Apr 08
Netflix announced at CES
Mar 17
Nintendo’s “enhanced remake” of the legendary N64 launch title Super Mario 64 was a Nintendo DS port that added new characters, game modes and more. With his remake, YouTuber Aryoksini is going to improve at least one aspect of the game: its graphics.
Aryoksini is remaking Super Mario 64 using Blender, an open source 3D animation suite that has a built-in game engine. He has a long way to go – and that’s if Nintendo allows him to go on – and makes it clear that the video you see below shouldn’t reflect the finished game.
Keep an eye on Aryoksini’s YouTube channel for future updates. Nintendo’s lawyers You can also watch him work on the game on his Twitch channel.
[via CVG]
Mar 05
Ever wanted to watch the world—in real-time HD—from space? Well prepare to experience what it’d be life if the world was your very own video game and check out a few planes landing at the Bejiing airport. It’ll be the coolest planespotting you’ve ever done.
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Feb 20
Pico projectors, such as the Shine above, offer projection in a smaller form factor than traditional projectors, and as technology improves, they are more able to handle brighter conditions and … Continue reading
Jan 07
Dubai set the world record for the largest fireworks show in history on January 1, 2014. We saw a sample
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Nov 30
Xbox One’s 500GB HDD swapped for bigger, faster drives, and tested for performance
Posted in: Today's Chili
The Xbox One arrives with a 500GB HDD built-in, and in contrast to the PlayStation 4’s easily-accessed storage, it’s not meant to be accessed or replaced by the user, ever. While we’ll probably leave ours in place to keep from voiding the warranty or risk a ban from Xbox Live, a few folks have already cracked open the console to see what else will fit. iFixit noted during its teardown that there’s an off-the-shelf 2.5-inch Samsung HDD inside connected via SATA II inside, and swapping that out isn’t much of an issue. Brian Williams has already tried out the system with two alternate drives: a 500GB Samsung EVO SSD, and a Seagate 1TB hybrid SSHD. As you can see in his video (embedded after the break) boot time from off to the dashboard only improved slightly, with the SSD loading in 46.1 seconds compared to 50.5 stock. A test with Call of Duty: Ghosts revealed similar results, with the SSD loading up in 27 seconds and the hybrid drive close behind in 27.7, compared to 33.5 seconds stock. We’ll need tests with more games to be sure, but so far it’s not showing the improvements seen after swapping the PS4’s hard drive out for speedier options. The folks at Tested report doing so improved level load times in Killzone: Shadow Fall from 60 seconds to 39 seconds.
So, if it’s not a ton faster, why would you want to take the chance of prying Microsoft’s box open? To get more space. Brian’s drives were simply copies of the original transferred by Clonezilla, but an individual named Juvenal1 has already worked out how to get the system to actually recognize and make use of drives bigger than 500GB. By copying files from your original drive and using their Linux-compatible tool to repartition the new HDD, you can be up and running with more capacity after just a reboot or two. Of course, this carries significant risks and we don’t recommend it for most, as Microsoft’s Albert Penello has already revealed support for external drives is coming in a future update, along with the ability to do crazy things like see how much storage you actually have left. Still, if you just need to live on the edge (or store every game released so far and record hours of clean Upload Studio clips) the instructions can be found here.
Update: If you’re interested in performing the upgrade, Brian Williams has followed with a video walkthrough for the process of properly formatting a larger hard drive, even if you’re not familiar with using Linux.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Juvenal1 (Github), Brian Williams
Nov 30
PlayStation 4 and PS Vita bundle now available in the UK, but it’s no bargain
Posted in: Today's Chili
Remember that rumored PlayStation 4 and PS Vita bundle that was due to reach the UK in time for the holidays? It’s now official — if not the discount that some were hoping for. Sony UK head Fergal Gara tells Eurogamer that some stores are carrying the device combo starting today, but it will cost only slightly less than the £500 ($816) you’d pay to get the systems one at a time. Appropriately, a few shops will offer a “soft bundle” that involves regular PS4 and Vita boxes. The kit doesn’t make much financial sense, then, but Gara describes this as a philosophical move that highlights the PS4’s Remote Play feature. To us, the real problem will be supply; when the PS4 is flying off shelves, there may not be many bundles to sell in the first place.
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, HD, Sony
Source: Eurogamer
Nov 29
Sony suspends PlayStation promo code support following network trouble (update)
Posted in: Today's Chili
Sony’s PSN woes aren’t over just yet. The company has temporarily stopped taking PlayStation promo codes following a surge in traffic on the gaming service; for the moment, money cards and game vouchers won’t work. There’s no estimate for when code redemption will return. It’s easy to see the potential causes, however. Between the weekend, the PlayStation 4’s European launch and a big discount on PlayStation Plus subscriptions at Amazon, there’s guaranteed to be a deluge of PSN activity — Sony may have unintentionally created a perfect storm.
Update (12/1/13): According to the PlayStation Europe Blog, Sony is “continually increasing the availability of the voucher redemption functionality,” so you should see it soon if it’s not on your system already. The next step, which we should hear more about tomorrow, is to switch on the What’s New activity feed and Live Item in the Content Information Screen for users outside North America.
Nov 29
Whether you’ve decided to spend the day battling bargain hunters for an insanely low-priced wafflemaker or just chillin’ by the warm glow of your computer screen watching the mayhem unfold, we’ve got a little surprise for you. We’ve managed to snag a brand new Sony 55-inch 4K Ultra HD TV and we’re giving it away to one lucky Engadget reader. Those who passed by Sony’s booth at Expand NY earlier this month can attest to the fact that 4K really is a thing to behold. So don’t push, don’t shove, but do head on down to the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win. Of course, a prize of this size does have some region restrictions, so be sure to check the rules before entering. Good luck and stay safe out there!
Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt, Sony
Nov 28
VuTV brings 13 more channels to the UK’s Freeview TV service for £7 per month
Posted in: Today's Chili
Brits can’t really complain about Freeview TV since it comes at no recurring charge, but it doesn’t stop them tiring of the channel selection. Those who also aren’t interested in signing on the dotted line with the likes of Virgin, Sky or YouView now have another way to perhaps cure their programming apathy with VuTV. Launched today, the new service adds 13 channels to compatible Freeview-equipped TVs or set-top boxes for a fee of £7 per month (no extended commitment necessary). VuTV manages to add these new channels via a selection screen hosted within a single Freeview channel, Inception-style. While it sounds like a fair deal, we’re far from convinced it’s worth the money, unless you’re into MTV-made reality shows or have a house full of children to keep entertained. Then again, Comedy Central is a good pick-up on VuTV’s part, and you can always take the two-week trial before throwing down any cash. Full channel list after the break.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: VuTV (Twitter), VuTV (website)
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