Killer Xbox 720 accessories, price crash tech galore and the next Call of Duty

Friday rolls around so quickly, doesn’t it? If you’re wondering where the working week’s gone, and didn’t get a chance to read up on all the tech news as it came in, then put your mind at rest: we’ve got all the biggest stories from the last days rounded up for you in one place, right here in your Gadget Digest.

 

Microsoft’s IllumiRoom Xbox tech explored

After months of radio silence, Microsoft finally started talking about its incredible IllumiRoom wall projector tech for gaming again, dropping more than a few hints that it could be headed to the Xbox 720 as a Kinect-style accessory, and publishing a research paper which spills all the beans on how it works. Check out our feature on it for what we know so far.

 

Bargain hunt

It’s been an incredible week for sudden price drops in top gadgets. Barnes & Noble has been serving up random acts of kindness all week, slashing the price of its entry-level e-reader to just £29, and administering similar price cuts to its Android tablets too – as well as giving them access to the Google Play store. Asda meanwhile dropped the price of the Nintendo Wii U by another £50, meaning you can now pick up the next-gen machine for less than £150. Here’s hoping this sort of shock treatment can help the faltering system.

 

What’s next, making calls from your iPad?

The boundaries between phones and tablets – and frankly, phablets and tablets – are rapidly blurring. Hot on the heels of Asus’ Fonepad, Samsung released the Galaxy Tab 3, a regular looking seven-inch Android slate – that makes phone calls like a regular blower. Would you be seen holding one of these to your head?

 

Instagram expands

We’ve got good news all around for fans of the photo sharing social network. The company – now owned by Facebook – just last night pushed out Photos Of You, a new tagging option and profile page section which finally lets you tag your mates in pictures, not just locations. Got an app-lacking Windows Phone and feel like you’re missing out on all the fun? Fret no more: as we told you yesterday, a new unofficial but fully featured Instagram app is heading your way very soon.

 

Games games games

It’s been a hectic week on the games front too. We got a new, in-depth look at Grand Theft Auto V courtesy of three new trailers, and got a first play of racer Grid 2 as well. If that wasn’t enough though, Activision only went and announced the next Call of Duty – and it’s not Modern Warfare 4

www.tell-me-first.com

Xbox 720: New name, turbo specs and a tablet revealed!

 

 

UPDATE: Sorry guys, it’s a hoax. Pocket-lint’s source was actually an anonymous tipster. That said, more reliable publications have confirmed from multiple sources that Microsoft is indeed working on an Xbox gaming tablet, so don’t get too down.

Forget Xbox 720: it looks like Microsoft is going back in time for the name of its next-gen console, simply dubbing it ‘Xbox’ according to a new report. And that’s not all: alongside the brand new games machine, Microsoft is prepping a brand new Xbox gaming tablet too! Read on to find out all about it.

Pocket-lint claims that Microsoft’s next console will serve as a central hub to a number of devices, one of which will be called X-Surface – a tablet we’ve previously heard rumours about. It won’t run Windows 8 or Windows RT, but instead, it will be a standalone portable gaming system that can access the games, music and video hubs of the new Xbox, but won’t have any apps of its own.

At the moment, the specs of the new X-Surface are currently unknown, but it’s reportedly been spotted running Unreal Engine 3 demos at a solid, high frame rate, meaning that it’s much more beefy than your standard run-of-the-mill tablet.

The new Xbox, meanwhile will pack some major processing power with an 8-core CPU from AMD that sounds like it can run everything thrown at it – including the visually stunning Watch Dogs demo from last year’s E3. The OS onboard will have a similar look to Windows 8, but it won’t be the same software.

There’s no news on a brand new gamepad just yet, but developers have been using a current generation Xbox controller, meaning the new one may well use the same, if not, a similar layout – unlike Sony, which is believed to be working on a new gamepad with a built-in touchscreen.

We still don’t know when Microsoft will launch brand new Xbox, but we’ll let you know as soon as we do. Are you looking forward to the next-generation of gaming? Let us know in the comments

Gadgets of 2013: the future is upon us

 

Models parade in Google Glass augmented reality eyewear at a New York fashion show. Photograph: Edward Le Poulin/Corbis

iPhone 5S

As per usual, it is expected that Apple will release an "S" update before moving up an integer.

Possible features? Respected tech industry analyst Peter Misek is predicting it will come with a new "super HD camera/screen, a better battery and NFC [near field communication - used in such things as contactless payment systems]". He also claims that, like the Nano, the phone will be available in six to eight colours.

When can I buy one? Misek suggests that Apple will be speeding up its cycle of launches, so we should expect it in June.

Apple iTV

There has been speculation for some years that Apple would make a land grab for the TV market. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently remarked that turning on a TV is like going "backwards in time by 20 or 30 years". That is, like the music and phone industry previously, it's in need of an Apple update.

Possible features? Cult of Mac reported that the TV would feature both Siri and iSight to enable voice and face recognition – iPhones and iPads could also be used to control it.

When can I buy one? Gene Munster (industry analyst) has predicted that the Apple iTV will be launched in October 2013: "It should cost $1,500-$2,000 and come in sizes from 42 inches to 55 inches." It is likely a UK version would only be released when licensing deals with British TV channels are finalised.

Xbox 720

Microsoft's long-awaited follow-up to the Xbox 360, rumoured to be called the Infinity.

Possible features? Like the Kinect, the console will use motion detection technology and T3 recently revealed that Microsoft had filed a patent concerning projecting augmented reality 3D images on walls, which would require you to wear Wi-Fi-enabled 3D glasses. May also include a Blu-ray drive.

When can I buy one? A Microsoft executive did talk about a "new Xbox" but this statement was quickly withdrawn by the company; however, the company has placed job ads which mention the new console. A Bloomberg report says the XBox 720 is likely to be available from autumn 2013.

 

Amazon phone

The internet giant is said to be adding a phone to its range of Kindle readers.

Possible features? Don't expect any revolutionary hardware, but the software will allow seamless integration between Amazon's Appstore, Amazon MP3, Amazon Cloud Player and Kindle books. In short, it will be more of an multipurpose Amazon revenue-generating device than a phone. As PC Magazine has suggested, it's likely to be cheap. This is because Amazon is expected to subsidise the cost of the handset and the monthly price plan using the revenue from the vast amount of Amazon media, electronics and whatnot you are inevitably going to purchase with it. It is also likely to come pre-loaded with a bar code scanner, which will point out how much cheaper everything is on Amazon. Yes, it does sound pretty Faustian.

When can I buy one? Your pact could start in mid-2013.

Augmented reality glasses

Google and a company called Vuzix are lining up futuristic specs for people who can't bear not to be connected.

Possible features? More of a headset than a pair of spectacles, the Vuzix projects a small colour image in front of your eye, runs the Android operating system and connects via Bluetooth to your phone. The screen could show you text messages, emails or map directions.

What this device's killer app will turn out to be is anyone's guess. It could, for instance, use face recognition to remind you of fellow partygoers' names, their CVs and their latest Facebook status updates and tweets – never be stuck for small talk again! A scary Charlie Brooker-scripted future is heading our way, basically.

When can I buy one? Summer 2013 for under $500. Google Glass isn't expected until 2014.

Nest

A "learning thermostat" designed by two former Apple employees, it has already been described as the "iPhone of thermostats" by Wired.

Possible features? Via Wi-Fi, it connects with your smartphone, allowing you to control your heating whether you're at home or not. Over time it learns your schedule and designs a heating or air-conditioning programme around it. It can detect when you're not at home. And it looks pretty: it glows orange for heating, blue for cooling.

When can I buy one? They're already available in the US for $250 – the manufacturer claims you will claw that back in utility bill savings in two years

www.tell-me-first.com

“Xbox 720” documents reportedly reveal $299 price, new Kinect, specs and more

 

“

A “leaked” document reportedly reveals Microsoft’s upcoming plans for the new Xbox console through to 2015, mentioning “Xbox 720” by name, listing a $299 price for the console, confirming Blu-ray playback, and referencing the Microsoft Glass augmented reality technology shown at this year’s E3. The documents have since been taken off the internet at the request of Microsoft’s lawyers, lending the leak more credibility. Is this the Xbox 720?



Microsoft has of course yet to publicly confirm or deny the leak, but asking for the documents to be taken off the web has got commentators believing the above details could be the real deal.

Xbox 720 rumoured for 2013 said to be six times more powerful

The 56-page document that first appeared on Scribd, made mention of an “Xbox 720” for a 2013 release, and says that the new console will be four times more powerful than the Xbox 360, and cost $299.

Blu-ray is also included, as is USB 3.0, HDMI and augmented reality gaming. There’s also a mention of the next generation of Microsoft Kinect, designed to work better in smaller spaces. Microsoft Kinect’s biggest problem is its inability to work accurately in tight areas. Microsoft Kinect 2 will seemingly solve this problem with better tracking.

Since the document’s details have yet to be confirmed, all of the above has to be taken with a pinch of salt, but nevertheless, the details remain intriguing, not least of all that $299 price tag, given that an existing Microsoft Kinect sensor costs around £99.00 with a game included.

Xbox 720 rumours are of course nothing new. The next generation of Xbox has previously been rumoured for a 2013 release, with Blu-ray playback on board. And this year’s E3 2012 saw Microsoft dedicate a lot of time to services, without showing as many new titles as expected.

Microsoft will also not be attending this year’s Gamescom show in Germany – an annual event for showcasing new games. It is thought that with little new software to show for the current Xbox, Microsoft is saving it for next year. Or in other words, for the Xbox 720.

www.tell-me-first.com

No new Xbox in 2012 says Microsoft

 

Claims and rumours of there being a new Xbox and PlayStation console announcement in 2012 has seen excitement go through the roof. Xbox fans can now at least tone down their excitement, after Microsoft France revealed that we will not see a new Xbox in 2012.
It was originally rumoured that a new Xbox reveal of sorts would happen at CES 2012, but with that date having come and gone, the rumours turned to E3, which Microsoft France at least has now denied outright. 



In an interview with LePoint.Fr Cedrik Delmas, marketing director of Microsoft France said that there is still plenty of life in the Xbox 360, before hinting heavily that we will not see a new console in 2012, let alone at E3 2012, this June.


“Xbox 360′s cycle is not at all finished. The proof is that we don’t see the logic in cutting the price this year. E3 is still premature. What’s certain is that there’ll be nothing new in 2012.”
Nintendo has already confirmed that its new console – the Nintendo Wii U – will be launching at the end of the year. Delmas brushed off the idea of competing with Nintendo with a new console.


“We’re not here to counter Nintendo and they’re not here to fight the other manufacturers. Nintendo has put itself in a different cycle, they’re advancing at their own pace.” So for now at least, it’s looking like the Nintendo Wii U will be the only major new console shown off at E3 2012.
But how long before you think Sony and Microsoft will follow? How long do you think there is left in the current console cycle? Send us your thoughts below.

Five for the weekend: Nokia’s new 12MP Lumia 910, no Xbox 720, Windows Phone 8 leaks and more


It’s been another great week in gadget land. OK, no staggering new devices hits the shops but the week has been dominated by new phone leaks, new online streaming services and the hottest gaming rumours around.
If you missed any of our top stories, fear not: we’ve rounded them up in one place, taking in word of Nokia’s latest 12-megapixel camera, Sky’s new internet TV service and the latest on the Xbox 720.

The beginning of the week was dominated by Nokia gossip. Known insider Eldar Murtazin tweeted about the existence of a 12-megapixel Nokia 910. It was a rumour, and then the device begun appearing on store websites, appearing to confirm what we suspected. Exciting stuff. Mobile World Congress takes place at the end of this month, so we hope to find out more.

Sky’s new television service will let viewers watch programmes on a pay as you watch basis. So there’s no need to subscribe. Even better is that those who use the service will be able to watch on all sorts of devices including mobile phones, tablets and video game consoles.

BlackBerry phones are in for a major revamp, starting with the forthcoming BlackBerry London. The first picture of the device landed on the web, revealing a very different look. There are no buttons for a start. Word is it will be the most powerful BlackBerry phone yet, and make more use of apps than any previous BlackBerry device ever did.

Rumours of a n new Xbox console, already dubbed the Xbox 720 have been rumbling for months. Those rumours could now show signs of coming to an end after Xbox France confirmed that Microsoft will not be showing anything new console-wise this year.

A video that wasn’t supposed to be released has spilled the beans on all the new features set to arrive in Windows Phone 8. Among them: SD card support, Near Field Communication, more apps and more power. Hit the link to learn more about the operating system with the potential to rival Android and iOS.

Next Xbox will play Blu-Ray, get Kinect 2 say sources

As new Xbox 720 rumours continue to mount, it has been claimed that the next generation Xbox console will finally ditch the traditional DVD format, and instead opt for Blu-Ray playback.

Such a move would see the new Xbox match the PS3 in terms of movie playback and eliminate the need for games to be laid out on multiple discs. A source also claims that the next Xbox will use technology that could prevent used games being played on the console.

Following lots of speculation, a source recently told gaming website Kotaku that Microsoft will use Blu-Ray technology in its next console, like Sony currently does with its PS3 console.

Kotaku’s source also says that the next Xbox will also use a form of “anti-used” technology to could prevent used games from being played on the console, though it is not clear how the technology will work. One suggestion is that games will be tied specifically to users Xbox Live profiles, to enable the console to detect whether a game has been played using another profile.

Should this be the case, it could be a blow to sales of pre-owned games – they would not work on other consoles once the player signs in to their Xbox Live profile. The report also mentions the next generation of Microsoft Kinect, which will be fitted with a new sensor for better accuracy, and a smaller controller than the current version.

What do you think of Microsoft’s possible move to Blu-Ray as a game and movie format? And how could this “anti-used technology” be used in future? Any guesses, gadget fans?

OnLive gaming : 5 things you need to know!

OnLive gaming: 5 things you need to know!

 

OnLive is the latest gaming service. With so many gaming options already on the market, it had to be good, and we were surprised at just how impressive it actually is. Join us after the break to find out everything you need to know about OnLive.

The idea behind OnLive is a simple one. “OnLive delivers high-end video games from the cloud to your PC, Mac®, TV and even mobile devices at blindingly fast speeds, so you can play the games you want, the second you want them. No discs. No downloads. No fancy hardware. Just you, the Internet and the games you love.”

Check out the latest Gadget Show Videos!

It works, too, and we’re impressed at what it has to offer.
CompatabilityOnLive isn’t just suited to one type of gaming platform. Instead, you’ll be able to sign up whether you have a tablet, a PC or a Mac. It’s also available for mobile devices, proving one of the most versatile gaming solutions around.

Share!OnLive isn’t just about playing either. You’ll also be able to join in the fun from thousands of other users, with the ability to watch games from around the world that are already in action.

No computer? Play using your TV!You don’t even have to own a PC or Mac to play games using OnLive. Instead, you’ll be able to use the OnLive Micro Console – a tiny device that’s actually smaller than a gaming controller – along with your TV, to gain access to the latest games, including DiRT 3 and Batman: Arkham City.

CheapOnLive is a great budget solution.
For just £6.99 per month, you’ll have unlimited access to all of the service’s games, with some excellent titles on offer. From Lara Croft, to Lego Harry Potter, to Batman: Arkham City, there’s a lot to like about OnLive.

It’s all onlineAs the name suggests, OnLive is gaming that’s based online. You’ll stream the games, so there’s no need for powerful or expensive hardware. We found that it could be slow at times, but when it does work, it’s genuinely revolutionary.

Which next-gen console is the best?

 

Are we nearly there yet? The first of the ‘next generation’ of games consoles has just been released with two more on the way and a further two still in the realm of speculation. What can we look forward to in the brave new world of gaming and which one deserves your cash? Read on to find out.

Nintendo 3DS The Nintendo 3DS is arguably the first of the Eighth Generation (as the cognoscenti call the ‘Next Gen’) of games consoles and is distinguished by the fact that it is the only one commonly available to play.

The 3DS has a number of innovations compared to earlier DS models including a motion sensor and gyro sensor that can react according to movement and incline, an analog controller and of course the adjustable-depth 3D effect. On their own each of these is fairly unremarkable – being available in other consoles or gadgets like mobile phones or flatscreen TVs. Together, though, they combine to create something potentially very immersive and flexible enough to create some spectacular new games

Sony PlayStation Vita The PlayStation Vita is another convergence of established technologies – capacitive OLED touchscreen, dual-analog sticks, and internet connectivity. The Vita’s USP will be backward-compatibility with existing titles from the PSP, PS1 Classics (as seen on the Playstation 3) and other downloadable content from the PlayStation Network as well as its own games, distributed on the new NVG flash memory format.

The Vita is an extremely powerful device compared to other portable consoles, with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 core processor and a SGX543MP4+ graphics processing unit which should lead to some spectacular games, on a par with some of today’s console efforts. The built-in camera is intended for use in augmented reality games, an area that has only been lightly explored so far.

Wii U The Wii changed everything when it launched with its unique WiiMote controllers, now the Wii U could be set to do it again with its Wii U Controller, which is more like a small tablet computer than a game controller. A built-in touchscreen can be used to play stand-alone games as well as offering fine controls for certain types of game unsuited to the WiiMote motion sensors or D-Pad.

The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to display 1080p HD graphics and Nintendo have promised that the new console will take advantage of its powerful multi-core processor – unlike the Wii, which was rather under-powered compared to its rival consoles.

Xbox 720 and PS4 Right now, both of these consoles are in the realms of fantasy as far as most gamers are concerned. Sources within both Microsoft and Sony have reportedly said that the next-generation PlayStation and Xbox are being developed but for now both companies seem intent on squeezing the last drops of gaming juice from the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Both consoles will no doubt incorporate 3D technology quite heavily (one rumour suggested ‘Avatar like’ graphics for the Xbox 360) and we would expect Microsoft’s Kinect motion tracking technology to feature too, along with some PlayStation equivalent.

As for other features, with neither console expected until 2014 at the earliest, we wouldn’t like to bet what new innovations in graphics or immersive controller tech will come along between now and then.

But which one is best? With the new Xbox and PlayStation consoles not even off the drawing board yet it doesn’t seem fair to include them. Of the remaining three, the Vita seems a bit similar to the PSP for our liking while the 3DS has proven rather less impressive in practice with the 3D effect causing us no end of eyestrain and not really adding that much.

Our money, then, is on the as yet unreleased Wii U. It may surprise us and turn out to be a lemon, but the combination of Nintendo’s reputation with the boost in processing power and the new types of game opened up by the Wii U Controller has us intrigued enough to queue