This is the world's thinnest light bulb, and it's just one atom thick
A team of researchers has made strides in the world of low-energy illumination by passing an electric current through a piece of graphene, creating the thinnest lightbulb ever.
The team behind the nanoscopic lighting source is comprised of researchers from Columbia, Seoul National University and Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science. The group told PhysOrg that they placed the super-strong carbon allotrope known as graphene between a couple of electrodes and sent an electrical current through it, and voilà!
Sounds kind of science-y, doesn't it? Trust me, it is, but the impact of the pursuit of low-energy technology could help humanity dodge an energy crisis by innovating efficient ways to keep the lights on.
In fact, the team said in Nature Nanotechnology that a piece of graphene thinner than a human hair when heated to extreme temperatures is able to create a light visible to naked eye, which is a pretty incredible feat. Sure, it's a first step, just as Edison using carbon filament to illuminate the first lightbulb was, but graphene could revolutionize the tech industry for the better.
Graphene in tech
The future of graphene in our everyday lives is essentially limitless. The team behind this discovery says that this experiment will help them innovate super strong and flexible optical drives and computer chips.Graphene, which is 200 times stronger than steel, could also innovate flexible wearable displays as well as improved lithium batteries with over 10 times the life.
If any of that went of your head, don't worry you're not alone. Fortunately, we have the privilege of sitting back and taking in these amazing discoveries as graphene helps researchers make long strides in the fields of energy and technology.
Via Gizmodo UK
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Gallery: Every single amiibo announced over E3
Amiibo
The Amiibo craze has become even bigger than we expected, and we see no reason for Nintendo to stop milking this cash cow any time soon. E3 2015 saw another dump of figurines, and we must own them all.
We'll be turning this into a full gallery of all the available Amiibo and the games they're compatible with, but for the meantime here's a lineup of the Amiibo announced over E3 2015. You wallet is already trembling with fear.
Duck Hunt
Falco
Mr. Game & Watch (customisable)
Mii Gunner
Mii Swordfighter
Chibi-Robo!
R.O.B.
Animal Crossing villagers
8-bit Mario
Turbo Charge Donkey Kong & Barrel Blaster car
Hammer Slam Bowser & Clown Cruiser
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How Dell's modern day torture dungeon inspires rugged notebook designs
Intro
As a person who babies his gadgets with cases and covers to ensure that my tech purchases look pristine even after several years of use, I never imagined holding a fire hose to spray a jet of water onto a Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme laptop located on a beige tiled floor ten feet across the room.To my amazement, not only did the laptop survive, but its designers told me that it was made for abuse. Can my sheltered MacBook Pro with Retina display survive the harsh reality of real-world abuse without a fitted plastic cover on, I wondered quietly. Then, thoughts of being able to work from home while sunning on a sandy California beach if I had one of those notebooks filled my head.
When you buy a laptop or tablet that's marketed as rugged, how do you know the kinds of abuse the system is capable of handling? Enterprise notebooks made for use in the field are designed to survive impact, water, dust and heat, and Dell shows us how it ensures that its ruggedized notebooks are tested so that they don't fail when you need them most.
Built Dell strong
A few weeks ago, Dell flew me to the company's Round Rock headquarters just outside of Austin, Texas to talk about the company's enterprise notebook designs and tour a torture lab that's the modern day equivalent equivalent of a medieval dungeon designed to incite fear in even the strongest of gadgets. These stress tests ensure that only the best designs survive and that businesses can be confident that failures don't happen during mission critical tasks.
Dell's Austin presence is immediately felt from the moment I deboarded the plane, with numerous large banners advertising Dell's products and services at the airport terminal. Shuttled to the Round Rock facility along with a handful of other journalists, I found Dell's aging facilities newer than HP's acquired Compaq campus in Houston, but not quite as modern as Lenovo's Research Triangle Park, North Carolina offices.
From the condensed tour that I was given, it seems like Dell gave its product testing engineers less space on its sparse campus compared to its two rivals. Engineers, designers, product testers, customer service representatives and other support staff all share the approximately ten or so buildings.
The classroom and fire house
The classroom is the harshest environment
Even though Dell's Latitude Rugged Extreme notebooks have been subjected to construction sites and war zones, Anthony Burdant, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Dell Rugged said that the worst environment for a laptop is the classroom.If a laptop can survive in the hands of thirty students, it should breeze through the military standard (MIL-STD) specifications tests. Before a Dell product is sent to an independent lab for rugged certification, Drew More, Executive Director of Dell's rugged line explains, Dell performs its own tests at even more stringent standards. If the notebooks can survive Dell's tougher test criteria, then they should fly through the independent lab certification.
For example, if MIL-STD testing requires laptops to survive 26 drop tests at a maximum height of six feet, Dell will pre-test these systems in its own labs with more drops at higher heights.
"We perform these tests on the very first prototypes and continue testing on each subsequent build until we launch," Moore said. "In fact, we feel that the testing of the first prototypes is the most important testing that we do. The point of the lab is to identify weaknesses in the design so that we can modify tooling and other manufacturing parameters to correct them."
Dell has rain chambers, like the one seen below, to test the laptop's ability to withstand water, drop testing machines, chambers simulating dust storms and a saline tank to ensure that components do not corrode.
Even though the company is proud of its Latitude Rugged and Latitude Rugged Extreme lines of notebooks designed for road warriors in the field, Dell told us that it took its rugged testing to the next level when it launched the durable Chromebook 11 ($249, £170, AU$320), a product specifically designed for the academic environment. With the Chromebook 11, Dell included its best design principles for rugged durability from its commercial line, delivered it in a fun package for the classroom and made the product affordable.
Attack of the fire hose
Unlike rival HP's expansive Houston, Texas testing facility, Dell's rugged lab only occupies three small rooms in an office building, which also houses corporate offices and Dell's design studio. The close proximity to the design studio means that if a system fails a rugged test, Dell's rugged team is able to consult with the designers and engineers to understand the failure and quickly re-tool the system so that it passes when retested.
In an isolated room reserved for liquid testing, Moore showed off one of the more visually stunning tests that Dell performs in its rugged labs. After pulling out a fire hose, turning it on to spray three pounds per square inch (PSI) and shooting jets of water at a Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme notebook with a touchscreen, he handed me the hose to test water ingress protection.
Fortunately, the Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme survived testing. I didn't notice any damage to the exterior, and the keyboard and touchscreen were functional after the laptop was powered down and powered back on. Dell's Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme is constructed with compression gaskets to seal the internals from dirt, dust and water. It comes with an IP-65 rating, meaning that no dust should be able to enter the Latitude, and the laptop is protected from water jets with elevated pressure.
In the water lab, Dell also had a saline chamber where laptops are tested for corrosion. This is an important step in the testing process. If the right types of metals are placed in close proximity to each other, and salt is introduced in the environment, then serious corrosion could quickly occur, Moore said.
By using the saline chamber, Dell's rugged team discovered that engineers were using just the right mix of metals for rust and corrosion to destroy a significant portion of a Latitude Rugged's metal undercarriage and frame. The rugged team quickly consulted with design engineers, substituted metals, and disaster was averted due to early test detection.
"After a failure, the unit is examined by the engineering team," a Dell spokesman wrote in an email. "The engineers determine root cause and then determine how to fix it. This solution is then incorporated into the design, tooling is modified if necessary and the improved design is used for the subsequent build. That build is brought into the lab, tested to failure and the cycle starts over again."
Drop and dust
Drop it like it's hot (or cold)
Walking out of the wet room and into the main testing room, I was greeted by a an apparatus butting up against a wall that was almost as tall as the ceiling's 15-foot height. The machine, which looks like a scale in a doctor's office, contains markings along the wall, delineating various height measurements, and is anchored on the floor by a large square piece of plywood that is two inches thick and measures about the size of a small area rug.
The machine, as I was informed by Moore, is used to perform drop tests on Dell's notebooks and tablets. Up to 26 drop tests are performed on each system at different height levels, and Dell says it tests the impact on corners and surfaces of its notebooks to ensure they survive drops from all angles.
A Latitude 12 Rugged Extreme laptop was dropped at a set height – up to 8 feet in the test that I witnessed – onto the plywood with the undercarriage side, or base, facing downward. After a loud thump, Moore and I checked the system, which survived the drop and is fully functional. We observed small cosmetic damages – little nicks and scuffs.
Dell says that internally, its test goes even further, testing drops as high as 9 feet or even 12 feet, and some tests are even done with the laptop in an open position. This puts additional stress on the system, and if the notebook survives Dell's labs, it should survive testing using standard specifications.
To the right of the dropping contraption within the same room are two large chambers. Dell is able to control the temperatures in these chambers to replicate severe heat and cold. Moore claims that Dell's Latitude Rugged Extreme notebooks are certified to operate safely in temperature ranges between -20 degrees to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 to 65.56 degrees Celcius).
One fire department went as far as testing the Rugged Extreme in temperatures up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.33 degrees Celcius) without incident, Moore's team told me.
The importance of testing electronics in high temperature extremes is to ensure that components, batteries and hard drives work in even the harshest environments, especially for mission critical tasks for which equipment failure is not an option.
There are also two machines that actively open and close a laptop to test the integrity of the hinge design. Dell's engineers told me that while these tests are demonstrated on Dell's toughest notebooks, similar tests, made to different specifications, are also performed on regular commercial and consumer systems.
"The purpose of the lab is to test items to failure; therefore, 100 percent [of Dell's systems fail on the first try]," Dell said in an email. "Sometimes, we do have components that take so long to precipitate failure that we end up stopping the test before it fails. An example is the hinge cycle tests where the unit will have been on the tester for months and we need to abort the test so the fixture can be used to test other products."
Desert storm
From the seas to torrential rains, from the desert to the tundra, Dell has shown me that its laptops can perform, but what about when they're used in dusty environments like construction sites? I was led to a small adjoining room with a small chamber with a large glass window.When I peered through the glass, all I saw was white, and I wondered why Moore's team had told me to look through frosted glass. Moore activated a single-blade windshield wiper with a button located on the side of the machine, and it became clear that what appeared to be frosted glass was a result of dust accumulation inside the chambers. Once the dust was swept away from the glass, I was able to glimpse a lone Rugged Extreme notebook inside.
The machine simulated sand, dust and dirt – contaminants that could have a harmful effect on my consumer-grade MacBook Pro that's concealed in my bag – which seem to have no effect on the Latitude Rugged Extreme 14. The laptop appeared to have weathered the storm when it was powered on, and worked as advertised.
Moore said that the room has its own air ducts and ventilation system. Dell's facilities department was concerned that if the chambers leaked, the particles swirling inside the test equipment would have an adverse effect on the building's HVAC system. Given the humid and hot Texas summer weather outside, I could understand concerns about anything that would prevent the climate control system inside from doing its job.
I was then shown two different types of docking connectors that Dell uses on its enterprise-class notebooks. The more traditional connector comes with latches and mechanical moving parts, which would make it ill-suited for extreme conditions. The latches could break and dust and dirt could enter the laptop with moving parts when a notebook is jostled around in a police vehicle or in a tank.
Moore showed me a second dock, which comes with discrete POGO pins – similar to the charging pins on Sony's waterproof Xperia Z3 smartphone. These pins are more resilient in tougher environments as they don't contain latches or mechanical parts that could break, and Dell opted to use POGO pins for the docks employed on its Latitude Rugged Extreme. The notebooks use the POGO pins to dock into car docks and mounts as well as desktop docks.
ProSupport
When all else fails
Even though rugged testing is incorporated at the earliest stages of the design process to create a system that is durable, sometimes there are failures in the field. To help businesses minimize their downtime, Dell offers premium support packages that provides next-day, on-site service to enterprise customers through ProSupport and ProSupport Plus.These support packages are available for all of Dell's products – from servers to tablets – and are the equivalent of OnStar for computing.
For example, with ProSupport software installed on a notebook, Dell receives continuous feedback about the condition of the battery and the hard drive. In the event these components fail, rather than having a frustrated customer call Dell for support, Dell can automatically create a case number for the incident, have a service tech call or email the customer and ship the parts overnight or send a service tech to repair.
ProSupport Plus takes it a step further for mission critical businesses. Dell's software, through continuous monitoring of the system, can predict if a hard drive will fail within the next thirty days. With predictive analysis, Dell alerts the customers so they can back up their data and save important files. Dell's support would then ship a new hard drive to the customer.
Dell's support is different from what's available on the market today. Rather than wait for a frustrated customer to call in after a problem happens, Jim Roth, Executive Director of Global Support at Dell, says Dell wants to reach out to the customer and provide a fast fix. Customers don't need to lose downtime by shipping their laptops or waiting in line for tech support because Dell offers next-day on-site service.
With thoughtful support and careful design planning, Dell hopes to reduce incidents and failures with some of its toughest notebooks and tablets.
- Read our picks for the best business notebooks
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Updated: The coolest and weirdest moments of E3 2015
The good, the rad and the weird
The only part of an E3 that you can count on more than the cool game announcements are the stilted, silly and super cool moments that the publishers pepper into their live events. Luckily for us, E3 2015 has already delivered all three, and Day One isn't just ended.
From holographic Minecraft to an awkward attempt at creating a meme, we've captured every last exciting and excruciating detail from this year's proceedings in chronological order. Read on, dear friend!
Update: I've added the strangest moments from Nintendo and Square Enix's E3 media events to the of this gallery. Check them out!
Minecraft in your living room - literally
We've seen it teased in sizzle reels and discussed in countless, photo-less hands on reviews, but not before today have we been shown Minecraft on HoloLens in real time. Microsoft is serious about this thing – even in gaming, to our pleasant surprise.
While no release date was announced, the Redmond-owned developer Mojang showed off how HoloLens can cast a screened experience of Minecraft to any flat surface. However, what's way more interesting is how players can interact with an instance of the Minecraft world overlayed on a flat surface nearby. Better yet, your friends can walk through that very world – and you can see them. So cool!
Oh yeah, and did Microsoft say that it's buddied up with Valve VR? That was definitely said, and the implications could only be advantageous for Redmond.
That slick new Xbox One controller: the Elite
Microsoft's brand new, next-generation game controller looks stunning, certainly more exciting than just having a new 3.5mm audio jack. The biggest change brings two pairs of paddle switches on the reverse sides of the controller, kind of like the new Steam controller.
Replete with hair trigger buttons with adjustable force levels, the controller will be fully compatible with Xbox One and Windows 10 out of the box. And finally, the entire controller's button layout can be customized as you please. Truly a weapon for the Elite gamer, Microsoft wants this to beat the PS4 Dual Shock 4 as the de facto PC gaming controller – at least it looks pretty obvious.
Plants vs. Zombies shuffles out another mascot
Guys, the zombies are cute and all, but this ain't no Disney. EA introduced the sequel to its successful shooter take on the series, Garden Warfare 2, with a giant zombie super hero.
No one laughed, so the skit ended rather quitely. And after a rousing showing of the actually decent-looking new game in action, we moved right on to something more interesting.
Do not be surprised if you see these things roaming the halls of this year's show. Don't encourage them, please?
EA immortalized 'Hoop Gawd' as the new Zordon
The company that makes all of the sports games has to try to make things interesting every year, otherwise the next game would just look realer each year and not much more. Still, EA sometimes goes in odd directions with its ideas that end up looking like – in this case – the MCP from Tron.
EA demoed an app that uses HD face scanning technology to bring your likeness into NBA Live 2016 with the help of Hoop Gawd, the game's community manager. Once his face was on the screen after an iPhone scan, it was all over.
The wrath of Hoop Gawd hovered above the audience of confused journalists, developers, and fans like Big Brother in 1984. Thankfully the wave of awkward subsided a few minutes later, but the enormous face of Hoop Gawd will live on in our nightmares.
Pele held storytime!
This year, in a last ditch effort to make soccer, football, "the beautiful game" more interesting, EA brought Pele on stage to tell tales about his time as the greatest football player that ever lived. Well, the guy's about 75 years old and English is not his first language, so that went about as well as you could expect for an otherwise explosion-packed presser.
After Pele told us how he coined the phrase "the beautiful game," which I still can't recall, the storied veteran of the real FIFA went on to tell more stories that sounded generally unrelated to the new FIFA game. But hey, diehard football and soccer fans got to gush over one of the greats of the sport for 10 minutes, so that's cool I guess. On with the games!
'Never again,' Trey and Matt said
It was little awkward and tense after the latest South Park game, The Fractured But Whole, was shown off at Ubisoft's E3 conference. Famed series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone soon after took the stage, which is when host Aisha Tyler asked what they thought of the news.
"It's OK," one of the them said with little more than a huff, as if they themselves couldn't believe they were there. Frankly, the two looked cautious even on stage after previously saying that they'd never work on a video game again. Short after, the duo began cracking jokes again, but we all remember Trey and Matt's awkward acknowledgment that, yes against their arguably sane selves, they are doing it again.
Remember when Ubisoft tried to create a meme?
This year, we learned one very important, comforting lesson: corporations cannot, now matter how hard they try, make memes happen. But we'll sure as hell watch them try every chance we get for the lulz.
Who you see here is Rick, someone on the Assassin's Creed: Syndicate team dressed up as Jacob Fry, a character from the game. Ubisoft's host, Aisha Tyler, seems to think that this is enough to deem her friend Rick a meme. No, that's cosplay. They're two different things, and everyone knows it.
The only event in which the two internet phenomena have ever crossed paths was the infamous Lightning Bolt video, which is basically the phrase "lightning in a bottle" defined literally.
Ubisoft tried to make lightning strike twice here and hilariously failed in a skit that awkwardly trailed off. Just look at the side eye this dude is getting!
The sole musical performance WASN'T that weird
Too bad it was just 'meh'. Chart topper Jason Derulo lept onto the Ubisoft E3 stage to dance and sing to his latest hit, "Want to Want Me," and ring in the latest Just Dance game.
Frankly, Jason should stick to the studio or learn the art of auto tone. His dance moves are dope though. What was Usher up to this year?
The Last Guardian lives on PS4
Like the coming of the messiah, the gameplay trailer debut of the long-awaited, long-delayed artistic adventure game The Last Guardian was met with a cacophony of claps and cheers. Hell, this game is practically Sony legend, and the company up and started its night of unveilings with this.
It's clear, Sony has mastered the art of the reveal. Is it too much to say that Sony has become the Apple of reveals in the gaming world? Or should we leave that to Oculus?
Morpheus goes multiplayer
Sony wasn't about to stop at surprise announcements like an HD remake of Square Enix's darling Final Fantasy 7 for PS4. No, the company's in the VR business like near everyone else, and you better bet it's out to show off some stuff at E3 2015.
Project Morpheus has gone multiplayer in a new game developed by Guerilla Games's Cambridge studio, Rigs. It's a 3-on-3 mech combat sporting event that players can enjoy using their own Morpheus head-mounted displays in the same room. In fact, Sony will be giving demos of the game on the E3 show floor – and you better bet we'll get our hands on it.
Nintendo went Jim Henson on us
To ring in its E3 2015 game announcements, Nintendo head honchos Reggie Fils-Aime, Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto had puppets of them made up. That's right, puppets – and their likenesses were shockingly accurate.
You had Reggie's chiseled chin, Iwata's blank stare and Miyamoto's squint all recreated in plushy glory. But Nintendo isn't one to leave a joke be. No, the trio of senior team members proceeded to transform into Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare and Fox McCloud of Star Fox fame.
It was adorable. (And it reminded me of the classic box art for Star Fox on SNES.) Then puppet Iwata stared at some miniature bananas – again.
Miyamoto can make music, too!
Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Super Mario series, The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, is already widely known as a master of game design. Naturally, it turns out that's not his only talent.
Shiggy can shred! In a segment aimed to honor Mario's 30th anniversary, Nintendo showed off dozens of everyday folks tapping, singing and humming the classic tune. But closing it off was Miyamoto playing the little diddy on an acoustic guitar with a small band. What did you do today?
This dude
Someone clearly neglected to tell this guy that cosplay was optional. That's the only logical explanation as to why Yoko Taro, director on a new entry in the already-obscure NieR game series, got on stage dressed like he was ready for Otakon 2015 during Square Enix's E3 conference.
From his muffled voice speaking in Japanese through the always-smiling, always-staring face of whatever-the-frick he's trying to be, to the fact that everyone acts as if this is 100% par for the course, this was a weird E3 moment of legendary proportions.
The guy even returned from backstage later in the conference for a send off, still wearing the damned getup (and clapping super strangely). And no one batted an eye! Casual Fridays at the Square Enix office must be downright scarring.
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Your Twitter feed is about to get way more annoying
The one thing you hate the most about your Facebook News Feed is now making its way to Twitter. You guessed it, autoplay videos and GIFs are about to conquer your timeline.
The autoplay craze, or "autoplague," as I've started calling it, has become an increasing trend on social networks to make video consumption quicker and boost advertising revenue.
Facebook and Instagram both have autoplay video functions with "tap-for-sound" capability, so at least you aren't bombarded with audio every time you check your feed. Twitter will let users disable the autoplay function, though, so at least it's not a permanent plague if you don't want it to be.
Money talks
Advertisement revenue plays a pivotal role in the gradual shift to autoplay videos. Market research firm eMarketer estimates video ad spending will go up from $7.8 billion to nearly $15 billion by 2019.For Twitter and its advertisers, the social network won't consider that a video has been "viewed" unless it's "100% in-view on the user's device" for 3 seconds or more.
Twitter maintains the new format will drive user interest and engagement up, and it's true that we are more likely to watch an advertisement if what is already playing captures our attention from the start.
Unfortunately, it means that our Twitter timelines are about to (somehow) get even more cramped and annoying. The autoplay rollout begins today on the web and iOS app, with Android not too far behind, so enjoy your freerange video consumption while you can, Android users.
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Cortana on Windows 10 Mobile will scan your email for travel notifications
If you're too psyched to wait for next month's Windows 10 launch, today is a good day. Microsoft has launched an updated preview of Windows 10 Mobile that includes a ton of user experience enhancements, including a revamped PIN pad, a darker themed Cortana homepage, and a more easily navigable Photos app.
Cortana, which Microsoft says is very close to its final design, features a darker design similar to the blues and blacks you'll see when you navigate the rest of Windows 10. Additionally, the digital personal assistant application will now be able to automatically track flights and shipments by scanning your email, similar to Google Now, which is a direct knockoff of Google's Now application.
Essentially, Cortana will notice that a Microsoft shipping partner has sent you a new Surface 3, and it will add the delivery date to your calendar, and provide you with an audio alert so you know when the tablet will arrive.
The new and improved Cortana will be able to respond to queries about the weather, currency exchanges and stock quotes. Once you ask Cortana a question, the app will provide inline answers, which you can then tap onto in order to explore further.
Photos
The Windows 10 Mobile Photos app will now let you organize your photos by the month. You can simply scroll through your pics via the 12 months of the year, similar to how you would navigate Collections in iOS. Another new iOS-familiar feature is the ability to double-tap to zoom on a photo.Lumia 640, 640XL, 930, Icon, or 1520 users can now make the Lumia Camera Beta application their default camera app for Windows 10 Mobile. The Lumia app is similar in form and function to the Windows 10 Mobile camera app, however it includes additional features, such as the ability to toggle between auto and manual modes and capture 4K video.
Previously announced Camera app improvements include built-in HDR and enhanced manual settings for more advanced photographers.
What else?
Windows 10 Mobile will also provide better one-handed use. By simply pressing and holding the Start button, you can slide your screen to the bottom of the phone in order to navigate the upper corners. You'll also slide the screen back up by tapping the blank space where the upper corners of the screen were located previously.For anyone who has ever set a Lock screen image with sentimental value, you'll love the latest improvement, which makes the PIN pad transparent so that your image doesn't disappear when you go to input your passcode. This obviously isn't a major overhaul, but one that's worth calling out since you'll likely interact with the PIN pad dozens of times each day.
The background
More than four million people have downloaded the beta version of Windows 10, which is scheduled to go live on July 29. It is likely Windows 10 will launch only for desktops and laptops at that time, and then for additional devices in the following months.Windows 10 will be available in seven versions – Internet of Things, Mobile, Home, Enterprise, Professional Mobile Enterprise and Education.
Among many changes to the Windows 10 Mobile experience is a brand new Outlook that will enable you to fully format your text and check email that's synched across multiple devices.
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E3 2015: 10 must-see Nintendo games from E3 2015
Return of the classics
With its E3 2015 Digital Event, Nintendo continued to do what it does best: deliver colorful, fun-looking, charming games that appeal to players of all ages. There weren't any huge blockbuster surprises, but many of Nintendo's most popular properties were on display, including Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Star Fox and Animal Crossing.
If you want big explosions, cinematic experiences and scripted events, you'll probably have to look elsewhere, but for the types of gameplay that got most players hooked to begin with, it appears that Nintendo will deliver where it counts.
Super Mario Maker (Wii U), September 11
Drawing upon Super Mario Bros.'s 30-year history, Super Mario Maker does exactly what the name implies: it lets you create your own Super Mario levels with a simple-to-use, drag-and-drop interface.
Place enemies, power-ups, pits and blocks however you see fit; combine obstacles in new and exciting ways; choose your graphical style and rule set. You can soar through the clouds, put enemies on your head, and even transform Mario into different characters using amiibo, including a special pixel-art 8-bit Mario amiibo that adds a new Big Mushroom power-up to the game.
You'll be able to share levels online, too, giving this game nearly limitless playability. In addition, the game includes a 100-page booklet from Mario's history to help illustrate the creative possibilities.
Star Fox Zero (Wii U), Holiday 2015
Essentially a reimagining of the original Star Fox game, Star Fox Zero puts Fox McCloud and his anthropomorphic allies into interstellar combat against invading forces. You'll control multiple vehicles with transformative powers - the traditional Arwing ship turns into a chicken-like robot walker and the Landmaster tank shifts into a flight mode, plus you can control a new Gyrowing hovercraft as well.
You'll fight deep in space, within planetary atmosphere, and on planets' surfaces, and multiple camera viewpoints - an in-cockpit view on the Wii U GamePad and a third-person view on the TV - ensure you'll have a great angle for taking it all in.
The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes (3DS)
The Wii U Zelda game was a no-show this year, but The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes helped fill the void. Seemingly a combination between traditional Zelda games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and the multiplayer Four Swords Adventures, Triforce Heroes is a three-player online adventure designed around cooperative play.
You can stack your heroes like a totem pole to take out tall enemies, and switch into a variety of costumes to use new abilities. Link can even wear Zelda's dress?! If you don't have any friends around, you can play the game solo, too. Triforce Heroes is due out in fall 2015.
Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS), 2016
The popular Metroid Prime series is back with a multiplayer-focused action game. Jump into mech suits with up to three other players, then embark on your mission to clear out enemy bases. In addition to the standard action mode, there's a three-on-three Blast Ball mode, sort of a futuristic take on soccer. The graphics on this title weren't so hot, but hopefully they'll be able to improve that department before release next year.
Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U), December 4
A followup to the sleeper Wii hit, this massive sci-fi epic is set to engulf RPG fans before the end of the year. Both on foot and in giant mechs called Skells, you'll battle enormous monsters and explore a vast world; supposedly it takes around half an hour if you did nothing but run from one side of the world map to the other. It's one of the Wii U's most visually impressive games, and the story, which focuses on nothing less than the survival of humanity on an alien world, appears equally gripping.
Fire Emblem Fates (3DS), 2016
The last Fire Emblem game established this strategy-RPG series as a bona fide hit in North America, and Fire Emblem Fates looks to up the ante. You'll have to decide which side you'll fight on, then experience a vastly different story depending on your choice. A base-building component brings additional fun.
Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival (Wii U)
Animal Crossing is back, but it's not the typical life simulator that the series is known for. Instead, it's a board game, and you'll use amiibo of characters such as Isabelle, KK Slider and Tom Nook as the playing pieces; in fact, the game will launch as bundle that includes two Animal Crossing amiibo and three amiibo cards. Like in the traditional Animal Crossing games, the events you encounter will change depending on the real-life time of year. The game is due out holiday 2015.
Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U), October 16
Nintendo debuted Yoshi's Woolly World some time ago, but this textile-themed platformer keeps looking more fun and more adorable every time they show it. You'll eat enemies, turn into different forms (like a motorcycle and an airplane), pull strings to interact with the environments, and more, plus you'll be able to use amiibo to customize Yoshi's appearance.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (3DS), Spring 2016
Which Mario RPG series do you prefer - Mario & Luigi or Paper Mario? Either way, fans will fall in love with this title, which combines the two series as Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario (who emerges from a storybook) all team up for a comical quest. One of the highlights? Getting to control a giant papercraft Mario.
Yo-kai Watch (3DS), Holiday 2015
If you haven't heard of Yo-kai Watch, just know this: it's already taken Japan by storm, and it may very well do the same here. Featuring the same cute, collectible mentality as Pokémon, Yo-kai Watch sees you finding and allying yourself with ghostlike creatures called Yo-kai in order to defeat other, evil Yo-kai. This could be the next big thing in handheld gaming.
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Review: Koss BTS1
We all know that judging a book by its cover is wrong, but we do it anyway, right? I know I do. That's why, when I saw Koss's miniature BTS1, I didn't think much of it nor did I expect to be impressed by its sound quality. After all, it's not much bigger than a deck of cards.
For $59 (about £103, AU$105 with international shipping costs from Koss' online shop included), this little speaker surprises with sound delivery full of warmth uncharacteristic of its size and a smooth, understated design. It's lacking some major features, but what Koss did pack inside this compact form factor performs remarkably well.
Design
The Koss BTS1 is just as serious about its looks as it is about its sound. The minimalist design here works wonders to help it blend into just about any household environment. But when looked at under the microscope, each of its design touches stick out as being masterfully implemented and make using the speaker a joy wherever you listen.
The rectangular-shaped speaker has rounded edges and is surrounded all around by a uniform ring of smooth, white plastic. A large grille spans the entirety of the BTS1's front-facing speaker cabinet, embossed with a Koss logo that does well not to stand out much. The grille is perforated with a circular pattern, allowing sound to flow freely. Also tucked just behind the grille are LEDs that help to communicate with subtle beams of blue light when the speaker is on or searching for a device. A mellow orange shines through when it's charging.
Moving up to the top of the Bluetooth speaker, there's a set of buttons that controls the speaker's basic functionality. From left to right, there's a volume decrease button, a button to tether to a Bluetooth capable device to its right, which also turns the speaker on and off. Finally, a volume increase button rounds out the offering. I have to note how charming the system indicator sounds are that come from this speaker. When you power it on and off, it sounds like a cute robot greeting you. The chimes are a little loud, but it's a nice, personable addition that I find myself wishing more speakers had.
One of the speaker's sides is bare, but the other hosts a few ports. There's one labeled "In" and this is where you can plug in a device with the included 3.5mm cable, should it not be Bluetooth capable or if you're just trying to conserve some battery by sticking with the wired route. Next to it is "Out", which supports daisy-chaining two speakers together for a fuller sound, if you just so happen to have another Bluetooth speaker sporting a 3.5mm input laying around. Lastly, there's a micro USB port for charging this mini music maker.
Running around the back of the BTS1, Koss installed a grey rubber pad, so that the speaker can be laid on its back for omni-directional listening without sliding around. If you'd rather have the sound facing you, you'll appreciate the hidden kickstand, that can be concealed or kicked out to stand the speaker at about a 120-degree angle.
Performance
The looks of the Koss BTS1 might not impress everyone, but most could agree that it surely gets the job done. However, it makes a surprising impression when it comes to sound performance.
Koss is renowned for its decades-long dedication to packing its headphones with quality drivers. But when it comes to Bluetooth speakers, this is the Milwaukee, Wis.-based company's first attempt. And it's really onto something here.
The small speaker can reach incredible volume without distortion, which is an area where many options, particularly the smaller ones, commonly fall flat. Not only that, the sound delivery here is full, with careful attention given to mids and highs. Warm sound delivery is the BTS1's greatest strength, backing all sorts of music genres with a natural sound.
However, bass is one area where, unlike most of the Koss BTS1's features, the performance doesn't defy its size. Still, despite missing some "oomph" in the low-end delivery, hip-hop and jazz tracks were faithfully churned out with bass that simply does the job.
Churning out music is what the BTS1 does best. Actually, that's about all that it does. This speaker doesn't offer support for NFC, it doesn't contain an internal microphone and the battery life is decent, coming in at just over five hours.
For the low asking price, it's excusable for the device to be a little one-dimensional. But on the other hand, the Creative Muvo Mini offers all of those features, stacked on top with weatherproofing and battery life that lasts twice as long for roughly the same price.
Final verdict
At the $59 price point, Creative's Muvo Mini puts the BTS1 to shame in terms of features, which include a mic for calling, weatherproofing and a bigger, 10-hour battery.Even with its faults, you can't go wrong with the BTS1 if you're looking for a natural, warm-bodied sound in a small form factor. The confident design also impresses, but whether you dig Koss' debut budget speaker will ultimately hinge on whether a sheer amount of features are more important to you than sound output, the latter of which the BTS1 does very well for its miniature size and price point.
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Analysis: As the NX looms large, Nintendo is finally letting go of the Wii U
It speaks volumes that one of the first things Nintendo did at its 2015 E3 event was acknowledge a next-generation console it hasn't even formally announced. It also offered very little Wii U content for the coming months. Go figure.
The NX remains shrouded in mystery – it might not even be a "console" in the traditional sense – but I'll always remember today as the moment Nintendo finally started to let go of the Wii U and move on. Nintendo America President Reggie Fils-Aime said it himself: the theme of this year's E3 for Nintendo is "transformation".
OK, so the show kicked off with Star Fox Zero, which will arrive on the Wii U this Christmas, but the rest of the event was heavily focused on the 3DS. After Sony opened fire on E3 with a merciless barrage of long-awaited games, Nintendo's E3 kept a slower pace, allowing for time to dwell on things like Yoshi's Woolly World and new Amiibo figurines.
Nintendo prefers to focus on the coming months, not years, which is fine, but this year it made for an empty showing. Its major satellite studios were notably quiet, and to me that can only mean they're working on what's next. While other publishers talked about the far-off future, Nintendo refrained.
All filler, no thriller
After the event Miyamoto did confirm that Zelda is still coming to the Wii U. So why has Nintendo stopped talking about it, especially after the phenomenal gameplay demo we saw just months ago? Why won't it commit to a new release date?There's every chance the new Zelda will get the Twilight Princess treatment and be launched across both the Wii U and the NX. And yes, Nintendo's disappointing Metroid 3DS announcement could be a covert water-tester for a future home console game.
Nintendo has done everything it can to succeed with the Wii U, and to its credit has released some spectacular games, but it knows it's time to move on – hopefully with some valuable lessons in tow. If it really is holding back the big announcements for the NX, then I'm confident that it won't make the same mistake of launching a console with a game lineup so terribly barren.
Transformation often evokes nostalgia, and Nintendo's E3 event closed with a montage of people playing the Mario theme. "As anyone transforms, be it a person or a company, it's good to reflect on where you've been to help guide where you go next," said Reggie.
Nintendo has transformed itself time and time again, and as Super Mario Bros turns 30, there's never been a better time for change. Here's to what's next.
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E3 2015: Hitman E3 2015 trailer takes the series back to basics
After seeing a frenetic and cinematic Hitman Monday, IO Entertainment took to the stage at Square Enix's E3 2015 event to give us a full explanation of the new game.
Agent 47 returns to his life of assassinating targets following the events of Hitman Absolution. Oddly enough, Agent 47 looks younger than he has ever been, but the skilled killer is just as experienced as ever. Players will be able to use subterfuge, disguises, distraction and force to get to their targets.
The biggest new feature is that the game will continue to offer a seemingly endless list of targets and scenarios to play through in a live and ever-expanding world of digital assassinations.
According to Christian Elverdam, creative director of Hitman, IO will release a schedule of missions, hits and other objectives for the Hitman community to complete. In one scenario, all players will be given a chance to take out a target, and no matter the outcome it will be permanently recorded.
The new game will also bring back community-created contracts, further extending the list of assignments for players to complete.
Sony confirmed Monday it is working in partnership with Square Enix to offer PS4 owners a console-exclusive beta beginning December 8, as well as six exclusive new contracts when the game releases in full.
The new Hitman game will also launch on Windows PCs and the Xbox One.
- What were the weirdest moments of E3 2015?
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E3 2015: Final Fantasy 7 is coming to your iPhone and iPad this summer
Following Monday's announcement that Final Fantasy 7 is getting a huge remake for PS4, game developer Square Enix announced the game is coming to iOS devices before the end of summer.
Square Enix didn't divulge many details on the remake of the nearly 20-year-old fan favorite game, other than announcing its development and releasing a two-minute teaser trailer.
Shinji Hashimoto, Kingdom Hearts executive producer, says Square Enix is working to bring Final Fantasy 7 to iOS before the end of summer, and the full version to PS4 this winter, eventually making its way to Xbox One and PC.
We'll keep you updated as we learn more about Final Fantasy 7 for iOS and other platforms. In the meantime, check out the trailer for the epic remake of Final Fantasy 7.
- Keep up with our coverage of E3 2015
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E3 2015: AMD takes on VR with new Radeon R9 Fury X GPU
AMD unveiled its next generation lineup of graphic cards designed for gaming on the big or little screen. These GPUs support high 4K gaming and also VR headsets. The chips support advanced APIs like DirectX 12, Vulkan and OpenGL 4.5.
With smoother VR experiences that deliver richer graphics, businesses and entertainment studios will be able to deliver more immersive experiences with gaming, education and training content.
Big performance for virtual reality
AMD announced that the Fiji graphics will debut as the Radeon R9 Fury series. Using High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM), the Radeon R9 Fury X ($649, £415, AU$838) GPU delivers more power and performance in a more compact package than GDDR5 memory, leading to a smaller design that's ideal for virtual reality computing environments.According to data released by AMD, HMB delivers 60% more memory and three times the performance per watt of GDDR5 in 94% less PCB space.
The R9 Fury X supports FreeSync technology for smoother rendering at high frame rates and 4K resolutions and beyond.
The Fury X will be available starting June 24 while the Radeon R9 Fury will be available July 14 with air- and liquid-cooled options. An even smaller Radeon R9 Fury Nano is slated for a Q3 release. Additionally, a flagship Radeon Fury is planned that will combine two Fiji GPUs for an even smoother 4K and VR performance.
Designed for 4K gaming
The AMD Radeon R9 300 series GPU is designed for stunning 4K gaming. The GPU comes with Virtual Super Resolution support, which AMD claims delivers quality that rivals 4K even on a 1080p screen.The Radeon R9 300 also comes with multi-GPU technology support with AMD CrossFire. Like the Fury series, the R9 300 could be leveraged for use with virtual reality environments. AMD LiquidVR tech delivers low-latency and fast frame rates.
There are several different GPU options in the series: Radeon R9 390X ($429, £275, AU$555), Radeon R9 390 ($329, £210, AU$425) and Radeon R9 380 ($199, £127, AU$257).
Playing online
The Radeon R7 300 series graphics are designed for online gaming and eSports. The GPU can deliver gaming experiences up to 60 frames-per-second at 1080p or 1440p resolutions in popular games.The GPU is Windows 10-ready. AMD will offer two models in this series: Radeon R7 370 ($149, £95, AU$192) and Radeon R7 360 ($109, £70, AU$140).
Both the Radeon R9 300 and Radeon R7 300 series will be available starting June 18.
AMD's GPU announcement comes just days after benchmark developer Futuremark announced a new benchmarking tool for virtual reality.
Even though AMD is focused on gaming performance with its Radeon announcements at E3 2015, businesses can also use these GPUs to get workstation-like performance with multithreading support. Additionally, with the focus on VR performance, businesses can leverage the power of these GPUs to deliver richer VR experiences for education, training and simulations.
- Read our picks for the best VR headsets
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E3 2015: Here's the Kingdom Hearts 3 gameplay trailer from E3 2015
The Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer from E3 2015 proves the never-ending keyblade war is still ongoing and series characters Sora, Donald and Goofy are in the middle of the action.
Square Enix's long-awaited action RPG sequel radiates brightly colored cartoon graphics that look better than before.
That's thanks to the fact the game is making its home on new consoles, the PS4 and Xbox One, and is using the Unreal Engine 4.
Countering the constant jumping and keyblade-swinging Sora and his Disney troupe are new creative-looking enemies with all sorts of wonderful color.
The Others, the franchise's almost colorless foe, returns, according to what we've seen in the new Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer. Their slimy, oil-like bodies are blasted by Sora's keyblade in the video.
Everything is laid out in familiar, electrified environments, but ones that look even more fantastical this time around. Disney's spinning tea cups, fully lit up trains and chariot horses are incorporated into the gameplay.
The most boring part of the Kingdom Hearts trailer at E3 2015 may be the chess game between two characters, but that seems to be how the overarching story is told.
There's no Kingdom Hearts 3 release date yet; the gameplay trailer ending with the words "Now in development." Goofy's patented, often repeated "C'mon" voice clip comes to mind right now.
But fans in the E3 2015 press conference audience weren't disappointed. The game is clearly coming along judging from today's first-non teaser trailer for PS4 and Xbox One.
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Updated: Rise of the Tomb Raider E3 trailers put Lara on the ropes
Update: Lara's not of the woods yet.
Square Enix unveiled a second trailer at its press conference today that looks not only at the perils Lara will face on her journey, but a peek at the titular tombs that made the original entries so enthralling.
Original story below...
Lara Croft almost faces an early retirement in the latest Rise of the Tomb Raider gameplay trailer shown at Microsoft's E3 2015 media briefing.
The trailer shows Lara on the face of a mountain, clearly on the hunt for a hidden treasure cache. The adventurer not only rediscovers her sense of purpose in the clip, she also endures a freezing landscape, goes for a deep water swim, comes face-to-face with a bear (and a few enemies), and survives a few explosions.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is the sequel to a 2013 reboot of the franchise on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, and was generally reviewed positively by critics. The new game is due on November 10 this year on both next-gen systems as well as PC.
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E3 2015: Just Cause 3 release date set for December, watch the trailer here
Square Enix's strange E3 2015 press conference opened up with Just Cause 3 The title, popular for mass scales of destruction, will head to PS4, Xbox One and PC on December 1, 2015.
Set in Rico Rodriguez's mother's homeland in the Mediterranean, there will be over 400 square miles for you to explore and set on fire.
Game Director Roland Lesterlin said Avalanche Studios wanted this game to have even more "unparalleled freedom."
In addition to the destructible environment, Rico will have a brand new wingsuit and a better grappling hook. Check out the trailer below to see both in action.
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E3 2015: First Star Fox Zero footage finally justifies the Wii U Gamepad
Fox McCloud and the gang are finally making their return to the Wii U with Star Fox Zero this holiday.
Star Fox Zero was announced at E3 2014, but was only in the developmental stage and couldn't be showcased. This year, Nintendo opened its digital conference with an extended look at the gameplay of Star Fox Zero and a look at what went into the game with designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
The new space adventure feels like the good old days of Star Fox, with a lot of added functionality. The Wii U Gamepad is being utilized like it was always meant to be, doubling as a virtual cockpit, giving players added control over the third-person world.
On the new functionality, Miyamoto said, "You can be really immersed in the experience."
Star Fox Zero will bring many new vehicles beyond the Arwing, including the mech walker from the ill-fated Star Fox 2 for Super Nintendo, something the developers were excited to bring back.
This installment will be our first original Star Fox game since 2006's Star Fox Command for Nintendo DS, and will be available this holiday. We'll keep you updated as soon as we learn more about our next Star Fox adventure. Here's the first look at Star Fox Zero's gameplay.
- Keep up with our coverage of E3 2015
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E3 2015: Nintendo outs new Zelda and Metroid games - but not the ones you wanted
While The Legend of Zelda Wii U was a no show at Nintendo E3 2015 digital event, the Japanese game maker did show off a new 3DS entitled Triforce heroes.
The new handheld title looks to be a three player co-op game, in which you can explore dungeons and solve puzzles with online friends. Triforce Heroes also introduces a new Totem mechanic where players can literally stack up to create a small tower of heroes. From this elevated perch, players can hit switches higher up while smacking tall enemies in the face.
Zelda Director Hiromasa Shikata also explained players can also dress up their characters in Zelda: Triforce Heroes. By collecting items, users can create their own outfits for a unique looks and new abilities.
In the gameplay trailer we can see one player pulling off Link's iconic Spin Attack with one attire. Additionally, the trailer also reveals Lucky Loungewear, a Big Bomb Outfit and, yes a Zelda Dress.
When playing alone, Link will be joined by doll-like characters. Players will be able to assume control over these two helpers to activate switches and solve puzzles. Like Zelda: A Link Between Worlds before it, Triforce Heroes adopts a cartoonish style evocative of the Super Nintendo game, A Link to the Past.
The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes comes to the Nintendo 3DS in Fall 2015.
Metroid Federation Force
On top of a new Zelda title for the 3DS, Nintendo also revealed a two new Metroid game of sorts.Rather than featuring the famed bounty hunter herself, Metroid: Federation Force is a co-operative multiplayer game. Players will join up in four man teams to take on massive enemies like Goliath Beetles and Base Trooper.
Federation Force also includes a separate mode called Blast Ball, which involves 3 versus 3 sci-fi sports battles. Players will push and pass a giant energy ball along with blasters in an attempt to score goals.
- See what happened on E3 2015 day 1
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E3 2015: Skylanders and Amiibo are coming together as one
Nintendo has announced that a couple of its upcoming Amiibos will also work as Skylanders, making for a really interesting crossover between Nintendo and Activision.
"Turbocharged" Donkey Kong and "Hammer Slam" Bowser, both of which come with come with their own vehicles, will be able to switch between Amiibo and Skylanders modes with just a twist of their base.
They'll be compatible with Skylanders Superchargers for the Wii U, and won't work for other versions.
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