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Cloud streaming provider Agawi (formerly “iSwifter“) is making a second major push with its cloud-based game streaming service alongside Windows 8 this October. Beyond the social content it already brings to the iPad — “more than 12,000” Facebook games — Agawi’s second run at streaming is more focused on what it calls “mid-core” and “hardcore” games. But what does that mean? Executive chairman Peter Relan says “mid-core” means “web-based MMOs with a PC download,” versus PC downloads representing the “hardcore.” The example video (below the break) shows Agawi working with a variety of games, though none of the titles in the video confirm potential content partners for the service (Relan teases a fourth quarter reveal of more news). And today, Agawi announced its collaboration with Microsoft Azure, resulting in cloud game streaming across the world of Windows 8 — tablets, PCs, and even its phones.

“Popular AAA games will be made available in the coming months for instant play on Windows 8 devices with no additional work required by developers,” the launch PR promises. Input methods for games vary dramatically by platform, and we’ve already seen what happens when you shove tablet-based touch controls onto a console/PC game (it ain’t pretty). “That’s a publisher decision,” Relan says. “We support the idea of d-pads on the tablet itself. We support pure touch gesture on the tablet. We support point-and-click on the screen — touch and tap. We support swipe for scrolling. We support a full controller, like an Xbox console controller,” he adds.

Continue reading Agawi cloud game streaming headed to Windows 8, focused on ‘mid-core and hardcore’ games

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Tablets, Software, Mobile

Agawi cloud game streaming headed to Windows 8, focused on ‘mid-core and hardcore’ games originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Wikipad gaming tablet has been ticking off boxes on its way to becoming a real product, and after bedding down with Gaikai game streaming and settling in to a 10.1-inch form factor, the rest of the hardware is now set. The chunky handheld will brandish an IPS display with 1,280 x 800 resolution, NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30 quad-core 1.4GHz processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, at least 16GB storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Other notable items include 8-megapixel rear / 2-megapixel front cameras, six hours continuous gaming battery life and a 2D-only screen instead of the 3D originally touted — at least, for the first model. The controller remains the same with a pair of triggers, bumpers, joysticks and start/select buttons, and will cover the slate’s speakers and route sound out the front. The rest of the story is yet to come, namely exactly what that price will be and when you’ll actually be able to pew-pew with it, but the company has promised to ‘fess up soon. Meanwhile, though airy for a tablet at 560 grams (1.2 pounds), it’s not exactly PS Vita or Nintendo 3DS XL territory — but then a heavyweight contender could be exactly what handheld gaming needs.

Filed under: Gaming, Tablet PCs

Wikipad specs get real: 10.1-inch 1,280 x 800 display, 1.4 GHz Tegra 3, Jelly Bean originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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