Is Infinity Ward working on next-gen Call of Duty title?

MW3Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was announced not too long ago and is expected to be released later this year, but could another Call of Duty title be in the works already? Assuming the resume of Modern Warfare 3’s engineer Andrew Aye was not written in error, it seems that Infinity Ward could already be working on a new title that appears to be destined for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC with DirectX 11 support and TBA platforms. While it was not explicitly stated, some have taken the TBA platforms to refer to next-gen consoles, like the Xbox 720 or PlayStation 4. Aye was also the lead engineer on Modern Warfare 3, which was what led to the speculation that Infinity Ward could be working on a new Call of Duty title. Either way we will be keeping our eyes peeled for more info, so be sure to check back with us down the line for updates if there are any to be had! So, would you be more excited for a Modern Warfare title or do you prefer the Black Ops franchise instead?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Infinity Ward hints at Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4?, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – The Vet & The n00b Trash Talk video released,

Former Apple software engineers reportedly working on a faster Facebook app for iOS

Let’s face it, Facebook’s mobile apps aren’t exactly the most stable we’ve seen and based on the various user comments left on the iTunes App Store and the Google Play store, there have been a lot of calls to “fix” it.  That being said, according to sources who revealed to Bloomberg, four former Apple software engineers have been hired and are working on speed and performance enhancements for the iOS version of the Facebook app. The update is expected to roll out in the next couple of months, and that a complete overhaul of the app is in the works and will most likely see a 2013 release. Since there has been no official word from Facebook yet, we suggest taking this with a grain of salt. Either way we will be keeping our eyes peeled for this supposedly improved, faster app, so be sure to check back with us at a later date for more info!

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Security flaw discovered in Facebook app for iOS and Android, Find my Facebook Friend hits the App Store,

Bloomberg: Facebook Launching HTC-Built Phone With Custom OS in 2013 [Rumors]

These days, you’re never more than a few months away from a Facebook phone rumor. Now, despite the fact it could prove to be an awful idea, Bloomberg is reporting that Facebook is working closely with HTC (again) to launch a Facebook phone by 2013. More »

iPhone 5 could be released earlier to appease Wall Street, says report

So, you’d been waiting for the new iPhone right? The rumor mill is quite long and almost endless, with rumors dating back to early 2011. We previously said that the next iPhone, dubbed as the iPhone 5, could be released as early as September this year. But according to GottaBeMobile, Apple might indeed choose the month of September to boost iPhone sales before its fiscal year ends on the 29th of September. The report is based on Apple’s lower-than-expected iPhone sales for its fiscal 2012 third quarter that ended in June 30.

Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer reportedly placed some of the blame on the iPhone 5 rumors saying that this has caused some pause in customers purchasing. GottaBeMobile notes that Tim Cook’s focus on dividends and investors right now are a sign that Apple might push the iPhone 5 out early to appease Wall Street. It’s important to note that these are merely speculations for now. Until we hear it from Apple, let’s take this report with a grain of salt in hand.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic allegedly in the process of adopting the free-to-play model, according to anonymous BioWare Austin employee

Back in June, we reported that according to Star Wars: The Old Republic’s lead designer, they were considering the free-to-play model. For those unfamiliar, the free-to-play model, as the name implies, lets gamers play the game for free without any subscription fees (unlike MMOs such as World of Warcraft). Instead developers make money by selling perks, items, gold and whatnot for cash. At the time of reporting, the developers were only considering the model and there was no indication that they would adopt it.

However according to reports, an anonymous BioWare Austin employee lashed out at Star Wars fans, blaming them for the game’s “failure”. The employee also went on to “confirm” that the game was in the process of converting to the free-to-play model, but due to layoffs, the team is currently shorthanded and are having difficulties managing the change. Safe to say anyone can claim to be an employee of a company online, and since there has been no official word just yet, we suggest taking this with a grain of salt for now, but what do you guys think? Is the free-to-play model an inevitable move for SWTOR?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: SWTOR is reportedly facing a decline in logins, BioWare details upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic changes,

Tim Cook speaks up regarding product rumors and speculation

Rumors and speculation of upcoming products is practically tradition for almost every industry, i.e. cars, technology, and etc. Given that it is about that time of the year, we guess you guys have probably realized that iPhone rumors have standard to run rampant, with alleged leaked photos of components, speculated release dates, features and the likes. While they do a good job of hyping up consumers, sometimes these rumors fall flat on their face and ultimately causes disappointment. For example last year many had expected the iPhone 4S to undergo a major redesign. Instead we were given a rehash of the iPhone 4 with slightly upgraded hardware. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: New iPhone cases confirm smaller 19-pin dock connector and 4″ display?, Apple expected to provide 30-pin adapter for the rumored 19-pin dock connector on its next-gen iPhone,

16GB PS3 going for $150 coming your way?

Just how cheap do you expect a revised version of the Sony PS3 to go for in the market? Well, if we are talking about the upcoming super slim PS3 that is also known by its model number, CECH-4000, then rumor has it that it will retail for just $150 a pop – but that relatively low, low price would mean cutting corners somewhere, and it would be the amount of onboard storage that will be affected this time around, where it will come with just 16GB of storage space.

That is certainly not much at all in this day and age, especially when you consider the amount of data required in modern day games (Blu-ray sized here). It will still take some time before the 16GB PS3 is released though, and do not expect it to be announced at the Gamescom event which is happening next month since Sony’s current model inventory is still way too high in terms of stock count to flood the market with yet another piece of hardware.

Still, this rumored model will most probably be a direct competitor to the 4GB Xbox 360 from Microsoft. I guess there really is a market for consoles on the low end spec after all.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Scarlet Red PS3 arrives in the UK, PS3-4000 will not be announced this August? ,

Apple reportedly launching Retina capable 13″ MacBook Pros and refreshed iMacs in September-October timeframe

Earlier this year, Apple launched the 15” Retina display MacBook Pro. Despite its expensive price tag, there was apparently a huge demand for the device as evidenced in its estimated shipping times which had users waiting for up to a month before it landed in their hands. That being said, what about the 13” MacBook Pro model? Will it be getting the Retina treatment as well? While Apple has yet to announce a 13” Retina MacBook Pro, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed in his report that he expects Apple to be launching a 13” Retina MacBook Pro sometime in the September-October timeframe. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Apple rumored to refresh the majority of its Mac computers at WWDC, Apple unibody case plant to reopen by the end of October,

Apple expected to provide 30-pin adapter for the rumored 19-pin dock connector on its next-gen iPhone

iphone_4s and 5Yesterday we reported that there were rumors that suggested once again that Apple could be introducing a 19-pin dock connector for its new iPhone, as opposed to the 30-pin dock connector which has become somewhat standard on Apple’s portable devices (i.e. iPod nano, iPod classic, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Assuming this is true, this might upset many of Apple’s accessory makers as they have created many devices, like speaker docks, stands, and such that rely on the 30-pin dock connector. If you own multiple accessories like that, fret not as there is speculation (via iMore) going on now that suggests that Apple could introduce a dock adapter, allowing older devices to be used with the new iPhone. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPhone 5 to be released on the 21st of September? [Rumor], Pegatron rumored to have begun production on Apple’s next-gen iPhone,

Next-gen iPod touch rumored to feature 4″ display and A5 processor

Earlier today we reported that thanks to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, he reported that come September, there is a good chance that Apple could be launching an all new iPod touch and iPod nano, but what does he mean by that? Well according to the folks at Macotakara, the new iPod touch will feature a similar design to that of the next-gen iPhone, which according to rumors will not only be slimmer, but sport a 4” in-cell display as well. It is also expected to sport a rear-shell similar to the iPad, giving it a buffed finish look as opposed to a shiny finish which is how the current models look like. It is also expected to be powered by the iPhone 4S’ A5 processor. The report is also claiming that there is a hole at the bottom back of the device, although they were unsure as to what its function was. It’s a bit hard to picture what the device could look like based on the information above, so we guess we will have to wait and see if the rumors pan out. So, anyone looking forward to a redesigned iPod touch?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Apple reportedly planning new iPod touch and nanos for September, Windows 8 user interface ported to iOS via DreamBoard,