Hasta La Gadget!

With the new Xbox this November, Microsoft’s bringing a new iteration of SmartGlass to iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices. And with said new iteration comes promised SmartGlass ubiquity. Microsoft GM and SmartGlass team lead Ron Pessner told Engadget as much in an interview this week on all things SmartGlass for Xbox One. You’ll need to download a new (still free) SmartGlass app to your Smart device of choice come launch day (the new app won’t function with Xbox 360, just the One).

Up to 15 of your best friends can bring their Smart devices over and…well, nothing just yet, but the Xbox One will support 16 Smart devices connected at one time (double the connected controller cap). Just imagine the possibilities for virtual canasta! Okay, not so thrilling, but the potential for games like Monopoly or Dungeons & Dragons is evident. Or maybe something more like Spaceteam?

Pessner also promised that the connectivity between Smart device and console is “three-and-a-half times faster” on Xbox One than with 360 (depending on your home wireless setup), and the first time “only takes about four seconds.” And while on the go, the SmartGlass app can be used for mobile shopping, allowing a game or other piece of content to be purchased and made available when you get home. Pessner wouldn’t go into specifics, but he told us, “We definitely want to make sure it’s a seamless process for customers and they’re able to find a piece of content regardless of where they are — the web or the SmartGlass app — and being able to have that content ready for them to play when they return to their Xbox One.” The remotely queued content will show up as pinned to your Dashboard when you get back to the console, available to play immediately.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Handhelds, Peripherals, Tablets, Software, HD, Microsoft

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We loved NVIDIA Shield‘s bone stock Jelly Bean OS in our review, but if you’re not a huge fan, NVIDIA’s now offering a way to dig in and customize your Shield’s OS even more. NVIDIA’s made the Shield’s software open source as of today, making the OS all the easier to customize. You’ll of course have to root your device and, ya know, have an idea of what you’re doing in the guts of a computer. NVIDIA warns new owners as much, saying, “To be sure, this is double-diamond stuff. If you’re not a coder or already set up with an Android development environment you should skip downloading these tools.”

The company’s blog post also notes that rooting your Shield or adding a bootloader will potentially void your device’s warranty, so hacker beware! Should the associated tasks and NVIDIA’s warnings not scare you off, the software is available right here. Our review video of the Shield is just below, in case you missed it last week.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Software, HD, Mobile, NVIDIA

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Source: NVIDIA

The folks at iFixit are braver souls than us, taking on NVIDIA’s tank-like new gaming handheld, the Shield, in a teardown. Shield’s cavernous shell houses a mess of multicolored parts, and hilariously reveals its Batman mask-esque properties when freed of said parts. Though it certainly doesn’t look like an easy process, the repair site offers a six out of 10 rating; it specifically cites the battery and screen as being tricky to replace.

NVIDIA’s Shield was a big surprise at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show — CEO Jen-Hsun Huang showed up with the device on-stage during his company’s press briefing, where he used it to demonstrate the just unveiled Tegra 4 processor. We finally got our hands on the final retail version earlier this month and you can find the full review right here. Consumers can also finally purchase the $300 handheld as of yesterday.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Mobile, NVIDIA

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Source: iFixit

Looking for a (slightly) less conspicuous take on the 3DS XL? If you live in the US or Canada, you’ll get it when the all-black version of Nintendo’s giant handheld reaches those countries on August 11th. Don’t expect any bonuses with the subtler color, though. The darker-hued 3DS XL costs the same $200 as before, and it’s virtually identical to the Japanese version that launched last fall. It’s shipping at the same time as Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, however, which makes it a decent consolation prize for gamers who can’t get a Luigi edition 3DS LL to call their own.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Nintendo

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Via: Joystiq

Source: Nintendo

Should you live in the UK’s second most populous metropolitan area, Birmingham, it’s nearly time to congregate en masse in the city’s center for an impromptu test of a brand new free WiFi network supported by Virgin Media. In exchange for access to various public fixtures, Virgin Media’s outfitting Birmingham with free WiFi access; the benefit is two-fold, though, as Birmingham residents will ultimately enjoy better mobile infrastructure. The network’s set to go live “by September,” so set your clocks for just a month or so from now for that congregation.

[Image credit: ‘brianac37’]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Tablets, Internet, Mobile

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Source: Birmingham City Council