Archive

Samsung announces new ATIV Windows 8 PCs (in pictures)

Andrew Edney

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Jun 20, 2013

Samsung Electronics today unveiled three new Windows 8 PCs under the recently expanded ATIV brand; the ATIV Book 9 Plus, ATIV Book 9 Lite and the ATIV One 5 Style.

Built with SideSync technology, the new ATIV PCs allow you to share content with your Samsung smartphone. The new products also feature HomeSync Lite, which transforms the PCs hard drive into a personal cloud server, so you can back-up personal files, photos and videos from your portable devices, such as your mobile phone or tablet, to your PC and then access them remotely via your mobile device.

ATIV Book 9 Plus

The ATIV Book 9 Plus is an updated version of the popular ATIV Book 9, renowned for its ultra thin and lightweight form factor and design. Taking this device to the next level, the ATIV Book 9 Plus has a premium finish with an aluminium, uni-body design, and a Windows 8 optimised touch screen.

With a premium QHD+ (3200 X 1800) display and twelve hours of battery life, the ATIV Book 9 Plus means you can stay productive for longer on a single charge. It boots up from cold in less than six seconds and wakes up from sleep in under one second, allowing you to access the information and programmes you need almost straight away. Productivity is further enhanced by Samsung’s SideSync technology, making it easy to share content between your ATIV Book 9 Plus and Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

ATIV Book 9 Lite

Built with cutting edge technology, including a ten-point touchscreen, Quad Core Processor and a 256GB SSD, the ATIV Book 9 Lite has both premium features and overall value. Weighing three and a half pounds and measuring less than an inch thick, the ATIV Book 9 Lite is great whether you are a seasoned business traveller or find yourself out and about a lot for work. It also supports Samsung SideSync technology for easy interaction between your PC and smartphone.

ATIV One 5 Style

An all-in-one desktop PC, the ATIV One 5 Style has been built in the style of the Samsung Galaxy range and has a minimalist, sophisticated design that perfectly complements any living room or home office.

The full HD (1920×1080) touch screen makes this an ideal PC for viewing photos and videos, and with Samsung SideSync technology, you can easily share content between your PC and smartphone devices.

With HomeSync Lite you can also back-up, manage and access content via your smartphone as well as privately manage individual accounts, making it a hub for the entire family.

Availability and Specifications

The ATIV Book 9 Plus, ATIV Book 9 Lite and ATIV One 5 Style will all be available to buy in the UK from selected retailers later this year.

Be among the first to know when the ATIV PC range is available, by visiting

www.samsung.com/uk/ATIVBook9Plus/, www.samsung.com/uk/ATIVBook9Lite/ and www.samsung.com/uk/ATIVOne5/.

Samsung announces the Galaxy NX Camera (in pictures)

Andrew Edney

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Jun 20, 2013

0

Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of the Galaxy NX, the world’s first 4G interchangeable lens Connected Compact System Camera (CSC). Versatile and easy to use, the Galaxy NX combines cutting edge optical performance with connectivity capabilities and Android applications. The result is a new type of connected device which means you can share your experiences instantly in amazing colour and outstanding detail.

Featuring 3G/4G LTE technology, the Galaxy NX means anyone interested in photography can stay constantly connected with their world. Promising speedy sharing whether on the move or at home, the seamless connectivity of the Galaxy NX makes it a device that puts the sharing of professional level images at its heart. It embraces the era of visual communication by providing an outlet for passionate photographers to express their exciting experiences immediately and in spectacular quality.

The Galaxy NX is designed to help you capture the scene and mood of every place you visit. Photo Suggest gives you location-based recommendations of popular photography spots, sourced from a huge library of images taken by other photographers from around the world. Story Album allows you to look back at your photos on one timeline, reframing and resizing them to create digital photo books which can be viewed and shared on your other devices.

Image quality is really something to shout about thanks to the array of interchangeable lenses available with the Galaxy NX. The 20.3MP APS-C Sensor produces images which are bright and detailed, even in low light conditions, while the DRIMe IV Image Signal Processer delivers the speed and accuracy that today’s photographers demand.

Its Advanced Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) System ensures accurate phase and contrast detection so you can capture crisp, vibrant shots, while the 1/6000 sec shutter speed and 8.6fps shooting means you can capture the action as it is happening.

The flexibility offered by the Galaxy NX’s selection of interchangeable lenses – from compact pancake lenses and an ultra-wide fisheye, to longer prime and zoom lenses – places creative control firmly in the hands of the photographer. True 3D Creator also brings an added element of realism to the Galaxy NX results, allowing you to shoot images and movies in 3D with Samsung’s 45mm 2D/3D lens.

With Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the functionality of a smartphone is used to improve the photographic experience you get with the Galaxy NX. You can choose from a huge array of Android apps to help personalise your device and do more than just shoot amazing photographs and video, from editing images, to adding special effects and staying in touch with friends and family.

More than 30 Smart Mode options mean you can choose the optimum settings for the environment you are capturing, as well as create fresh, artistic images. Multi Exposure merges two different shots together to produce one distinctive image, while Animated Photo connects continuous shots of up to five seconds, creating a moving GIF file. For added realism, Sound & Shot stores sound and voice together as the picture is taken, so moments are captured exactly as they happen.

For added personalisation, Camera Studio allows you to easily customise settings with your most frequently used applications or camera modes, so you can capture your photos exactly how you want them.

The Galaxy NX will be available to buy in the UK as a 4G variant that supports 3G from selected online and high street retailers this summer.

Samsung Galaxy NX Product Specifications:

Image Sensor

20.3 effective megapixel APS-C CMOS

IS

(Lens Shift – depends on Lens type)

Display

121.2mm (4.8inch) HD TFT LCD

SVGA EVF

ISO

Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600

Network

4G LTE

4G (LTE Cat3 100/50Mbps) : 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600 (Dependent on Market

3G

3G (HSPA+42Mbps) : 850/900/1900/2100

AP

1.6GHz Quad-Core Processor

OS

Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

Image

JPEG (3:2): 20.0M (5472×3648), 10.1M (3888×2592), 5.9M (2976×1984), 2.0M (1728×1152)

JPEG (16:9): 16.9M (5472×3080), 7.8M (3712×2088), 4.9M (2944×1656), 2.1M (1920×1080)

JPEG (1:1): 13.3M (3648×3648), 7.0M (2640×2640), 4.0M (2000×2000), 1.1M (1024×1024)

RAW: 20.0M (5472 x 3648)

* 3D Image: JPEG

JPEG (16:9): 4.1M (2688×1512), 2.1M (1920×1080)

Video

Codec: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, WMV7/8, MP43, VP8

Format: MP4/3GP, AVI, WMV/ASF, FLV, MKV, WEBM

Size: 1920×1080/25fps, 1920×810/24fps, 1280×720/50fps, 1280×720/25fps,

640×480/50fps, 640×480/25fps, 320×240/25fps for Sharing

Audio

Codec: MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, AMR-NB/WB
Format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA

Additional Features

Built-in Pop-up flash

Samsung Link, Samsung ChatON

S Voice, S Translator

Group Play: Share Music(MP3), Share Picture(JPEG, GIF), Share Document(PDF, PPT), Play Games

Trip Advisor, Photo Suggest

Google

Mobile

Services

Chrome, Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus, Google Local, Google Play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube, Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music, Google Play Magazine

Connectivity

WiFi a/b/g/n 2.4GHz, 5GHz

Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE)

GPS, GLONASS (Support A-GPS)

Sensor

Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, RGB Light

Memory

16GB Internal memory + microSD slot (up to 64GB)

2.0GB RAM

*User memory may differ by region, carrier, and supporting language, and may change after software upgrade.

*Available capacity varies and storage is less due to phone software.

Bundle Software

Samsung Kies (Windows & Mac), Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Dimension (WxHxD)

136.5 x 101.2 x 25.7 (37.65) mm, 410g(without battery) / 495(with standard battery)

Battery

4,360 mAh

Be among the first to know when the Galaxy NX is available, by visiting www.samsung.com/uk/GalaxyNXCamera/.

Watch Jimmy Fallon Playing Watch Dogs from Ubisoft

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 20, 2013

0

Watch Jimmy Fallon Playing Watch Dogs from Ubisoft

Jimmy Fallon continued his video game week with a look at Ubisoft’s upcoming action title Watch Dogs.

Aisha Tyler and Ubisoft’s Nicholas Mainville demonstrated the open-world action game as part the show’s fourth annual video games week.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRxkBVrJWuQ?feature=player_embedded%5D

Watch the Trailer for Magrunner – Dark Pulse for PC,Xbox360 and PS3

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 20, 2013

0

Watch the Trailer for Magrunner – Dark Pulse for PC,Xbox360 and PS3

Magrunner Dark Pulse, the action/physics game from Frogwares studio, is now available on PC! On this occasion, we are pleased to share with you an impressive launch trailer!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2nKu4z-z3o?feature=player_detailpage%5D

In the near future, 2048, a handful of young and brilliant citizens have been chosen by Gruckezber Corporation to join the Magtech training program for space exploration. Equipped with a special glove using Gruckezber’s technology, the candidates have to solve their way through a huge maze of challenge rooms, by magnetically charging objects that will attract or repel each other.

But what seemed to be the chance of a lifetime for the candidates will soon turn into a nightmare, as they will have to survive a high-tech world gone mad. A real descent in hell, perfectly illustrated in the launch trailer of Magrunner!

Magrunner Dark Pulse will be available today on PC and will also release in September on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network.

Microsoft’s Whitten Talks About DRM and Kinect Always On

Chris Hare

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Jun 20, 2013

1

Microsoft’s Whitten Talks About DRM and Kinect Always On

More information is coming out regarding Xbox One policies, including the fact that you’ll need to install a day one patch.

Speaking to IGN, Mark Whitten has explained what will happen now that Microsoft has had a change of stance.
“There was always going to be a day one update on the console, and that’s frankly just a difference in manufacturing schedules versus software schedules,” he said.
“We just wanted to be clear that that hasn’t changed, that you have to go online to get the software update for day one, then you wouldn’t have to be connected after that.”
As far as always connected Kinect goes, it seems that’s still a large part of Microsoft’s plans.

“We still believe Kinect is a really critical part of the architecture,” Whitten said.
“We want game and interactive entertainment creators to be able to know they can take advantage of it, and we want it to be completely consistent for our users. So we still are very committed to how Kinect transforms that experience.”
In a separate interview with Kotaku, Whitten as discussed some of the things that will change now that there is no DRM.

“There’s a few things we won’t be able to deliver as a result of this change,” Whitten told the site. “One of the things we were very excited about was ‘wherever we go my games are always with me.’ Now, of course your physical games won’t show up that way. The games you bought digitally will.”

“You’ll have to bring your discs with you to have your games with you.”
“Similarly, the sharing library [is something] we won’t be able to deliver at launch,” he added.
“We believe a lot in this digital future,” Whitten concluded. “We believe it builds an amazing experience – the ability to have a broader sharing platform and my content coming with me, [but] what we heard is people still wanted more choice, they wanted the familiarity of the physical disc.”

EA Not Going to Reinstating Online Passes for Xbox One

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 20, 2013

0

EA will not change its stance for Online Passes now that Microsoft has decided to drop DRM from Xbox One.

“[There is] no change to our decision to discontinue Online Pass. It is dead,” senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg told Polygon in response to Microsoft’s policy reversal.

“As we said a few weeks ago, none of our new EA titles will include online pass, and we are removing it from existing games as well. Nothing else on today’s news, but did want to be clear that our online pass decision was based on player feedback, and there’s no change.”

EA dropped its online pass scheme in late May and when Microsoft announced details of its DRM soon after, many people put one and one together. It seems though that EA was as surprised as anyone when Microsoft announced DRM for its machine, so EA’s stance will remain the same now that DRM is gone.

Exclusive Saints Row IV interview with Jim Boone at E3

Andrew Edney

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Jun 20, 2013

0

Saints Row 4 sees the head of the Saints elected as the President of the United States, and must fight off an alien invasion that sees the gang transported into a virtual version of Steelport.

It will feature new alien-inspired weapons and superpowers such as flight, super speed and telekinesis.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jim Boone at E3, and we talk about the new game, new weapons, new powers and more. And yes, the famous Dildo Bat from Saints Row the Third gets a mention.

Over to Jim:

Saints Row IV will be available 23rd August in Europe and 20th August in North America.

So what do you think about Saints Row IV? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

VLC media player updated to version 2.0.7 Twoflower

Andrew Edney

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Jun 20, 2013

0

The excellent VLC media player had been updated to version 2.0.7.

VLC media player 2.0.7 is an update for bug fixing. It notably improves some lossless decoders, and bring updated and new translations. It also fix problems with encoding.

2.0.7 is a small update that fixes some regressions of the 2.0.x branch of VLC.

2.0.7 fixes track selection for PowerPC machines.

2.0.7 also fixes an important regression in decoding numerous audio file formats and when encoding in MP3 and AAC.

2.0.7 closes a couple of security issues and fixes regression in our ActiveX plugin for Internet Explorer.

Go get the update now!

SEGA updates House of the Dead: Overkill – The Lost Reels

Apple

Andrew Edney

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Jun 20, 2013

0

SEGA have updated The House of the Dead: Overkill – The Lost Reels on the App Store and Google Play to version 1.1.

Based on the 2009 Wii hit, The House of the Dead: Overkill- The Lost Reels is a universal app compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and is available for £2.99 on the App Store and for all Android devices on Google Play.

The version 1.1 update includes improved character collision with environments.

Microsoft Does a U Turn and DRM and Offline Play and more for Xbox One

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

-

Jun 19, 2013

3

Microsoft Does a U Turn and DRM and Offline Play and more for Xbox One

Xbox One is to change its policies for used games and online connectivity. “what amounts to a complete reversal” on its controversial polices.

Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.
For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.
Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.
You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.
So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360.

Here is what that means:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console — there will be no regional restrictions.

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.

Credit for this story is Xbox.com

Ubisoft releases E3 blooper reel for The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot and announces beta

Andrew Edney

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Jun 19, 2013

2

Today, Ubisoft showcased a brand new video for The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot. Ubisoft Montreal’s free to play title puts players in an outrageous medieval fantasy world where wealth, status and showboating are the name of the game.

To celebrate the closed beta and the end of E3, Sir Painhammer takes players behind the scene of the video that made him famous in what he calls “making a masterpiece”. Besides the new exclusive footage, a magical surprise awaits players at the end.

Here is the blooper reel:

To register for the closed beta and to have on-going updates about the game, please visit the official website: www.themightyquest.com.

Company of Heroes 2 Mutliplayer Dev Diary released and Open Beta extended

Andrew Edney

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Jun 19, 2013

0

Sega have released a new dev diary for Company of Heroes 2 – this one focuses on multiplayer.

Also, following overwhelming demand Relic Entertainment will be extending the Open Beta for Company of Heroes 2 until midnight PDT on Sunday 23^rd June.

During this extended phase brand-new multiplayer maps will be added to the rotation for players to experience.

Relic will be hosting a double XP weekend for all beta players on the 22^nd and 23^rd June. During this time any game played through auto match will earn double the normal post match experience.

Players who purchase the full game and play it within 60 days on the same steam account as the beta will retain all progression earned during the Open Beta.

Company of Heroes 2 will be available for PC on June 25^th 2013. For more information check www.companyofheroes.com,

What do you think of Company of Heroes 2? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number announced

Andrew Edney

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Jun 19, 2013

0

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number has just been announced.

You’re a murderer. You murder people. Again. And again. How certain you are of your actions and what is, and what is not, real is what you must determine in Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, due out later this year from developer Dennaton Games and publisher Devolver Digital. The epic finale to 2012’s blood-soaked hit follows an escalating level of violence through multiple factions born from the events of the original game — all within the confines of blistering combat, the unmistakable visual style, and another powerful and intense soundtrack that pushes you to the limit and forces you to question your own thirst for blood.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number commands you to step into the murderous minds of several distinct characters – each with their own motivations and methods of execution – as storylines intersect and reality slips away into a haze of neon and carnage. Witness hundreds of new sprites and animations in lush new areas to clear floor-by-floor, and harness a variety of savage new weapons to satisfy your murder lust.

Here is the trailer:

Due out in 2013 for PC, Mac, and Linux from Dennaton Games and Devolver Digital.

For more information, please visit www.devolverdigital.com

The Bureau : XCOM Declassified Battle Focus trailer released

Andrew Edney

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Jun 19, 2013

0

2K and 2K Marin released a new trailer for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified that shows of Battle Focus.

The year is 1962, JFK is President and the Cold War has the nation gripped by fear – but a far more powerful and insidious enemy than communism is threatening America. Known only to a select few, a top-secret government unit called The Bureau begins investigating and concealing a series of mysterious attacks by an otherworldly enemy. As special agent William Carter, players call the shots, pull the trigger and lead their squad in a gripping third-person tactical shooter set within a high-stakes, covert war to protect humanity. The Bureau has been erasing the truth for decades. The time will come for the truth to be revealed.

Here is the Battle Focus trailer:

We also recently interviewed Alyssa Finley from 2KMarin, so over to Alyssa:

For more information, please visit Facebook, or the official web site: http://erasethetruth.com.

And stay tuned for more soon, if the Bureau allow us to publish it.