How PlayStation Move shaped the PS4
The PlayStation Move has been called a lot of bad names. It’s the PlayStation peripheral that’s least used by game devs, least purchased by console owners, and least spoken of by Sony itself. Some of that sentiment’s been turning lately, ever since Sony showed off Project Morpheus a few weeks ago and demonstrated what an impact something like Move has on virtual reality immersion (the controller works for both PS3 and PS4). And the guy who heads up PlayStation’s worldwide game studios, Shuhei ” Shu” Yoshida, says Move is responsible for far more than it’s given credit.
“This project was one of the very first hardware projects formed with three groups: the software engineering team at SCEA, the hardware engineers at SCEI in Japan, and the Worldwide Studios team making games using the motion controller,” Yoshida told attendees of a presentation tonight at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. He and PlayStation 4 lead architect Mark Cerny explained that this trifecta was the first in a string of major collaborations: PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and now Project Morpheus.
The Move was originally called the “Y-con” (we’re checking on the spelling). Cerny highlighted the name on purpose: it’s representative of the trio of groups coming together on a single device. Three points in a Y, three groups at Sony — thus, the Y-con. Sony R&D engineer Richard Marks may be the man debuting new PlayStation peripherals (he’s based at SCEA), but his team’s work is the product of a collaboration with the folks actually making the games.
More than just three groups coming together, it was three groups at Sony working as one. It signaled a change from the previous approach to hardware in the gaming world. Yoshida offered an example by contrast: PlayStation 3′s Sixaxis controller.
Yoshida: I was managing the west development group at the time and I get a call from a product manager in Japan, like, three weeks before E3. And she told me that we should know that the new controller we’re developing, it has motion sensors in it. And I’m like, Oh, okay, great! So, look at that!
So she said, “We have a prototype we’ll send you, so can you make something to show at E3.”
Cerny: So they’d managed to develop a new controller without ever involving the person who made games for a consumer.
Yikes, right? Thankfully, the concept of “Y” solidified as time went on, and now we’ve got great devices like the PlayStation 4 and Vita to enjoy as a result. It won’t change our opinion of the Move’s lacking software library, but we can’t say we won’t look a bit more fondly on the poor old Move as the years roll on.
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Peripherals, Software, HD, Sony
Age of Empires: World Domination is going to be conquering Android in Summer 2014
I fondly remember many a night in my younger years playing Age of Empires II on PC, one of the best strategy games of its time. Well, Microsoft and KLab have decided to revive the strategy series on mobile, calling the game Age of Empires: World Domination. Following the historical themes of its predecessors, World Domination will let you play as some of the world’s greatest historical armies such as the Celts, Vikings and Huns. Check out the trailer that was released today:
The game is supposed to be released sometime in Summer 2014 for Android, iOS and Windows Phone, and looks like it will be inheriting the real-time strategy gameplay of its forefathers. The mobile platform doesn’t usually lend itself to strategy games very well, however it looks like they may have adopted sufficiently simple game mechanics to allow it to be played on the smaller screens. There aren’t may more details than that at the moment, but you can sign up for any updates on the World Domination website (link is down below).
Are you excited to hear that Age of Empires: World Domination is going to be on Android? What are your fondest memories of playing Age of Empires games? Share your nostalgia with us in the comments.
Source: AOEWD via TalkAndroid
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Adobe Revel – Sharing Photos After 30 Days
Like many users, I installed Adobe’s Revel application the day it came out. Well, that was a little over one month ago, and I am just now beginning to feel the crunch that Adobe places on users after the first thirty days. Let me explain.
Revel is a fantastically designed photography application, and is nothing short of what you would expect from Adobe. The application was initially released on iOS way back in 2011, but it made its way to Android in March 2014. A bit behind, but forgivable for an application the promises powerful sharing and privacy options. Privacy is at the forefront of this application, and users must be explicit in choosing who has access to view or add photos to specific albums. The application has some simple editing tools, and albums can be updated by anyone with the given permission. Even better, this application syncs across devices, and lets users access Adobe’s Cloud to edit photos in Photoshop and Premiere Elements 12.
After uploading 50 photos for the month, Revel will provide you with upgrade options.
Adobe offers the first 30 days with unlimited uploads, and all was going well until I hit my 50 photos/month limit only 10 days into April. I find it incredibly unfortunate, because I truly do enjoy Revel’s interface and sharing options. However, now that I have hit my monthly limit, I will look to different sharing applications that do not require me to pick and choose to meet a limited quota. For those who do use Revel’s service extensively, and need that unlimited upload capability, plans are $5.99/month or $59.99/year.
The post Adobe Revel – Sharing Photos After 30 Days appeared first on AndroidGuys.
In some parts of the world, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is now Available
In some parts of the world, like here in Australia, the 11th of April has already dawned, meaning that the Samsung Galaxy S5 is now available in those regions. For those still waiting, you’re likely only one sleep away from not needing to line up (a la iPhone 5S) to buy your brand-spanking-new Galaxy S5, and likely join the millions of other consumers that will be doing the same thing.
The Galaxy S5 has been getting some very mixed press around the internet; despite being lauded for its technical innovations like having the “best performing smartphone display” and having some pretty interesting battery technology, the Galaxy S5 is still seen as a relatively “pedestrian” flagship smartphone. Pedestrian or not, the Galaxy S5 will still possess cutting edge specifications including the Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz, 2GB RAM, and a 5.1-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display (check out the full specs here).
The real question, of course, is whether you are going to purchase one or not, so do let us know down in the comments if you have gotten your hands on one or if you are a planning to get one when the 11th of April dawns where you live.
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Watch Nintendo execs vie for the love of Princess Zelda in its latest game
Nintendo’s had some success with approximating the mundanity of real life in the past, but its latest attempt looks like it’ll amp up the crazy rather dramatically. In Tomodachi Life you import a collection of Miis (Nintendo’s avatar system) and watch as they interact with each other on an island. We know what you’re thinking, but trust us, it’s the opposite of boring. For example, one scene from its recent unveiling involves Nintendo’s senior product marketing manager Bill Trinen professing his love for Samus Aran on a beach when a shirtless, musclebound president Reggie Fils-Aime runs down the shore to do the same. And then, CEO Sartoru Iwata emerges from the water and joins in on the action. Yes, really.
Via: Joystiq
Source: Youtube (1), (2), (3)
Staples is launching an in-store 3D printing service
First it sold select 3D printers in stores, then it sold print-by-mail services in Europe — now Staples is offering US customers a chance to print objects on-demand and on-site. The company’s launch event is focusing on the fun side of 3D printing, serving up action figures and personalized Starfleet officers to walk-in customers, but Staples says it hopes the service will catch the attention of small businesses.
Customers will have access to up to seven kinds of printers and six types of materials in store, including the Cube and Cube X models Staples already sells. Larger jobs will be farmed out to 3D Systems — the company behind the 3D printed guitar we saw at Engadget Expand last year. Don’t have the modeling chops to prepare your on 3D-printable file? Staples has that covered too, and is planning to train graphic design consultants to help customers model their vision. Unfortunately, Staples hasn’t announced pricing for any of these services yet, but at least the pilot program seems robust enough to give UPS a run for its money.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Staples (Twitter), Bloomberg Businessweek
Daily Roundup: Getting to know Xbox’s Phil Spencer, Nintendo’s rarest game and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Google will protect your phone by looking for sketchy apps you’ve already installed
Google has been alerting users when downloading apps of questionable origin for some time. But now the company’s taking its security a step further by checking up on your apps after you’ve already installed them.
Getting to know Microsoft’s new Xbox lead, Phil Spencer
There’s a new sheriff in Xbox town, and his name is Phil Spencer. While most of us know him as the E3 guy who speaks about games during Microsoft’s keynote, Spencer is a longtime Redmond employee who worked his way up from the bottom.
Facebook is trying to save you from embarrassing posts
In an effort to keep you on top of your privacy settings, Facebook’s giving its existing controls more visibility. By rolling out a new “Privacy Checkup” box in the near future, the company hopes people will become more aware of their sharing habits.
Play Nintendo’s rarest game on your Wii U
Back in the 90s, Nintendo released 90 copies of a three-part, competitive play cartridge called Nintendo World Championships. In the spirit of nostalgia, the company’s adding said game into its next iteration of NES Remix for the Wii U.
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Filed under: Misc
BMW wants to put super-efficient OLED tail lights on your next car
The automaker expects to have Organic Light in production vehicles within three years. However, it won’t replace more than a handful of lights at first. Existing OLEDs aren’t bright enough to take over from brake lights, headlights and indicators; for now, they’ll be complements to LEDs and lasers. Even with that limitation, though, the power- and space-saving advantages could be important for the next wave of electric vehicles.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: BimmerPost
Source: BMW
EA won’t let a server shutdown turn out the lights on old Battlefield games
Video games and movies crib ideas from each other quite a bit these days, but seeing Electronic Arts go back and save some of its fallen comrades is a bit unexpected. The outfit’s announced that in the wake of GameSpy’s back-end multiplayer tech going dark, it’s transitioning three Battlefield games to different servers so they can (virtually) live to fight another day. Which ones specifically? Battlefield 2142, Battlefield 2 and the superb Battlefield Bad Company 2. As IGN notes, though, plenty of EA’s games that are listed are annual sequels and may not see the same treatment. However, this shows signs that GameSpy’s closure won’t kill everything under its umbrella. We’ve reached out to EA for confirmation and a statement about why these three games were picked over others, and will update this post should we hear back. In the meantime, if you feel like celebrating, we recommend a few rounds of squad rush on “Port Valdez” — it’s good for the soul.
@Tofugames We’re working on transitioning those games after the shut down so you’ll still be able to play them.
– Origin (@OriginInsider) April 9, 2014
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Via: IGN
Source: Origin (Twitter)
Engadget HD Podcast 393 – 4.10.14
HD news seems to be tumbling out of the sky like big, fat, high-definition raindrops and we’ve got it all covered in this week’s episode. Both Richard and Ben have spent some time with Amazon’s Fire TV and now that they’ve gotten past the unskippable tutorial video, they’re ready to share their opinions. Richard also took some time to catch some of the Comcast and Time Warner Cable hearing on C-Span in all its standard definition glory and Ben’s just recovering after learning there’s yet another Lego videogame that he’ll have to tackle — he hasn’t even finished the last one yet. This week’s Engadget HD Podcast is chock full of info, so settle in and head to the streaming links below to catch the show.
Hosts: Richard Lawler, Ben Drawbaugh
Producer: Jon Turi
Hear the podcast:
07:06 – Amazon launches Fire TV, an Android-powered streaming and gaming set-top box for $99
14:47 – Amazon’s Fire TV promises a premium set-top experience
20:18 – Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, Plex and more services launch on Amazon Fire TV
26:47 – Amazon Fire TV review: the set-top that tries to do everything
35:18 – AllCast Android app brings screen-mirroring to Amazon Fire TV
36:47 – Amazon claims it streams more instant video than Hulu or Apple
38:37 – Comcast and Time Warner Cable on why their merger is a good thing
38:59 – Comcast’s merger makes big cable bigger, but not better or cheaper
48:32 – Google reportedly looking to simplify home entertainment with Android TV
51:11 – Netflix begins 4K streaming with House of Cards
51:55 – YouTube live streaming comes to the Chromecast
52:52 – Watch the first episode of HBO’s Silicon Valley on YouTube
53:27 – Viewers see red as Game of Thrones premiere crashes HBO servers
58:04 – An independent developer is bringing a Plex client to Xbox One
01:04:07 – TiVo co-founders’ new Qplay web video service
01:05:50 – All screens welcome: watching sports is now easier than it’s ever been
01:10:39 – Dolby’s vision for the living room includes abundant audio options
01:12:39 – Must See HDTV for the week of April 8th
01:19:45 – Introducing the Engadget UK Edition
Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS – AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.
[RSS – MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator.
Contact the podcast:
AIVAnet 