Amazon announces the new Kindle Fire HDX family of tablets

Andrew Edney
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Amazon announces the new Kindle Fire HDX family of tablets

Amazon have just announced new Kindle Fire HDX family of tablets, available later this year.

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The new Kindle Fire HDX family features:

  • Stunning exclusive HDX display–beyond HD with exceptional pixel density (323 ppi for 7″, 339 ppi for 8.9″), perfect 100% sRGB colour accuracy, reduced glare, dynamic image contrast, and improved brightness for better viewing in any lighting conditions.
  • Powerful quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor running at 2.2 GHz provides over 3x the processing power compared to the previous generation, plus the latest graphics engine and 2x more memory for fast and fluid performance. These are the only tablets with a processor over 2 GHz.
  • Startlingly light design–at just 13.2 ounces, the 8.9″ Kindle Fire HDX is the lightest large-screen tablet, 34% lighter than the previous generation.
  • Powered by the latest version of Fire OS–Fire OS 3.0 “Mojito”–with hundreds of new and upgraded features, platform updates, and Amazon-exclusive services like X-Ray for Music, Cloud Collections, Goodreads, and more.
  • New Mayday button delivers revolutionary live tech support–one touch connects you to an Amazon expert who can guide you remotely through any feature–24×7, 365 days a year, and it’s free. 15 seconds or less is the Mayday response time goal.
  • All-day battery life–up to 11 hours of mixed use and 17 hours of reading.
  • Updated email, calendar, and Silk browser to stay connected and productive.
  • New enterprise features including hardware and software-encryption, Kerberos Intranet, secure Wi-Fi connections, VPN integration, and wireless printing.
  • Both HDX 7″ and 8.9″ available with ultra-fast 4G LTE wireless. Available on the AT&T network, and for the first time on the Verizon Wireless network.
  • Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus audio and virtual 5.1 multi-channel surround sound–the standard in high-end audio.
  • Front-facing HD camera makes it easy to stay in touch with Skype, plus a new 8 megapixel wide- aperture rear-facing camera on the 8.9″ Fire HDX offers crisp photos and 1080p HD video.
  • Best video experience on a tablet with new Amazon-exclusive features like Prime Instant Video downloads, Second Screen, and expanded X-Ray for Movies and TV.
  • Deep integration with the world’s best content ecosystem–over 27 million movies, TV shows, songs, apps, games, books, audiobooks and magazines.
  • New Origami covers feature an innovative design that allows you to position Fire HDX in both portrait and landscape.

Here are the features in more detail:

World-Class Hardware

First-Ever, Exclusive HDX Display–Beyond HD

Amazon’s exclusive HDX display brings together exceptional pixel density (1920×1200 at 323 ppi for 7″, 2560×1600 at 339 ppi for 8.9″) and perfect color accuracy (100% sRGB), resulting in images and videos that display as the photographer or videographer intended. The new display also features dynamic image contrast, a unique algorithm that adjusts the color of each pixel depending on the ambient brightness in order to maximize contrast. This makes images and videos even easier to see in any lighting conditions, including outdoors. See a video: www.amazon.com/display.

2.2 GHz, Quad-Core Processor and 2x the RAM

Kindle Fire HDX tablets are the first tablets powered by the most advanced quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor. These are the only tablets with a processor over 2 GHz–the four cores can each run at 2.2GHz, providing 28 billion instructions per second–over 3x the processing power of the previous generation Kindle Fire HD. Fire HDX also doubles the RAM to 2GB, resulting in faster app launch times, faster website load times, smoother multi-tasking, and better overall performance.

New Graphics Engine Perfect for Gaming

The new Adreno 330 graphics engine on Kindle Fire HDX delivers 4x the graphics performance of the previous generation Kindle Fire HD. This combination of a new graphics engine, HDX display, quad-core processor, and 2x the memory creates a more immersive, high-frame rate HD gaming experience.

Lightest Large-Screen Tablet–13.2 ounces, 34% Lighter

Amazon integrated the capacitive touch layer directly into the glass display on Fire HDX, leaving a lighter single layer instead of the typical 2-layer display stack. The Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″ frame is a single-piece of machined magnesium with a blend of glass and nylon molded onto the unibody to create openings for the antennas and maximize signal strength without sacrificing sturdiness. The result is the lightest large-screen tablet–at just 13.2 ounces, it is 34% lighter than the previous generation large-screen Fire HD tablet.

11 Hours of Battery, Up to 17 Hours for Reading

Even with all this additional power, Fire HDX still delivers 11 hours of mixed use battery life. When you are reading, Fire HDX automatically powers down the CPU and any unnecessary system components and stores the displayed text in dedicated, low-power memory–the result is up to 17 hours of battery life for reading.

8MP Rear-Facing Camera for Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″

Both the 7″ and 8.9″ Kindle Fire HDX feature a front-facing HD camera to help you stay in touch with friends and family with Skype. Fire HDX 8.9″ features an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera that allows for high-resolution photos and 1080p HD video, plus an LED flash, Electronic Image Stabilization, and a wide-aperture 5P f2.2 lens that lets in more light, reducing exposure times and producing sharper images. See a video: www.amazon.com/fire-camera.

New Origami Covers

New origami-style cover design provides a simple stand for both portrait and landscape positions, and attaches magnetically so it’s easy to take on and off. The cover for the 8.9″ Fire HDX features a custom slide feature that quickly exposes the rear-facing camera and automatically launches the camera application so you won’t miss a great photo opportunity. See a video: www.amazon.com/quickpic.

The Mayday Button

Revolutionary On-Device Tech Support from Amazon’s Tech Advisors

Having trouble or want to learn how to use a new feature? Simply tap the Mayday button in Quick Settings, and an Amazon expert will appear on your Fire HDX and can co-pilot you through any feature by drawing on your screen, walking you through how to do something yourself, or doing it for you–whatever works best. 15 seconds or less is the Mayday response time goal. Mayday is available 24×7, 365 days a year, and it’s free. See the separate press release on the Mayday button and preview three upcoming TV ads that show how the Mayday button works: www.amazon.com/mayday.

New Amazon-Exclusive Features and Services

Fire OS 3.0 “Mojito”

Kindle Fire HDX is powered by the newest version of Fire OS – Fire OS 3.0 “Mojito”, which introduces hundreds of new and upgraded features, Amazon-exclusive services, platform updates and more. Fire OS starts with Android and adds cloud services, a content-first user interface, built-in media libraries, productivity apps and low-level platform enhancements to integrate Amazon’s digital content and improve performance for Kindle Fire tablets. If an app runs on Android, it can run on Fire OS. Read more: www.amazon.com/fireos.

Download Prime Instant Videos on Kindle Fire HDX to Watch Anywhere

Prime Instant Video is the only U.S. online subscription streaming service that enables offline viewing–on a plane, on vacation, and anywhere else where you may not have Wi-Fi. Tens of thousands of Prime Instant Videos are now available for download on Fire HDX. If you are new to Prime, you get one free month of Amazon Prime when you purchase Fire HDX.

All-New X-Ray for Music

Amazon is expanding X-Ray to music by adding lyrics that let you follow along with songs. Lyrics display and scroll automatically line-by-line as the song plays. See a screenshot: www.amazon.com/x-ray.

X-Ray for Movies and TV–Now Even Better

Customer-favorite X-Ray for Movies and TV now shows the names of songs as they play as well as a list of all music in the movie or TV show, and lets you jump to the scene in which a particular song is playing. X-Ray also shows trivia items in context with the action on the screen. For example, in The Godfather when Clemenza tells his henchman to “leave the gun, take the cannoli”, X-Ray alerts you that actor Richard Castellano ad-libbed that famous line of dialog. X-Ray for TV also provides character backstories so you can easily remind yourself of the character’s history. X-Ray is offered only by Amazon and is powered by IMDb.

Second Screen Lets Others Join In

Fling TV shows and movies from your tablet to your big-screen TV using Second Screen, which turns your TV into the primary screen and frees up your Fire HDX to provide playback controls, a customized display for X-Ray, or simply a place to email, browse the web, and more while you watch a movie. Second Screen will be available starting next month for PlayStation 3 and Samsung TVs, and later this year for PlayStation 4. You can also wirelessly mirror movies, TV shows and photos from your tablets to your big-screen TV with Miracast-enabled accessories or TVs.

Stay Connected with Expanded Email, Docs, and Printing

With the new email on Fire HDX, it is easier than ever to set up your accounts, group conversations by subject, sync your email and more. Reading and managing documents on Fire HDX is simple: email them, sync them from a computer with Cloud Drive, clip them from the web with Send to Kindle, or transfer them via USB. Coming mid-November as part of the free, over-the-air Fire OS 3.1 update–print documents, photos, emails, and calendar events directly from Kindle Fire to compatible wireless printers.

Complete Enterprise Support

Fire HDX is ready for work, with support for encryption of the user partition of the device to secure data; support for Kerberos authentication so corporate users can browse secure intranet websites; the ability to connect to secure enterprise Wi-Fi networks as well as corporate networks via a native or a 3rd party VPN client; and Mobile Device Management solutions ranging from Amazon’s Whispercast service to 3rd party vendors like AirWatch, Citrix, Fiberlink, Good Technology, and SOTI. Some of these features will be delivered as part of the Fire OS 3.1 update. See the separate press release on enterprise features: www.amazon.com/kindle-enterprise.

Cloud Collections

Organize your books, newspapers, magazines, and apps in customized collections for easy reference, and Amazon’s Whispersync technology synchronizes the collections across your Kindle devices and reading apps so they’re available on all of your devices. Cloud Collections will be available as part of the Fire OS 3.1 update.

Goodreads on Kindle Fire

Join over 20 million other readers and see what your friends are reading, share highlights, and rate the books you read with Goodreads on Kindle, available exclusively from Amazon. Goodreads will be available as part of the Fire OS 3.1 update. See screenshots: www.amazon.com/goodreads.

Accessibility Features

Blind and visually impaired customers will discover new and improved accessibility tools such as Screen Reader, Explore by Touch, and Screen Magnifier, enabling access to the vast majority of Kindle Fire features. Screen Reader features IVONA’s award-winning natural language text-to-speech voice.

New Exclusive Deals for Kindle Fire Owners

Kindle Fire’s Special Offers are better than ever with exclusive limited-time, limited-quantity deals available directly from the lock screen. These deals are similar to Lightning Deals that run on Amazon.com, but with even greater savings. The first deal, available in the coming weeks, will be the Madden NFL 25 video game for $5 (92% off). See screenshots: www.amazon.com/offers.

All the Content

The Kindle Fire family offers the best selection of digital content–over 27 million movies, TV shows, songs, apps, games, books, audiobooks and magazines–including hundreds of thousands of exclusives:

  • Over 150,000 movies and TV episodes–stream or download, purchase or rent.
  • Tens of thousands of popular movies and TV episodes are available at no additional cost for Prime members with Prime Instant Video, the exclusive subscription streaming home to shows like Downton Abbey, Under the Dome, Justified, Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues and many more.
  • The most popular apps and games. Apps are tested for the Amazon Appstore and Kindle Fire.
  • Millions of songs–stream, download, and store purchases for free in the cloud for access anytime, anywhere.
  • Hundreds of magazines and newspapers.
  • Millions of books, including hundreds of thousands of titles that are exclusive to the Kindle Store. Over a million titles are $4.99 or less, over 1.7 million are $9.99 or less.
  • Over 400,000 titles available for Prime members who own a Kindle to borrow for free as part of Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.
  • Over 150,000 professionally-narrated audiobook titles, with free samples to listen to before buying.

With apps available on the largest number of devices and platforms, Amazon makes it easier than ever to access your content anytime, anywhere. Use the Kindle, Amazon Instant Video, Amazon MP3 and Amazon Appstore for Android apps to “Buy Once, Enjoy Everywhere.” No other company offers the same level of flexibility with your content.

Pricing & Availability

The 7″ Kindle Fire HDX is $229. It is available for pre-order starting today at www.amazon.com/hdx-7 and it will begin shipping October 18. The 4G version is $329–you can pre-order today to reserve your place in line at www.amazon.com/4g-hdx-7 and it will begin shipping November 14.

The 8.9″ Kindle Fire HDX is $379. It is available for pre-order starting today at www.amazon.com/hdx and it will begin shipping on November 7. The 4G version is $479–you can pre-order today to reserve your place in line at www.amazon.com/4g-hdx and it will begin shipping December 10

Company of Heroes 2 Theater of War DLC out now

Andrew Edney
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Company of Heroes 2 Theater of War DLC out now

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Today the first Theater of War single player and co-operative content update for Company of Heroes 2 is available for download from Steam.

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The Case Blue mini-pack is based on an actual German campaign of the same name which occurred on the Eastern Front in 1942. Players will control the full might of the German army as they take the fight into the very heart of Soviet Russia. The Case Blue includes two new solo challenges, two AI battles and a Co-Op Scenario.

Eligible pre-order customers as well as those who own the Collector’s Edition or Digital Collector’s Edition will receive the Case Blue mini-pack for free when it releases. Case Blue will also be available to purchase on Steam for $9.99.

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Company of Heroes 2 is out now. For more information check www.companyofheroes.com.

And check out our review right here.

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

Europa Universalis IV Update From Paradox Interactive

Chris Hare
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Europa Universalis IV Update From Paradox Interactive

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Paradox Interactive today issued a tremendous free update to Europa Universalis IV, the award-winning grand strategy game of empire building developed by Paradox Development Studio for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The new update, available today as a free downloaded patch, implements hundreds of fixes, feature updates, balance adjustments, checks and balances,  including support for windowed fullscreen, new idea groups for more than 20 nations, and a “suggest demands” button which will automatically populate a peace offer that the AI will accept when trying to end a war. Full patch notes for this massive update can be found here: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?723913-1.2-Released

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New DLC packs have also been released for those players who would like to expand upon their empire expansions, entitled “American Dream” and “National Monuments II,” adding in the opportunity to live out the inspiring tale of the American Revolution through in-game events, and then go out and conquer several new iconic landmarks around the world. The new update is free to all Europa Universalis IV players whether or not they purchase the DLC. Buy the new DLC here: europauniversalis4.com/buy

Also available today is a brand new strategy guide for Europa Universalis IV, penned by longtime Europa Universalis guru and Paradox forumite Jason Pitruzzello. Created for both new and experienced players, this complement to the Europa Universalis IV experience includes a special section for returning players that details the differences between Europa Universalis IV and its predecessors, tips on how to Westernize non-European nations, and invaluable insight into Europa Universalis IV’s new monarch power system. For more information on where to buy One Land, One Faith, One Queen: The Europa Universalis IV Strategy Guide, please visit: http://www.paradoxplaza.com/books/eu4

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To see the latest changes to Europa Universalis IV in action, join a live stream featuring Europa Universalis IV Project Lead Thomas Johansson tonight at 8 p.m. CET / 11 a.m. PDT (24th Sept) on Paradox Interactive’s Twitch.tv channel. Watch history in the making at http://www.twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive.

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To watch friendships in the UN-making, fans can watch the second episode of “Frenemies,” the live-action mini-series about a group of Europa Universalis IV players who take their game far beyond the boundaries of acceptable gameplay and human decency. Episode two is online now below.

Carnage Racing Skids, Blasts and Flips onto The App Store

Andrew Edney
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Carnage Racing Skids, Blasts and Flips onto The App Store

Jagex have announced the launch of Carnage Racing on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The game combines racing, stunt driving, explosive combat and real-time 8 way online multiplayer into a single adrenaline-fuelled package to satisfy every kind of car-racing fan.

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Carnage Racing is a ferocious battle of driving skills, pitting player against player in which the only rule is to power their way to the chequered flag and win by all means necessary. Set on a tropical island raceway packed with hidden paths, boosts, ramps and warp gates, players must outdrive their opponents by pulling off audacious stunts and blowing them into last place with an arsenal of deadly weapons. Once drivers have honed their skills in single player then they can go to-head with real opponents in the game’s exhilarating online multiplayer mode, enabling them to take on up to seven other gamers anywhere in the world.

With each race they compete in, players collect prizes, win experience points and earn hard-won cash that will help them gain that all-important winning edge. As they progress through the game, drivers can unlock powerful new cars, or trick out their ride with an array of upgradeable items – from more powerful weaponry and performance modifications to a slick new paint job complete with flaming decals.

Whatever a player’s style of racing – whether they’re a gun lover, a speed freak or an air lovin’ trickster – Carnage Racing delivers what they’re looking for by the truckload.

Features

  • Rich and varied mix of gameplay styles – including combat, driving and stunts
  • 8-way real time online multiplayer
  • Fiendish race courses with loads of different routes
  • 3 car types and 9 vehicles to suit all racing styles
  • Use warp gates on the track for a competitive edge
  • Huge arsenal of upgradeable weapons
  • Pimp your ride with a new paint job and decals

Carnage Racing is available as a FREE download on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Interview with David Cage from Gamescom 2012

Andrew Edney
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Interview with David Cage from Gamescom 2012

Back at Gamescom 2012, yes 2012, I had the opportunity to sit down with David Cage to talk about Beyond: Two Souls just after it was announced.

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Andrew Edney So David, thank you for taking the time to speak to us. Tell us about yourself and your role?
David Cage I founded Quantic Dream like 15 years ago to create games based on interactive storytelling and emotions for more mature audience. This is really what I had in mind 15 years ago and here I’m today. So the company is about 200 people now. We are all based in Paris in France. We work exclusively for Sony PlayStation 3 and my role at the studio was really being the writer and director for the games we make. And I’m the CEO of the company.
 

AE

  

Tell us a bit about Beyond: Two Souls.
DC Well, there’s a lot to say (laugh). Where should I start? It’s a story of a young girl called Jodie Holmes and as far as she can remember she always felt she had a link with an invisible entity that she calls Aiden; she doesn’t know why she calls him that but it’s just a name that came to her and this thing is always with her. There’s like some kind of invisible link between her and this thing and she doesn’t know if it’s a ghost or a spirit or whatever. It’s just something that’s there. So it’s not a power, it’s really a character. It’s someone with its own personality and so she has to learn how to live with this thing who can be very nice and very gentle and very protective or can be also very possessive, very jealous, and sometimes very violent. So it’s about this relationship. It’s about growing because the game takes places through 15 years of the life of Jodie. So, we see her when she’s 8 until when she’s 23. And so we see how she changes. We live with her the different strong moments of her life and we see how these moments are going to shape her as an adult and as a person. And it’s also about death. It’s about what’s on the other side. It’s about what will happen to us the day we die.
 

AE

  

And how did you come up with the story, the concept?
DC Well, you never know where stories come from but I experienced certain things in my personal life and I felt I had to write something about it and make up my own story about what’s on the other side and so this is how it happened.
 

AE

  

So obviously at E3 (2012), that was sort of the big reveal and I was in the audience for that at the press conference and I sort of sat back and went, “Wow.” and obviously then you announced that Ellen Page was the voice and the personality of Jodie. How did you sort of go around selecting who you wanted to be that person and how did you choose Ellen?
DC Well, in general, it’s a very long process but in this case it was a very short one because she was number one on my list and actually there was only one name on the list so it was… (Laugh) it was a short decision. No, actually when I started writing I really wrote it for her, you usually pick up a picture of actors, just to give me a face to look at when I write dialogues or different situations and try just to imagine them in the situation, how they would react, what they would say and usually it just helps me with the writing. And the first picture I picked up for Jodie Holmes was a picture of Ellen but not something from Juno. It was a picture from an independent movie she made called Mouth to Mouth and she had her head shaved and she had a very incredible look and there was something in her eyes in this picture that was really amazing because she looked really strong and really ready to fight but at the same time she felt really vulnerable and I really liked that. And it really told me something about my character. So, I started writing with this picture and then I needed more pictures of Jodie when she was older or younger. And as Ellen’s been shooting films since she was 10, you can easily find pictures of her at different ages. So, I found a picture for every single scene I had and after a year of writing, I looked at my scenes, and my script, and thought, well, only one person can be this character because actually I realised that I wrote for Ellen Page because I really had her in mind all the time and I thought she would be fantastic. So we just contacted her and asked if she could be interested. I sent her Heavy Rain, sent her press reviews and the script for Beyond and the agent came back to us saying she could be interested so we organised a meeting in LA and we met and this is how it happened. I mean as simple as that. She said she really liked the script and this is something she had never done before and she wanted to do it.
 

AE

  

So you said that there was sort of a personal experience in your life that made you want to tell the story. Is that pretty much how all of your stories come about? From your personal experiences? Or do you sometimes just have an idea or someone may say something to you?
DC You know, this is something that tends to change as I get older. When I was younger, I wanted to write about the movies that I liked so I wanted to write about sci-fi stuff and I wanted to write my Bladerunner and I wanted to write my whatever. And yeah, that’s good for a while but there’s a moment where you feel like how true am I to when I’m writing and how new, how interesting is this for me to write it but also for people to play it because in a way it’s just a story or world that’s been told before. I just tried to use this thing and mix them and put my tiny thing in it and pretend this is new but actually also how interested can you be in writing something that is not truly something related to you? And I really started with Heavy Rain discovering that it was possible to write about things that resonate with you, with your past experience, what you feel, what you think and I don’t know if it’s better in the end but at least you’re really sincere and you’re really true to what you write and you try to tell a story that’s not been told this way a thousand times; just try to tell something with your own, you know, gut in a way.
 

AE

  

That’s interesting.
DC So, yeah, the more it goes, the more I write about what I know because also its…you can only write about something you experienced because it’s the only way to really know what you’re writing about.
 

AE

  

Have you drawn inspiration from anywhere else for the game? Has it been any movies or book or anything?
DC Well, you know, inspiration comes from everywhere; it comes from TV series you watch that are really amazing these days. But they can come from films, from books, from poetry, from comics, from the internet, from news, from anywhere. What’s a little bit different for me on Beyond is that probably Heavy Rain was in the world and the atmosphere was really a dark thriller close to other…to some films in the mood and tone at least where on Beyond I think it’s…hopefully it’s more original also in the tone and in the type of the genre itself.
 

AE

  

Tell us a little bit about the production process for the game because you talked about motion capture. So do you do a lot of motion capture at one time or do you tend to do scenes and then a few months might go by and then you come up with something else? How does it work?
DC Well, first we started with the writing; it takes me about a year and then we started the casting process which can be also quite time consuming. And then we start the shooting sessions. Shooting sessions are about…in this case, it’s about a year and it’s shooting pretty much, if not every day, it’s 3-4 days a week. So it’s quite crazy; it’s really a full 12 months of shooting so there are about 160 actors on this thing; they’re stuntmen, they’re… they’re different people from different horizons, from…having different skills and…and total of about 160 people. So that’s big organisation, a lot of work and it’s also…it’s been a huge investment from Ellen especially because it was quite intense, quite physical and quite challenging I think because of the volume we had to shoot. I mean we had lots. It’s probably like three or four movies that’s what she told me. And she said it was the most challenging acting experience in her career.
 

AE

  

That’s got to be good for you as writer to hear that?
DC …I don’t know if it’s a nice thing or a bad thing but… but yeah. It was definitely a lot of fun to do and to have her on stage was absolutely amazing as you can imagine.
 

AE

  

You’ve got to be really excited about this game coming out now.
DC Yes, I am but…you know excitement you never have time to be really excited. You’re…well this is who I am; I’m really nervous all the time and I’m really working very hard and there’s a lot of things to do, a lot of work. And it’s a very challenging game, I mean to make, I mean it’s a big responsibility because when you have actors like Ellen on stage, you really want to make sure that the final product will reflect the quality of what she delivered onstage. So that’s really another responsibility and also we have people who really enjoyed Heavy Rain out there and they really expect what we are going to do next. And of course we don’t want to disappoint them, at the same time we don’t want to give them what they expect. We want to surprise them. We want to take them somewhere else. We want to build on what we learned on Heavy Rain not do just…just the same game so… So this is a lot of work, a lot of pressure and the pressure…it’s a good pressure, pressure we put on ourselves. So…but yeah, we want to deliver the best possible game and we work very hard for that.
 

AE

  

And what’s the reaction from the fans’ been?
DC Oh, very positive. We’ve been incredibly happy with the feedback at E3. I think people were quite surprised because of the announcement of Ellen of course and in general people were quite intrigued by the story and yeah, very, very positive feedback and we’ve not shown much to be honest. I mean, the game is huge. There are very surprising moments. It’s very different from Heavy Rain in many aspects and again people will be surprised. So no, yeah, very, very happy to see that. Heavy Rain was not just a coincidence, it wasn’t…there are really people interested in what we are doing and following us and being excited and passionate about what we’re doing so that’s the best pressure you can have.
 

AE

  

You said that the game is quite intense. Things in the game have consequences so are there multiple endings? Is this something that you can’t talk about…?
DC Well, I don’t want to reveal too much about the game but that’s…things that worked very well in Heavy Rain that people really enjoyed will still be there. What I can say is that there will be of course many different endings but more, again like in Heavy Rain, it’s not just different endings, different path leading to different endings. So there are many different ways of playing this game and some of them can be really surprising. But also compared to Heavy Rain, Heavy Rain was much more in small environments; it was taking place in apartments or sometimes in just rooms. Where here, there are scenes where you have a huge environment to explore. So this is going to be a massive difference compared to Heavy Rain and again I don’t think that this is something people will expect from us but we will try to have the same quality of…visual quality but the same amount of details but in significantly larger environments.
 

AE

  

Thank you for your time David.
DC Oh, thank you very much.

From the visionary mind of David Cage, director of the award-winning Heavy Rain, comes the most powerfully emotional experience on PlayStation 3. A singularly unique psychological action thriller delivered by A-list Hollywood performances, BEYOND: Two Souls takes you on a thrilling journey across the globe as you play out the remarkable life of Jodie Holmes.

Born with a connection to a mysterious entity with incredible powers, Jodie was different. In an adventure spanning 15 years of her life, your actions will determine Jodie’s fate as she faces extraordinary challenges, danger, and heart wrenching loss on a journey to discover the truth of who she is. Beyond promises an emotionally-charged journey unlike any video game before.

• Dive into a gripping and unpredictable psychological action thriller starring Academy Award-nominees Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe.
• Explore stunning and varied settings across the world in an epic journey through 15 years of a character’s life.
• Control Jodie and an invisible entity through spectacular action sequences and puzzles with unique controls.
• Experience cutting-edge technology from Quantic Dream in one of the best-looking games ever seen on the PlayStation 3.

BEYOND: Two Souls is due for release on October 10th 2013 on PS3.

Nokia Event for the 22nd October is in Abu Dhabi

Chris Hare
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Nokia Event for the 22nd October is in Abu Dhabi

After the announcement from last week of an event for the 22nd October from Nokia, Today Nokia Tweeted that the event will be in Abu Dhabi what will Nokia show off this time. Rumour that it will be the Nokia Lumia 1520, the first 1080p Windows Phone to enter into 6-inch domain. This device is believed to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC and a 20-megapixel PureView camera. With Windows Phone 8.1 (Project Blue) will also see an update to support the new 1080p resolution

Nokia Abu Dhabi

 

 

Guild Wars 2 Twilight Assault coming next week

Andrew Edney
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Guild Wars 2 Twilight Assault coming next week

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Lionguard intelligence reports have been rife with hints of suspicious activity in Caledon Forest. Someone is mixing up a new kind of trouble from within the Twilight Arbor. Caithe, the sylvari hero, is concerned. She’s in need of brave fighters to help her infiltrate the arbor and set things straight. Will you answer the call?

NCSOFT and ArenaNet today officially unveil Twilight Assault, the next release for Guild Wars 2, scheduled to go live in the game on Tuesday 1st October.

In addition to the main event, the update features a new Level 80 Path in Twilight Arbor. Players can work with each other and Caithe to find a way into a secret, hidden facility where they’ll take on guards, navigate traps, and square off against the monster at the heart of the stronghold.

Also coming is the first season of  World vs. World competition. Starting on Friday 4th October and running to Monday 21st November, players can now work together to determine which world is the best.
But that’s not all; the update also includes new Achievement Rewards, Exotic Nightmare Weapons and Aether Chests.

For more details on Guild Wars 2, visit www.guildwars2.com.

I also recently interviewed Mike Zadorojny:

Have you played Guild Wars 2? Let us know about your experiences by leaving a comment below. And watch out for a special Guild Wars 2 contest coming this week.

And check out our review of Guild Wars 2 from last year.

ArenaNet Offers Extended Free Trial of Guild Wars 2 and Limited-Time Sale

Andrew Edney
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ArenaNet Offers Extended Free Trial of Guild Wars 2 and Limited-Time Sale

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NCSOFT and ArenaNet, developer of the popular Guild Wars franchise, today announced an extended free trial and sale for Guild Wars 2, its critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), starting 27th September. The offer allows players to experience the game free for seven days, and to purchase it for a limited time at a historically low price.

The free trial period, which is open to all players in North America and Europe, starts Friday, 27th September at 08:01 BST and ends Friday, 4th October at 07:59 BST. Players can create the free trial accounts at https://register.guildwars2.com/trial.

ArenaNet is also offering Guild Wars 2 at its lowest prices ever from Friday 27th September at 08:01 BST to Monday, 7th October at 07:59 BST. Players will be able to buy the Digital Heroic Edition for £27.99 at https://buy.guildwars2.com. Unlike other games in the genre, no subscription fee is required.

ArenaNet recently celebrated a successful first year for Guild Wars 2, one that saw the game become the fastest-selling MMORPG of all time in Europe and North America through its first nine months, and the developers earn high marks for delivering exciting new content to players every two weeks, a pace unprecedented by Western standards. The most recent content update, Tequatl Rising, went live in the game last week and features an epic boss fight that requires players to work in large groups using creativity, strategy and skill to defeat the encounter.

For more details on Guild Wars 2, visit www.guildwars2.com.

I also recently interviewed Mike Zadorojny:

Have you played Guild Wars 2? Let us know about your experiences by leaving a comment below. And watch out for a special Guild Wars 2 contest coming this week.

And check out our review of Guild Wars 2 from last year.

Apple launches updated iMac with fourth generation Intel quad-core processors

Andrew Edney
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Apple launches updated iMac with fourth generation Intel quad-core processors

Apple today updated iMac with fourth generation Intel quad-core processors, new graphics, next generation Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage options. The updated iMac brings the latest technology to the stunningly thin design and gorgeous display of the world’s leading all-in-one desktop.

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The entry-level 21.5-inch iMac features a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and new Iris Pro graphics for unprecedented levels of integrated graphics performance. The high-end 21.5-inch model and both 27-inch models feature quad-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 3.4 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce 700 series graphics with twice the video memory and up to 40 percent faster performance than the previous generation. Customers looking for the ultimate in performance can upgrade to quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.5 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M series graphics with up to 4GB of video memory.

iMac now supports next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi. When connected to an 802.11ac base station, iMac delivers wireless performance that is up to three times faster than the previous generation.

The updated iMac now features support for PCIe-based flash storage that makes Fusion Drive and all-flash storage options up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation.* The popular Fusion Drive option combines the large storage capacity of a hard drive with the high performance of flash to deliver shorter boot times and faster access to apps and files. Customers can configure their iMac with a 1TB or 3TB Fusion Drive, and all-flash storage options are now available in configurations up to 1TB.

iMac comes standard with 8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive, and customers can choose to configure their iMac with up to 32GB of memory and up to a 3TB hard drive. iMac also comes with two Thunderbolt and four USB 3.0 ports for connecting to external storage and other high performance peripherals.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to energy efficiency and the environment, iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves an EPEAT Gold rating.** iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac includes PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, and uses highly recyclable materials and material-efficient packaging designs.

iMac ships with OS X Mountain Lion, bringing Messages, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay Mirroring, Dictation, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper to your Mac. With iCloud built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across your Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

The new iMac is available today through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. The 21.5-inch iMac is available with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz and Intel Iris Pro for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US); and with a 2.9 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US). The 27-inch iMac is available with a 3.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 755M for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US); and with a 3.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US). Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/imac.

Do you want a beta key for GunZ 2: The Second Duel?

Andrew Edney
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0
Do you want a beta key for GunZ 2: The Second Duel?

Would you like to play in the closed beta for GunZ 2: The Second Duel? If the answer is yes we have you covered!

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In a world where the Cold War rages on between the Axium Empire and the Republic of Travia, an energy source by the name of Optimite may change the frontlines. Reckless mercenaries have found a way to inject this source of power directly into their bodies to grow superhuman strength, seamlessly climb walls and leave a path of destruction in the wake of their fierce battles. In the midst of these battles, you will have to take a stand against the malicious Adam Corporation. Your allies are your guns, your skill and off the wall acrobatics.

The pioneer of the Online Third Person Shooter-Genre is back!

GunZ 2: The Second Duel is the official sequel to GunZ: The Duel, a groundbreaking action game enjoyed by millions of hardcore gamers worldwide. With action movie-like acrobatic action, intense combat and its K-Style gameplay, GunZ pioneered the Online TPS genre in 2004.

Picking up these core mechanics of its predecessor while ditching the K-Style, GunZ 2 offers an improved and more balanced gameplay experience. No matter whether you want to jump in and out of a quick match or organize in professional clans. With controls that are easy to pick up but hard to master and a matchmaking service that pits you against players of your own skill GunZ 2: The second Duel is the ultimate competitive shooter experience. Or join your friends in an always expanding, cooperative scenario mode including brutal boss battles.

So if you would like to join the closed beta (and hurry, because it actually ends on Sunday) then click on the Contact Us link here or at the top of the page and ask for a key!

We only have a limited number of keys so be quick if you want one!

Sorry but all the keys have now gone!

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