Samsung Galaxy S4 Accessories Unveiled by Anymode

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Today Samsung’s Galaxy S4 smartphone has received a range of accessories from Anymode. The third-party manufacturer will support the Android device at launch with a line of robust covers, an Iron Man-themed case and an arm-band with an integrated phone holster.

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Other accessories include the Mirror Shield, which doubles as a mirror when the cover is close and lets users operate their handset while the case is attached, and a range of hinged Folio Cases crafted in fine grain, high-quality plastic of various colours. Anymode’s patented Kickstand is a premium Folio Case that allows users to prop up their device for viewing media hands-free, while the Diary Case features an integrated card slot for bank notes, small documents and credit cards.

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 is available to pre-order in the UK now ahead of its release on all major networks on 26th April. Full details of Anymode’s accessories for the smartphone can be found on the company’s website.

Windows 8.1 to allow to boot to Desktop

Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 update will reportedly allow users to boot straight to their desktops. The Verge quotes inside sources claiming that the operating system upgrade will enable users to drop the controversial tiled interface in favour of the traditional load-up screen.

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Leaked builds of the operating system – codenamed Windows Blue – suggest that users will also be able to resize the titles to create smaller icons and run two apps at once in split-screen mode.

Windows 8.1 is said to feature improved touchscreen functionality with enhanced sensitivity and better support for first-party applications.

The PC market went through its steepest decline in recent years during the first three months of 2013, with users’ reluctance to adopt Windows 8 cited as a contributing factor. Windows 8.1 is expected to be formally announced at Microsoft’s Build developer conference in June.

 

Michelin, CoolBeans & Random House Mondadori Coming to the Galaxy S4

At the Samsung event in London on the 16th April it was announced that is bring Michelin Traffic, Michelin Restaurants and Michelin Travel. Also ‘Nighty Night’ (available in eight languages – Italian, Spanish, German, English, French, Russian, Portuguese and Dutch) and ‘Little Fox Music Box’ (available in English and German), exclusively to the Galaxy S4 Hub.

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Samsung is proud to present the ‘Michelin Traffic’ application, which gives users access to real-time traffic information in 11 countries in Europe and provides very detailed coverage including major cities and most motorways. The partnership also includes ‘Michelin Restaurants’, an app that lets users locate a restaurant in France and Germany with multi-criteria search options such as the Michelin restaurant selection. ‘Michelin Restaurants’ app also lets users upload photos of their visits and even pen their own reviews of the meals. The partnership between Michelin and Samsung apps will continue in the summer with the launch of ‘Michelin Travel,’ an app that provides recommendations to users about 30,000 tourist attractions across Europe. At the event Random House Mondadori to complement the existing range of Spanish Languages Books.

 

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Smartphones are a fantastic entertainment portal for parents with young families and to bolster the family oriented content available on Samsung Apps, app developer Goodbeans is bringing ‘Nighty Night’ (available in eight languages – Italian, Spanish, German, English, French, Russian, Portuguese and Dutch) and ‘Little Fox Music Box’ (available in English and German), exclusively to the hub.  The Galaxy S4’s incredible screen is perfect for enjoying these enchanting and immersive apps that have already gained huge popularity with over three million fans from around the world.

 

Random House Mondadori

To complement the existing range of Spanish-language books available, Samsung has partnered with Random House Mondadori to bring an additional 3,400 titles for readers to enjoy. These include books from international best-selling authors such as Ken Follett, E.L. James, or Stephen King, as well as Latin American and Spanish authors like Isabel Allende, Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Luis Borges and Ildefonso Falcones.

Need for Speed Most Wanted Free to Free 100,000 Users of the S4 in Europe

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Today at the London Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Has announced that the highly anticipated Galaxy S4 will introduce an exclusive edition of EA’s bestselling racing title ‘Need for Speed Most Wanted’. The game which has been optimised for Samsung will feature in-game Samsung branding and will be available for download from Samsung Games.

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“Samsung is committed to delivering the best user experience possible and rich content sits at the heart of our vision. We are delighted to have exclusive branded Samsung content in a triple A game from one of the world’s foremost video game publishers. We have also secured further partnerships that deliver on our promise to open up the world of possibilities to our customers,” said Lee Epting, Vice President of Media Solution Centre Europe for Samsung Electronics Europe.

Glenn Roland, Vice President for New Platforms and OEM at EA said, “The introduction of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 will bring outstanding mobile gaming experiences to its players. Our ‘Need for Speed Most Wanted’ offering at launch is one of several EA games specifically optimised for Samsung and will include exclusive content.”

As part of the partnership, Samsung and EA are offering the first 100,000 Galaxy S4 customers across Europe the opportunity to download the app for free via the Samsung Hub.

The partnership with EA Games is one of a number of agreements that will deliver content though the Samsung Hub to coincide with the launch of the Galaxy S4 across Europe on 27 April 2013. Centered on gaming – where Samsung has key partnerships with Gamesloft and Glu – books, kids and food, these partnerships demonstrate Samsung’s commitment to delivering the most diverse range of high quality content to customers across Europe.

The ‘Need for Speed Most Wanted’ Samsung edition is also available to play on Samsung Galaxy Note II.

Battlefield 4 Promotional Poster Confirms Return of Commander Mode

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A Battlefield 4 promotional poster has seemingly confirmed the return of ‘Commander’ mode.

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A leaked GameStop pre-order poster suggests that the top-down ‘Commander’ mode, which was last seen in Battlefield: 2142, will be playable in multiplayer, according to Eurogamer.

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The promotional material also reveals that online factions include China, USA and Russia. Users who pre-order the title from GameStop will receive the first expansion for free, which represents a saving of $10.

Announced in March, Battlefield 4‘s single player campaign will offer more open, sandbox gameplay moments following feedback from Battlefield 3.

It also aims to deliver a more emotionally impactful story, closely following your fellow soldiers against the backdrop of an impending world war.

The campaign is teased to also offer elements of social persistence, while multiplayer introduces new water vehicles and will add innovations to the franchise.

Forza Horizon 1000 Club Expansion Released for Free

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Today WeArePlayground released the 1000 Club Expansion for Forza Horizon! for Free, This expansion brings more action, more fun, more achievements, and, yes, even more cars to Horizon Festival Since the release of Forza Horizon in October, and the subsequent monthly DLC car packs that have followed, we’ve heard a familiar theme from the Forza community: Give us more to do! The 1000 Club Expansion does exactly that; offering you five brand new challenges for every car in the game. That’s more than 1,000 challenges across the hundreds of cars in the game.
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With the 1000 Club Expansion, each car in Forza Horizon will have a number of new challenges associated with it. Once you select a car, you’ll see each of the challenges you can complete while driving it. These challenges come from practically all facets of Forza Horizon’s gameplay – from skills challenges like drifting or jumping, to plain and simple speed zone challenges and all points in between. There are location-based challenges, like drifting around the winding roads of Red Rocks, or new twists on familiar Horizon Festival events.

Once you’ve chosen a car, you’ll get tips on how to accomplish these tasks (for example, in a challenge where the goal is to smash a number of objects, the game will suggest a nearby location that includes lots of smashables). After that, you’re let loose on the open roads, free to compete any of that car’s challenges in any order you see fit. In fact, finding the quickest route towards completing each car’s challenges is part of the strategy and fun behind the 1000 Club Expansion.

Variety is at the heart of the Forza Horizon 1000 Club Expansion Pack. All of the challenges have been custom designed to fit the unique personality and strengths of each car in the game and, as you play through the challenges, the game will recommend new challenges for you to try.

In addition the expansion pack will also include 10 new Xbox Live achievements to collect, worth 250 gamerscore points, as well as two new cars to enjoy:

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1995 RUF CTR2

In the late 1980s, Ruf made its auspicious debut in the world of high-performance cars with the original RUF CTR. Nearly a decade later, founder Alois Ruf succeeded in one-upping himself with the CTR2. Like a good Hollywood action sequel, the CTR2 featured more of what fans loved about the original – namely incredible performance, thanks to a 3.6 liter, twin turbocharged flat-six capable of 520 horsepower and a top speed north of 215 mph. As intended, this kind of performance immediately catapulted the CTR2 into the rarefied air of the world’s most elite vehicles, in demand by collectors and speed junkies alike.

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1956 Ford F100

Ford’s F100 truck series was a hit in 1953 but didn’t really hit its stride until the 1956 model – the best-looking and most powerful version of Ford’s classic workhorse. Maybe it was the new grille. Or that wraparound windscreen. Fans of the blue oval had the optional V8, too, which boosted the F100 to a respectable 167 horsepower, plenty of power for a hard-working vehicle. The F100 went through additional revisions but, for Ford truck connoisseurs, the 1956 model remains a high point.

Is Nokia Readying a EOS Smartphone with 41 megapixel Camera?

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Nokia is reportedly planning to launch a line of Windows Phone 8 handsets packing powerful 41-megapixel cameras. The rumoured EOS smartphone could come in dual and quad-core variants, purported inside sources told My Nokia Blog.

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The Finnish phone maker is said to be testing prototype models of the two variations, but apparently there is no guarantee of both phones arriving on the market.

Nokia engineers have allegedly reported heavy battery drain with the quad-core Snapdragon 800 model, suggesting that the final product could pack a dual-core chip unless the issue is rectified.

The EOS’s 41-megapixel camera is said to be backed up by an LED and more powerful Xenon flash. Other features include an Amoled 1280 x 768 display, a Micro HDMI output and microSD support.

Nokia previously released the 808 PureView smartphone, a Symbian-powered device with a 41-megapixel camera.

Netflix to Adopt HTML5 for Video

Netflix has announced plans to adopt the emerging HTML5 video format in place of Silverlight. The subscription service has been exploring new plugins since Microsoft confirmed that it would end support for Silverlight in 2021.

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The move will also solve several issues for Netflix, such as the limited support for browser-based plugins on mobile devices.

“We’re interested to solve these problems as we move to our next generation of video playback on the Web,” said Netflix in a blog post.

“Over the last year, we’ve been collaborating with other industry leaders on three W3C initiatives which are positioned to solve this problem of playing premium video content directly in the browser without the need for browser plugins such as Silverlight.”

Netflix has already begun testing what it calls ‘HTML5 Premium Video Extensions’, but is yet to announce when Silverlight will be dropped entirely.

Rumour Apple iPhone 5S with 12-megapixel Camera

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Apple’s rumoured new iPhone the iPhone 5S will feature a 12-megapixel camera, according to a report. The Vietnamese site Tinhte claims that the Cupertino firm is upping the smartphone’s camera capabilities by 4 megapixels.

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The jump from 8 to 12 megapixels would have implications for how large images can be printed and cropped, as well as how much space they take up on the handset.

Tinhte has a strong track record of obtaining inside Apple information, having obtained the iPhone 4 before it was officially announced, outed the 64GB iPhone and leaked the iPhone 5’s earpods.

Japanese blog Macotakara recently claimed that the Cupertino firm is planning to offer the seventh-generation handset in a similar array of colours to its iPod Touch line.

The website also stated that the iPhone 5S will bear a similar design to the current-generation iPhone 5, with an improved camera and processor, as well as fingerprint recognition technology.

Apple is also strongly rumoured to be launching a budget iPhone alongside the flagship model, with previous reports indicating that this could also be available in a variety of colours.

Google Glasses Tech Specs revealed

Google have revealed the tech specs for Google Glasses – their augmented reality glasses.

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Here are the specs:

Fit
  • Adjustable nosepads and durable frame fits any face.
  • Extra nosepads in two sizes.
Display

High resolution display is the equivalent of a 25 inch high definition screen from eight feet away.

Camera
  • Photos – 5 MP
  • Videos – 720p
Audio
  • Bone Conduction Transducer
Connectivity
  • Wifi – 802.11b/g
  • Bluetooth
Storage
  • 12 GB of usable memory, synced with Google cloud storage. 16 GB Flash total.
Battery

One full day of typical use. Some features, like Hangouts and video recording, are more battery intensive.

Charger
  • Included Micro USB cable and charger.

While there are thousands of Micro USB chargers out there, Glass is designed and tested with the included charger in mind. Use it and preserve long and prosperous Glass use.

Compatibility
  • Any Bluetooth-capable phone.
  • The MyGlass companion app requires Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher. MyGlass enables GPS and SMS messaging.

Would you wear them? I know I would! Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Dishonored The Knife of Dunwall DLC out today

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Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall, the second add-on pack for the critically-acclaimed first-person action game developed by Arkane Studios is out today.

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In Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall, you take on the role of Daud, the legendary assassin who killed the Empress. This second add-on pack for the award-winning first person action game from Arkane Studios gives you a new perspective on Daud, and access to his weapons, gadgets, allies and supernatural abilities.

After assassinating the Empress, and forever changing the fate of Dunwall, you embark on a search for redemption. The Outsider reveals the key to your atonement, but who—or what—is Delilah? Accompanied by the Whalers, your loyal band of mercenary assassins, your search will take you through never-before-seen districts of Dunwall as you face off against new and terrible foes. Employ a unique arsenal that enhances Dishonored’s dynamic combat, mobility and stealth systems. In the struggle to hang onto the last shred of your humanity, the choices you make will ultimately determine your fate.

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New Powers, Weapons and Gadgets

The mark of the Outsider empowers you with unique supernatural abilities. Call upon the Whalers to assist in combat with ‘Summon Assassin’, track down hidden Runes and Bone Charms with ‘Void Gaze’ and learn to use new variations to powers, including ‘Blink’. To aid in your dangerous exploits your customized arsenal of weapons and gadgets will include Chokedust to daze your enemies, whale oil powered Stun Mines to shock your targets, and a concealed Wristbow to launch sleep darts and explosive bolts.

Explore More of Dunwall

Make your way through the Legal District and infiltrate the Rothwild Slaughterhouse, a steaming factory filled with colossal whale carcasses and their hulking butchers. Revisit the decaying Flooded District, the location of Daud’s hidden base, first seen in the original game. Return to the scenes of key events in Dishonored with a new perspective, including the fateful moment that sets off Corvo’s journey.

Choose Your Path

On your search for answers, approach each mission with your own style. Your redemption – or your turn towards darkness – depends on your skills and the decisions you make. Discover the mystery behind Delilah in this stand-alone chapter, and then conclude Daud’s story in the upcoming final add-on, The Brigmore Witches.

It will be available in Europe on April 16th for Xbox 360 and PC, and on April 17th for PS3. The add-on is priced at £7.99 / €9.99 (or 800 Microsoft Points).

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Are you going to buy it? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Call of Duty : Black Ops 2 Uprising DLC out today on Xbox 360

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Call of Duty fans are set to receive another premium offering of Downloadable Content (DLC) with Call of Duty: Black Ops II Uprising today.  The game’s second, epic DLC pack of the year from award-winning studio Treyarch and Activision Publishing will be available first, exclusively on Xbox LIVE for the Xbox 360 beginning on 16th April, with other platforms to follow.  Call of Duty: Black Ops II Uprising will include four new exotic multiplayer maps, plus an exciting new Zombies experience called “Mob of the Dead” that takes players to Alcatraz with four of the actors behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic mobsters, including Ray Liotta, Chazz Palminteri, Joe Pantoliano, and Michael Madsen.

Following tradition of the original Call of Duty: Black Ops fan-favourite Zombies mode “Call of the Dead,” Call of Duty: Black Ops II Uprising’s wildly creative new “Mob of the Dead” Zombies experience finds the four prohibition-era mobsters, Billy Handsome (Liotta), Al “The Weasel” Arlington (Pantoliano), Salvatore “Sal” DeLuca (Palmentiri), and Michael “Finn” O’Leary (Madsen) serving time in Alcatraz Prison, only to discover that being behind bars is the least of their problems.  With plans to break out of Alcatraz foiled by the rise of the undead, the quartet of inmates will have to lean on their mob-derived skills with firearms, blunt instruments and improvised weaponry as they battle the zombies infesting and overrunning the island.  In order to survive, players must work their way through the steel cells and aging concrete buildings while fighting off a multitude of zombified prisoners and guards trapped on the island with them.  Additionally, if a player becomes an unfortunate victim, “Mob of the Dead’s” new feature known as “Purgatory” sends players into the afterlife.  This new twist on Zombies gameplay is ripe with its own set of objectives and offers fans a truly new and unique experience.

Uprising also delivers another four new, exotic and diverse multiplayer maps set around the globe for fans to jump into.  “Magma” is a modern Japanese village with volcanic eruptions carving multiple paths throughout the town.  “Encore” takes place in the aftermath of a deserted London music festival and leaves numerous opportunities for run-and-gun, close quarters combat. “Vertigo” is a futuristic high rise in India housing a high-tech lab featuring dizzying vistas and multi-tiered pathways.  Finally, “Studio” is a contemporary remake of “Firing Range,” a fan-favourite multiplayer map from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops.  “Studio” is a Hollywood movie back lot with a variety of cinematic themes that range from Sci-Fi to the Old West.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II Uprising is available first, exclusively on Xbox LIVE for 1200 Microsoft Points.  The Uprising DLC Map Pack is also included in the Call of Duty: Black Ops II DLC Season Pass, where fans can purchase all four epic DLC Map Packs planned for the year, and also receive the Nuketown Zombies bonus map, and an exclusive in-game calling card as part of the discounted bundle offered at 4000 Microsoft Points – a discount of 800 Microsoft Points off the individual purchase of all four DLC Map Packs.

Get your name in The Last of Us with contests from Naughty Dog

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The Last of Us is out very soon, and you have the chance to get your name in the game with a trio of contests from developer Naughty Dog.

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This is what Naughty Dog posted on their site:

We’re heads down putting the finishing touches on The Last of Us, launching June 14. Your excitement and devotion has kept us going strong as we’ve seen you make some amazing fan content. Now we want to give our most dedicated fans the opportunity to be a part of our hard work. So get thinking creatively about The Last of Us and show us what you’ve got.

We’re holding a trio of contests that will allow you to get your name into the game. All three contests reward you with your name being stamped on a Firefly pendant that will be collectible in-game. Carve your name in video game history as a member of the Fireflies!

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Check out the Naughty Dog site for more information on the contest and the rules.

Let us know what you think of the game by leaving a comment below.

And here was the video I took of The Last of US Q&A session at Gamescom last year:

 

First teaser trailer for the official ASHES CRICKET 2013 game released

As we are getting closer to the release of the Official Ashes Cricket 2013 Video Game, the rivalry’s heating up with the launch of the first teaser trailer.

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Here is the teaser trailer:

Further details on ASHES CRICKET 2013 will be revealed exclusively over the coming weeks via the official website community forums at www.ashescricket2013.com,