper
Now, type or paste the following command in the terminal window (hit the CTRL+ALT+T key combination to open it again in case you accidentally closed it) and hit the Enter key after it:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install evolving-circle-wallpaper
Wait a couple of minutes for the wallpaper to be downloaded and installed. When the installation is over, you will see the Change Desktop Background dialog. Close it, and open it again by right clicking on your desktop and selecting the “Change Desktop Background” entry. Now, choose the Evolving Circle Wallpaper (the last one).
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That's it! If you encounter issues with the tutorial, do not hesitate to comment below!
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Sony Confirms that All PlayStation 4 Releases Will Have Digital Versions
Shuhei Yoshida, the leader of the Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, confirms that all video games launched on the new PlayStation 4 will have a digital version available as soon as they are delivered via stores.
The executive is quoted by VG247 as saying that, “We’re shifting our platform more and more to the digital side – PS4 will be similar to PS Vita in that every game will be available as a digital download, and some will also be available as a disc.”
He adds, “Because of the flexibility of the digital distribution scheme, we can have more small games that might be free or available for a couple of dollars, or different services like free-to-play or subscription models.”
The flexibility is designed to allow Sony to attract a wider audience than with the PlayStation 3 and to deliver customized experiences based on their playing style and their interests.
Via: Sony Confirms that All PlayStation 4 Releases Will Have Digital Versions
GNOME Boxes 3.8 Beta 1 Adds Support for oVirt
Yet another development version of the upcoming GNOME Boxes 3.8, a sophisticated application to easily and quickly access remote or virtual systems on the controversial and popular GNOME 3 desktop environment, saw the light of day a few days ago.
GNOME Boxes 3.8 Beta 1 is a here to add various attractive features and fix some annoying issues that were introduced since the previous development version, but first we should mention that some dependencies were changed: spice-client-gtk-3.0 >= 0.15 and govirt-1.0 >= 0.0.3 (without it, oVirt support is disabled).
Highlights of GNOME Boxes 3.8 Beta
[ADAMRK=1]• Added support for oVirt;
• Added support for post-installation drivers, which means that if combined with the libosinfo 0.2.4 library, all virio drivers and QXL will be automatically installed;
• Recommended storage and RAM are automatically marked in VM properties;
• Bumped minimum required and step value for RAM from 1MB to 64MB in VM properties;
• Downgraded the step value for storage from 1GB to 256MB in VM properties;
• IEC units are no longer used in properties and wizard;
• Fixed an infinite loop crash;
• Fixed a crash related to passing media on command-line;
• Improved media detection;
• Improved restart of installations;
• Media detection code can now adapt to the latest versions of the libosinfo and udev packages;
• The thumbnail position in properties view has been fixed;
• Better support for the new GNOME-Shell search interface;
• The installation progress of drivers will now always reach 100%, even if errors occurred during installation;
• Ability to search using multiple terms.
Moreover, the following translations have been added, updated or fixed in GNOME Boxes 3.8 Beta 1: Galician, Greek, Malayalam, Polish, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish and Uyghur.
Download GNOME Boxes 3.8 Beta 1 (3.7.90) right now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a development version and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only.
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A Gamers Week: February 24
When it comes to reviews, we have three to deliver this week: The Bridge, a puzzle game that also has plenty of style, Impire, a game that takes a piece of the Dungeon Keeper formula and adds some interesting twists, and March of the Eagles, a battle-focused grand-strategy title.
Our familiar Gamer Diaries are continuing the countdown of the most interesting big games of the coming ten months and we also talk about March of the Eagles.
As always, we also have assembled two Weekend Reading pieces: one dealing with the mistakes of the PS3 and another one about the promise of the PlayStation 4.
We also have an EndWeekGame article dealing with our free time for the weekend and a selection of the most important news from the past seven days.
On Monday, Bungie's Destiny project finally received a complete reveal, with information about the universe and the gameplay, while CD Projekt RED talked about what The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt could learn from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
On Tuesday, Treyarch leaked information about the new DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, called Orientation, apparently, and Naughty Dog talked about how it would make the move to next-generation hardware.
On Wednesday, a round-up of rumors about the PlayStation 4 appeared ahead of the supposed official announcement and an analyst said that lack of a Wii U version of GTA V showed lack of trust in the platform.
On Thursday, Sony revealed the PlayStation 4, with the highlights so far including the lack of backwards compatibility and some pretty interesting hardware specs.
On Friday, a report explained that the reveal of the Xbox 720 from Microsoft would arrive during April and Jonathan Blow compared the Durango and the newly revealed Sony platform.
On Saturday, Call of Duty got a new PC update, complete with extra content and Sony explained that prices for the PlayStation 4 would go from free to the median for current consoles.
Via: A Gamers Week: February 24
LG Optimus G Arrives in India at INR 30,990 ($571 / 433)
LG’s latest Android-based flagship smartphone, the Optimus G, is now available for purchase in India, with a price tag of INR 30,990 ($571 / €433) attached to it.
The smartphone can be seen listed on Saholic’s website with this price tag attached to it, and is said to be shipping in 6 business days to those who would like to purchase it.
However, AndroidOS notes that LG will hold a launch event for the new device soon, and that the retailer could start shipping units to users immediately after it. This means that the currently listed availability of the phone is more like a pre-order period.
Powered by the latest flavor of Google’s Android operating system, the smartphone is said to be capable of delivering great performance capabilities to all users.
However, although it landed on shelves several months ago, the phone hasn’t managed to impress a lot of people, it seems, with LG claiming one million purchases back in January, roughly three months after the device had been launched commercially.
Even so, as a flagship handset, the Optimus G can fulfill the needs of modern smartphone users, courtesy of the top hardware specs inside it and of great software loaded on top.
“LG Optimus G E975 is an Android Jelly Bean phone with 4.7 inch True HD IPS Plus display. The 1.5GHz quad core processor in tandem with 2GB of RAM gives lightning fast processing speed,” Saholic notes.
“The 13MP back camera is capable of recording 1080p HD videos @30fps; a 1.3MP camera is on the front side of the body for self-portrait and video chat.”
The smartphone also arrives on shelves with GPRS, EDGE, HSPA and Wi-Fi capabilities inside, as well as with Bluetooth, NFC, and USB connectivity. It also sports A-GPS, and 32GB of internal memory.
Furthermore, LG Optimus G sports a 2100 mAh battery capable of delivering up to 15 hours of talk time or 14 days of standby time.
Via: LG Optimus G Arrives in India at INR 30,990 ($571 / 433)
Firmware Updates on PlayStation 4 Will Never Bother the Player
Shuhei Yoshida, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide, says that there’s no way to eliminate firmware updates from the home console ecosystem, but that his team is making sure that they will not bother the player in any way on the PlayStation 4.
He tells Eurogamer that, “It’s about the implementation phase. It’s all about how it gets implemented. So we have to wait for the final product, but our goal is always like that. So there will always be firmware updates.”
But the team working on the new console is trying to push both the download and the install process into the background in order to make sure that gamers can spend all their time actually playing on the PS4.
The core of the PlayStation 4 experience is designed to include more connectivity options and to give the player more freedom.
Via: Firmware Updates on PlayStation 4 Will Never Bother the Player
Download Foursquare 10.0.0.2877 for BlackBerry 10
A new flavor of the Foursquare application is now available for download for the owners of BlackBerry 10 smartphones, namely version 10.0.0.2877, with appealing enhancements packed inside.
Users who will download and install the new application release will enjoy a new venue page, with all the important stuff being showed at the top when tapping on a place’s name.
This includes rating, address, hours, menu, and phone number, as well as swipeable photos, which have just been added.
Furthermore, the new app flavor will provide users with the possibility to easily share content with other BlackBerry 10 devices through simple taps.
Foursquare 10.0.0.2877 for BlackBerry 10, available for download through this page in the BlackBerry World, also enabled users to easily update their profile photos, while also packing a variety of bug fixes inside, as well as small UI tweaks.
Via: Download Foursquare 10.0.0.2877 for BlackBerry 10
Billboard Pulls Drinkable Water out of Thin Air Video
The local University of Engineering and Technology from Lima, Peru, has created a very special billboard by working with Mayo DraftFCB.
For those unaware, Lima is the second largest capital in the world that happens to be located in a desert.
Obviously, deserts aren't fun, what with their tendency to be very short in water.
The team has crated a billboard that can harvest moisture in the air and turn it into potable water.
Granted, there won't be too much condensation going on, since desert air is dry. Still, moisture exists everywhere, and the five tanks located at the top of the tower are definitely voluminous (96 liters each).
As for purity, condensed water is cleaner than most, and there is a filtration system as well, so that issue is well covered.
The water can be accessed from a single faucet located at the base of the billboard.
Via: Billboard Pulls Drinkable Water out of Thin Air Video
No Money Involved in The Witness PlayStation 4 Console Exclusivity
Jonathan Blow, the developer of The Witness and creator of Braid, says that he is receiving no monetary compensation from video game publisher Sony in order to bring his new game exclusively to the PlayStation 4 console during the launch window.
The developer tells Kotaku that, “After some more time went by, and our release date drifted further into the future, we realized that the next-generation console launch time might be a good time to release the game.”
Blow received a development kit for the PlayStation 4 and decided that the new Sony platform was a good fit for the experience he is creating.
The Wii U was not taken into account because of its unique features that posed development problems.
The Witness is a first person puzzles game that uses an open world and creates complex challenges for the player.
Via: No Money Involved in The Witness PlayStation 4 Console Exclusivity
Developers: PlayStation 4 Costs Comparable with Current Gen
Rumors suggest that creating video games for the recently revealed PlayStation 4 is an expensive proposition, which might mean a lower number of core titles available for the pre-Christmas launch date.
Herman Hulst, the managing director working on the new Killzone, tells Gamasutra that, “I can very simply share with you that when we did Killzone 2 and 3, we probably maxed out with a team size of 125. We have 150 now, so it's marginally bigger.”
He also reveals that it takes about the same time to create a game for the current generation and for the PlayStation 4.
He adds, “We've also learned a thing or two in previous installments on the PlayStation 3. So it's not, in terms of the cost, it's not as scary as maybe some people have led you to believe.”
Guerrilla Games is working on Killzone: Shadow Fall, the first video game that Sony revealed during the PlayStation 4 event in New York.
The video shown looked interesting and the graphics quality seemed to be on par with that delivered by a solid gaming PC, although changes are clearly possible before the console is actually launched.
The Evolution Studios team working on Drive Club says that it is working with a 110 man team, a small increase over its previous size.
Jonathan Morin, the creative director working on Watch Dogs at Ubisoft also believes that good development teams will be able to control costs and create quality on the PlayStation 4.
So far titles confirmed for the new Sony home console include: Killzone, Drive Club, Deep Down, Final Fantasy, Destiny, The Witness and new projects from Media Molecule and Quantic Dream.
Via: Developers: PlayStation 4 Costs Comparable with Current Gen
Pistorius Gets Bail in Murder Case as Hearing Ends
Olympian athlete Oscar Pistorius has been granted bail in the murder case killing of Reeva Steenkamp. As we mentioned before, the South-African hero has killed his girlfriend on February 14, claiming he thought he was shooting at a burglar.
The Pretoria court that held his hearing for the last four days has decided that Pistorius does not constitute a flight risk.
"The accused
Pistorius is charged with premeditated murder against his girlfriend, with the prosecution trying to prove that, while the athlete did not plan the murder in advance, he took advantage of the moment when she went to the bathroom to kill her.
"He planned it that night when she (Steenkamp) locked herself in (the toilet)," argues Prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
"The fact that we have only one survivor of that tragic night is difficult for the state," he notes.
"He did not want to kill Reeva. He had no intent to kill Reeva," defense attorney Barry Roux responds.
Roux went on to clarify that it would be very difficult for Pistorius to leave the country at this point, with his face plastered over any major publication covers in the world.
"Let me tell you how difficult it is for this man to disappear from this world," Roux explained.
While the judge read the decision, the Olympian remained still, displaying no emotion. Throughout the hearing, he has been seen crying and holding his head in his hands.
A crowd gathered in the courtroom applauded the judge's decision to allow Pistorius to be free during his trial. Many of them are family members, while others are supporters of the Olympic medalist.
Via: Pistorius Gets Bail in Murder Case as Hearing Ends
PlayStation 4 Officially Out in Holiday 2013, Gets Impressive Trailer
Sony announced the PlayStation 4 yesterday evening, alongside quite a few games to be released for the next-generation console and, right at the end, the company revealed that the new device would be out in holiday 2013 at least in North America.
The PlayStation 4 was eagerly awaited by millions of PlayStation fans all around the world and Sony has made sure to reveal quite a lot of interesting games alongside the confirmation that it's going to release the next-generation device onto the market.
Besides presenting impressive titles, like Killzone: Shadow Fall or Infamous: Second Son, Sony also emphasized the console's power and features, such as the Gaikai-powered cloud gaming mechanics.
Right at the end of its conference, Sony confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will come out in the 2013 holiday season, at least in North America.
Other territories, like Europe or Japan, will receive release details in the near future.
Until then, check out a special trailer with all the games and technologies demonstrated for the PS4 above.
Via: PlayStation 4 Officially Out in Holiday 2013, Gets Impressive Trailer
Government Approves of Samsung's Galaxy Camera (Wi-Fi)
It was just two days ago that Samsung launched the Wi-Fi-only version of its Galaxy Camera, conveniently named Galaxy Camera (Wi-Fi).
Apparently, the photo and video capture device is one of those less than ordinary wireless gadgets that made it through FCC tests after it was formally released.
Still, the Federal Communications Commission has examined the camera and found it compliant with all guidelines and manufacturing rules.
Sadly, the new development did not bring about the exposure of those two key details that Samsung left out of its release.
That is to say, the price and availability date are still unknown, much to the chagrin of all. We did speculate what the former might be, based on the normal Galaxy Camera's tag ($470 / 360-470 Euro), but still, it is speculation and nothing more.
Via: Government Approves of Samsung's Galaxy Camera (Wi-Fi)
Microsoft Made Yammer a Much More Successful Service
Microsoft paid $1.2 billion (€910 million) to take over Yammer, the social networking platform that had only 5 million registered accounts at that time.
The platform is becoming a much more successful product under Microsoft’s umbrella, according to figures released by the Redmond-based company, as it currently has a total of 7 million users.
What’s more, sales recorded last year were three times bigger as compared to the year before, while the fourth quarter alone increased sales by four times.
The number of paying customers increased 165 percent in 2012, while the service added a total of 290 new paying customers in the fourth quarter of the year.
“Yammer experienced banner growth in 2012 and grew particularly fast in the fourth quarter. Our momentum is definitely accelerating following the Microsoft acquisition,” said David Sacks, Yammer co-founder and corporate vice president, Microsoft Office Division.
Via: Microsoft Made Yammer a Much More Successful Service
$16M (12.13M) Texas Lottery Ticket Sold in Fort Worth, Winner Unknown
The Valero Corner Store in Fort Worth, North Texas has sold a winning ticket to the lottery, reports say.
According to KDFW, the lottery jackpot has been won by a single person, so whoever bought the ticket is getting a whopping $16 M (€12.13 M).
The win is confirmed on the Texas lottery website, which also mentions that the winning numbers are 8, 14, 27, 30, 47 and 51.
As you know, the store located on 1400 block, Bryant Irvin Road, off of Interstate 20, is getting a portion of the win. However, the mystery winner hasn't come forward yet, and most likely doesn't even know he or she is a millionaire.
Whoever bought the ticket is expected at the Texas Lottery Commission headquarters in Austin, as regulations specify in the cases of tickets worth over $1 million (€ 750,000).
Via: $16M (12.13M) Texas Lottery Ticket Sold in Fort Worth, Winner Unknown
GNOME Control Center 3.7.90 Has GNOME Shell Search Provider
GNOME Control Center, GNOME's main interface for configuration of various aspects of your desktop, is now at version 3.7.90.
Highlights of GNOME Control Center 3.7.90:
• Use header bar to show the current panel's name;
• Sound and user-accounts panels have been added to the command-line completion, ensuring that the completion is sorted by default;
• Do not forcibly suppress debug messages if --verbose not set;
• GNOME Shell search provider has been added;
• Widget relations have been added for accessibility;
• Fallback from keywords function has been removed.
A complete list of changes, updates and bug fixes can be found in the official changelog.
Download GNOME Control Center 3.7.90 right now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a development version and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only.
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PlayStation 4 Will Get Games from 149 Developers
One of the big problems for all home console launches is the presence of important titles, but Sony seems to have solved the conundrum for the PlayStation 4, which will apparently get content from 149 third-party companies.
During the reveal of the PlayStation 4, gamers got to see titles from:
Activision – the company brought Bungie’s new title Destiny to the new console while partners at Blizzard announce that the action RPG Diablo III was also a launch game;
Ubisoft – showed off a new demo for Watch Dogs;
Square Enix – revealed a new Final Fantasy and Agni’s Philosophy;
Capcom - a project called Deep Down was shown off alongside a new engine;
CD Project – announced the next gen launch of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
The rest of the teams involved with the PlayStation 4 are:
2K Games, 4A Games, 505 Games, 5th Cell
Acquire, Arc System Works, Acquire, Arc System Works, Artdink, ASCII Media Works, Atlus, Avalanche Studios
Behaviour Interactive, Bethesda, Blitz Games Studios, Bloober Team, Bohemia Interactive
Certain Affinity, City Interactive, Climax, Codemasters, Crafts & Meister, Criterion Games, Croteam, Curve Studios, CyberConnect 2
D3 Publisher, Devolver Digital, Dimps, Disney, Double Fine, Double Helix, Drinkbox Studios
Electronic Arts, Edge of Reality
Farsight Studios, Fatshark, Flying Wild Hog, From Software, Frozenbyte
Gaijin Entertainment, Gaijin Games, Ganbarion, Gearbox Software, Genki, Grasshopper Manufacture, Gust Co.
Hello Games
Idea Factory, Imageepoch, InXile Entertainment
Just Add Water
Kadokawa Games, Kalypso Media, Keen Games, Klei Entertainment, Konami
Lab Zero, Inc, Level-5, LucasArts, Lucid Games
Marvelous AQL, Mediatonic, MercuryStream, Milestone
Namco Bandai, Nicalis, Ninja Theory, Nippon Ichi, Nixxes
Paradox Interactive, Platinum Games
Rebellion Developments, Rockstar, Rovio
Saber Interactive, SEGA, Slant Six Games, Spark Unlimited, Spike Chunsoft, Splash Damage, Stainless Games, Starbreeze Studios, Straight Right, SystemSoft
Team 17, TechLand, Tecmo Koei, Telltale Games, Tri-Ace, Turtle Rock
Vector Cell, Vlambeer
Warner Bros, Wayforward Technologies
Yager, Yuke’s
Zombie Studios
Via: PlayStation 4 Will Get Games from 149 Developers
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