Google is working on an Android games console similar to OUYA, as well as a smartwatch, sources close to the plans claim, in addition to a media playing replacement to the ill-fated Nexus Q. The new hardware, currently in development the insiders tell the WSJ, will be internally designed and marketed it’s said, with the
Android game console OUYA has survived its retail debut with mixed stock levels, with supplies of the $99 open-source gaming gadget still meeting demand and failing to lead to the usual eBay price gouging. The Kickstarter success went on sale in physical stores as well as through several online retailers for the first time yesterday,
OUYA has unlocked a major achievement today: the teensy crowdfunded gaming console is now available at retail, after a slight delay from the June 4th date it promised earlier. That’s good news for everybody, except perhaps some of the original Kickstarter backers who’ve still not received their consoles — though founder Julie Uhrman said the firm is “working overtime” to resolve that issue. As for the retail OUYA package (which has had most of its flaws ironed out since we first saw it), it’ll come with the game console, controller, an HDMI cable and batteries for $100, with extra controllers running $50. It’s already sold out at Amazon, but you can also seek it out online or in person at Best Buy, GameStop, Target or GAME. If you’re still undecided, make sure to read about our hands-on experience with the device.
Source: Kickstarter
Android games console and Kickstarter success OUYA has begun its assault on stores, with sales kicking off in the UK and already seeing stock shortages. The open-source console, which raised more than $8.5m last year on the crowdfunding site, showed up on Amazon US and on Amazon UK earlier today and is already listed as
What’s in a name? A whole lot, if you’re asking yours truly. “All Your Entertainment. Input One.” Such intriguing statements were declared in a document that leaked from Redmond last summer. The slogan “All in one, input one” was on the Microsoft banners decorating the LA Convention Center for E3 this year. But this probably left many wondering: what is “input one,” exactly? It didn’t go unnoticed by those who follow the TV industry. Input one is commonly used in the biz to refer to the TV input most Americans use to access the majority of their content. This is the input that’s displayed when the TV is turned on, and it’s the input that most connect their set-top box from their cable or satellite provider to. Naturally, it’s a highly coveted position in the content industry and one that is well fortified by the incumbents.
Microsoft has had its sights on input one for a long time, and this particular go-round isn’t all that unfamiliar. The Xbox One intends to share input one in what I’d call a man-in-the-middle attack. How well it works won’t be revealed until later this year, but clicking through will reveal how I think it’ll play out, why this attempt is a direct result of industry constraints and finally, how it matches up with the competition.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Sony has been forced to hurriedly yank the latest PS3 update, v4.45, after reports that some gamers were finding their consoles had been bricked after installing the new firmware. “We’re aware of reports that the recent PS3 update (4.45) has caused” Sony took to Twitter to confirm. “We have temporarily taken 4.45 offline and are
The Xbox 360 has gone through quite a few hardware transitions in its lifetime, but the 2013 model still intrigues us — it’s potentially the last, most advanced iteration that we’ll see. iFixit must be equally curious, as it’s tearing down the console just days after its launch. The shock of this latest system may rest in what hasn’t changed: despite being smaller and (reportedly) quieter, the updated 360 is still using the cooling, processing power and storage of its 2010 predecessor. Most of the differences exist in the enclosure and some minor component tweaks, like the new RF module. This model isn’t a revolution, then, but iFixit appreciates its more repairable design. Gamers wanting to explore this tiniest of Xbox 360s can check out the full teardown at the source link.
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
Source: iFixit
There’s no question that Nintendo is hurting these days, mostly owing to the lackluster reception for the Wii U. The company’s Scott Moffitt is upbeat, however: he tells CNET that the Wii U should enjoy a 3DS-like sales renaissance this holiday now that games in bigger franchises, like Mario and Zelda, are on the way. Of course, the 3DS also had the advantage of a dramatic price drop — but never you mind that. As for the handheld’s own performance this year? Moffitt claims that the 3DS is the only dedicated console whose sales are still growing, and he expects the system to have its best holiday yet. His positions on the 3DS and Wii U strike us as optimistic when Nintendo is up against two major console launches and the ever-present threat of smartphone gaming, but the gaming giant has defied the odds more than once in its history.
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Nintendo
Source: CNET
Another Android gaming console at this year’s E3? Kind of, sort of, yeah. But Unu’s (née Snakebyte) looking to set itself apart from the OUYAs, Gamesticks and M.O.J.O.s of the world (to name but a few) by becoming the “Swiss Army knife” of the space. The device isn’t so much a console as tablet that plugs into your TV, meaning that you can do pretty much whatever you can do on a standard Android slate (which, arguably, you can also do with Mad Catz’s device, but we digress).
The tablet itself runs Android 4.2, display through a seven-inch, 1280 x 800 IPS screen. The rear sports a brushed aluminum surface and a 5-megapixel camera (with a 2.0 module on the front). Inside, you’ve got 8GB of storage and a 1.6GHz quad-core chip. Unu does Bluetooth 4.0 and has two micro-USB ports, a microSD slot and, most importantly, a mini-HDMI port, which lets you turn the thing into a living room console of sorts, by connecting it to your HDTV. If you’re feeling fancy, you can go in for the docking station, which does video out and charging — and also props the tablet up nicely, so you can watch the same thing on two displays at the same time.
Gallery: Unu gaming tablet hands-on
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