Playdate: We’re livestreaming ‘The Evil Within’ on PS4!
Welcome, ladygeeks and gentlenerds, to the new era of gaming. The one where you get to watch, and comment, as other people livestream gameplay from new-gen consoles. Because games! They’re fun!
Are you ready for a few scares? We hope so because we’re going to be streaming The Evil Within today. If you aren’t familiar with Shinji Mikami’s name, you’ve almost assuredly played his games — Mikami is the mastermind behind the Resident Evil franchise, and, specifically, he was the director on perhaps its best moment, Resident Evil 4. Since then he’s been doing a little of this and some of that, but nothing quite horror related. That changes with The Evil Within, the first effort from his Tango Gameworks studio. How’d it turn out? Check back at starting at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific as we go in blind on PlayStation 4. Since you folks liked our Alien: Isolation stream as much as you did, instead of getting a head start we’re going to be playing from the very beginning and have no idea what to expect. Surely there’ll be a few shrieks involved. Have you even looked at the screenshot above?
[For the record, I’m playing The Evil Within on a PlayStation 4, using a retail copy (download) provided by Bethesda. I’m streaming the game over wired internet using the PlayStation 4 Twitch app. All that to say, “This game will likely look prettier and run more smoothly on your home equipment. Streaming conditions vary!”]
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Twitch
Google explains how it fights piracy in search results
The anti-piracy road hasn’t played out easy for Google, to the point where past claims have stated that the company’s efforts simply aren’t working. But Google says it’s doing everything it can to combat piracy across its services, of which Search is likely the most important one — at least to copyright holders. With this in mind, the technology giant has released an updated version of its document “How Google Fights Piracy,” in which it dives into detail about what steps it’s taking to crack down on pirated content. Google says this includes new ad formats in search results, such as what’s pictured above; improved downranking of known delinquent sites; and removing more autocomplete predictions based on DMCA takedown notices. Part of it is also pointing people to trusted sources when searching for music or movies, including services like the Play store or Spotify — Google plans to do this only in the US for now, but the idea is to make it a global feature at some point in the future.
Source: Google
Google to loosen restrictions on Android Wear
Android Wear has been quite an interesting release, as manufacturers have shown their own take on the hardware of a smartwatch. What has not been very flexible up until this point though is the software of Android Wear, with manufacturers only loading a handful of watch faces. It seems that starting with the Asus Zenwatch,… Read more »
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List of Cases Available for Apple’s New iPad Air 2 [iOS Blog]
Though the second-generation iPad Air was just announced yesterday, several prominent case manufacturers have already begun releasing cases for the new ultra thin tablets.
Many cases for the original iPad Air won’t fit the new version of the iPad Air because it is 18 percent thinner at 6.1 mm instead of 7.5 mm, even though it has the same 9.4-inch height and 6.6-inch width. For that reason, prospective iPad Air 2 buyers who want to keep their tablets protected in a case will need to buy a case specifically created with the new design in mind.
We’ve gathered up a list of the iPad Air 2 cases that are available now or that will be available in the very near future below.
Griffin – Griffin has already come out with several different cases for the iPad Air 2, which have estimated shipping dates of one to two weeks. There’s a Survivor All-Terrain Case and a Survivor Slim, both of which are priced at $79.99 and are designed to protect the iPad from drops and weather elements.
Griffin also has a simple TurnFolio case available for the iPad Air 2, which functions as a four-position workstand in landscape or portrait mode. The case, which ships in one to two weeks, is available for $49.99.
Apple – Apple has created its own Smart Cover and Smart Case for the iPad Air 2, which can be purchased from its online store. The iPad Air 2 polyurethane Smart Cover is designed to protect just the front of the iPad and is available in Black, White, Pink, Yellow, Blue, Green, and (PRODUCT) Red colors for $39. It appears that older iPad Air Smart Covers will fit the new tablet as new Smart Covers fit the original iPad Air.
Apple’s leather Smart Case offers more protection and is designed to protect both the cover and the rear shell of the device. It’s available in Black, Midnight Blue, Olive Brown, Soft Pink, and (PRODUCT) RED colors for $79.
Belkin – Belkin has announced several new cases designed for the iPad Air 2, including the QODE Pro Keyboard case for$149.99, the QODE Ultimate Keyboard case for $129.99 and the QODE Slim Style Keyboard for $99.99.
Belkin also has simple folio-style cases for the iPad Air 2, including the Slim Style Cover for $49.99 and the Chambray Cover for $39.99.
Incipio – Incipio has four separate iPad Air 2 cases that will be available to purchase in the near future, including the $40 Octane Folio, designed to be impact resistant; the $35 Clarion, with a clear backing; the $40 Faraday, with a magnetic fold over closure; and the $50 Tuxen, a Snap-On Folio with a magnetic closure.
Poetic – Poetic has several inexpensive iPad Air 2 cases available on Amazon, like the SlimBook Vegan Leather case that’s priced at $9.95, or the GraphGrip Silicone Case priced at $9.95. Poetic also has the DuraBook iPad Air 2 case for $9.95, and the Slimline Leather Trifold cover for the same price. All of Poetic’s cases cost $4.95 to ship, come in a range of colors, and will be available on October 29.
A limited number of existing iPad Air cases may fit the new iPad Air 2, and all sleeves and bags designed for the iPad Air will, of course, also be compatible with the new iPad Air 2. Additional Apple accessory makers will be coming out with iPad Air 2 cases in the coming weeks as well, now that the new tablets are shipping to customers in just a few days.
Retina 5K iMac Will Not Act as External Display, Standalone Apple 5K Display Unlikely Soon
At Apple’s introduction of the new 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K Display, Phil Schiller noted that the machine’s $2499 starting price compares favorably with some of the higher-end 4K displays on the market today for closer to $3000, leading some to wonder whether it would be feasible to use the iMac as an external display for something like a Mac Pro.
For a number of years, iMacs have supported a feature known as target display mode, which allows them to serve as external displays for other computers, but as pointed out by TechCrunch‘s Matthew Panzarino yesterday, the new Retina 5K iMac does not support this mode.
The probable reason for this is also likely the reason why Apple did not announce a standalone Retina Thunderbolt Display yesterday: bandwidth limitations. The current DisplayPort 1.2 specification used over Thunderbolt 2 on Apple’s latest Macs simply isn’t capable of handling the bandwidth necessary for 5K video over a single cable.
As a result, no current Mac, including the Mac Pro and Retina MacBook Pro models that do support 4K displays, can currently drive a 5K external display. Technically, Apple could allow another Mac to output video at a lower resolution and have the Retina iMac scale the content up to fit its display, but this would not be ideal and Apple has apparently elected not to support it as an option.
As noted by Marco Arment, simple plug-and-play support for 5K external displays over a single cable will need the new DisplayPort 1.3 standard, but that won’t be an option until Intel’s Skylake platform, the successor to the upcoming Broadwell family, is launched.
Doing it right will require waiting until DisplayPort 1.3 in Thunderbolt 3 on Broadwell’s successor, Skylake, which isn’t supposed to come out for at least another year — and Intel is even worse at estimating ship dates than I am, so it’s likely to be longer. […]
I’d estimate — granted, I’m wrong a lot — that Apple won’t ship a standalone 5K display until at least 2016, and it won’t work with any of today’s Macs, including the 2013 Mac Pro.
Arment points out that Dell’s upcoming 5K display uses dual DisplayPort 1.2 cables for connectivity but that no current Macs appear to support the setup and even if they did performance would likely not be ideal.
Another potential product on the horizon is a Retina 21.5-inch iMac likely at 3840 x 2160 pixels, although it is unclear when Apple plans to launch such a machine. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts a second half of 2015 launch for the machine in a similar pattern to that seen with the MacBook Pro, where the larger 15-inch model received a Retina display option a number of months before the 13-inch model followed suit.
A List of OS X Yosemite Apps With Notification Center Widgets, Share Support, and More
Yesterday, Apple launched OS X Yosemite which brought a complete redesign to the OS and a number of features like Continuity, an enhanced Notification Center with widget support, iCloud Drive, and more. A number of developers have updated their apps to take advantage of those new features, and we’ve rounded up some of the most notable apps for Yosemite below.
1Password ($34.99 for a limited time, usually $49.99) [Direct Link]
Popular password manager 1Password has received a number of new features that integrate with OS X Yosemite including support for Dark Mode, iCloud Drive compatibility for enhanced syncing between devices, and Wi-Fi sync which now works with attachments. The 1Password mini menubar attachment has also been refined, bringing faster access and new shortcuts.
Coinverter (Free public beta) [Direct Link]
Daft Logic Studio brings its iOS currency converter to the Mac with a flat look that is in line with the rest of OS X Yosemite and a Notification Center widget that can display multiple conversions at once. The full version of Coinverter for Mac will launch soon, and interested users can participate in a free public beta.
Wunderlist (Free) [Direct Link]
To-do app Wunderlist for Mac has received an update to 3.1.0 and brings a number of new features for OS Yosemite, including a custom Today widget in the Notification Center, a custom Share extension that works in Safari, and full Handoff support which allows users to edit lists between devices. The app has also received a redesign that allows for quicker access to list elements.
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Expansys now offering refurbished Nexus 4 from $149
Expansys is offering a fantastic deal on factory-refurbished models of Google’s second-generation smartphone, the Nexus 4. That’s the very same smartphone that took the Android user base by storm with its minimalistic “Vanilla” approach to the open-source operating system.
The device comes in both 8GB and 16GB sizes. The smaller storage model is being offered by the retailer for $149.99 and the larger for $169.99. Both variants come with a complimentary bumper case available in either black or white depending on the color of the phone you choose to order.
The Nexus 4, which was first released back in 2012, isn’t old hat by any means. It’s still a very impressive mid-range smartphone, that packs a 4.7-inch True HD IPS touchscreen, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing shooter and a 2,100mAh non-removable battery.
The handset ships running “Vanilla” Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, but is upgradable to the latest build of Android 4.4 KitKat upon receipt. The first time you power up the handset and connect to a Wi-Fi network, simply head into Settings,” then “About Device,” and select “Check for Updates” to scan for the upgrade. You will then be able to download and install the Android 4.4 OTA.
If you’re like the sound of the Nexus 4 and want to pick one up for the discounted price — click the source link below.
Source: Expansys
Come comment on this article: Expansys now offering refurbished Nexus 4 from $149
Alpine’s high-end headphones let you feel the music, literally
Alpine is a name that usually comes up when discussing which new audio wares to install in your car, but the company is diving into headphones, too. Its first set of cans certainly look the part with high-end aesthetics, and they boast Full Frequency Immersion tech that’s mean to simulate the feeling of being at a live show. Of course, a pulsing bass transducer in the headband certainly helps with that. Alpine’s offering also has a built-in 24-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and the battery that powers the whole thing is said to last 10 hours before needing a charge. What’s more, the outfit released the Level Play iOS app for customizing a five band EQ and scanning your music collection to build playlists based on your energy level. From there, settings are beamed to the headphones via Bluetooth Low Energy. If you’re interested in snagging a pair, the $300 set will be sold at your local Apple Store starting today in either Apollo White or Onyx Black — right beside the Beats, we’d surmise.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video
Source: Alpine
‘Halo: The Master Chief Collection’ needs 20GB day-one patch
When the long-awaited Halo: The Master Chief Collection gets released next month, the first thing players will have to do is download what’s estimated to be a 20GB update, according to developer 343 Industries. The day-one patch, which is required to unlock multiplayer features, isn’t particularly shocking when you consider that this a 4-in-1 title — still, that’s asking for a lot of hard drive space from users. “Our philosophy has been to give Halo fans the best possible experience and not compromise the quality or features of the collection,” Dan Ayoub, Halo External Development’s studio head, wrote in a blog post. “The result is that Halo: The Master Chief Collection will take up almost all of the usable space of a single Blu-ray (45 GB).” In addition, Ayoub let it be known that Spartan Ops, a co-op mode for Halo 4, won’t be coming to The Master Chief Collection until December, which will likely disappoint a few fans of the franchise. But, most importantly, how do you feel? Let us know in the comments section.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Via: Eurogamer
Source: Xbox
Nexus 9 and Nexus Player up for pre-order on the Play Store
I am the kind of person that wants to walk into a store, hand over my money and walk out with something in my hand. For that very reason I don’t buy many things online, nor do I pre-order anything. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Two days ago there was a flurry of news about the new Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. While we all eagerly wait to be able to order the Nexus 6, you can now get your orders in for the Nexus 9 and the Nexus Player.
On the Nexus 9 front you are looking at a few choices. You can choose between Indigo Black and Lunar White. The third color, Sand, is still listed as “coming soon” unfortunately. Then you can choose a 16GB or 32GB storage model. The 16GB model in either color is $399.00 and leaves the warehouse in 2 – 3 weeks. Same goes for the 32GB model, except is will run you $479.00. Listed on the order page, but not yet available, is a 32GB Indigo Black LTE variant with a price tag listing of $599.00.
If the Nexus Player is on your list it is also up for pre-order today. The small puck like Android TV player with remote is said to leave the warehouse in 3-4 weeks and will set you back a $99.
Also listed today is the Gamepad for Nexus Player. The dual joystick gamepad is listed for $39.99, but is already showing up as “out of inventory.” Looks like you will have to wait on that order a little bit.
I find it a bit interesting that ASUS went with a set of AA batteries to power the Gamepad vs a built-in battery. The spec outline says the controller is Bluetooth 3.0 but also Bluetooth 4.0 compatible. If you are ready to toss down some cash on some pre-orders, be sure to hit the Play Store device section and get to buying.
Order – HTC Nexus 9
Order – ASUS Nexus Player
Let us know what you are going to order. I am thinking the Nexus Player would do the most good in my house. My aging Google TV box is starting to show its age and many apps are tricky to navigate on now.
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