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November 25th, 2012, 22:41 Posted By: wraggster
<section style="font: 14px/18px Proxima, sans-serif; text-align: left; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; display: block; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class="introduction ">For as long as most folk remember, games have launched on Fridays in the UK and on Tuesday in the US. That's the way of things. Sometimes they converge for a glitzy worldwide launch but mostly they don't - they stick to the norm, and Europeans wait.
But why? Who decided on Friday, and who decided on Tuesday? If some games can be released on a Tuesday worldwide why can't all games be? More pertinently, why do we stick to the same rules for downloadable games? If everyone can buy and pre-install a game on Steam at the same time, why can't they play at the same time - why must someone in the UK wait until Friday but someone in the US can play from Tuesday?
Where do all these rules come from and, more to the point, can they be changed?
</section><section style="font: 14px/18px Proxima, sans-serif; text-align: left; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; display: block; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">[h=2]How UK Fridays began[/h]
In the olden golden days of home computers, there was chaos. Games came from everywhere in the '80s and shops flung them on shelves whenever they turned up. "It was just release whenever you could," recalls Andy Payne, a veteran of the UK industry. "Stuff would release every single day." Even the bigger shop-chains in the 8-bit and 16-bit eras joined the scrum, buying stock from wholesalers, amassing it at warehouses then racing it out to stores to go on shelves "as quickly as you bloody could".
That's what Graeme Struthers tells me, and he should know: he was a games buyer for Dixons Stores Group (Currys, Dixons, PCWorld) at the time. "And we were by far the biggest retailer for 16-bit," he - wait, was he boasting?
Big operators like Dixons weren't happy. They had order for other goods in their stores and they advertised them in newspapers on Fridays and Saturdays. The prospect of stock turning up late and missing the weekend wasn't a good one, so the big shops did something about it.
"Dixons basically started sitting down with the supply chain and saying, 'If you release products on a Friday that means we can include it in our advertising; that means we can promote you.' It's carrot and stick," Graeme Struthers explains. "I wouldn't say that Dixons were the company that made it Fridays, but it was the retail chains that said having product just turning up ad hoc is useless; having product that's got a defined release date means we can all orientate our distribution to get it into all of our shops for a Friday so that we've got the weekend business.
"It was basically retail bringing order to a very chaotic supply chain. Within about six to eight months, everyone was selling things on a Friday. It was very quick to reach that agreement and understanding."
"It was basically retail bringing order to a very chaotic supply chain. Within about six to eight months, everyone was selling things on a Friday.
Graeme Struthers
Dorian Bloch has been researching UK game sales for over 20 years, for some reason. He too remembers that Friday pact made between shops, ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) - now UKIE (Association for UK Interactive Entertainment) - and his company Gallup (now GfK Chart-Track). "The theory was that this was a clear differentiator to music/video releases on Mondays and gave retailers another window of sales opportunity and some great products to sell for the weekend, also giving publishers a clear and unique window in which to release titles," Bloch recalls.
They weren't enforced, those release dates - there weren't any penalties like there were for music. "It was just good for the industry as it brings a bit of order to something," Struthers shrugs, "and everyone seemed to be happy with it for quite a number of years."
Having no proper penalties did have downsides of course, especially as there were many more shops, each wanting to one-up the other. What would you do if stock turned up early one week, on a Wednesday or Thursday, and you had other shops within a stone's throw to compete with?
"Put temptation in front of people and guess what happens..." Payne rolls his eyes. But routine helped, and the cogs of the giant retail machine were soon well oiled and efficient. "Having worked in retail," says Struthers, "if you've got 600 shops, and you've got staff who do lots and lots of things, if there is no routine, if there is no process, the chances of it happening become lessened. If you just say 'hey this week the release date is a Monday', chances are: less compliance."
Friday was really cemented for the UK when home consoles boomed and home-grown games petered out, and when platform holders strode onto the scene. Not so much the NES or the Master System or even the SNES: it was the Mega Drive that went "absolutely bat s**t mental", recalls Graeme Struthers.
By the sounds of things, so too did Sega, flinging adverts all over papers and television, and doing "some amazing quite daring marketing", all the time reinforcing Friday, Friday, Friday. "When I was a kid I knew when I went to the record shop on Tuesday at 4 o'clock that's when all the new singles would be out," he remembers. "I guess there's kids out there who know you go into a shop on a Friday you're going to find what's been released."
And so Fridays came to pass, and so Fridays have remained. That model has stuck for a quarter of a century and today "it's virtually the same as it was" says Don McCabe, who established games shop Chipsworld/Chips in 1986. "They [the games] come in brown boxes, you unpack them, you put them on your system and you put them on your shelf."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ed-on-a-friday
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November 25th, 2012, 22:19 Posted By: wraggster
Game designer Tadhg Kelly has an article discussing the direction the games industry has taken over the past several years. Gaming has become more of a business, and in doing so, become more of a science as well. When maximizing revenue is a primary concern, development studios try to reduce successful game designs to individual elements, then naively seek to add those elements to whatever game they're working on, like throwing spices into a stew. Kelly points out that indie developers who are willing to experiment often succeed because they understand something more fundamental about games: fun. Quoting: 'The guy who invented Minecraft (Markus "Notch" Persson) didn't just create a giant virtual world in which you could make stuff, he made it challenging. When Will Wright created theSims, he didn't just make a game about living in a virtual house. He made it difficult to live successfully. That's why both of those franchises have sold millions of copies. The fun factor is about more than making a game is amusing or full of pretty rewards. If your game is a dynamic system to be mastered and won, then you can go nuts. If you can give the player real fun then you can afford to break some of those format rules, and that's how you get to lead rather than follow the market. If not then be prepared to pay through the nose to acquire and retain players.
http://games.slashdot.org/story/12/1...-in-most-games
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November 25th, 2012, 00:52 Posted By: wraggster
Sure, Ultrabooks and Windows 8 tablets are flashy gift options, but it's extras like the ones found here that really make 'em sing. Whether it's a desktop or portable storage solution, a smart thermostat or a secondary camera for those more experimental shots, we've got you covered. This collection of high-tech add-ons will surely snag the attention of anyone on your holiday shopping list, so mosey on past the break to start perusing.
On the cheap
TWELVE SOUTH BOOKARC
If you're in need of a cozy resting spot for that new MacBook Pro or Air, Twelve South has you covered. The company's BookArc stands sport the same metal stylings as the tech they're made to cradle. The heavy-gauge steel construction nestles a soft insert to keep scratches at bay while your machine is tucked within. In an effort to further tidy up that workspace, the BookArc features a cable management system that ensures the display, headphone and power cords stay put.
Key specs: MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, steel construction, built-in cable management, cushioned insert for secure fit.
Price: From $40 on Amazon
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 Logitech Touch Mouse T620
What better way to welcome Windows 8 to your holiday party than with a touch mouse that supports the new operating system's gesture controls? Logitech's T620 does just that. The peripheral implements proprietary 2.4GHz wireless tech (and the transceiver will need to occupy one of your Ultrabook's USB ports).
Price: $50 on Amazon
 Apple Lightning Adapter
If you're lucky enough to receive one of Apple's recently unveiled handhelds or slates, you'll likely need some extra help if you want to use your current speaker dock. This little fella allows all of those newfangled gadgets to connect to 30-pin-wielding chargers and accessories, and minimizes a few headaches in the process.
Price: $29 from Apple
Mid-range
LACIE RUGGED USB 3.0 THUNDERBOLT
A little added protection for that portable HDD you'll be lugging around never hurt anyone. Luckily, the folks at LaCie are quite familiar with the heavy-duty storage devices. Its latest, the Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt Series, packs quite a punch in its familiar, orange-lined digs. As the moniker suggests, the drives offer both USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connections, and the SSD version transfers at speeds of up to 385 MB/s while the HDD offering clocks in at 110 MB/s. You won't need to pack a power supply for these bad boys, either.
Key specs: USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connectivity, up to 1TB capacity, SSD and HDD models, Mac and Windows compatibility, sturdy frame.
Price: $249 on Amazon
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 Nest Learning Thermostat
The original Nest Learning Thermostat arrived on the scene about a year ago, but a new version of the household gadget recently broke from cover, offering a slimmer design and support for about 95 percent of heating and cooling systems. New features like System Match and Auto-Away pad the capabilities of the dapper, in-home temperature gauge.
Price: $250 on Amazon
 Cinetics miniSkates video dolly
If the funds required to snag the CineSkates are too much to commit to your best mate's video habits, perhaps a smaller version will do the trick. The miniSkates video dolly is a rolling mount that secures both smartphones and cameras of up to 1.5 pounds. The complete set includes a GorillaPod that contorts to capture the perfect angle.
Price: $130 from Cinetics
High-end
LYTRO CAMERA
When it first arrived on the scene, we were quite impressed by the Lytro camera's after-shot refocusing and intuitive UI. Now, the handsome kit has added manual ISO and shutter controls to pilot the f/2.0 8x optical zoom lens alongside a host of accessories for keeping the unit safe in your backpack. You'll be able to snap 350 holiday photos with the 8GB model and 750 images of that ski trip with the 16GB model, and the entire lot plays nice with Windows, too.
Key specs: Post-shot focus, manual ISO / shutter controls, 8GB or 16GB of storage, f/2.0 8x optical zoom lens, simple UI.
Price: $399 on Amazon
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 Western Digital My Book VelociRaptor Duo
If that special someone needs a safe depository for all those high-res images, HD videos and 3D renders, look no further. The My Book VelociRaptor Duo wields two 1TB 10,000RPM drives capable of SSD-esque speeds of 400 MB/s.
Price: $850 on Amazon
 Apogee Quartet
Looking to get super serious about that recording habit? Add this USB audio interface to your wish list. The command center packs four channels of analog / digital conversion, six balanced outputs, a headphone jack, monitor controls, MIDI I/O, full-color displays and QuickTouch pads for sorting through all those connections.
Price: $1,295 from B&H
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November 25th, 2012, 00:35 Posted By: wraggster
We’ve seen hundreds of builds tinker around with the GPIO pins on the Raspberry Pi. They’re great for bridging the gap between physical sensors and a virtual world, but there are a few more unused and ignored pins on the Raspberry Pi. The folks at the Raspberry Pi foundation are finally giving these unused pins a life of their own with the new camera module for our favorite single board computer.
The specs for the camera are fairly impressive – it can record H.264 video at 1080p and 30 frames per second. Best of all, it costs only $25.
There are a few more hurdles to pass before the Raspi foundation can send this board out to manufacturers. They still need to make sure the ribbon cable doesn’t emit any interference, but if all goes right the camera module should be available early next year.
You can see the camera in action in the video after the break. If you listen closely you can hear [Rob Bishop] of the Raspi foundation say they’re also working on a display add on for the other unused pins on the Pi, something we can’t wait to see.
http://hackaday.com/2012/11/24/raspb...rly-next-year/
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November 24th, 2012, 00:09 Posted By: wraggster
Privacy-oriented search-engine and Google-rival, DuckDuckGo, is contending possible anti-competitiveness on the part of Google. MIT graduate and founder of DuckDuckGo, Gabriel Weinberg, cites several examples; his company's disadvantages in the Android mobile OS; and browsers, which in Firefox requires only a single step to set DuckDuckGo as the default search — while doing so in Chrome requires five. Weinberg also questions the domain duck.com, which he offered to purchase before it was acquired by Google. His offer was declined and duck.com now directs to Google's homepage. Weinberg isn't the first to make similar claims; there was scroogle.org, which earlier this year, permanently shut down after repeated compatibility issues with Google's algorithms. Whatever the legitimacy of these claims, there certainly seems a growing market for people interested in privacy and objective searches — avoiding profiled search-results, a.k.a. 'filter bubbles.'"
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/11...eality-glasses
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November 24th, 2012, 00:06 Posted By: wraggster
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced a new add-on – a camera module that will enable the credit card sized computer to snap pictures as well as record 1080p videos. Showcased by RS Components at the Elecontrica 2012 in Germany [] the £16 (apprx) module will be equipped with a 5MP sensor and will plug into the otherwise unused CSI pins of the Pi. The camera module's board is still in prototype stage and is expected to reach production sometime soon. Liz Upton, Executive Director of the Foundation said in a blog post, 'We've a (very) little way to go before we're able to send it out to manufacture.' According to Upton, testing slots have been booked in December to check on electromagnetic radiations from the ribbon cable
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/1...r-raspberry-pi
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November 24th, 2012, 00:02 Posted By: wraggster
Gamecity breaks record attendance with more than 2,300 participants throughout its 12 events
400 developers and execs from across the games industry descended on Gamecity: Hamburg last night to celebrate the vibrant and growing games sector in the city.
The event is designed to celebrate the Hamburg game sector as well as give attendees the chance to establish new contacts as well as meet friends and peers involved in game development.
Gamecity events include four ‘well received’ ‘Gamecity Treff’ gatherings, two recruiting tours to academic institutions in Berlin and Copenhagen, the indiepixel summit and other meet-ups and conferences such as the Hamburg Games Conference.
Overall, the 12 Gamecity events organised throughout the year have broken a new attendance record for more than 2,300 participants in total.
This culminated at the Gamecity: Hamburg party, which saw its 400 guests celebrate and network late into the evening.
“This year, Hamburg’s games industry has come of age,” said Gamecity: Hamburg MD Achim Quinke.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...brate-industry
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November 23rd, 2012, 23:44 Posted By: wraggster
Leading psychologist Dr Aric Sigman has stated that the devices may produce increased levels of dopamine within the brains of kids.
It follows growing concerns around the world that youngsters are being exposed to PCs, TVs and other technology too young.
As a result, support has been mounting for more research to be carried out on the topic as currently, there is no conclusive evidence to support the claims.
"80% of adult brain size growth occurs during a child's first three years, when they may be most vulnerable to the effects of screen media," states Sigman.
"There should be a buffer zone in the early years, whereby this stage of child development is "cordoned off" from premature exposure to screen media"
The concerns come at a time where more children are using media devices than ever.
In a report released this week, the average age for a child to own their first piece of tech is just 9 1/2.
Many parents have found the lure of devices such as tablet PCs and smartphones to be appealing as their ability to host a range of content from TV shows and games offers a viable method of entertaining children almost anywhere.
It's not just health concerns that are a worry for parents, as with any web-connected devices, there's always the inherent risk of youngsters stumbling across content unsuitable for them.
It's hard to imagine that many parents will alter their child's media interactivity based on this report, however, it will be interesting to see if any further research will be conducted on the subject and what its findings may be.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...ologist/029678
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November 22nd, 2012, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster
Tour of tech's production factory and electronic gadgets up for grabs
The UK’s first free Raspberry Pi hack day will take place next month, giving participants the chance to create new software or hardware with the microcomputer.
One hundred top hardware and software hackers have been invited to the 24-hour event in Leeds, which is being organised by electronics supplier and Raspberry Pi distributor CPC.
Participants will go head-to-head, individual or as teams, in a bid to create new soft- or hardware using the device. Fortunately, they’ll have the aid of unlimited power, internet access, and dinner, breakfast and snacks.
“Raspberry Pi is revolutionising the tech market and we wanted to host the UK’s first dedicated hack day to celebrate the most talked about gadget of 2012. We can’t wait to bring Britain’s best minds together for 24 hours of the most creative computing and watch the magic happen,” said CPC head of marketing David Deventer.
Up for grabs for the best overall innovation is a personal tour of Sony UK’s Raspberry Pi manufacturing facility in Wales, while category winners will be awarded from a roster of gadgets available from cpc.co.uk, including camcorders, remote control toys, storage hardware and Raspberry Pi Plug and Play Kits.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...ry-Pi-hack-day
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November 22nd, 2012, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster
Many free-to-play games typically see just one-to-20 per cent of their userbase investing money into the title, EA’s Play4Free VP has said.
Speaking at the London Games Conference 2012, Sean Decker said that to keep a healthy user monetisation retention rate, developers must make the first purchase as easy as possible.
He explained that once someone had spent $1, they were three times more likely as other users to spend more money.
“Make the very first purchase as easy as possible. Too many developers look at this and decide it's back-end stuff,” said Decker.
“It needs to be very simple. The amount of money they put into the game at the very beginning is not very relevant. What matters is that your players are telling you that your game is valuable, and one they think is worth spending more money on.”
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-typically-pay
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November 22nd, 2012, 01:08 Posted By: wraggster
A number of western games made strong chart debuts in Japan during the week ended November 18, although none could shift Animal Crossing: New Leaf from the top spot.
<figure style="margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 300px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-transform: none; line-height: 21px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; clear: both; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; float: right; display: block; white-space: normal; position: relative; orphans: 2; widows: 2; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class="article-image article-image-alt article-image-300"> </figure>The 3DS exclusive sold almost 300,000 copies in its second week of availability, four times the total achieved by the PS3 version of Assassin's Creed 3, which debuted at No.2 (the Xbox 360 edition also charted at No.11).Other new entries included Summon Night 4 at No.4, Medal of Honor: Warfighter at No.5, Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation at No.6, Need for Speed: Most Wanted at No.8, and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate at No.9.
According to Media Create sales data republished on NeoGAF, 3DS comfortably remained the No.1 console during the week in question, while Vita bounced back from an all time weekly low to place ahead of PSP.
Software sales November 5-11 (lifetime total)
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS, Nintendo) - 290,280 / 893,344
- Assassin's Creed 3 (PS3, Ubisoft) - 72,504 / New
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS, Nintendo) - 41,658 / 1,385,212
- Summon Night 4 (PSP, Bandai Namco) - 40,111 / New
- Medal of Honor: Warfighter (PS3, EA) - 25,097 / New
- Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation (Vita, Ubisoft) - - 24,304 / New
- Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires (PS3, Koei Tecmo) - 14,911 / 85,012
- Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PS3, EA) - 13,383 / New
- Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS, Capcom) - 13,236 / New
- Tales of Xillia 2 (PS3, Bandai Namco) - 12,337 / 411,565
Weekly hardware sales (previous week)
- 3DS - 168,876 (187,077)
- PS3 - 17,035 (18,043)
- Vita - 13,091 (4,021)
- PSP - 12,217 (12,076)
- Wii - 3,001 (2,921)
- Xbox 360 - 2,063 (2,908)
- PS2 - 723 (1,187)
- DSi - 353 (424)
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...or-warfighter/
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November 22nd, 2012, 00:16 Posted By: wraggster
You’ll soon be watching eSports in pubs and reading about it on the back pages of newspapers, says IGN.
The media giant – which runs global eSports event IPL – says that the sector is growing at such a pace that it could become a mainstream sport in as little as five years. Especially as games like Call of Duty are starting to feature eSports-inspired elements.
“It’s really just a matter of time,” said eSports general manager at IGN David Ting.
“We can’t know exactly when it’s going be accepted but if you look at the number of people watching, we believe that it’s going to be recognised as a sport by mainstream media in the near future, probably within the next five years if it continues this current trajectory.
“If you see more and more mainstream games like Call of Duty building it right into the game itself, it really does get the word out.”
IGN’s international publishing director Rich Keen added: “In terms of the UK, IPL video views is more than ten per cent of our total video views in the UK at the moment and it’s growing all the time.”
And IGN feels we’ll soon have a gaming equivalent to footballer David Beckham.
“It’s the YouTube effect. Ten years ago, people got a webcam and tried to broadcast themselves on the internet, and some people thought that was odd. But then they became the next generation of celebrity,” added Ting.
“It’s the same with games. Guys holed up in their bedrooms playing games and then all of a sudden, paychecks start coming in and it’s the YouTube effect. They will become the next generation of celebrity.”
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ign-p...-years/0106780
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November 21st, 2012, 23:35 Posted By: wraggster
Video must be at the heart of publishers’ modern marketing strategy, says Google.
Speaking at London Games Conference this evening, Google’s industry manager for entertainment Warren Mills revealed that video games is the second most popular category on YouTube. Which, Mills added, is in itself the second biggest search engine behind Google.
Music is the only category ahead of video games.
“Digital is changing the game,” said Mills.
“We are seeing an incredible shift in how we define today’s modern gamer. Consumers are facing a competitive market place, which is testament to the amount of choice made available to them.”
http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...ory-on-YouTube
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November 21st, 2012, 23:29 Posted By: wraggster
As touch-screen continues to expand across all manner of mobile devices, the Intel Developer Blog examines the ways in which developers can utilise this tool to full effect…
There is certainly no shortage of Android devices in the market at the moment. Whether it be the latest and greatest smartphone or a wrist-watch, Android is fast becoming one of, if not the, developer platform of choice thanks to the mass migration of mobile manufacturers towards the operating system.
Touch-screen is now making its way to other portable devices such as laptops. It is becoming increasingly important that developers utilise its potential to full effect – especially when it comes to games. There’s a useful blog on issues developers are likely to face in coding for touch, such as hardware variations, button tactility and so forth that you may find useful.
Developers have been given the opportunity to go beyond the gaming parameters set by traditional input components, namely buttons and joysticks. The good old ‘A-B-C’ functionality of a Sega Mega Drive or SNES (XY / AB) control probably springs to mind. Touch-screen allows developers to think about the way they design and develop games in a very different way, just as virtual reality will do in the future (distant future, sadly!).
Is this a good thing? Opinion is divided. In business terms it’s a good thing; the market and target demographic has expanded considerably ranging from your 55 year-old commuter to primary school kids. Think of Angry Birds(free on Android in case you hadn’t noticed - there’s also a Star Wars version out...). It’s simple, fun, abstract, and ultimately designed to be won. Compare this to say Diablo 3, one of the hardest of hardcore games – in fact so hard testers described it as ‘unbeatable’! (Although someone somewhere recently beat it on ‘Inferno’ mode, I’ve heard).
It's clear games aren’t what they used to be, they’re no longer designed with quite the same audience in mind.
The hardcore gamer may disagree. Touch-screen isn’t necessarily a good thing for your dedicated gamer who will feel a pang of rage like no other should you lose (die) due to an unresponsive input system. The accuracy and responsiveness of touch-screen isn’t yet comparable to that of the classic mouse / keyboard combo. This isn’t a major issue right now as the majority of big games are a) incompatible with mobile devices, and b) incompatible with touch screen, but it’s worth bearing in mind.
Touch-screen will cater for both the non-traditional and traditional gamer. The potential to capitalise is huge! Yet not all developers are doing so. Various games still present users with an on-screen virtual joypad – a move that basically undermines the point of having touch-screen in the first place. They’re horrendous and hard to use, I like to know the analogue radius of a control, and feel the buttons as they depress.
If you’re an app developer avoid this tactic at all costs and focus on the strengths offered by touch-screen. Innovative controls are not bad control. A swipe or a tap can go a long way as a control-model for physics based skills and puzzle games. The mass user acceptance of this as an input mechanism will take time before it’s universally accepted though.
As touch-screen improves so will (hopefully) its capacity to become integrated into higher-spec games, which in turn will undoubtedly becoming increasingly played on mobile devices. The fact that smartphones are now running on the latest processors which are more powerful than some PCs is testament to how soon this will be. Don’t get left behind!
• This blog post is written by Softtalkblog, and is sponsored by the Intel Developer Zone, which helps you to develop, market and sell software and apps for prominent platforms and emerging technologies powered by Intel Architecture.
http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/read/...-gaming/019913
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November 21st, 2012, 01:14 Posted By: wraggster
Razer's had a good thing going with its DeathAdder gaming mouse. So much so, that it's left the peripheral largely untouched, varying only its colorover the years and adding a left-handed edition. Which makes today's refresh notable, since it brings a major update to the mouse's optical sensor -- now 4G -- that should improve accuracy with a resolution maxing out at 6,400 dpi. The unit still retains the same form and function as the original, although a textured, rubber grip has been added to the sides for increased comfort. And in keeping with tradition, gamers can also sync this mouse with the company's Synapse 2.0 software to access firmware updates, as well as settings for button mapping across titles. It's available now for $69 / €69, so hit up the source below to get your order set.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/20/r...ptical-sensor/
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November 21st, 2012, 01:08 Posted By: wraggster
A new study by Nielsen shows that children aged 6 to 12 want iOS devices and Nintendo's Wii U over the next six months. Apple's iPad leads with 48 percent, followed by 39 percent of children pining for the Wii U. 36 percent want the new iPad mini and iPod Touch, while 33 percent want any version of the iPhone.
Losers in the 6 to 12 demographics include the Microsoft Surface tablet (6 percent), a Samsung Galaxy product (9 percent), and the PlayStation Vita (14 percent), which sits below its predecessor the PlayStation Portable (18 percent).
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...r-the-holidays
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November 21st, 2012, 01:02 Posted By: wraggster
For years I’ve been dreaming of a streaming media device that could just be stuck to the back of a television. Since XBMC has been far and away my favorite set-top box software, I’ve closely monitored hardware developments that can run that package. Now I think it’s time to declare that the Raspberry Pi has achieved the base specifications to be branded the XBMC device that rules them all.
There are a huge range of opinions on this topic, but please hear me out after the break to see what has brought me to this conclusion.
http://hackaday.com/2012/11/19/raspb...xbmc-hardware/
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November 21st, 2012, 00:15 Posted By: wraggster
Razer has unveiled its latest elite gaming mouse, the Ouroboros, which is fully adjustable for southpaws.
Designed for precision gaming, the Ouroboros is fully customisable and comes with 11 programmable buttons, 8200 DPI and a clutch trigger to increase or reduce the DPI as you wish.
In a similar fashion to the Cyborg Rat, the Ouroboros has two interchangeable side panels, enabling users to alter the mouse to their individual hand grip. Unlike the Cyborg Rat, this new mouse has additional adjustments to interchange between left and right handed use.
Powered by a single rechargeable AA battery, the Ouroboros offers around 12 hours of wireless gaming, but also gives the option of wiring up to PC or Mac for those hefty gaming sessions.
Costing £114.99, the gaming mouse is set to ship to the UK in the next 1-2 weeks. More info atrazerzone.com.
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...hipping/029651
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