Worms Battlegrounds and Nutjitsu are the first self-published games on Xbox One
Microsoft caught everyone’s attention back when it introduced ID@Xbox. Now, nearly six months after the indie developer program was revealed, we’re finally seeing the first titles to come out of it: Worms Battlegrounds and Nutjitsu. At this point, there are no specific details on when either game will be available on Xbox One — all we know is that they’ll land sometime in 2014. However, Joystiq does point out that ID@Xbox is expected to launch in Q1 of this year, which means the games’ debut on Xbox One probably isn’t far off. Oh, and don’t fret if you’re a PlayStation 4 owner, because Worms Battlegrounds is also headed your way.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Phil Spencer (@XboxP3)
Over one million people are streaming gameplay on Twitch every month
With the inclusion of Twitch streaming functionality in the PlayStation 4 (and soon in the Xbox One), it’s no surprise that the service is now achieving over one million “monthly active broadcasters.” What that means in human speak is over one million people are streaming out gameplay via Twitch every month — that’s a ton of opportunity for both informative broadcasts and rampant nudity!
Should there be any doubt that the new game consoles are goosing the numbers, Twitch already confirmed that PS4 activations account for at least 100,000 new accounts thus far. With Xbox One support coming in the not-so-distant future, we only expect that broadcaster number to grow ever higher. Perhaps two million by summer? At the rate these consoles are selling, it’s not hard to imagine.
Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Software, HD, Sony, Microsoft
Source: Twitch
Microsoft starts selling ASUS’ VivoTab Note 8 for $329
ASUS, like many other companies, took to CES 2014 to introduce a number of new products. Among these was the often-leaked VivoTab Note 8, an 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet with support for Wacom pen input. If you were remotely intrigued back then, it looks as if Microsoft has now (quietly) placed it up for grabs in the US. Currently, Redmond’s online store is selling the 32GB model of ASUS’ VivoTab Note 8 for $329, which is slightly different than the $299 price tag it was announced with in Las Vegas. Strangely enough, there’s also no apparent sight of the 64GB flavor, which makes us think that this Bay Trail-powered, pen-friendly slate may have been listed ahead of time. Regardless, it’s very much available here — at least for the time being.
[Thanks, Phillip]
Filed under: Misc, Tablets, Microsoft, ASUS
Source: Microsoft Store
Weekly Roundup: Satya Nadella named Microsoft CEO, Sony sells its PC business, and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Meet Satya Nadella
The speculation has ended. Earlier this week, Microsoft named its enterprise chief Satya Nadella as the company’s third CEO. Like Ballmer, Nadella has history with Redmond, but their personalities couldn’t be more different. Click on through for more about the man tasked with reinventing Microsoft.
Kill-switch for stolen smartphones
The New York Times is reporting that smartphone theft in California is so rampant that lawmakers are stepping up their game. A proposed bill would require manufacturers to include kill-switch measures on all devices. If ignored, companies could receive a $2,500 fine for each handset sold. Follow the link for more.
Experience Rugby with an Oculus Rift
Virtual reality may still be in its infancy, but its influence on entertainment is sure to grow. And to prove it, the UK mobile network O2 and English rugby team combined nine GoPro Hero 3s and an Oculus Rift for the ultimate immersive experience. Click on through for details.
Sony sells its PC business
Sony announced it’s shifting focus toward post-PC products, and unfortunately, part of that decision means the company letting go of its VAIO business. Click through to read more about the sale.
Leak reportedly shows Windows Phone 8.1’s new notification center
Wondering what Windows Phone 8.1′s rumored notification hub would look like? You may be looking at it right now. Winphollowers claims to have a leaked Microsoft presentation outlining the feature, which might be called Action Center. While Windows Phone’s approach to notifications would share much in common with what we’ve seen for a while in Android and iOS, it would have a few tricks up its sleeve. A driving mode shortcut would be available to (presumably) keep distractions to a minimum while on the road. Apps may also have more control over their notifications than you’ve seen on some other platforms. Alerts would silently appear, update or vanish, making it easy to deliver constantly changing information (think sports scores) or to clear out time-sensitive notices when they’re no longer relevant. There’s no guarantee that we’ll see Action Center in 8.1, but the historically reliable WPCentral vouches for its existence — we won’t be surprised if it’s part of the final OS release.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: WPCentral
Source: Winphollowers (translated)
With Xbox, you can enjoy Bonnaroo from your couch
Can’t make it out to Tennessee this June to catch the concerts at Bonnaroo? If you have an Xbox, you won’t have to. A new Bonnaroo app will let you watch the music festival through your console. There will be multiple streams from the four-day show, and you’ll get to socialize with other virtual attendees. You also won’t have to wait until the spring to get a taste of the experience — Bonnaroo will use its Xbox app to announce its artist lineup on February 19th. The internet feed likely won’t have dedicated fans staying at home, but it may be just the ticket for music lovers who’d rather not deal with the crowds.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Xbox Wire
Xbox One’s first major update split in two, launching in February and March
When the first component of Xbox One’s spring update arrives on February 11th, it’ll be a few weeks ahead of the first spring flowers sprouting. Like those flowers, much of what’s contained in the February update is under the surface: Kinect voice recognition improvement, tools for developers and “stability and product updates to improve the customer experience” to name a few non-specific bulletpoints. What you’ll actually care about is the stuff you’ll see, which in this case is a battery meter for gamepads (visible on the dashboard) and a reorganized My Games & Apps section.
That first component is self-explanatory, but the latter piece requires some detail. First, you can actually see how much space you’ve got left on that 500GB HDD — helpful! Second, the applications are being broken out from games, and can be more incrementally managed. “Now you can pick the order in which you want your content to load and we’ve added a boot progress indicator so you can better track updates while they load,” Xbox chief product officer Marc Whitten says in a blog post detailing the update. Additionally, February’s update adds USB keyboard support. Sure, why not? There should also be some other bells and whistles in there, which Microsoft says we’ll find out more about soon (er, uh, before next Tuesday).
Head below for more on the second half of the update, due in March.
The second piece of seasonal update arrives on March 4th, and it’s got a fully revamped party system just in time for the launch of blockbuster game Titanfall (a multiplayer-focused experience). What exactly does that mean? We’ll have to wait to find out, as Whitten’s only offering “a new party and multiplayer system” as detail. And what of promised Twitch.tv streaming ahead of E3 this year? Microsoft’s staying mum for now, but we’d be shocked if it didn’t show up in the first major system update to Xbox One.
Regardless of the spring update, small and continuous updates to the Xbox One will still occur as time goes on. Whitten also says we’ll hear “many” more announcements regarding the upcoming update — here’s hoping next time we find out HBO Go and Spotify are part of the big spring refresh.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Microsoft
Source: Xbox
Daily Roundup: Satya Nadella named Microsoft CEO, 10 years of Facebook 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.
Meet Satya Nadella
The speculation has ended. Earlier today, Microsoft named its enterprise chief Satya Nadella as the company’s third CEO. Like Ballmer, Nadella has history with Redmond, but their personalities couldn’t be more different. Click on through for more about the man tasked with reinventing Microsoft.
ASUS unveils the Chromebox
As promised, ASUS unveiled its new Chromebox, which will be available this March. At $179, this Chrome-powered machine packs Intel-integrated HD graphics and 16GB of onboard storage. Plus, owners get 100GB of free space, courtesy of Google Drive. Follow the link for details.
Iridium’s Satellite Hotspot
World travelers take note: Iridium’s latest satellite hotspot, the Iridium Go, brings worldwide internet action for around $800. Owners can pair up to five WiFi-equipped devices and access features through its official Android and iOS apps. Follow the link for more.
Facebook celebrates its 10-year birthday
Take a trip down memory lane with Facebook as it celebrates 10 years of happy times and cringe-worthy moments. Click through and enjoy a custom tailored video featuring highlights from you digital autobiography.
Filed under: Misc
Microsoft to use Foursquare data in Bing and Windows products
It may not be the biggest news to come out of Redmond in recent hours. Still, the Windows faithful will no doubt be interested to hear about a licensing agreement involving two pretty notable outfits. Today, Foursquare announced it has struck a deal with Microsoft to use its location data in Bing services and Windows-powered devices. This, naturally, includes search and maps for Bing; and, for Windows, phones, tablets, laptops and desktops — and yes, convertibles too. In a statement, Foursquare notes that, “in the near future,” Microsoft will be utilizing the newly acquired license to enhance its products with “contextually-aware experiences and the best recommendations of any service in the world.” That’s not it, however, as Foursquare also revealed Microsoft has invested ($15 million) into its socially-driven company, which it says will help the service continue to grow and be accessible by more people.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Foursquare
Apple and carriers will donate free devices and broadband to US schools
The White House won’t be going it alone as it brings US classrooms into the internet era through its ConnectED initiative — it just revealed that a host of technology firms will also lend a hand. Apple plans to donate $100 million in iPads, MacBooks and software to underprivileged schools, while Autodesk and O’Reilly Media will give away free software and content. Microsoft, in turn, will heavily discount Windows to lower educational PC prices. Carriers are getting in on the action, too. AT&T and Sprint have both pledged to offer free wireless broadband to schools for multiple years; Verizon isn’t giving away service, but it will donate up to $100 million in cash and other commitments. The combined efforts aren’t going to fix the American education system by themselves, but they could create a level playing field for schools across the country.
[Image credit: Johan Larsson, Flickr]
Filed under: Wireless, Networking, Internet, Apple, Microsoft, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T
Source: The White House Blog, AT&T, Sprint
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