No multi-touch capabilities? This may probably be a major setback for those hoping for one but no big deal for others. As it turns out, the Nintendo's Wii U has a single-touch feature along with other several updates as well.

According to Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America president, the reason why they have incorporated a single-touch feature was that the Wii U itself already consists of button configurations, that using all your fingers would somehow feel awkward. After all, the Nintendo's Wii U is a gamepad controller that they saw one doing a two-screen thing.


Nonetheless, the Wii U GamePad Controller consists of other awesome features too. Along with their tagline 'Removing the traditional barriers between games, players and the TV by creating a second window into the video game world', definitely shows a lot of possibilites. The Nintendo's Wii U has a 10.5"W, a 6.2-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio LCD touch screen, a sensor chip and camera on top with a Near Field Communication. Also includes motion control, rumble features and stylus. It is also packed with IBM Power-based multicore processor, AMD Radeon-based HD GPU. It supports SD memory cards and external USB drives, including support up to four Wii Remote controllers. It comes in black and white.

via [ techsmate.com ]

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For the first person shooter enthusiasts, here's another trigger gizmo made specifically for those enemy engaged war games.

The MAG II Magneton Induction Gun is perfect for this kind of games surpassing other gun controllers wherein cameras and sensors are being used. The MAG II however, doesn't have one while a USB dongle is plugged in place into an Xbox 360 or the PS3 and PC. It can also function as a light gun.



Moreover, a gyroscope is incorporated on this gun for motion tracking of targets. The gun would vibrate as well to make it even more realistically fun shooting all those adversarie's faces. Quite gruesome for $150, don't you think?

via [ techsmate.com ]

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Diablo 3 was officially unleashed on gamers at midnight. Were you one of the hardcore fans waiting in line for it? Did you stay up all night to get your D3 fix? Guess what? Somebody already beat the entire game.

When I game, I like to take my sweet time with it and go through everything. It's like reading a good book — there's no need to rush because the journey is the experience.

Not so for Yoshichan. This gamer beat Diablo 3 in 12 hours and 29 minutes racking up 8,368 Lifetime Kills, 412 Elite Kills and 168,481 gold as a Barbarian on normal difficulty.



Did this guy even stop to enjoy the game? See what he was obliterating? Probably not. Clearly, Yoshichan didn't run into any of the Battle.net server problems that many players were facing last night.

Calling all gamers. How has your Diablo 3 experience been so far? Good? Great? Server issues? DVICE editor Kevin Hall hasn't played it yet (he's busy running the site), so help me help him by spoiling it all!

via [ dvice ]

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A new rumor has cropped up stating the next Xbox will required an internet connection at all times.

More rumors concerning the next wave of home console hardware have made their way onto the vast internet. This latest batch concerns the next Xbox (Xbox 720?), codenamed "Durango," and comes from website VG247.

VG247 is reporting that the Xbox 720 will require an internet connection at all times in order to play games. This lines up with previous rumors about the console and how Microsoft is trying to combat used games sales, much like the rumored PS4, or "Orbis." A mandatory internet connection could mean games will be tethered to a specific console profile, effectively killing its resell value to the used games market.

In addition to the "news" about a required always-on internet connection, VG247 is reporting that the Xbox 720 will feature a Blu-ray drive, two GPUs that are said to be like "two PCs taped together" and a built-in Kinect sensor. The console is rumored to launch Christmas of 2013.



As always, take this report with a grain of salt. None of this information is confirmed. VG247's source could be a 47-year-old man-child still living in his parents' basement who gets his rocks off by stirring the pot for all we know.

We'll be back with more rumors concerning the Xbox 720 and PS4 when we hear them, which, honestly, should be too long from now.

via [ craveonline ]

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The prognostication on the next generation of consoles has begun. Like Federal elections, it probably began the minute the last generation hit the market. No sooner does the Playstation 3 hit the market than spectators start wondering about the PlayStation 4. Did they expect Sony or Microsoft to roll over and play dead? Well, in the case of Sega, this may have actually happened. But while I enjoy a good product rumor as much as the next tech junkie, I think that it is not only too early to start discussing the next generation of console, it might even be dangerous for us, the players.

If you believe the rumors, and I do not believe the rumors, the next generation of at least one of the major gaming platforms will appear in 2013. Smart money would have an introduction at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, with sales starting in the holiday season. This is the normal pattern for consoles.

Of course these systems will be more powerful. Doubtless they will also have expanded media center features, as the race is on to create the next generation set-top-box-to-rule-them-all. Both Microsoft and Sony are shoring up their offerings in the mobile world (disclosure: in my day job I work for Samsung; we make Microsoft Windows Phones and compete directly with Sony Mobile). I would expect that the next Xbox and PlayStation consoles will have even more connectivity and interactivity with their respective mobile cousins. That’s the PS Vita for Sony, and Windows Phone / Windows 8 for Microsoft.

All of this sounds good so far. In fact, all of this sounds great. I’ve been using the PS Vita for a while, and it’s an awesome device for hardcore gamers. I love my Tegra-based tablet for casual gaming, but for games that require precise controls (read: tons of joysticks and buttons), the Vita does an excellent job.

I also like Windows 8 very much. Microsoft has proven its savvy as a convergence leader, and the company has finally shaken it’s image of being stodgy and non-creative. I suspect that was simply a holdover from too many folks being stuck on Windows XP for years longer than they should have been. But my favorite thing about Microsoft is that they don’t quit when they know they have something good.

The rumors lose me when they claim that next generation consoles will lack physical media. This would be a huge mistake. While I’m sure that most technology journalists covering the gaming beat have downloaded plenty of games and movies to their consoles,

The worst thing that could happen to the next generation of Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox, and Nintendo Wii consoles would be launching in 2013 with no physical media support. I know that, at first, going media-free seems like the future for consoles. More and more laptops are appearing with no support for spinning plastic discs. Most people have probably stopped using a disc at home to watch their favorite movies and shows, as on demand and streaming services find a better foothold in the living room. But gaming presents its own special challenges. Even more, gaming presents some very good reasons why physical media is a necessary evil.



First, a reality check. Late last year, only an estimated 68% of U.S. households had a broadband connection. That means about 100,000,000 people in the U.S. have no broadband. And of those who do, I wonder how many spring for a connection that is actually useful for next generation broadband apps, like video chat, HD video on demand, and downloading massive gaming files.

Video games make for relatively economical entertainment. There’s an initial cost for the console, but console makers heavily subsidize this price, even at launch when the price is highest. So it’s a good deal. Then, games are often $60 each, but only when they are new. I know plenty of people who are still buying PS2 games, because they can be had for $10. Really, has a PS2 game lost so much of its fun in the years since its release? Then it probably wasn’t worth buying then, either.

So, a game console without a DVD or Blu-Ray drive would instantly limit its addressable market. But I have a fast Internet connection, and just enough disposable income that I’ll splurge on a new release, if it’s a title I’m hotly anticipating. A console without a drive would give me great pause.

There’s a question of storage. Sure, storage is cheap today. I bought an external drive recently with 1 TeraByte of storage, and it was close to $100. I’m sure the same can be found cheaper. But console makers are already losing money, and tend to pinch pennies when it comes to storage. The jump from a paltry 4GB of storage to an acceptable 250GB on the Xbox 360 costs almost $100. Sure, a high end Xbox with 1 TB of storage might suit my needs, but would the entry level be equally unacceptable? And when a user runs out of space, then what? Delete the games? Lose them forever? Or do you expect Microsoft will shell out the money to pay for enough bandwidth that you can keep downloading and streaming those games forever? If Netflix is putting such strain on our networks already, can you imagine what would happen when the consoles jump on board?

Worst of all, though, is that downloadable games are bad for consumers. You can’t trade a downloadable game. You can’t sell it. You can’t lend it to a friend to try out for a while. You can’t even bring it to a friend’s house to play with a group, unless you cart your entire Xbox with you.

Even with physical media, what’s the first thing that happens when you pop a disc into the tray? Right. Updates. Lots of updates. Crippling, infuriating, time-consuming updates. This is on day 1, on a game that was printed to plastic. Imagine how much worse the situation would be if developers didn’t even have to think of publishing dates? It might give them a bit of extra time to fix bugs, but it would also make games seem more fluid, less concrete.

I’m happy with my game consoles now. I like my Xbox 360, and I love my PlayStation 3. I use the Playstation more often, too. Not because of the games, but because I’ve started building my own Blu-Ray movie collection. No matter what you expect, HD movies on Blu-Ray are much higher quality all around than what you’ve seen streaming over a network. The picture is better. The sound is better, and usually supports a more robust home theater. The presentation is better, with better menus and extras. I’m not ready to give any of that up, just yet. I don’t doubt that a disc-free future is in store for console gaming. But I hope that future waits just a bit longer.

via [ slashgear ]

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Oh no! The evil pigs of purchase inhibition taken the valuable eggs of smartphone desire and captured them within a complex structure. Fortunately, there are a number of powerful birds that can be slung through the air, space or various sets of children's movies to smash down the structure. Why can't they just fly through the air since they're birds, you may ask? Gee, you sure ask a lot of questions. Just plunk down your $0.99 and gear up for in-app purchases for these valuable premiums.



The BerryBird
Once, this bird seemed pretty mighty, but newer breeds have left you looking for something new out of your playbook. The developer of the native launcher hasn't created one for the BerryBird, but another developer offers to create something like it for you for $15. After positioning your cursor over the BerryBird and scrolling the trackpad to the left, you let go and are greeted with a terms of use dialog box that you must scroll through. After agreeing to the terms, the bird flies through the air and knocks down a bit of the structure, freeing a few eggs, but knows that it really needs a major update.

The WinBird
The WinBird notes that it is very different from the other birds. Most of the other launchers don't work well with the WinBird, so you import a clear black one from Finland. As you load the WinBird into the launcher, it gives you a preview of what the flight is going to look like. It uses Bing Maps to plot its course, which is right between the Birdroid and the iBird. The WinBird doesn't free many of the eggs, but using it was a great experience. Achievement unlocked.

The Birdroid
Before you launch the Birdroid, the WinBird insists that you pay it $15. OK, fine. At least you'll get to customize this bird any way you want it. It seems to be in fine shape despite a habit of gorging on desserts. The bird hops into the launcher upon recognizing your face. After launch, though, the bird fragments into 300 other birds. Relatively few of these birds wind up killing most of the others, but the ones that are left collectively knock down most of the structure and free most of the eggs. The Birdroid shares the accomplishment on Google+, which you don't remember ever signing up for.

The iBird
Fortunately, it is the one time per year that a new iBird hatches. The iBird doesn't look much like a bird at all but is rather a perfect metal and glass sphere. You swipe to the left to place the iOS bird in the launcher, a gesture that is covered under a U.S. patent. "Siri," you command, "schedule an appointment to launch the bird now." Siri replies, "The weather doesn't look good for launching birds but Wolfram Alpha has calculated the optimal distance and angle needed to apply to the launcher." 'After launching the iBird, it uses the exclusive Bird Fly app to make its way toward the structure. Rather than knock it down, though it builds its own structure -- a geometrically perfect birdcage of steel and glass featuring a spiral perch and its own birdfeeder that dispenses expert technical support. The remaining eggs enter the iBird's building of their own accord after a few hours of waiting in line.

via [ engadget ]

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Sony pulls another PSP game to stop PS Vita hacks

Sony has pulled Everybody’s Tennis from the PlayStation Store in response to a potential new PS Vita hack, making it the second title to be removed in the past two weeks. As with Motorstorm: Arctic Ice, which was removed in early March, installation of the game on the PS Vita allows hackers to exploit a vulnerability in the PSP emulator allowing homebrew software to be installed on the handheld console.

Prior to the removal of the apps from the PlayStation Store, PS Vita owners who had previously purchased the games for download to their PSP’s had the opportunity to re-download them from the cloud without incurring any additional charges. However, Sony did not give users any advance warning about the removals, appearing to favor an approach that has placed taking aim at potential game piracy on the PS Vita first and foremost -- piracy was rampant on the PSP platform, particularly in Japan, and is one of the reasons Sony introduced a proprietary removable memory format for the PS Vita.



The same Wololo.net hackers responsible for exploiting the flaw in Motorstorm, using the Vita Half Byte Loader (VHBL) exploit, were also responsible for finding and exploiting a similar vulnerability in Everybody’s Tennis. The hackers on the site argue that their hack will not permit the pirating of PS Vita titles, but it seems Sony is not taking any chances. Despite this, the Wololo hackers believe that they have several other potential exploits for PSP titles using VHBL.

If Sony’s recent actions are any guide, PS Vita users who may have any remaining PSP game titles compatible for download to the console may be well-advised to re-download those now or risk losing any access to them altogether.

via [ electronista ]

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It seems to be a good time to try and pick up the guitar. After games like Guitar Hero eventually died down, we’re seeing a new wave of applications meant to get you to play an actual instrument, as opposed to a plastic controller. First Rocksmith came out and quite frankly did a pretty awesome job. But you’re limited to playing on your console, with the amps and pedals as virtual on-screen options. The Tabber system being developed here is pretty different. It’s a sleeve with 13 LED light strips (wedged in between the first 12 frets and open notes), which “are all connected to an Arduino Uno processor. Power is supplied through a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The kit will utilize Bluetooth technology to control all of the lights from your mobile device. You will have an application that you can download to select through songs, chords, scales, light patterns, and lessons, and that’s just the start.” Sure, it won’t teach you proper finger positioning technique, but it’s a start. It’s supposedly very low profile and does not affect sound performance at all.



It looks like a potentially promising system, but it’s a Kickstarter project at the moment. This means that if it doesn’t reach its $45k goal, it’s a no-go for the Tabber. It’s $150 on pre-order, so get yours now if this rocks your boat.

Get it? Rocks… No?

Ok.

via [ ohgizmo ]

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Just like Rovio promised a month ago, the much-awaited Angry Bird Space is finally out. In this version, bird-flinging smartphone and tablet game will see the eponymous birds shift into space, with sixty levels spread across both planets and in zero-gravity situations. Besides the addition of an interesting twist to the existing style of gameplay, the developers have also put trick-shots using different gravity pulls, among other things.



Then are new birds and new superpowers along with hidden bonus levels like an anti-cyberbullying level - and new in-app purchase content. That will have as much as 30 extra levels as part of the DANGER ZONE pack which is hailed to be the most difficult levels ever. For now, it’s presently available on iTunes for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad at a price of $0.99 whereas there is an HD flavor for iPad alone at $2.99. The Android version is also available and just like its previous versions, it’s free with advertisements.

via [ newlaunches ]

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Angry Birds is one of the most popular games on just about any platform out there. Angry Birds Developer Rovio is always out to push the brand and one of the latest branded Angry Birds devices is a park. I can see kids and adults flocking to a local park with an Angry Birds theme.

The park concept you see in the photos here show a range of swings, slides, and other interactive elements for kids to enjoy. The first park is set to be built in Finland the summer and other locations will follow in the UK. At this time, there is no indication of if the US will get a park.



The park will also have some sort of exclusive download content for the game. China has unauthorized Angry Bird parks, the Finnish park will be the first officially licensed and authorized park with the game theme. I hope there are some sort of slingshots integrated.

via [ geeky-gadgets ]

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