Here’s what made Grim Fandango a legendary adventure game
When Double Fine said that it was reviving Grim Fandango for PlayStation systems, you may have been left scratching your head. Why remake a nearly 16 year old adventure game that many of today’s players would have never seen? Well, some of the original developers are more than happy to explain through a new mini documentary. They argue that the title was full of creative and technological breakthroughs. The setting was a unique fusion of Mexican folklore with film noir, and it was one of the first adventure games to embrace the possibilities of 3D. Rather than rely on an obvious point-and-click interface, it included then-novel concepts like using head tracking to point out interesting objects.
The company also had some practical reasons to push for a remake. Simply put, older disc-based games like this are increasingly unplayable; you may have to bootleg a copy and hack it just to play at all. Disney (which got the Grim Fandango license after buying Lucasfilm) wasn’t using the property, either, so there was nothing to lose by modernizing it. The retrospective may not get you to fork over cash for the PlayStation port, but it might give you a sense of why the Double Fine crew would resurrect a title that could easily have faded into history.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, Sony
Source: PlayStation Blog
Apple Reportedly Launching Updated iMacs with Faster Processors Next Week
Apple is planning to update its iMac line next week with faster processors and lower prices, according to a new report from MacGeneration (Google Translate). Citing the same sources that correctly predicted the MacBook Air refresh this past April, the website also notes that Apple may also include Thunderbolt 2 ports on the new iMacs and will launch them later in the week instead of the usual Tuesday release day as done for other Apple products.
Like the MacBook Air refresh, Apple will reportedly increase the processor speed of each standard configuration by 100 MHz by using a number of just-launched processors, including the 3.3 GHZ i5-4690, the 3.5 GHz i5-4690, and 3.6 GHz i7-4790 for the 27-inch model as well as the 3.0 GHz i5-4590S and 3.2 GHz i5-4790S for the 21.5-inch model. It is also likely that Apple will cut the price of the standard iMac configurations to go along with these minor spec bumps.
KGI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted last year and earlier this year that Apple would be launching a lower-cost iMac in the near future to address growth in foregin markets.
Meanwhile, recent evidence in the OS X Yosemite developer preview has also indicated that Apple is gearing up to launch Retina Display-equipped iMacs in the near future. It is possible that Apple may then initially move to split the iMac lineup, selling the Retina models at higher price points alongside cheaper non-Retina models. A lower price point for the non-Retina models may also help address growth in critical foreign markets such as China.
iTunes Radio expands sports and news offerings with ESPN and local NPR stations
NPR came to iTunes Radio in March, but at the time it was only one national station. Now there are over 40 local stations like WBEZ in Chicago, WBUR in Boston and WNYC in New York. You can pull in the fresh streams of these local affiliates AM or FM options so you can get all your regional gems in addition to national hits like Radiolab and On the Media. Perhaps more exciting though (since you could always get the best of NPR in podcast form and through its dedicated app) is the addition of ESPN Radio. You can enjoy all the sports-talk you want and you won’t get blacked out on nationally broadcast events like the World Cup, the World Series or the Stanley Cup Finals. All you have to do is fire up the iTunes Radio app and you’ll find all the new content ready and waiting for you.
More Galaxy F Photos Surface! Moto 360 Spotted in the Wild! – ManDroid Quickie
ManDroid Quickie is here for you to look at, and there wasn’t that much exciting news in the past few days, but enough to satisfy us. The Galaxy F was spotted again showing off that faux metal back that definitely compliments the phone. The Moto 360 was also spotted on the Tonight Show, which just makes us all extremely jealous. Enjoy the video!
Android News
More Galaxy F photos
Google Glass coming to AT&T?
Moto 360 on the Tonight Show
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Nokia Lumia 1320 comes to the US through Cricket, sales begin June 13th
It’s been so long since Nokia announced the Lumia 1320 that we just sort of assumed it wasn’t headed to the US. Heck, even when the 1320 showed up in an FCC filing we weren’t convinced — after all, it was impossible to tell then what carrier would even support the phone. Well, now we know: Cricket Wireless has just announced that it will start selling the 1320 on June 13th, making it the only US operator to offer the 6-inch Windows Phone. If you’re not already a Cricket customer, this might not be reason enough to switch; the device’s cumbersome size and patchy call quality are already knocks against. But for Cricket customers, at least, this could be interesting: The 1320 is the closest thing the carrier has to a phablet, and it’s only the second Windows Phone device on offer (the other is the much-smaller Lumia 520). In any case, if you happen to be a Cricket user who loves WP8 and wants a bigger-screened handset, this thing’s going on sale Friday for $300 after a $50 mail-in rebate.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
Source: Cricket
1Password for Android can now be your only account manager
For the longest time, AgileBits’ 1Password for Android was just a pale shadow of its desktop and iOS counterparts. Besides the ancient interface, you couldn’t add anything — if you signed up for a service, you had to turn on another device just to put the new account behind 1Password’s secure walls. As of today, though, the app has caught up. The redesigned 1Password 4 for Android has both a modern interface and true independence; you can add passwords, credit cards and other sensitive info without touching any other hardware. Data syncs like it does on other platforms (including to folders, if you dislike the cloud), and there’s a built-in browser if you want to log in as quickly as possible.
AgileBits wants to spur adoption, so it’s making the Android version completely free to use from now through August 1st. After that, it’ll switch to a read-only mode for free users. The company hasn’t yet determined how much it will cost to unlock full access, although it wouldn’t be surprising if the price comes close to the $18 of the iOS version.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile
Via: The Verge
Source: Google Play, Agile Blog
Alleged list of LG G Watch specs surfaces
As the inevitably that is Android Wear gets closer with Google I/O looming, we anxiously await any details of the upcoming smartwatches that will see Android Wear infancy support. The latest revelation comes from a leaked spec sheet of the LG G Watch, providing a glimpse of what we might expect from what is expected… Read more »
The post Alleged list of LG G Watch specs surfaces appeared first on SmarterWatching.
Read the rest at the source, SmarterWatching.com
The post Alleged list of LG G Watch specs surfaces appeared first on AndroidGuys.
T-Mobile/Sprint Merger: New Owner, Virtually Same Coverage to Boot
Recent rumors and reports, (on and off again since late December 2013), have stated time and time again that Sprint Communications’ major shareholder/owner, a Japanese company known as SoftBank, wants to buy T-Mobile USA. Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile’s major shareholder/owner, wants out of the US market.
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son wants SoftBank to get their hands on T-Mobile. Now we’re not 100% sure that this means a merger as Sprint and T-Mobile could remain separate entities but reports are saying that the SoftBank/Deutsche Telekom agreement of T-Mobile US is a done deal. Don’t jump out of your seat quite yet – this deal still needs to pass FCC and Antitrust Commissions of the US Government.
Considering that both companies wern’t doing too well just last year, with T-Mobile gaining more subscribers very fast lately, these companies were in desperate need of a “save”. T-Mobile had Uncarrier to save them, and Sprint has SoftBank backing them financially. Analysts report that Sprint was very well a sinking ship before SoftBank.
Both companies have very similar coverage maps, with T-Mobile in the lead here yet again. We wouldn’t be too surprised if SoftBank wants to merge both Carriers. Note: This map does not include roaming coverage which covers most of the US for each carrier’s roaming agreements with 3rd Party Networks. If both carriers do merge, once network enhancements and compatibility adjustments are done, this is the network they’ll have to start before expansion, with little overlap.
Credit: Wall Street Journal
Many have said that such a merger would ruin T-Mobile, and from the looks of it, Sprint is loosing on all ends here.
Reportedly, SoftBank is possibly looking into renaming the merged company to SoftBank US, which just doesn’t have an appealing classic ring to it like Sprint or T-Mobile, huh?
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
The post T-Mobile/Sprint Merger: New Owner, Virtually Same Coverage to Boot appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Glass update serves up World Cup scores and faster photo sharing
Google Glass is about to get a handful of updates that should be especially helpful this summer. To start, it should be easier to share Glass photos from your vacation; a new MyGlass app for Android (iOS is due later) will surface your most recent snapshots. An upgrade to Glass itself, meanwhile, lets you keep tabs on World Cup matches and group standings. It should be simpler to find your parking spot and track packages, too. Google hasn’t said when all the updates will roll out to its smart eyewear, but it expects the MyGlass update to hit later this week — hopefully, in time for the World Cup’s June 12th kickoff.
[Top image credit: Miguel Tovar/STF via Getty Images]
Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 9:30PM ET
It’s Tuesday, which is time for the Engadget HD Podcast and we hope you’ll join us for the live recording at 9:30PM. Another week, another mega show to announce the latest in consumer electronics. This week it’s E3 and while it is heavy on gaming news, obviously, we cherry picked our favorite home entertainment tidbits from the show. Of course Netflix is in the news again, and of course we’re contractually obligated to discuss it — not really. Finally we’ll reminisce about our favorite format war before discussing what we’re watching this week . If you’ll be joining us, take a peek at the topics after the break and then get ready to participate in the live chat.
Vita TV becomes PlayStation TV in the US, Europe and Canada for $99 this fall
Sony’s new PlayStation Network TV show ‘Powers’ hits in December, free on PS Plus
Sony’s next update for Playroom will bring custom AR broadcast sets
YouTube headed to PlayStation 4 ‘later this year,’ adds one-click sharing
Xbox One getting Twitter, Vine, and HBO Go by year’s end
Xbox One June update arrives so you can drop the nickname and add storage
Xbox at E3 2014: an interview with the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer
Microsoft now selling Kinectless Xbox One for $400
Microsoft lets Xbox One devs turn off Kinect for a power boost
Verizon slaps Netflix with cease and desist letter over error message
Netflix will stop ‘test’ blaming streaming slowdowns on ISPs, for now
Format Wars: Blu-ray vs. HD DVD
Google Play Movies & TV gets offline viewing on Chromebooks, info cards in Chrome browsers
Aereo finally brings live television to your $35 Chromecast
Apple’s new Lightning spec allows for smarter, better-sounding headphones
BBC to test 4K broadcasts of World Cup matches, but you can’t watch them
‘Orange Is The New Black’ season two is ready for streaming on Netflix
What’s on your HDTV this week: ‘Game of Thrones’ season finale
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
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