Hands-on with the new PlayStation Vita
Just like the PlayStation Portable before it, the PlayStation Vita comes in iterations. There's the standard, original Vita, and then there's the new, even nicer version. Sony unveiled that new iteration recently at a Japanese event, and we got our first hands-on with it today at Tokyo Game Show 2013. So, what's different? Not too much. As it turns out, it's still a Vita.
The good news is that it's a far lighter, more comfy version of the Vita you already know and (maybe) love. Rounded edges make holding the Vita distinctly less abrasive -- the sharp right angles on the original Vita were pretty from a design perspective, but not so much from an ergonomics standpoint. The buttons have been rejiggered as well, with a solid click for each (the start / select / PS Home buttons are also all now circles instead of ovals). And hey, the micro-USB port for charging is an unbelievably welcome addition. Gone are the days of your proprietary Vita charging cable (though there's still a port for it as well, should you refuse to change).
And that's not the only ergonomic improvement: the new Vita is dramatically lighter than its weighty predecessor, making it all the easier to take on-the-go. We're told that its battery life is also much improved, but we've yet to see that play out in real life, so we'll reserve judgment for now.%Gallery-slideshow89586%
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Software, HD
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Sony confirms PS4 gesture and voice control, HDMI capture for games
Looking for more PlayStation 4 news? Here's a bit now that Sony's Tokyo Game Show keynote address is over. A couple of features we'd hoped to hear more about have been confirmed, and the first is that the PS4 camera will support both voice and gesture control. It's no surprise that the system will take full advantage of the add-on's dual cameras and four mics for people who want to wave at their TVs, but it's nice to have that confirmed. Second, in a move that will mostly benefit game reviewers and YouTube video walkthrough experts (thanks for your help on these GTA V missions, all of you), the PlayStation 4 will allow unencrypted HDMI output for games. On the PS3 it didn't, treating games the same as Blu-ray movies, so anyone capturing video in HD needed to use component cables. That's on top of the console's "Share" button that sends clips of gameplay straight to Ustream, Facebook or PSN. Check out our liveblog for everything else discussed tonight including the PS4's mobile apps, indie gaming and Vita TV.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Sony
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Tumblr adds push notifications to Android app, iOS version to follow suit
A barrage of apps might've just gotten an iOS 7 refresh, but there's one for Android that's left its iOS counterpart in the dust: Tumblr. The microblogging site's Android app now boasts push notifications, adding blog follow and comment pings to the mishmash of Facebook and Twitter replies you get. Of course, if you like suspense and would rather see interactions when you're on the Yahoo-owned site, you can alway turn notifications off via Settings. Despite this notable feature, the new version's changelog is quite short -- the only other item is the activity screen redesign that you can see in the image above. Have fun lording these changes over your iOS-using friends while you can, though -- Tumblr says an update for iPhones and iPads is "coming very soon."
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
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Source: Tumblr, Google Play
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Nikon's AW1 is the world's first waterproof interchangeable-lens camera (hands-on)
Have any interest in bringing an interchangeable-lens camera along on your next snorkeling adventure? You could pick up a pricey DSLR housing, sure, but you might want to consider Nikon's new 1-Series AW1, the first device of its kind to score an integrated waterproof enclosure. An O-ring combines with a regular bayonet lens fitting to create a reassuringly tough seal that will survive down to a depth of 49 feet, at the expense of requiring just a little bit more time and physical effort to swap lenses. You'll need to re-surface before attempting that, of course, and you'll also have to make sure you're using one of just two waterproof pieces of glass: either a 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6, which comes as part of the kit, or a wide 10mm f/2.8 lens that is sold separately. Regular 1-series lenses will still fit on the AW1, courtesy of a little accessory, but they won't offer any of the ruggedness of the dedicated pair -- which means you'll miss out on the water-proofing, dust-proofing, freeze-proofing (to 14-degrees Fahrenheit) and shock-proofing (from a maximum drop of 6.6 feet).
Internally, the AW1 is similar to the CES-era J3. There's the same 14.2-megapixel CX-format sensor and 6400 top ISO, along with 1080p video capture, but the new model adds thrill-seeker essentials like an altimeter, depth gauge, GPS, compass and an accelerometer-powered option for switching modes with one hand. Finally, at risks of startling the little fishes, there's also pop-up flash that works underwater. All this will set you back $800 with the 11-27.5mm lens, when the AW1 ships next month, while the 10mm f/2.8 will be $200 more. Oh, and check out the hands-on video after the break to see how the AW1 fares in our own, hastily compiled durability test.%Gallery-slideshow85051%%Gallery-slideshow88714%
Filed under: Cameras, Nikon
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Hands-on with the PlayStation Vita TV, Sony's $100 microconsole
The PlayStation Vita TV is an aberration, but it's also another smart move from a company that's been on the gaming offensive since its February kickoff event for the PlayStation 4. In short, Vita TV is a Vita without a screen, encased in a small white plastic box and meant to plug into your home entertainment system. It plays Vita games, it runs Vita game carts, and it does all the other Vita stuff (media streaming, PSOne games, etc.). The Vita TV's only major difference from the handheld version is that Vita TV streams PlayStation 4 games from within the same WiFi under its "PS4 link" app, while it still goes under the Remote Play moniker on the portable iteration.
We didn't get hands-on time with Vita TV at its coming out event in Tokyo last week, but we did today at the Tokyo Game Show. Sadly, though the PS4 streaming was demonstrated on-stage by Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida earlier in the day, we couldn't try it out ourselves. We did get to check out the UI, though, and we spent our time playing UmJammer Lammy (sequel to staff favorite PaRappa the Rapper). Head below for our thoughts on the time we spent with Vita TV.%Gallery-slideshow89576%
Filed under: Misc, Gaming, Software, HD, Sony
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The Engadget Mobile Podcast is live at midnight ET!
Mom always said nothing good happens after midnight, but obviously she didn't know about mobile podcasts. Yes, it's another late night here at Engadget Mobile virtual HQ, but we have a few things to say about a couple rather high-profile reviews we published Tuesday evening. Join us tonight (or this morning, depending on where you are and how you look at it) as we dig into more of our thoughts about the new pair of iPhones, as well as any other topics that just happen to come up!
September 19, 2013 12:00:00 AM EDT
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Bloomberg: Staples and RadioShack remove Amazon lockers from stores
Perhaps placing Amazon lockers right within the confines of a couple of its toughest competitors might not have been such a great idea after all. Several months ago, Staples and RadioShack agreed to add the online retailer's lockers inside a few brick and mortar locations so that Amazon customers could choose to pick up their goods at the store instead of missing a delivery, with the host retailer getting a small fee in exchange. According to Bloomberg however, Staples and RadioShack have now decided to yank the lockers from their stores. Staples claimed the Amazon deal "didn't meet the criteria" that was set up, while RadioShack stated that the lockers "didn't fit with its strategy." We can't say we're terribly surprised to see the rivals part ways, but hey, at least you can still find an Amazon locker in select 7-Elevens.
[Image credit: Adam Matan, Wikimedia Commons]
Filed under: Internet, Amazon
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Source: Bloomberg
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Sony plans to sell 5 million PlayStation 4 consoles by the end of the fiscal year
Ambition? Sony's got that. The company just announced during its Tokyo Game Show keynote that it plans to sell a solid five million PlayStation 4 consoles by the end of the fiscal year. It's a bold enough goal on its own, but doubly so when one considers the bomb the company dropped last week: the PS4 won't even launch in Japan until February. To put that number into perspective, Nintendo's floundering Wii U only sold slightly more than half of that much during its own launch window. Perhaps a better comparison would be the sales of its own predecessor, the PlayStation 3, which didn't reach the five million mark until almost a year after launch. Although five million is little more than a drop in the pond for the kind of numbers Sony undoubtedly expects to sell over the next several years, it could give the company a competitive edge over its competition.
Update: We caught up with Sony's Andrew House after the keynote, who clarified that the five million sales goal was for the fiscal year, ending in March.
Check out the rest of Sony's TGS announcements in our liveblog coverage.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Sony
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Live from Sony's Tokyo Game Show 2013 keynote!
We've got a good idea on what Sony's got planned for at least part of its keynote. Some western release dates and prices for the likes of the Vita TV and new Vita are pretty likely, as are more details and games for the incoming PlayStation 4 -- c'mon, it's barely two months away from launch. We'll be offering rolling commentary at the company's Tokyo Game Show keynote, as soon as it starts.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Sony
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OUYA revises Free the Games Fund to lower project goals, reduce exclusivity
It looks like outspoken indie devs are finally getting their wish: OUYA is revising the rules for its "Free the Games" fund. The matching contest (which provides additional funding to Kickstarter campaigns that meet certain goals) has come under fire recently due to OUYA's tepid response to exploitation controversy. One developer, Sophie Houlden of Rose and Time, even pulled her
game from console's marketplace, accusing the company of being "incapable of ever correcting their mistakes." Now, it seems, the OUYA is ready to take a stab at doing just that, modifying the contest guidelines to lower pledge requirements, reduce participant exclusivity terms and limit loopholes.
Projects applying to the fund now only need to reach a minimum pledge requirement of $10,000 (down from $50,000 previously), and to prevent exploitation of the system, every $10k a project raises must be funded by at least 100 individuals. This is a direct response to criticism of the fund's backing of Gridiron Thunder, which raised $171,009 from only 183 backers (Gridiron Thunder has since withdrawn from the program). Exclusivity requirements are now scalable too, and last for one month for each $10k funded to a maximum of six months. According to OUYA's Julie Uhrman, these changes are designed to protect the original intent of the fund, but suspicious projects will be still be reviewed on a case by case basis. "You need to play by the spirit of the fund as much as the rules. We can't account for every loophole," write Uhrman on the company blog. "So, if we, or our community, feel you are gaming the system, we will review your project (and consult with our developer friends for their advice) and determine whether to fund it or not." OUYA continues to explain the changes in an accompanying video (at the source and after the break), promising that if these changes don't fix the program, that they'll continue to tweak the rules until developers are satisfied.
Filed under: Gaming
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Via: Joystiq
Source: OUYA
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Daily Roundup: iPhone 5s and 5c reviews, Cyber-shot QX10 review, iOS 7 now available, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
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Apple raises cellular download cap to 100MB for iOS
If you hadn't noticed, there have been a lot of app updates to accommodate the launch of iOS 7. You may not have to use a WiFi hotspot to grab them all, though -- Apple has quietly raised iOS' cellular download cap from 50MB to 100MB. You won't be loading Infinity Blade III while on the road, but the ceiling is high enough that moderately-sized apps like Sky Guide are now available over the air. Just make sure you've got enough spare bandwidth.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Apple
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Source: AppleInsider
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Verizon speaks out on Nexus 7 LTE activation, expects it will be certified 'shortly'
Despite the wide LTE support featured on the Nexus 7 2013's cellular modem-equipped model, early buyers have found Verizon won't activate it for a new line on the Big Red Network. The company responded officially on the matter today, explaining that its 4 - 6 week certification process must be completed first. The process apparently began in August, and spokesperson Debi Lewis said the company expects that to happen "shortly." The whole process is actually laid out on Verizon's website and shows how the testing is undertaken by a third party lab of the manufacturer's choosing -- feel free to read through it during the days / weeks your new Nexus 7 isn't connecting to LTE.
Filed under: Tablets, Wireless, Mobile, ASUS, Google, Verizon
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Source: Verizon Wireless
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Engadget HD Podcast 367 - 09.18.13
Yes, there was notable news in HD this week, but nothing gets Richard as fired up as Fantasy Football and GTA V. Thankfully, we were able pull him away from his Xbox for an hour of recording with Ben. The Engadget HD podcast is ready for a listen below.
Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Richard Lawler
Producer: Joe Pollicino
Hear the podcast
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Feedly embraces app development by opening up API to all
Feedly just got markedly more developer-friendly. The news aggregator has added a slew of new third-party apps to its platform and has also opened up its new cloud API to all interested parties, starting...now. According to a post on the company's blog, it enlisted 50 developers over the course of half a year to create an elastic programming interface that lets people create apps in less than a week. Interested developers can download the API at the source link below. You can also visit Feedly's page to check out the selection of currently available apps.
Filed under: Software
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Via: Android Police
Source: Feedly, Building Feedly
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Evernote for Mac now offers a Presentation Mode as a premium feature
It's not just iOS and BlackBerry 10 users getting new Evernote apps this week; the company has now also released an updated version of its Mac app with one fairly big new feature. An all-new Presentation Mode will now let you share your notes with others and possibly eliminate the need to jump into Keynote or PowerPoint. Clicking the Presentation Mode button will naturally switch things to a full-screen mode, and give you the ability to move ahead in your presentation by tapping the spacebar; another new feature will let you use your mouse or trackpad as a laser pointer of sorts, with your cursor movement displayed as a glowing blue light. The only catch is that you'll need to be a Premium Evernote user to take advantage of the feature, although Evernote is offering a 30-day free trial in the hope that you'll pay up. There's no word yet on the feature making it to other platforms just yet, but Evernote does say that it's "available first" for Mac, so we'd presume others can expect it eventually.
Filed under: Software
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Source: Evernote
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LinkedIn petitions court to provide more details regarding government data requests
It's not just the heaviest of the internet heavyweights pushing for greater government transparency. LinkedIn has filed its own petition with the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court asking for the ability to publish the exact number of national security requests that it gets. The social network argues that restricting data request numbers to vague ranges is not only pointless, but misleading -- the figures imply that the government wants as much data from LinkedIn as it does from larger firms. There's no certainty that the court will grant the company's wish, but its petition adds volume to an increasingly louder chorus.
Filed under: Internet
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Source: LinkedIn
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Kogan debuts second Agora smartphone: 5-inch 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, Jelly Bean, $189
Kogan's Agora brand may not drive techies wild like Galaxies or iThings
do, but its motto is clear: try to deliver reasonable hardware at the
lowest possible price. The company's first bid for a piece of the
smartphone pie launched earlier this year,
and today we're learning of its sequel. Design-wise, this second Agora
handset is a little curvier than the last, with a soft key replacing its
predecessor's physical home button. A 5-inch, 720p IPS LCD display
occupies the face, and inside we're looking at a 1.2GHz quad-core MT6589
Mediatek SoC (Cortex-A7), 1GB of RAM and 4 gigs of internal storage,
expandable with up to 32GB cards of the microSD variety. It runs Android
4.2.2 Jelly Bean, hosts two SIM slots, an 8-megapixel main camera,
2-megapixel front-facer, 2,000mAh removable battery and 3G (850 / 1900 /
2100), WiFi (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth 4.0 antennae.
Most
importantly, it costs $189, £149 or 199 Aussie dollars -- it's up for
order now at the relevant source links and is expected to ship to the
US, Australia, the UK and other European countries, as well as a couple
of Asian markets starting October 3rd. We're hoping to get a review unit
through soon, so keep an eye out over the coming weeks for our
impressions. In our opinion, anything that rings up at under $200 is
worth a fair trial.
Filed under: Cellphones, MobileComments
Source: Kogan (UK), (Aus), (US & elsewhere)
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NC State develops personalized web search without the usual server strain
The notion of personalized, contextually aware search is nothing new, but it can put a tremendous strain on servers by asking for a lot of data at once. NC State has developed a search technique that could ease that burden. Its code prioritizes results based solely on the "ambient query context," or the concepts related to a person's recent search history. Look for politicians, for example, and a search for Ford is more likely to bring up Gerald Ford than the car company. By focusing on just a fraction of a user's search habits, the university can customize results using far fewer processor cycles: while a test server could only handle 17 active searchers with an old approach, it can manage 2,900 with the new method. The query engine won't be confined to the lab, either. NC State tells us that a community-driven search beta is due within several months, and there are plans to commercialize the technology in the long run.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Alt
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Source: NC State
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Sharp's 70-inch, THX-certified Aquos Ultra 4K TV goes on sale in the US for $7,500
We are well past mid-August, which is when Sharp initially estimated its new 70-inch Aquos 4K Ultra HD LED TV would begin hitting shelves. Despite the late arrival, however, something tells us folks will still be glad to have yet another choice when shopping for their next 4K television set. To make things better, Sharp's super high-res, THX-certified Smart TV is set to be carrying a $7,499.99 MSRP here in the States, making it about $500 cheaper than when it was originally announced. Those of you interested shouldn't have trouble finding one, as Sharp says it'll be available at many regional and major retailers across the country.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
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Source: Sharp
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Battlefield 4 for Xbox One may get Kinect-based look controls
If you've wanted to immerse your body in a first-person shooter, you've typically had to use a complex simulator. Battlefield 4 may soon provide a decidedly simpler (and cheaper) alternative. DICE's Patrick Bach has revealed to Xbox Wire that the game may use the Xbox One's Kinect sensor for head-tracking look controls, such as leaning around a corner. Voice commands might also be available, Bach says. There's no guarantees that BF4 will get the new input methods, but DICE may have competition as an incentive. Infinity Ward recently hinted to Official Xbox Magazine that Call of Duty: Ghosts could use Kinect for more than navigating menus, so there's a chance that at least one of the two games will have motion control in the future.
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Software, Microsoft
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Via: Eurogamer
Source: Xbox Wire
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gdgt's best deals for September 18th: Klipsch Image E1 In-Ear Headphones, Jabra Wave Bluetooth Headset
Ready to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our friends at sister site gdgt track price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long.
Today we have not one but two headsets going for half their regular prices. The Klipsch Image E1 In-Ear Headphones are good for listening to media on the go, while the Jabra Wave Bluetooth Headset offers a less conspicuous design than most other earpieces we've seen. Also, in especially timely news, it's worth noting that Sprint is offering new customers the iPhone 5c for free and the iPhone 5s for $99.99. Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list. Every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
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Facebook iOS app gets a facelift, gives iPhone users a new navigation bar
It's iOS 7 release day, folks, and while we've told you about plenty of apps that have been updated to fit Apple's new aesthetic, we've got another for you. This time, it's Facebook, and instead of just giving its iOS app a fresh coat of paint, the team in Menlo Park has also delivered a new way to navigate its iPhone app. The upgrade brings an ever-present tabbed bar at the bottom of the screen that lets users seamlessly switch between News Feed, Requests, Messages, Notifications and More -- meaning as you slide your finger along that bar, the screens quickly switch from one to the other.
And, each of those tabs saves your state, so if you've scrolled down a ways in your feed, then do some messaging and come back, you won't have to roll through all the content you've already viewed. This function also transforms the More screen into a personally customizeable tab, as the app remembers whatever option you last chose. While this new option is a departure from the left-side nav users have grown accustomed to, the changes are very much made with you in mind. Developers went through 100 variants of the app tested by between 5-10 million users -- who wanted less friction in the UI -- and that feedback informed the redesign. Keep in mind, however, that iPad owners won't be getting this new nav (Facebook found that the existing UI was better suited to the larger screen).
As for the iOS 7 paint job? Highlights include wireframe icons and a translucent nav bar at the top of the screen that allows underlying content to bleed through, along with a general flattening of the app's appearance. However, users will only see this new look if they have upgraded to iOS 7. Folks sticking with iOS 5 and 6 will still get the new tabbed nav functionality, but the aesthetics will remain in line with the rest of their device's appearance. Wanna give the new Facebook a try? You know what to do.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Facebook
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Source: App Store, Facebook
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BlackBerry Z30 coming to Verizon, pricing and availability TBA
It's hardly the biggest BlackBerry shocker of the day, but at least a few BB 10 fans should be able to breathe a sign of relief at Verizon's Z30 announcement. That handset, in all its BB 10.2 glory, is indeed coming to Verizon's LTE network. Pricing and availability remain the key unknowns here, but the Z30, which ships with a 5-inch Super AMOLED display, 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro and a 2,880mAh battery, is indeed on its way, Verizon logo and all.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Verizon, Blackberry
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Source: Verizon Wireless (Twitter)
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Moto X Developer Edition for Verizon now available for $650 (update: GSM and Droid Maxx details)
If you've been pining for the freedom of the Moto X Developer Edition, you can now pick one up. Motorola has started selling the Verizon model for $650; the company also lists a GSM version, although it's currently out of stock. Regardless of which version you buy, you'll get the same ROM-friendly unlocked bootloader, 32GB of storage and that unmistakable Developer Edition imprint on the back. That's a lot to pay for a Moto X that you can't even customize, but it may be worthwhile if you simply have to tinker with a smartphone made in the USA.
Update: Motorola has since mentioned that the GSM version will be available on Friday; a Droid Maxx Developer Edition is launching today. And if you're a Sprint customer, you don't have to worry -- your version already has an unlocked bootloader.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, Verizon
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Via: The Verge
Source: Motorola (1), (2)
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