Vodafone has come clean with the price and bundle details for the 3G version of the PlayStation Vita, the next-gen handheld console from Sony that is landing in the UK later this month.

The phone network, which is the "preferred provider" for the 3G version of the console, will sell the PS Vita for ?279. This price includes a 4GB memory card and a pay-as-you-go SIM card which, when topped up with ?5, will get you 250 MB of data lasting up to 30 days. You'll also get access to download WipEout 2048 for free.

The PS Vita will go on sale in the UK, Europe and the US on 22 February. The new console, Wi-Fi only version, will be available for ?229.99. You'll be able to get the 3G version in Vodafone stores, as well as other shops and still be able to tap into the free game offer if you get a Vodafone SIM sorted.

The 3G version of the console packs GPS connectivity and allows you to use the console's Near app's location features when you're out and about.

The handheld machine went on sale in Japan before Christmas and more than 300,000 were snapped up in the first two days of availability. However, the launch has been plagued with complaints of apparent technical glitches from early adopters.

Fortunately, these seem to have subsided now and Sony's new console is receiving rave reviews and was recently awarded a Pocket-lint Hot Product tag.

Tags: Gaming PlayStation Vita Sony Vodafone Sony PlayStation Vita

3G PlayStation Vita priced up by Vodafone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:57:00 +0000

Sony's latest entry into the handheld console market, the PlayStation Vita, arrives in the UK and the US on 22 February. And Sony has brought to the table a console capable of making some pretty big waves (check out our full review here).

It boasts a gorgeous 5-inch qHD OLED touchscreen, is powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor and the graphics engine is hefty, to say the least; again quad-core in the SGX543MP4+. Throw in a rear touchpad for an altogether different experience, Sixaxis motion sensing, a three-axis electronic compass and, crucially, a D-Pad and buttons; something that almost all tablets and smartphones are missing.

It's all well and good the hardware looking the part, but it's going to be the quality of the games that ultimately decides the Vita's fate. So Pocket-lint thought it only right to give the launch titles the once-over, to let you guys know what's in store.

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Arcade

Okay, so we'll admit that the arcade genre is a bit vague, but "Everything Else" looked sloppy, so here you are. These are the titles that don't fall into a set category without argument. They involve puzzle solving, gesture and observational skills. And, most awesomely, one of them involves toe-tapping to the King of Pop's best tunes...

Little Deviants

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

Little Deviants nicely shows off what the PlayStation Vita is capable of above and beyond the traditional control methods; including mini-games that use augmented reality, the rear touchpad and much more But, from a quick play, we couldn't help but think it was all a bit gimmicky. Kids will probably love it though, and?there's plenty of variation so they shouldn't get too bored.

Michael Jackson: The Experience

Publisher

Ubisoft

Release date

22 February

Nothing new here in terms of gameplay, we've seen this type of music?rhythm?game a million times before (including on the iPad and iPhone). But that doesn't mean that it's not ruddy good fun - because it is. And we defy anyone to not toe-tap along to some of Jacko's best tunes.

Gravity Rush

Publisher

SCE

Release date

TBA

On the face of it, Gravity Rush is a third-person adventure with gorgeous comic book-style graphics, but it too uses some of the additional control properties of the Vita. The shoulder buttons enact an?anti-gravity?mode and you can then use the motion sensors inside the handheld to twist the world around, so that you can flip it entirely upside down and walk on the floor or walls. Freaky and will take a while to get used to.

Touch My Katamari

Publisher

Namco Bandai

Release date

22 February

Featuring the same bonkers gameplay as its similarly named forebears, Touch My Katamari requires you to grow a ball of junk from objects littered around the different landscapes. However, the Vita version also utilises the rear touchpad in order to stretch your Katamari. It also uses the front touch screen to roll around the expanding ball.

Escape Plan

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

As an aesthetically distinct puzzling adventure game, it will be interesting to see how Sony markets this one and, most importantly, how it prices it. There are plenty of puzzle-solving-type games available in the App Store and the Android Market, some of which won't cost you a penny. Sure, it's slick and it works well on the PS Vita, using the multiple control methods along the way, but we would hope that it's competitively priced, especially as it will be one of those available to buy directly from the PlayStation Store as a digital download.

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Beat 'em up

Beat 'em up is such a loose term. After all, even in the most straightforward one-on-one fighting game you've usually got the option of blowing up your opponent, decapitating them or, at the very least, maiming them. In fact, the only thing that really gets beaten up during these games is gamer's thumbs as they struggle to adapt to the new title's special moves and revert to trying any button combo that worked on Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat back in the day.

Reality Fighters

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

Great fun, if not the best beat 'em up that you've ever played. It's no Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat or Tekken, that's for sure - but in none of those games can you stick your ugly mug on a skinny, pant-wearing rake and pitch yourself against Mr Miyagi on your living room floor. Thanks to its extensive use of the front and rear cameras, you can in Reality Fighters.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Publisher

Capcom

Release date

22 February

Mayhemic tag-team fighting action that fans of both franchises are likely to love. We really thought we were reliving our Street Fighter II glory days as well, pulling Hadoukens and Dragon Punches out all over the place. Then we realised we had it set on "easy" so the special moves and combos came at the tap of a button. We didn't tell anyone mind.

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Platform

The platform genre is probably the most universal, and yet most multifarious mix of titles in the gaming world. Whereas 2D side-on platfomers featuring little plumbers, hedgehogs, treasure hunters or Willys dominated in the 80s, 90s and the early part of this century, the extra oomph that the latest gen consoles provide has meant a move into a more open 3D world. Characters are now faced with pitfalls from all directions. The Vita, with its AR capabilities and extra control functions, should see the humble platform game evolve further but, for now, it's much of the same...

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz

Publisher

Sega

Release date

TBA

A classic title that works well with the PS Vita's gyroscope and accelerometer running the show. There's not a lot of originality to strike any great excitement to anyone who has played a previous version of the game before, but it's great fun nonetheless.

Rayman Origins

Publisher

Ubisoft

Release date

22 February

Platformers seem to work well on the little screen and Rayman is no excpetion. Fans of older Rayman titles will be well away. Essentially the same as the PS3 version, one thing the Vita edition does add is the ability to get up close and personal with the gorgeous artwork.

LittleBigPlanet

Publisher

SCE

Release date

TBA

To be honest, it's next to impossible to see how LittleBigPlanet will shape up on the PS Vita from our brief initial play. But the fact that the content on offer was of radically different mini-games - one Tron lightcycle-esque, one a sort-of shooting game - gives us great hope that it will be a cornucopia of invention by the amateur games designing community.

Sound Shapes

Publisher

SCE

Release date

TBA

Another title that will be exclusive to the PlayStation Network, Sound Shapes is the sort of puzzling platformer that can take a firm grip on you and never let go until you've finished it. Even beyond its progressive indie gameplay, it offers a simple level editor that should, like LittleBigPlanet, excite those with a creative bent.

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Racing

The racing game genre is one which spreads its love far and wide, from the streets of London to the outer reaches of the galaxy, and has been ubiquitous with every major console through the ages. Looking back to the launch of the original PlayStation in the mid 90s, a couple of the most popular titles back then were racing games; Ridge Racer and WipEout. And you know the old saying, "you never change a winning team"...

Ridge Racer

Publisher

Namco Bandai

Release date

22 February

Another big console launch and another version of Ridge Racer to support it on launch day. This time around a customisable drift system has been added to the mix, plus network support for multiplayer gaming, but the same arcade racing mechanics we all know and love make up the meat of this latest addition to the franchise.

WipEout 2048

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

What can you say about WipEout 2048 that hasn't been said about the perennial future racer before? One thing that strikes us about this latest version, however, is that it's possibly more simple than some of its former iterations. And it offers eight-player network racing, including cross-platform play, where it doesn't matter whether you're playing on PS Vita or PS3.

ModNation Racers: Road Trip

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

Another that's compatible across both PS Vita and PS3, ModNation Racers: Road Trip is a decent karting game at heart, but with the creative nous of LittleBigPlanet or its older brother. The Vita version also adds an ability to earn ModMiles (in-game currency) by using social networking to spread the word.

F1 2011

Publisher

Codemasters

Release date

22 February

Hopefully not as fiendishly difficult as its home console counterpart, F1 2011 looks stunning on our first brief lap. It's more simulation than arcade racer, and clearly based on last season's drivers and teams. But for fans of the motorsport, it'll be a no-brainer. Especially with its four-player modes.

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Shooter

First person, third person - it doesn't matter what person; Pocket-lint was always going to lump any games involving guns and weapons into this category (and have done so in the third person, you may have noticed). So, if you love blowing off people or alien's heads (virtually, of course) or just shooting up some carnage then you've come to the right place.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

The priciest of Sony's launch titles by far (RRP of ?45), Uncharted: Golden Abyss is the one we've been waiting for the most. Not only is it a new chapter in Nathan Drake's treasure hunting life, but it feature the same stunning graphical talents as its PS3 cousins. This time around, the front and rear touchpads offer up interesting new ways to interact with play, although we suspect you'll default to the thumbsticks, like us.

Unit 13

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

Unit 13 has a touch of the Rainbow Six about it, as you control "an elite team of intelligence operatives recruited from the very best military outfits across the USA and Europe". Basically, it's a mission-based third-person shooter with plenty of evil terrorists to blow away, and nefarious plots to scupper using high grade weaponry. Yum.

Resistance Burning Skies

Publisher

SCE

Release date

TBA

A unique first-person shooter set in the Resistance world, this is essentially the most obvious FPS in Sony's initial line-up. We didn't get to see much in our brief play, but you can be assured that there will be plenty of hardcore weaponry and some keen melee combat as we wielded an axe in the first five minutes or so.

Super Stardust Delta

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

Super Stardust Delta on the Vita is as fast and furious as its PS3 equivalent, except it also uses the touchscreen to create black holes and the motion sensors to trigger power ups. If you're into your simple but crazy shoot 'em up action, this could be the download for you - it'll be available on the PlayStation Store solely.

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Sport

Kids are often encouraged to get up off of their backsides, to go outside and play some sports. But have you ever seen the outside? It's a horrible place full of rain, cold, awful people and white dog poo. At least it was last time we looked (we've heard that the white dog poo is no more, but we suspect it's a ruse to get us to step outside). And why bother going outside when you can play sports, inside, on your shiny new PS Vita? In theory, you could take it outside but why would you, eh?

Hustle Kings

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

Another game to offer cross-platform play, Hustle Kings is pretty much your standard 3D pool game, albeit one that uses the touchscreen and rear touchpad to great effect. There are also other network play features, such as an online leaderboard.

Everybody's Golf

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

With some of the familiar holes from the PS3 version of Everybody's Golf 5, and the usual golf-sim controls on board - we were well away. One nice touch though, literally, is the inclusion of the rear touch controls, allowing you to select your swing type and get a more accurate aim from your lie.?

Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition

Publisher

Sega

Release date

22 February

A title that doesn't really add to numerous Virtua Tennis titles that you've played in the past, but it's still nice to see it make its way to the Vita. It uses all kinds of touch shenanigans to make shots more precise, while there's a bizarre Touch Versus mode that lets two players play on the same handheld console. You can even add your own mugshot onto your created tennis star.

Top Darts

Publisher

SCE

Release date

22 February

It's darts... on the PS Vita. Er, that's it really. However, you can play eight-player events on the same console with turn-based gameplay where you pass the device around like a touch controllable parcel at a children's party.

FIFA Football

Publisher

Electronic Arts

Release date

22 February

And so we end with one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time, and we're willing to bet that this Vita version will sell in the sack loads. All of the officially licensed teams make an appearance, along with 11 versus 11 online play and Be a Pro modes, but it is the use of the front and rear touch controls that will determine whether it really is a step forward for EA Sports.

Tags: Gaming Sony Sony PlayStation Vita

Hottest PlayStation Vita games for launch and beyond originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:49:00 +0000

Kind of a Comic Relief for those with an urge to get off their feet and run, jump or throw something, Sport Relief is another arm of the charity that aims to raise gazillions of pounds for incredibly worthwhile charities in Africa and the UK by getting people to raise funds in ways that everybody can enjoy.

And even if you don't have a sporty bone in you, you can still take part in some way; not least, pledge some cash. And in return, here's a completely free app with a stack of info, content and a truly addictive game for free. It should prepare you nicely for March 23-25...

Sport Relief in your Pocket

Format

iPhone / iPod touch / Android (soon)

Price

Free

Where

iTunes?/ Android Market (soon)

We actually covered the Red Nose Day in your Pocket shortly before the last of the big Comic Relief fundraising events, and this particular sequel is much of the same kind of thing. However, this time, instead of just iOS, and the devices that run it, Sport Relief in your Pocket will shortly be available for Android too.

It's essentially a collection of different clickable arenas, some serious, some not so, that help you delve more into the activities surrounding the March dated event itself. You can see where your nearest Sport Relief-organised The Mile run is happening and be directed to a website to enrol. You can find our more about the causes funds have been invested in previously and related news snippets. You can donate money from the app itself, which charges you via SMS or PayPal. And you can follow what people are saying on Twitter from within the application.

There's also a countdown clock to the start of The Mile and a section called "Inspire Me" which comes up with a random piece of video to watch.

However, the best part of the app is the included game, Fling a Face. In it, you get to load a catapult with a super round noggin from the world of celebrity. Dermot O'Leary, Vernon Kay, Colin Jackson, Miranda Hart, Gary Lineker and Fearne Cotton are all available to choose from, plus you can upload your own image, which will be mapped on to an in-game sphere.

Then you have to fire the said face into the air, hoping to get as far as you can while collecting stars, avoiding obstacles and using power ups along the way. Each level is set somewhere in the British Isles and you are given a target distance to?achieve?each time before moving on to the next city, with a further objective.

The stars allow you to buy new power ups and you'll be thoroughly addicted before you know it.

Fling a Face is worth the admission price on its own (free, naturally) and hopefully, like us, you'll feel compelled to donate some cash. Not only will it make you feel better, but you're getting a decent reward for doing so.

Tags: Gaming Apps Sport Relief in your Pocket Comic Relief iPhone iPhone apps AOTD App of the day iPod Touch iPod Touch apps Android Android apps

APP OF THE DAY: Sport Relief in your Pocket review (iPhone / Android) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:54:00 +0000

We played Kinect Star Wars back at E3 in 2011 and now LucasArts and Microsoft have given us a launch date and lined up what you can expect from the latest Star Wars game.

Launching on 3 April 2012, Kinect Star Wars will cost you ?39.99 and give you five gaming modes - Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, Rancor Rampage, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate.

Jedi Destiny gives you the storyline to follow, pitching you against enemies, racing Speeder Bikes and battling iconic opponents like Darth Vadar on your quest to become a Jedi.

Podracing and Rancor Rampage sound pretty much cut and dry, and judging by the screens we have from Microsoft, it all looks like good, wholesome Kinect fun. Rancor Rampage sees you in the streets of Mos Eisley (or some other wretched hive of scum and villainy) and Podracing recreates those scenes from Phantom Menace.

We don't know too much about Duels of Fate, but it appears to be lightsaber battle action, which claims to "sharpen your Jedi skills".

Finally, you have the Galactic Dance Off. Sure, we know Dance Central has been a great hit for Kinect - but with a Star Wars theme? Oh go on then. Hopefully you can bust a groove to that catchy tune performed by Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes in the Mos Eisley Cantina.?

However, if you are lucky enough to have the Star Wars Special Edition Xbox 360 console, you'll get an exclusive C-3PO unlockable for the Dance Off, pictured above. Be sure to check-out our hands-on with the ultimate customised Star Wars console.?

No word on whether you'll get the chance to don Leia's gold bikini and dance for Jabba, but here's hoping...

Of course, we'll bring you a full review of Kinect Star Wars once we have our hands on it.

Tags: Gaming Star Wars Kinect Star Wars LucasArts Microsoft Xbox 360

Kinect Star Wars detailed, coming in April originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:08:00 +0000

When it comes of Special Edition Xbox 360 consoles, the Star Wars version has to sit at the top of the tree. Gears of War and Call of Duty have pretty much passed into gaming folklore, but Star Wars is a different beast altogether.

The Star Wars Xbox 360 Limited Edition console arrives in celebration of Kinect Star Wars and naturally, this is a Kinect version of the Xbox, with a 320GB hard drive.?

The artwork on the Xbox itself reflects some of the detailing from R2-D2's paint job in blue and white. It's instantly recognisable and looks great sitting in your lounge. The white matching Kinect with black panels in the underside looks every inch like an Imperial Stormtrooper.?

There is a small hidden detail too. Press the eject button to open the disc tray - accompanied by R2-D2 sound effects - and you'll find Star Wars' perhaps most iconic line inscribed inside: "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

The sound effects add a touch of difference too. As we've seen in other Special Edition Xbox consoles, both the power and the eject buttons emit noises when touched, although not when you use the controller or UI to switch the power off or eject the disc.

Finally you have the controller. It's finished in gold to reflect, literally, C-3PO's highly polished gold plating. Running around the back you'll find coloured wiring to look like the droid's exposed midriff.

If we've one negative comment about the controller, it's that the gold finish is glossy and therefore doesn't give you the same surface grip as the regular controller. You'll also have to polish those grubby fingerprints off it, but neither is too much to ask and the underside is regular textured black, so feels like the normal controllers do.

Of course, if you're getting the Star Wars Xbox 360 console you'll get your hands on Kinect Star Wars too, and for that you won't need the C-3PO controller, so it can sit, polished, where everyone can gaze at its brilliance.

To round out the kit you get a black headset and all the normal cables and connections, making this quite a package for Star Wars fans young and old. Of course, we couldn't help snapping it from every side and shooting a quick video, so be sure to check both out.?

The Kinect Star War Xbox 360 Limited Edition will be landing on 3 April 2012 and will cost you ?349.99. If you can't stretch to a whole new console, you'll be able to get the Kinect Star Wars game for ?39.99.

The Kinect Star Wars bundle is available at all participating retailers.

Tags: Gaming Xbox 360 Star Wars Photos Video Kinect Star Wars

Kinect Star Wars Xbox 360 Limited Edition pictures, video and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:02:00 +0000

Remember Razer's slightly mad?Project Fiona? Still in its infancy, it is an attempt to transfer proper gaming internals to a tablet designed specifically for that very task.?

Speaking to Alienware product manager Eoin Leyden, it appears the high-end PC manufacturer could be looking into something similar. We asked Alienware what it thought of Razer's efforts.

"We have discussed it [tablets] a couple of times." explained Leyden.?"There are issues and limitations that make it difficult to see that would appeal to our core audience right now."

The problem is that translating a hard-core gaming experience to tablets is very difficult. For casual applications, Angry Birds for example, the touch interface makes sense. The intricacies of PC controls however are very different.?

"The issue is the input mechanism and how the game uses the the mechanisms and turns them into in-game actions."

Possible fixes are alternative ways of play. Unlike Razer's bolt-on controllers, Leyden sees very different control methods being used in future:?

"At some point in the future tablets could have eye tracking in there, so you could control your character that way."

Thanks to the likes of Nvidia and its Tegra setup, tablets are going through a rapid power increase. More cores, bigger GPUs and larger amounts of RAM are being added yearly. This is leading to a rapid portable graphics evolution. It still isn't quite enough for the likes of Alienware to get excited however.?

"From a performance point of view tablets are on an accelerated curve. They aren't quite there yet though."

So no tablet from the gaming experts just yet. Clearly though the market share tablets are chewing up has sparked the interest of top-end PC manufacturers. If what Razer releases proves a success, who knows - we might see Alienware jump on board as well.

Tags: Gaming Tablets Alienware

Would Alienware consider a gaming tablet? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:29:00 +0000

The Alienware X51 has arrived. Designed to be a small form factor PC that can actually handle a decent bit of gaming, it is Alienware's first attempt at a cheap(ish) desktop.?

Aimed squarely at the casual PC gaming market, the X51 is a halfway house between a home console and a top-end PC. Around the same size as a normal games console, it is intended to be?inconspicuous?enough to sit in your living room but still run triple-A titles such as Battlefield 3 at high settings.?

Close up the Alienware looks damn nice. Keeping all the internal goodies wrapped up warm is a matte plastic body, with a glossy black wraparound at the front. There is also a set of USB ports, headphone and microphone jacks and a rather nifty power button on the top of the front of the rig.?

Sat at the back is plenty more connectivity as well as a beefy grille to aid ventilation of the computer. On the side is the usual club tropicana style lighting you find on all Alienware hardware. It is much more understated here than say the laptop keyboards. We imagine this is to do with the fact many will be using this as a media centre PC in their living rooms.?

Alienware has done a masterful job cramming so much power into such a small rig. Inside is your choice of Sandy Bridge processors and either an Nvidia GT 545 or GTX 555, both with 1GB of video memory. There is also the option of a DVD or Blu-ray player and, of course, upgradeable RAM.

The real trick however is how easy it is to upgrade the internals. Unlike a normal game console, you can easily yank the graphics card out and stick a more powerful one inside, once an update is due. Things are definitely packed in tight in the X51, so don't expect to manage to fit a huge GTX 590 or any other top end card, but for now, a GTX 555 is going to do a good job with high-end DX 11 gaming.?

We have no idea how Alienware has managed to keep the inside of the X51 properly ventilated. Take a peek at the internals and it is slotted together perfectly like a piece of Lego. Think Mac Pro but packed in tighter.?

The X51 is going to start at around ?699 for the entry level model. It might be a fair hop up from a normal games console, but don't forget you are getting a small form factor rig that will likely run Windows at lightning speed.

Tags: Gaming Computers Alienware Alienware X51

Alienware X51 pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:43:00 +0000

Any chapter in the Mass Effect story has a responsibility to shoulder. In a time when so many games are over in a 6-hour flash and rely heavily on multiplayer for any sort of longevity, Mass Effect 3 has to deliver the thick storytelling that practically all contemporary titles lack.

We played through the first 90-minutes odd of the game at a preview event to get a feel for what Mass Effect 3 is going to offer when the game launches in March. Talking to a spokesperson from BioWare, we got confirmation that this instalment will be similar in length to Mass Effect 2, so that's about 60 hours of gaming, with plenty of replay value based on how you approach the game.

You get to pick your game style at the outset. You can play it as an action game, with the dialogue section playing as cutscenes rather than user triggered section. Many, if not most, will elect for the traditional RPG approach, or you could play in story mode, which cuts down the difficulty of the combat.?

There is plenty of scene-setting as the game opens and some stunning graphics too. There will be some spoilers in what we cover here, but nothing that should ruin your game experience, given the length and variety it offers. If you've seen the trailers, you've been given a good taster on what is to come anyway.

Mass Effect 3 is similar in look and feel to Mass Effect 2, although there has been some obvious tweaking to character modelling in cutscenes. We thought things looked a little too shiny in ME3, but it was smooth and detailed, with masses of attention in faces that reflect tension and stress, which is important to building the central story.

Our man from BioWare told us that the preview portion we were playing was almost finished, so aside from the occasional pause in animation, there was very little to complain about.?

The opening is rather cinematic, and like Mass Effect 2, there is plenty of rich storytelling to get you going. Nothing happens without reason and there is context to everything. Starting out in Mass Effect 3, the context comes from the previous games.?

As such, if you're a newcomer to the game, some of those familiar faces, who nod in recognition or surprise, will be lost on you. But you're not left high and dry: there is enough here to set you off on the right path, and even if you're not totally conversant with Mass Effect lore, you get eased in gently enough.?

Returning as Commander Shepard, Mass Effect 3 sees you battling to save the Earth from the invasion of the Reapers. The action opens with the huge Reaper ships dropping from the sky to tear your world apart. This is where the first playable prologue section begins too, which will quickly outline the main controls as you fight your way to extraction on the Normandy.

With the Reapers ripping the place up, you take Shepard through the smashed city, up and down ladders, jumping gaps and vaulting walls, outlining the skills you'll need in the game to come. The controls are very much as they were previously, although the menus have been redesigned slightly to power-up various skills, but not drastically so.

If anything, you might find that there is a little too much dependency on the A button when it comes to control. It opens doors, it puts you in cover, vaults cover, it makes you sprint. That means you're juggling different actions through the same control based on the game situation. We were cut down several times trying to sprint to cover and duck, but instead vaulting over that cover, into the line of fire.

But this is partly due to the complexity that Mass Effect 3 brings with it. It's not just shooting from the hip, it's a whole range of other actions and skills too, all of which have to be mapped on to a console controller. At least it's easy enough to assign powers to buttons to get things running the way you want.?

You'll finally make your way on to the Normandy, but not before Mass Effect 3 throws down one of its emotional story hooks. A boy sheltering in air ducts (invoking memories of Newt from Aliens) that you tried to rescue, makes his way on to a transport ship, only to be annihilated by the Reapers. Mass Effect isn't scared to tell its story and it's delivered with more skill and maturity than the brutal shock value of something like Homefront.

Having made your escape from Earth, you're off to a colony on Mars on an information gathering mission, the first proper level of Mass Effect 3. The destination is the Prothean Archives, but this isn't simply the case of waltzing in. Almost as soon as you've set foot on the red dust of Mars' surface, you'll find things aren't going to be that simple.?

You'll get to put your gunplay to the test here as well as find, swap and upgrade weapons as you roam around. Now that you have the semblance of a team forming, you'll also be able to command your teammates and start to get to grips with the various powers you have at your disposal. In this section you'll be reunited with Liara and have to put her skills into play. Even in these early sections, it becomes apparent just how much you can come to depend on your allies.

Even playing in action mode, you can't just shoot your way through. You'll need to use everything at your disposal - there isn't enough ammunition for sustained gunfights, after all. And yes, we did find ourselves faced with an empty clip and multiple skirmishing enemies on several occasions.?As you proceed through this level on Mars the plot thickens. As with the opening levels of Mass Effect 2, you're fed information in tiny amounts as the plot twists and squirms, throwing out surprises as it reveals itself.

We leave this intense, but satisfying, re-introduction to the world of Mass Effect with a thirst for more. To us Mass Effect 3 already feels like it will be an unmissable title for 2012 and as we've seen with Mass Effect 2, it's likely to deliver that deep satisfaction that many games currently lack.

Tags: Gaming Xbox 360 PS3 PC games mass effect 3 BioWare EA

Mass Effect 3 hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Sony has decided to ditch the accounts part of its PlayStation Network, with all user data now part of the? renamed "Sony Entertainment Network accounts" or "SEN accounts" group.

Contrary to reports elsewhere on the net however, the change doesn't mean a complete re-branding; the Sony PlayStation Network (PSN) will remain but the move is part of Sony's plan to group all of its digital media offerings under one big umbrella. The SEN account enables use of Sony’s non-game services such as Music Unlimited, Video Store and PlayMemories Online (previously called Personal Space) across a variety of network-connected devices.

"This transition is based on Sony’s goal to enhance its unique digital entertainment offering," read an official statement.

"As a series of these activities Sony started last September, PlayStation Network will be aligned with Sony Entertainment Network. This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account."

The change on the accounting side could be seen as the first sign of a move away from the PSN name; a name that took quite a bashing back in April last year after an "external intrusion" that affected 77 million registered accounts meant the online gaming platform was out of action for weeks.

However, Sony recently announced an operating loss of $1.176 billion for the last quarter of 2011 and a net loss of $2.038 billion on revenue of $23.37 billion, so the move could be seen as a signal that Sony is keen to more closely align its digital media offerings with the PlayStation group of products. After all, despite the huge PSN hiccup last year, PlayStation is still a massively successful brand for the company.

Either way, your PlayStation Network account is dead... long live your Sony Entertainment Network one.

Tags: Gaming Sony PlayStation PSN Playstation Network PS3

PlayStation Network tweaks its accounts branding to Sony Entertainment Network originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:21:00 +0000

The PlayStation Vita has been received with much love here at Pocket-lint towers, with Sony's new handheld console being awarded the prestigious Hot Product tag. But even in our glowing review we noted that the lack of video recording on board was "weird".

But our prediction that a future update would come along to rectify this oversight was on the money, as Sony has announced the 1.60 software update will bring the functionality.

The update also adds a Map app feature to the front screen (looking very Google powered) which shows (on the 3G version, at least) your position and also gives the usual array of options such as route planning, satellite views and traffic info.

As well as the video recording and Map app, the 1.60 release also coincides with that of the Mac OS compatible version of the PlayStation Content Management, making it easier for fanboys to transfer their media and files between their computers and their Vitas.

All this and more - the PS button will now light blue when plugged in to the mains. Incredible, we know. Blue. Amazing.

The new software is set to land on 8 February.

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Tags: Gaming PlayStation Vita Sony

PlayStation Vita video recording lands with 1.60 software update originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

A man died at his work station in an internet cafe in Taipei, Taiwan, this week, but nobody noticed for up to nine hours. Twenty-three-year-old?Chen Rong-yu checked in to play the multiplayer online game?League of Legends on Tuesday night, but was found sitting "rigid on a chair with his hands stretched out towards the keyboard and mouse", said local police.

None of the other 30 people in the cafe noticed, although it is claimed he had been taking frequent nap breaks, so that could explain the inaction. His body was found by a female employee on Wednesday.

Police believe that Mr Chen may have suffered a heart attack brought on by low temperatures, and?his family have confirmed that he had been treated for a heart complaint in September last year. They suspect an attack was brought on by a combination of tiredness, lack of movement and the cold.

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Tags: Gaming Internet League of Legends

Gamer dies at PC in Taiwanese Internet cafe and nobody notices originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:31:00 +0000

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the single-player role-playing game due for release by Electronic Arts on 10 February, is the forerunner to a MMO that has been in development since 2006. There had been confusion over whether developer 38 Games would continue with its original plans for an online game set in the same world, but executive art director Todd McFarlane has confirmed to Pocket-lint that the multi-player game is still on the cards.

In addition, the comic book figurehead and toy manufacturer explained to us that the standalone EA title is actually a prequel to the MMO Kingdoms of Amalur (codenamed "Copernicus") and is set 1,000 years beforehand.

Speaking about Curt Schilling, former World Series-winning baseball pitcher and founder of 38 Games, McFarlane explained that the origin of KoA was solely as an MMO: "He wanted to do, initially, an online fantasy game, so R.A. [Salvadore, the fantasy author] and I started and we started developing the MMO game."

But when Schilling bought Big Huge Games - a company formerly owned by THQ which was developing its own RPG - the studio decided also to turn its attention to a single-player game. "He decided, 'Hey, why don't I develop two games at once. One on the console and still continue the MMO game'," McFarlane said.

"And R.A. Salvadore had done such an extensive back story that spanned 10,000 years, it was fairly easy for us to then say, 'Let's just back this up about 1,000 years and use some of the same elements, show what the world will look like from a different point of view'. Of course, it'll all be new to the customers."

However, while there will be a Kingdoms of Amalur MMO game eventually, McFarlane will not be using his comic book or toy-making skills to create merchandise around the property. At least, not yet. "Curt was very ambitious at the very beginning," he said. "His hope is that you have Reckoning 4 some day, and along with that, there would be the comics, the novels and the toys. Maybe a full-length feature movie. He's pretty ambitious about it. But we have to put out a product that's worthy of attention first.

"The consumers will basically tell us whether we got it right or wrong. And the demand from that will tell us whether we get to do the other?ancillary?stuff."?

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will be available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 from 10 February.

Tags: Gaming Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning Xbox 360 PC PS3 Electronic Arts Todd McFarlane 38 Studios

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning confirmed to be prequel to MMO originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:29:00 +0000

Gameloft, purveyor of mobile games?as brilliant as they are unoriginal, has announced a standalone Android app for its revamped Gameloft Live platform.

Gameloft is unashamedly proud of its artistic licence when it comes to, shall we say, "borrowing" ideas from existing console titles for its mobile games (Gangstar: Miami Vindication, GT Racing and Shrek Kart for example) and its community based gaming platform has more than a whiff of Xbox Live about it.

It boasts an all-new 3D interface, where you can create and customize your own unique avatar. Why not try and make it look exactly like your Xbox one?

Gameloft Live also lets you buddy up with fellow gamers,invite them to play games, ping them messages or chat with them in real time. There are trophies and achievements to unlock and, of course, there's also access to the wealth of Gameloft titles that you can buy.

The app is Android only at the moment and is available directly from the French company. It states that it will be hitting the Android Market soon and that an iOS version is also in the works.

Tags: Gaming Apps Android apps Gameloft

Gameloft Live app lands on Android originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Let’s not beat around the bush; we like the PlayStation Vita, we like it a lot. In fact, we’re happy to say that we have never fallen for a handheld games console as much as we have the PS Vita. It is to hardcore gamers what a Penny Black is to a philatelist.

Admittedly, it has few rivals battling for our affections. There’s the Nintendo 3DS and, er, that’s it. Some might say that the Apple iPhone or iPod touch are valid competitors, but to compare it to an iOS device, in gaming terms, is to compare a Lamborghini to a Ford Ka, and anybody who tries will come across as an idiot.

So, in a straight head to head with Nintendo’s eye-boggling peer - its default nemesis, if you like – we’d take the Vita every time - irrespective of the price difference.

That’s not to say that the PS Vita is without fault, however. Like any piece of consumer electronics, it sports a caveat party hat: The front and rear cameras are 640 x 480 (VGA), so merely functional at best; attempting to play with the much-discussed multi-touch pad around the back is the gaming equivalent of patting your head and rubbing your tummy; the battery life of roughly three hours for straight gameplay, five for media playback isn't great (although better than the 3DS);?and loading times for games can be painfully slow, regardless of the fact that they are stored on media with no moving parts.

But we don’t care. Indeed, we care so little about these minor foibles that we’ve started the review backwards in order to get them out of the way. Job done, now on with the show...

A class act

The PlayStation Vita may have recently hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, including reports of its disappointing Japanese sales figures, but there’s a saying in football that we think applies: Form is temporary, class is permanent.

From the evidence presented to us by the European PS Vita we’ve had on test for a while, we’re in little doubt that serious games players will be scrabbling over each other to get hold of one. It only takes a modicum of playtime to see that it is a games-playing demon; a genuine next gen home games console that fits into the palm of your hand. And if they’re not queuing for one on UK (and US) launch day, the 22nd of February, they soon will be.

Mega-power

There’s a quad core ARM Cortex-A9 processor under the hood, with a SGX543MP4+ graphics processing unit (also quad core). Combined, that means you’ve got more power in your hand than any other mobile experience out there, and it’s all geared to slice its way through next gen gaming like a Yakuza footsoldier through fingers.

The front touch-screen is a mighty 5-inch (16:9) OLED display, offering both improved battery life (compared to LCD) and colours as vibrant as a Justin Bieber jacket. It has a decent viewing angle too, and while it suffers from the same kind of greenish hue as the similarly-laden Samsung Galaxy Note, that’s only when slanted acutely (almost flat). Black level response is also more than admirable, which gives tangible depth to images and, as any home cinema nut would know, improves the palette no end.

It certainly sings loudly and proudly when fed one of Sony’s launch titles, such as WipEout 2048 or Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Its pixel count is not strictly high definition, offering a widescreen 960 x 544 resolution, but when crammed into the 5-inch real estate, the 220 pixels per inch present splendidly detailed and crisp imagery; not quite as finely defined as an iPhone 4 or 4S’ display, but it’s negligible whether or not you’d notice.

Hand-inspiring

Build quality is an interesting feature of the Vita as Sony has reduced the weight of the device (from its original forebear, the PSP-1000) but increased its girth. The first PSP model weighed 280g, the Vita (Wi-Fi-only) 260g. It feels solid in the hand, but not so clunky as portables of yore.

The two thumbsticks may be tiddly, but they feel strong and move smoothly enough to ensure long gaming sessions aren’t taxing or blister-inducing. And although it bears more than a passing similarity to the PSP, there’s something more ergonomic in the way it sits in your hands. You’d never realise that the rear multi-touch pad is more than a back to the device and, to be honest, many may keep it that way.

One of the two camera lenses sits above the PS Vita fascia buttons, while the other is slap bang, middle-top of the rear, and is thus suitably out of the way for use with augmented reality games – possibly its main purpose due to the low pixel count and poor still-taking-performance in low light conditions.

But weight and additional physical features aside, the PS Vita has a familiar aesthetic about it. In much the same way as Nintendo has merely tweaked the design DNA of its DS line with each generation, Sony has used the PSP-1000 as its template for the Vita. And that’s no bad thing.

All-new user interface

The user interface, in comparison, is all brand new. Gone, for the most part, is the XrossMediaBar. It still pops up in the Settings mode, but the main inspiration for the UI is, dare we say it, iOS.

With even fridges and washing machines having apps these days, the PS Vita gets on the bandwagon too. The icons are cylindrical, rather than seat cushion-shaped, but they’re unmistakable in their intent. You even get multiple screens to scroll up and down, and the ability to remove or move applications by lingering your finger over them for a few seconds.

The benefit to this, of course, is that people understand apps. And the consumer electronics industry is seemingly afraid to try anything different. Microsoft has tried something new with Windows Phone 7 and the Metro-style interface, but there’s still an app section in there somewhere.

Certainly, the PlayStation Vita is simple to use by their presence. Each of its pre-installed features stand out visually in ways that make the XrossMediaBar on the PS3 seem clunky and archaic. Downloaded games also appear as bubbles in the virtual sky, so there’s a consistency that works.

Of the software immediately available from the box, your first point of call will most likely be the Welcome Park. It offers a series of mini-games and tests that will help you get to grips (sometimes literally) with your new games console. There’s one that uses the front touchscreen, one that has you finding your way around the rear multi-touch pad, one for tilt, one for the camera and so on. There are even PS Trophies to be won for completing each in set time limits, so you’ll find yourself playing them repeatedly until you do - if you are a PS Trophy collector.

Speaking of which, there’s also an entire section for just Trophies, and it syncs with your PlayStation Network account so you can view those won on the PS3 too. You can delve into them, explore the details and compare your swag with your online friends, but that’s really all there is to it.

We’re on our own, for now

A lot of the other pre-installed applications are network-based and therein lies a problem for reviewers of the UK model prior to its release. Much of the PlayStation Network functionality is yet to be activated, and it’s hard to tell how effective the social features will be when there’s nobody else around to test them with.

Take the “Near” app for example. Near is a bit like Nintendo’s StreetPass – in a way. It allows you to localise your device - using GPS on the 3G model and Wi-Fi hotspots/routers on the other - and share content with other PS Vita owners. It can also find other gamers in your surrounding area, see what games they are playing or own, and allow you to invite them to play co-op or competitively online. However, at present, it just allows us to see who else is reviewing the European PS Vita in the London area.

The same restrictions apply to the Party, Friends and Group Messaging apps, while the PS Store is closed until the UK launch on 22 February.

Browsing and media

That’s not to say there’s a lack of other apps for us to explore for this review though. The web browser works just fine and, while slow(ish) to refresh and non-Flash-enabled, is more than adequate to view websites at their natural width, without having to pinch and zoom in to read text - although you can, of course. You can also bookmark favourite sites (such as Pocket-lint, naturally) and they will appear on the app start-up screen so you can leap straight to them.

Photos has a few options on offer for the less picky snapper, most notably three different picture aspect ratios, from square up to 16:9 (480 x 480, 640 x 480 and 640 x 360). And there’s a photo slideshow, which can display the pics you’ve taken on the Vita itself, those imported via the Content Manager on a PC or PS3, or both. There’s no video recording at present, which is weird, but the safe money is on a future update coming along to rectify that initial oversight.

Music and Video are two more than capable media players , and other rare examples of the XrossMediaBar making a guest appearance. You can play content you’ve put onto the Vita yourself via a PC or PS3, or there will be option to download movies and tracks from the PS Store. The Video app even hints at “Rented” content becoming available in the near future, with a specifically labelled folder already on board.

Video performance is very good indeed, munching its way through a MP4 DVD rip with aplomb. Not only is the picture finely detailed with accurate contrast control, the audio is rich and spaced superbly - at least through a good pair of headphones. Relying on the tiny tinny stereo speakers is only advisable as a last resort. And the same goes for music and gaming. Kids who most enjoy their music barked out from the back seat of a bus may be happy enough, but anybody with any respect for their own ears should avoid.

One truly brilliant feature of video playback is with Scene Search. The Vita breaks up your video file into chunks and offers them like DVD/Blu-ray chapters. Each of the scenes in then presented in a timeline, which play the first few seconds as you hover over them. This happens for all video, not just those with chapters to begin with. Excellent stuff.

The final pre-installed app, other than the Content Manager that allows you to shift files between a PC or PS3 and the device (and back up certain information stored on your card’s memory, such as saved games), is Remote Play. It’s actually identical to the feature first introduced to the PSP and, we have to be honest, worked inconsistently in test, but its potential is huge. It essentially allows you to access some content and games stored on your PS3 through your PS Vita’s screen instead. That means you can play certain downloaded PlayStation 3 titles on your handheld console. And you can do this either through your own home network or the Internet, so, therefore, away from home.

At the moment, it works with video and audio content stored on or streamed via the PS3 from a NAS drive or home computer, and a handful of games, such as the PixelJunk titles and Peggle are compatible. But, if more titles can be opened up in future it could become a massive feature. At present, its best use is for remotely buying content from the PS Store and downloading them to your home console for you to play when you get back.

Other free apps are also planned, but aren’t accessible on the review sample at present. Twitter and Facebook will be essential downloads, naturally, but Netflix is perhaps the most exciting of these, as it will allow you to stream as much movie and TV content as you like – if you subscribe to the service. It will also act much like the equivalent applications available on other devices, in that it will allow you to pick up and resume video you were watching elsewhere. Of course, you’ll need a decent Internet connection (especially for the HD content), and you’d be best advised not to watch a film via 3G ( if it even lets you), but Netflix, and VOD services like it, are the future of media consumption.

The main event

So that leaves the Vita’s main purpose, its gaming prowess. We’ve been lucky to be able to test most of Sony Computer Entertainment’s in-house launch titles, which we downloaded via PS3 and stored on a proprietary 16GB PS Vita memory card. Games including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Unit 13, WipEout 2048 (weird capital “E” and all), Everybody’s Golf, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Reality Fighters and Little Deviants fit capably on the card, with room still left over. While they each offer something different, with Uncharted and WipEout being obvious highlights, we’re also excited that as well as offer its own gamut of new games, the PS Vita is a PSP emulator.

That means, if you have a swathe of PSP games sitting on your PS3 hard drive, or fancy downloading some new ones - they’re often cheaper than Vita stand-alone titles - they will play on the new handheld – video upscaled, to boot. Plus, and this seems to have been overlooked in many of the other reviews that have appeared, you can remap the controls for those games onto the touchscreen, multi-touch pad or second thumbstick.

We’re not sure whether Sony Computer Entertainment Europe will offer UMD Passport, something up and running in Japan already, where you can register a bought UMD game on your PSP and then download a digital copy to your Vita for a nominal sum (kind-of iTunes Match for Sony loyalists), but we’d like to think so. Otherwise, how else will we get Parappa the Rapper onto our swanky new portable?

For now, however, we’re happy with the dedicated launch titles we’ve seen so far. They offer an experience as close to playing on a PS3 as you can get on a 260g, pocketable (if you have big pockets) device. The network functionality on them doesn’t yet work, for the aforementioned reasons, but they certainly show off the Vita’s gaming prowess.

Take Reality Fighters, for example. While not as good as classics in the beat-em-up genre, such as Street Fighter II or Mortal Kombat, its unique selling point reinforces the fact that the Vita is a different kind of console entirely. You can map your actual face onto a character using the front camera and use a real world environment to fight in through the rear. It’s augmented reality at its most fun. And this isn’t the only game we’ve played that adopts a similar gimmick.

Little Deviants also offers AR gameplay. In one of its levels, you shoot aliens that are flying around your head, while looking at your real world surroundings as its backdrop. You have to twist and turn in real life, and we suspect that future titles will use even more intuitive control systems and gaming methods. With the amount of tech on board, including a six axis motion sensor, electronic compass and GPS (on the 3G model), the sky’s the limit for developers. We’ll see a lot of chaff, sure, but there’ll be many gems too, we have no doubt.

The AR possibilities also make up for the fact that the cameras are lacking in their photography talents. Those and video calling to friends and families. Clearly, Sony didn’t want the PS Vita to compete with a compact camera or, even, capable smartphone and that’s just fine with us. This is unashamedly a games console; one with social functionality and the room to breathe, but a games console first and foremost.

Verdict:

Much has been made of the PS Vita’s launch price and the cost of the initial wave of games titles and, yes, at ?230 for the Wi-Fi version and ?45 for Uncharted: Golden Abyss, we agree that they are on the expensive side.?The 3G model will be available through Vodafone, so we expect it’ll be cheaper with a data plan, but it could still set you back a fair penny.

However, price shouldn’t be a factor on whether or not the PS Vita is good. Even if it was ?1,000, it’d still be as physically capable. Value for money would be debatable, but value is in the eye of the beholder. After all, a loaf of bread is pricey to someone with no money to buy one and a rumbling tummy.

What it should boil down to is what you get for the outlay, and early adopters of the PS Vita will be getting a lot of tech for their spondoolics.

Of course, we’d all like it to have been cheaper at launch, but ?230 for the Wi-Fi version (with a free 8GB memory card, if you pre-order a bundle through Amazon and retailers like it) is comparatively affordable against a highly-spec’ed Android or iOS device. Yes, they allow you to make calls, have better cameras, access the ‘net faster and more effectively, but they are no good for the kind of gaming that requires tactile response. And they cost anywhere up to ?500.

While you can buy an iPod touch for ?170 and play simple casual games well, for only another ?60 you can have a gaming powerhouse at your disposal. For actual games players, it’s a no brainer. God bless Gameloft, but playing an action game on a mobile phone touchscreen, with no tangible physical feedback, is no substitute for Uncharted. Where’s My Water? is fun, WipEout 2048 is on a different planet.

That’s why it costs more and that’s why we’d be happy to pay.

So happy, in fact, that in terms of score, we did consider giving the PS Vita 5 out of 5. But that would assume that there isn’t room to grow. We already know that Sony will be adding new features and expanding many of the PS Vita’s aspects, especially its non-gaming ones, over time, so our final opinion reflects that. This is only the beginning.

Tags: Gaming Sony PlayStation PlayStation Vita Sony PlayStation Vita

Sony PlayStation Vita originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:01:00 +0000

Sony and Microsoft were reportedly set to go head to head at the E3 games expo this June, with the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720 both purported to be given d?buts at the LA based show, but a couple of French directors from the companies have dampened rumours that the consoles would launch this year.

First up is a comment from Microsoft France's marketing director Cedrick Delmas, who told website LePoint.fr: "There will be nothing new in 2012".

"We are in an industry where it talks a lot, it likes to tell stories," he said. "I'm not convinced that things are happening this year. The cycle of the Xbox 360 is far from over. The proof we are not at all parties on the logic of price drop this year. Then what will happen at E3, it is still premature. What is certain is that there will be nothing new in 2012."

Microsoft famously beat Sony to the seventh generation console punch back in the last decade with the Xbox 360 getting a head start on the PS3. A start that led to a lead it has never let slip. However, it was Nintendo who won the war with sales of the Wii far eclipsing Sony and Microsoft's efforts.

And with the Wii U all set to launch in 2012 you might think the two companies were concerned about playing second and third fiddle again.

Not so though, according to Delmas. "We're not here to counter Nintendo and they're not here to fight the other manufacturers," he said. "Nintendo has put itself in a different cycle, it's going forward to its own rhythm, with success as we have seen with the Wii, and now it's their turn to present their innovation."

Sony France CEO Philippe Cardon also spoke with LePoint, stating: "The Wii is under time pressure because it's in decline. As far as we're concerned, we're under a lot less pressure. We were the last to release the PS3. We will probably be the last to announce something."

Despite the claims if there's not at least a teaser about new hardware from both Sony and Microsoft at E3 in June, we'll eat our control pad. Our six year-old control pad.

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Tags: Gaming Xbox 720 PS4 PlayStation 4 Sony Microsoft Rumours

Xbox 720 and PS4 not likely for 2012 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:38:52 +0000

Remember back to your first phone, the Nokia that you no doubt owned, and the game that you used to play over and over again? Yep that's right, for Windows Phone 7 users Nokia Snake from 1997 is back.

Simply called Snake '97 the 79p app in the Windows Phone Marketplace will let you relive some nostalgia of those halcyon days when mobile phones were just that.

"By carefully analysing the classic gameplay, timing and controls, this Snake '97 remake is one of the most accurate available," says Willem Middelkoop, the developer.

The beauty here is that instead of trying to jazz the game up for the new century, Middelkoop, has kept it simple and pure, instead boosting the charm value with the controls.

You see the game's interface is that of an old Nokia handset from 1997 with you having to press the number pad buttons to control the snake on the screen rather than something that looks like the Windows Phone 7 interface.

Pressing those buttons gives you haptic feedback, while the games sound effects have been lifted from an old handset too.

We have to say it is probably the closest thing you'll experience to the real deal on an old handset.

For those looking for a bit more, there are 11 difficult settings including the 9 original ones and two extra difficulty levels added.

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Tags: Apps Windows Phone 7 Windows Phone 7 apps Nokia Gaming Video

Snake '97 pictures, video and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:57:00 +0000

How would you like to get your hands on (or rather keep them off) a laptop sporting a built-in Kinect sensor? It's more than just a hollow dream - Kinect packing laptops made by Asus, and Microsoft backed, are already in existence.

The Daily has seen a pair of the hybrid devices and has received word from Microsoft that they are indeed official prototypes of laptops featuring a Kinect sensor. Built by Asus, the laptops are running Windows 8 and feature a number of sensors above the screen and some LED lights below it.

Earlier this month Microsoft confirmed that it would release the Kinect for Windows SDK to developers on 1 February, meaning Kinect drivers and APIs will be available to the general public as well as developers.

Microsoft is said to be working with more than 200 different companies to build applications for Windows that use Kinect and it looks as if this doesn't just mean with an additional Kinect sensor. The Kinect's sensor tech, it seems, can be incorporated directly into a device.

We love the idea of a Windows 8 machine running with motion gesture controls. If not just for that fact that it will keep our laptop's display smudge free.

Tags: Gaming Laptops Asus Microsoft Windows 8 Microsoft Kinect Kinect

Kinect powererd Windows 8 laptops gesturing your way originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Online game distributor Valve has launched iOS and Android apps for its Steam users - although sadly this doesn't mean PC gaming on the go.

Instead, like the My Xbox iOS app, this is an online community based app where gamers can chat with their Steam buddies, browse community groups and user profiles, view screenshots and user-generated content for their favourite games, read the latest Steam and gaming news and keep track of their Steam accounts.

Game sales will also be on offer, with the extensive Steam library of Windows and Mac titles available to buy from your phone.

"The Steam app comes from many direct requests from our customers," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. "Seeing which of your friends are online and playing a game, sending quick messages, looking at screenshots for an upcoming game, or catching a sale - these are all features customers have requested.

"Mobile is changing way people interact, play games and consume media, and the Steam app is part of our commitment to meet customer demands and expand the service functionality of Steam to make it richer and more accessible for everyone."

The app is free on both iOS and Android and is available now. It's a limited beta trial to begin with, so act fast if you want to be involved.

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Tags: Gaming Apps Valve Steam iPhone apps Android apps

Valve Steam app hits iOS and Android originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:31:55 +0000

We've Nintendo Wii U news aplenty following bossman Satoru Iwata's comments following the latest earnings call by the Japanese gaming giant.

First up is confirmation of what we all kind of knew already - that the next-generation console is going to land before 2012 is up. Iwata said that it will be released in the US, Europe, Australia, and Japan "for the year-end season". We think that's a Lost in Translation way of saying "in time for Christmas".

Next up is the news that Nintendo is ready to ditch the pain-in-the-bum friends code process for online gaming and open up a PlayStation Network / Xbox Live rival called Nintendo Network.

The online gaming platform will play host to "competitions and communication among users, as well as the sales of digital content," and will also launch Nintendo personal user accounts. It's going to hit the 3DS first (the "communication" part is already part of Mario Kart 7) before being an integral part of the new living room machine.

The final bit of Nintendo news is that the controller is to pack NFC capabilities. The reason for its inclusion is to "read and write data via non-contact NFC and to expand the new play format in the video game world", so expect to see plenty of games with tied in additional content such as playing cards and action figures.

Iwata also said that "adoption of this functionality will enable various other possibilities such as using it as a means of making micropayments."

Nintendo is predicting big losses financially for 2012, so will be hoping that the Wii U has a big enough pull to be the saviour.

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Tags: Gaming Nintendo NFC Nintendo Wii U

Nintendo Wii U coming 2012, complete with online gaming and NFC controllers originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:33:04 +0000

Could Microsoft be about to extend the wings of its online gaming platform, Xbox Live? If a quote from a Microsoft bod given to Forbes is anything to go by, then yes.

The business site has quoted a spokesperson from the tech company as saying:

"While the Xbox Live experiences and games always work best on the Windows platform, we understand that some Xbox fans may be using other types of devices. To satisfy that need, we are working to extend a few of our Xbox experiences and titles to other platforms."

Other platforms? We think we can probably rule out the PlayStation on this one but iOS, Android and even Mac OS X fun could be on the cards here.

At present, it is only Windows Phone users who are able to get their mobile Xbox Live game-on but, with Kinectimals recently hitting iOS, as well as the My Xbox Live app, the signs are definitely looking good.

The move would certainly increase the power of the Xbox brand, but would mean a compromise on one of Windows Phone 7's unique selling points. It will be fascinating to see if this one comes to fruition....

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Tags: Gaming Apps Xbox Live Xbox 360 Microsoft ios Android

Xbox Live landing on iOS and Android originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:44:06 +0000

With a rumoured unveiling at E3 this year, speculation about Microsoft's successor to the Xbox 360 is ramping up big time. Sources are now saying that the, for want of a better name, Xbox 720 will even support Blu-ray, even though Microsoft has previously told Pocket-lint in the past that it has no interest in the disc format.

In fact, it was formerly suggested to us by senior Microsoft staff members that the next evolutionary step for a games console would be to distance it from physical media entirely, offering games either by download or cloud streaming exclusively - a business model Apple has adopted for its iDevices successfully.

However, gaming site Kotaku claims that its "games industry sources" say that the new Xbox will switch from regular DVDs to Blu-ray discs in order to make use of the greater storage capacity on offer. And that it will feature Kinect 2, which will come with "an on-board processor, a feature originally intended for the first Kinect".

While we, for the aforementioned reasons, dispute the first claim, the second seems more than feasible. We have heard from our own sources that Microsoft is working on a follow-up to Kinect; one that may even have a shorter throw distance than the current device, in order to cater for European and Japanese homes more effectively.

There is another claim from a different Kotaku "reliable source" that is, perhaps, the most worrying, however. The site states that its contact has informed it that Microsoft is implement a non-used game system, which would not allow you to buy or sell pre-owned titles as they will only work on your specific machine.

How such a system would work is unclear. When you load the game for the first time, perhaps its individual unlock code is then associated with your Xbox Live account permanently. But that seems a bit extreme from a company that expects to battle in the next generation console sector with a potential rival from Sony; the PlayStation 4.

Anyhow, if the Xbox 720 does go down the cloud/download route, preventing the market for pre-owned games is irrelevant. You can't buy or sell a digital copy.

A comment sent to Kotaku also hints that our initial thoughts are correct: "As an innovator we're always thinking about what is next and how we can push the boundaries of technology like we did with Kinect," the spokesperson said. "We believe the key to extending the lifespan of a console is not just about the console hardware, but about the games and entertainment experiences being delivered to consumers. Beyond that we don't comment on rumors or speculation."

Ah, that old chestnut!

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Tags: Gaming Microsoft Xbox 720 Blu-ray

Xbox 720 to introduce Kinect 2 and Blu-ray... eh? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:32:00 +0000

If you're a hardcore gamer like most of the Pocket-lint team, you will no doubt be familiar with the company SNK and its Neo Geo games console back, released back in the early 90s. It was cartridge based and instead of offering conversions of full arcade games, like its rivals from Sega and Nintendo, it actually offered the real deal.

Each ROM cartridge was, essentially, the board from the actual arcade machines themselves and cost staggering amounts of cash; over ?150 per game in some cases (a huge amount of money now, let alone then). However, it was a success with those who would not put up with a reprogrammed alternative.

Now SNK, it seems, plans to lends its name and its retro games to a new portable console that bears more than a passing resemblance to an iPhone 4 or 4S.

The Neo Geo?Keitai (or Neo Geo Portable) will come with 20 games preloaded, including?World Heroes, Ultimate 11, Top Player's Golf, Sengoku, Nam-1975, Mutation Nation, Last Resort, King of Monsters, Frenzy, Cyber-Lip, Fatal Fury, Fatal Fury Special, The Art of Fighting, Super Sidekicks, League Bowling, Metal Slug, Magical Lord, Baseball Stars Professional, Samurai Shodown and classic 2D beat-em-up The King of Fighters '94.

It will sport a 4.3-inch LCD screen and 2GB of internal memory. There is also an SD card slot that will, presumably, expand that memory or accept new games.

As this is believed to be a leak at this present time, posted by Japanese website Famicom Plaza, there are no availability or pricing details, but we're pretty sure it'll cost less than the original Neo Geo console - and its games.

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Tags: Gaming SNK Neo Geo SNK Neo Geo portable

Leaked Neo Geo portable games console looks more than a little iPhone-esque originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:33:14 +0000

OnLive and BT are celebrating the launch of PES 2012 on the cloud-based gaming platform by offering up a whole host of prizes for fans of the football sim franchise.

The latest edition of Konami's FIFA rival costs ?29.99 on OnLive but anyone splashing the cash will have a chance of nabbing something for nada.

Gamers who play for three hours or more hours before January is up will be automatically entered to win either a pair of luxury box seat tickets to a top-tier match at the Emirates (top-tier, Arsenal? Bwah, ha ha), an Option 3 BT broadband line with free broadband for a year, or an OnLive Gaming Pack, including your choice between an OnLive Game System or the recently released Universal OnLive Wireless Controller.

Other prizes include a full PlayPass to any game and an OnLive beanie and PES 2012 t-shirt.

If you're tight or skint (or both) but play the free demo before the deadline, you'll automatically be entered to win one of 10 OnLive Gaming Packs, including a Universal OnLive Wireless Controller, a copy of PES 2012, or the beanie and t-shirt.

BT is currently offering free access to the OnLive PlayPack Bundle for new broadband customers, and its 100+ games, for three months as well but this offer runs out once you turn your calendar to February, so you'll need to act fast.

Tags: Gaming OnLive BT PES 2012

OnLive and BT kick-off PES 2012 in the cloud originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:26:08 +0000

Meccano is set to launch a new range of toys based on the popular Gears of War 3?games on the Xbox 360 aimed at 8-year-old kids.

In a move that will no doubt outrage Daily Mail readers and parents across our fair land, kids will be encouraged to play with Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad?as they fight a desperate, last ditched attempt to save the remaining human inhabitants of the?fictional planet?Sera from a relentless and virtually unstoppable subterranean enemy known as the?Locust Horde, but this time in "real life" rather than just on a TV screen.

The new range of toys, which are still being approved by Epic Games, will include the Armadillo APC (?24.99), the Centaur Tank (?34.99) and the King Raven helicopter (?39.99) from the three games.?There are also plans for a massive diorama, however details for this are still sketchy.

As with all?Meccano?toys, kids and grown-ups will have to build the toys first before they can play with them.?

The new range is expected to be in shops in August.?Sadly we weren't able to get a close up shots of the new models.

We will keep you posted.

?

Tags: Toys Gears of War 3 Gaming ToyFair2012 Meccano

Gears of War: The children's toy originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

A couple of years ago, Mad Catz unleashed the Cyborg RAT 7 gaming mouse which was customisable to the hilt. It could be adapted to perfectly fit your hand, and featured a?5600 dpi laser for better response during play.

Then there was the upgrade, the Cyborg RAT 9, which added removable weights, and offered 15 programmable mapping options. But both of these devices pale when compared to the inbound Cyborg M.M.O. 7 gaming mouse, a beast of a rodent, designed specifically for massively multi-player online games players.

For starters, it offers the ability to control no less than 78 different user-defined commands. There are 13 programmable buttons, a three-position MMO mode switch, and an two-position MMO shift button (13 x 3 = 39. 39 x 2 = 78). Of course, only those with memories like elephants would remembered all the different commands, but the option's there if needed.

There are?interchangeable pinkie grips and palm rests (three of each), so it can be remodelled to perfectly fit your hand, while its?6400 dpi "Twin-Eye" Laser Sensor?comes with four separate modes, so you can reduce its sensitivity as you see fit (down to 25 dpi, from the press of a button).

Like with the RAT 9, the weight of the M.M.O. 7 can be adjusted to your specification, with five removable 6g weights on offer, and an?ActionLock feature allows you to lock the left or right mouse button so that you can perform "fatigue-free" functions - such as constant camera movement and character control.

The M.M.O. 7 can, naturally, work with any game, but is specifically designed for MMOs, including Star Wars: The Old Republic and The Lords of the Rings Online, and the included software helps you map buttons to suit. However, Mad Catz has created a proprietary plug-in for World of Warcraft that allows the user to drag and drop spells, inventory items and macros directly to the buttons of the mouse.

Expected around February time, the Mad Catz Cyborg M.M.O. 7 gaming mouse works with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, and?Mac OS X version 10.6.6 or later. Its UK price is unknown at present, but it'll be $130 (?83.65) in the States.

Tags: Mad Catz Gaming Mad Catz Cyborg RAT Mice CES2012 Mad Catz Cyborg MMO 7

Cyborg M.M.O. 7 gaming mouse pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:25:00 +0000

Great Little War Game has the best name ever. After all, it is both "great" and a "war game". Of course, it could be argued that it's a little presumptuous of the developer to claim that its own creation is "great" but who cares when it has made a game this addictive.

If today's app doesn't float your warship, then why not try one of our other 380+ app reviews instead?

Great Little War Game

Platform

Android & iOS

Price

?1.86 (Android) ?1.99 (iOS)

Where

Android Market/iTunes

?

GLWG, as it shall hereafter be known, is a turn-based strategy game. At the start of a level, you're given an objective and you must wisely use your moves to achieve it as quickly as possible. The faster you get to the end of the level, the more points you'll get too. Each turn takes one day, so to get the best score you have to complete each level within a few days.

We found this pretty hard, and to be honest, it's the only aspect of the game we didn't love. But, that's possibly just us, as we always used to enjoy the challenge of building our empire in games like Command & Conquer as much as we liked doing the missions. Even so, in GLWG it does feel a little like getting the top score would be nearly impossible.

Graphically, GLWG is very pleasant too. It's 3D graphics are smooth and we didn't have any lag, and we played on the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch. There are some interface frustrations, but you don't have to watch the enemy play their turn, if you don't want to - it can take a while - and we liked that. There is still a little waiting around though, which can be frustrating when you're trying to kick some arse.

We bought our copy in the Android market sale before Christmas. It was 10p then, but it's normal price is ?1.89 for Android and ?1.99 for iOS. We've spent countless incredibly happy hours playing the game, so it's easily worth full price in our opinion. There are plenty of levels too, and we're certain that the game is long enough to keep all but the very most hardcore gamers happy for a long time indeed.

There's a choice of game modes too. You can play through the campaign, which is the standard level-based game. There's also something called "pass & play" which allows you to take turns to play against a friend, passing the device between each of you. Then there's a Skirmish mode, which just calls for you to wipe out the opposing force.

Achievements can be earned, and these are tracked but the online OpenFeint service. You can even get 25 achievement points for watching the game credits. Which seems odd, and they aren't especially long either.

All-in-all, a terrific game. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got a little war to win.?

Tags: Apps Android apps iOS apps App of the day games Gaming

APP OF THE DAY: Great Little War Game review (Android) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

The president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment believes that the success of the Nintendo 3DS proves that there is a market for handheld games consoles, thereby justifying the launch of the PS Vita next month (in the UK).

Speaking to the US PlayStation Blog at CES last week, and reported by Eurogamer, House said: "Normally we don't really reference the competition a lot when we talk about the PlayStation business, but in this case it's perhaps a little salutary that the sales of the 3DS - you know, having the advantage of releasing a little bit ahead of us - have been exceedingly good."

"I think that shows that there is, in general, a lot of demand for a gaming primary portable device, which is how I would describe Vita," he added.

"But you know, our device in contrast has just so much more to offer. What I think we've done is point to a market that really has started out with potentially casual games that are on other devices, but now wants a deeper, a better or more premiere gaming experiences."

He also believes that the launch line-up for when the PS Vita hits the UK on 22 February is very strong, and will help sales of the device pick up after its post-Christmas Japanese slump. The titles are, he said, "comfortably the strongest line-up we've had for any platform launch."

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Tags: Sony Gaming SCE PS Vita Nintendo 3DS

PS Vita: Sony boss salutes Nintendo 3DS (video) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:06:21 +0000

Sony's PS Vita hasn't been out in Japan very long, launching in December 2011, however after a promising start its sales have plummeted, dropping to 18,361 in week five.

Although you'd expect a steady decline in sales after any big launch the week five figures constitute a 95 per cent drop on the very decent week one figures of 324,859. This is a serious bit of free fall for the console and sullies the PS Vita's 500,000 units-sold milestone.

To be fair all handheld consoles have taken a bit of a hit post-Christmas, namely the PSP and 3DS, however the Vita is lagging behind and when you consider its recent launch it doesn't make for good reading; the Nintendo 3DS coming in with 100,668 units sold and the PSP at 22,538, both ahead of the aforementioned Vita figure of 18,361.

Sony will certainly be hoping for better figures come the PS Vita's worldwide launch in February and with some top-game titles in the wings providing that all important sweetener for potential customers, it could be a very different story.

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Tags: Sony Gaming PS Vita Handhelds Biz Statistics

PS Vita sales crash in post holiday slump originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:44:45 +0000

CES 2012 may have been dominated by OLED and progressively "Smart"er TVs, but there's one product that caught our eye that wasn't quite as big an announcement, but as tasty nonetheless; gaming peripheral manufacturer Mad Catz has joined forces with the Major League Gaming Pro Circuit to create a joypad that all hardcore gamers worldwide will be drooling over.

The Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit Controller is shaped like an Xbox 360 control pad, even if you buy the PS3 version (professional gamers, like us, prefer that form factor), but it is fully customisable, so you can set the thumbsticks, D-pad or weight (in the hand) however you like.

The face- and sideplates can be removed and swapped out for new ones, with shiny and matt black options in the pack, however it is what is under the fascia that's more important. Once removed, you can see some markings near all of the thumb modules, which signify that they can be taken out and replaced.

Coming with the controller are two sets of PS3 DualShock-style analogue thumbsticks, two that ape the Xbox 360's, a DualShock-style D-pad and an Xbox 360-style D-pad. You can then mix and match all of these components to make the controller fit your exact specifications. The modules are incredibly well built and sturdy (more so than their official equivalents, we'd say), and the company plans to release add-ons of all shapes and sizes as and when the pro-gamers request.

And that's not all. Like with a customised set of darts or snooker cue for serious players, the MLG Controller can be weighted to a player's ideal specification. As it?is wired (wireless is just not as responsive for tournament play), the battery compartment at the back can be unclipped and small weights can be added or removed to give the correct balance. It may sound like overly obsessive stuff, but you only need to hold one for a second to get it.

You may even require different balances and configurations for different games or genres, and for this the controller is perfect. Indeed, even if you're only half serious about your gaming, we're pretty sure, from our CES fondle, that the Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit Controller will help improve scores dramatically, no matter the game.

Of course, this doesn't come cheap... but surprisingly less than we expected. It is currently available in the US for $99.99, which could translate to ?89.99 in the UK in the near future, we're told. But, even from our brief dabble, we reckon it is worth every penny.

Tags: Gaming Mad Catz CES2012 Xbox 360 PS3 Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit Controller

Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit Controller pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:20:00 +0000

Alienware has entered the compact desktop market with the Alienware X51. Just a fraction bigger than an Xbox 360, the new hardware packs a top end Nvidia graphics card and more than enough processor grunt to run the latest games.

Conventional small desktop units, usually designed for the living room or as a cheap family PC, usually use laptop components or lack any gaming capabilities. Alienware has used its gaming expertise to fit an easily upgradeable hardware setup into an extremely small box.?

Featuring a more discreet approach to Alienware's usual over the top hardware, the X51 is more suited to those who want something stylish they can lay out in the living room, but that the kids can game on if need be. Unlike Alienware's top end desktop hardware it is also priced in differently, being a much more affordable piece of kit at around ?750. This makes the PC around ?150 more than regular compact desktops but the X51 can run games like Battlefield 3 smoothly at 1080p.

An Alienware spokesperson explained to Pocket-lint that "people into gaming are being restricted by the form factor of some hardware". The theory is that those who enjoy a game from time to time will like the way the X51 can sit inconspicuously in their setup. Like the PlayStation 3, the PC is also dual-orientation, being able to stand either vertically or horizontally.?

Inside the X51 is a choice of Sandy Bridge processors, starting out at an i3 and going up to a i7 2600. There is either a Nvidia GeForce GT 545 or more expensive GTX 555 to manage graphics and up to 8GB of RAM. Connectivity-wise, expect built in HDMI 1.4, 4x USB 2.0 slots, 2x USB 3.0, Ethernet and a full set of speaker connectors. Alienware has also thrown in its AlienFX lighting, allowing you to re-enact a small disco in your living room.?

We will have more on the X51 when we get a play with it. From the pics alone we are excited, the base model is averaging 30fps on Battlefield 3 at high settings, quite an achievement for such a small piece of kit.?

See below for a few more pics of the X51 including one of it next to the Aurora, which should give you a better idea of its size.

Tags: Gaming Computers Alienware Alienware X51 Desktop PCs

Alienware X51: Compact PC for gaming glory originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:00:00 +0000

There are casual games and there are casual games. Today’s App of the Day is one of the latter, or perhaps the former, depending on how you read that sentence. Essentially, while some of these kinds of downloads are all about swiping you finger so that object A goes into object B, this one is a little better put together, more enjoyable and will having a lasting appeal beyond 24 hours. It’ll also help if you like a spot of golf.

Super Stickman Golf

Platform

Android & iOS

Price

Free/69p

Where

Market/iTunes

Super Stickman Golf is a bit of a giveaway from the name of the game. It’s based on the golf. You get 9 holes per course, there’s no need to switch clubs and you choose the direction and power of the strike with on-screen buttons and that age old system of stopping a swingometer at the right point. There are more courses than we’ve got through so far with bags in each level of difficultly from beginner to expert. They’re very much on the arcade side and each is themed with things like ice, the moon and even a disco level.

It’s Stickman because your little avatar is a stickman and it’s Super because you can get power-ups to help you along the way. You unlock them as you go. The most useful of all has to be the Mulligan which allows you to retake a shot without losing a stroke. The Sticky Ball is also pretty amusing but we’ll leave you to discover the joys of that one on your own.

There are all the things you’d expect in a game of golf - bunkers, water hazards and that kind of jazz - as well as achievements to unlock, along with more courses too. In all, it’s a good bit of amusement with the 9 hole length making it as snackable a game as these casuals need to be. Download it now. You won’t regret it.

Tags: Gaming App of the day iPhone apps Android apps Super Stickman Golf Sports games

APP OF THE DAY: Super Stickman Golf review (Android & iOS) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:58:30 +0000

Quite apart from anything else, a decent platformer, like the one featured in our App of the Day, goes a long way in banishing boredom during the cold winter months.

When you start adding an innovative, if characterful, design, multiple methods of level completion as well a nice sound, then you're surely onto a winner.

And that's if you're not a sheep fan; if you do have a soft spot for the friendly-four-legged-fleecy folk, then this is an absolute must. It is...

The Sheeps

Format

iPhone

Price

Free

Where

iTunes

The premise of The Sheeps is, indeed, a simple one: you have to get your three friends across the screen from point A to point B in one piece. However, as this is a puzzle game, your route will often be barred by many ingenious obstacles meaning you'll have to resort to the grey matter in order to achieve your goal.

Controls are simple enough with your sheep able to jump and walk around the screen. Controls are added on both sides of the screen enabling a degree of flexibility when moving the three sheeps around.

The sheep in question also have names: Katty, Justine and Samantha. But their names aren't the only thing that differentiate them, oh no; they are also different sizes. This gives them different attributes when it comes to crawling under objects, pushing things out of the way or jumping up over boxes, and as all of the sheep need to reach the end it will mean the three sheep working as a team.

If anyone has played the old PC game Head over Heels, it is similar in the way you have to team up to get past an obstacle - just on a smaller scale, thankfully.

The gameplay is good, and most of the puzzles are well thought out, although at times it feels as if your route to the end needs an element of luck to go with your well thought-out strategy - although this doesn't happen often.

There is a paid-for version available without the ads, although they're pretty unobtrusive. There are also tips to be had with the free version, although strangely require a purchase with the paid-for app. Still, it's entertaining and there's enough here to give your brain a good workout.

Tags: Apps iPhone apps App of the day Gaming

APP OF THE DAY: The Sheeps review (iPhone) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

The US Army has officially endorsed a range of gaming peripherals as produced by CTA Digital.

Leading the pack at CES 2012 was the?US Army Elite Force Assault Rifle for PlayStation 3 & Move, as pictured. It is modelled bump for bump on the genuine assault rifles as used by the troops, only with the addition of PlayStation controls and a red bit at the end so that no one will be too scared if you try to rob a bank with one.

Now, when we say PlayStation controls we mean absolutely every button, stick and function you'll find on a standard DualShock controller - including the vibrations - only spread about the weapon in a slightly different fashion. Essentially, the left and right controls have been put onto the grips of the thing and the menu-type buttons are on the side. Note also that there's a slot on the top where you can wedge a Move controller if you want to have your gestures and, ultimately, where you point the thing, to have an effect too.

It's certainly smooth and easy enough to use. The sticks were a touch on the loose side for our liking but the major flaw is that it's a bit on the silly side if it's not a Move game otherwise you soon discover that you can play with the gun facing the floor, the ceiling or your wall hangings and it makes no difference at all. It may as well just be an odd shaped controller - ok, well, an odd shaped controller with authentic camouflage.

On top of the Assault Rifle, there'll also be a backpack for your console, a pair of closed cup gaming headphones and a throat mic, as well, which means you'll be able to do your game chat without screaming the house down.

All of the products will be available in February, if not before, with the rifle at around $80 and the headsets at $60 and less.

Tags: Gaming Gaming accessories Guns Controllers PlayStation Move Gun PlayStation CES2012

US Army certified gaming guns and gear hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:40:00 +0000

We were looking to take a little load off after wandering the halls of CES 2012 when we chanced upon a yet to launch product from gaming chair specialist X Rocker. Normally associated with a way of getting surround sound, vibration and comfort fitted neatly into a seat for for console players to enjoy, this so far unnamed piece of furniture is something quite different.

The X Rocker Pocket Chair, as we'll call it for our convenience, has no sound nor wires to attach it to your telly. In fact, there's no need for batteries or any source of power at all. It's a material finish pseudo-arm chair stuffed to the gunnels with bean bag beans but packed so tight that you don't slip around on it at all. The real point of the thing though are the pockets, holders, zip closed compartments and disc slots that cover its outer surface. It's effectively an entire gaming cabinet with space for Guitar Hero/Rock Band instruments, games, controllers, headsets, liquid refreshment and just about anything you'd care to think of.

On the downside, it doesn't exactly look neat and tidy but then it's probably a lot neater and tidier than having its contents scattered all over your living space. So, it really looks like it's aimed at the student/early twentysomething. Gamers in a married or cohabiting couple need not apply.

As for the name, well, according to Michel P. Brechtel, vice president Sales & Marketing at Ace Bayou, the company behind X Rocker, they're running a bit of a competition for the public to come up with the most appropriate title before it arrives on the market some time in Q2. When it does turn up, you can expect to pay somewhere in the region of $100-125.

It's also worth noting that Mr Brechtel is a fairly big dude - we'd guess around 6'4" - so the chair is actually larger than it looks in the picture with him sitting on it.

Tags: Gaming Gaming accessories Chairs CES2012 X Rocker

X Rocker pocket chair pictures and bum-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:33:30 +0000

Razer always pull something pretty big out of the bag at tech shows and this year's CES is no?exception?as the PC gaming?specialist?has unleashed?the Project Fiona PC Gaming Tablet.

Fiona, as we'll call it, is a hybrid PC/tablet that is designed to get you gaming on the go. And not just casual app style games, but all the meaty titles thanks to the?Intel Core i7 packed within. There's also a full-screen user interface supporting multi-touch, a?3-axis gyro, a magnetometer, an accelerometer,?Dolby 7.1 surround sound,?Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and?Bluetooth 3.0.

But unlike a regular tablet, it also packs some physical control options;?integrated dual game controllers with ultra-precise analogue sticks. It's like an iPad and an Xbox controller got it on and had a baby.

“While multi-touch screens have become the de facto user interface for tablets, they are not the right interface for serious PC gaming,” said Min-Liang Tan, CEO of Razer.

“The user interface we have designed for Project Fiona allows all existing PC games to be played right out of the box and also provides game developers new opportunities as they develop next-gen games on a highly-intuitive platform. Both developers and gamers are going to love the new user interface that combines the best of a gamepad, multi-touch screen and accelerometers for an all-new gaming experience on-the-go.”

It's due out before the end of the year and should come in at less than $1,000.

Tags: Gaming PC gaming Tablets Razer Razer Project Fiona CES2012

Razer unleashes Project Fiona PC gaming tablet (pictures) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:23:00 +0000

The very best gadgets of CES 2012 is what we bring you at Pocket-lint, but this page right here is even better. It's the best of the best, the best-est, the tip top, the A-No.1 As far as the hottest gadgets of world's largest consumer electronics trade show goes.

Throughout our time in Las Vegas this year, the team will be updating this page with the devices that really catch our eye. So, if we think something has a bright future, is highly original or just gets our geek juices flowing for some unknown reason, you'll find it here. These are the hottest gadgets of CES 2012 and the ones we think you should be taking notice of.

?

Acer Iconia Tab A700

We all went "ooh" when the?Acer Iconia Tab A200 was officially announced earlier back in December but then went "boo" when we found out it was a Tegra 2 machine and not a much anticipated Tegra 3 flavoured one.?But our Kal-El Iconia expectations look set to be met with the Ice-Cream Sandwich-packing Acer Iconia Tab A700 now confirmed as a quad-core device.

The Android 4.0.1, 10.1-inch tab boasts a Full HD 1080p resolution and what appears to be SIM, micro-USB, micro-HDMI and audio jack fun too. There's a camera on the back, purportedly a 5-megapixel one that can shoot HD video, but we couldn't get that confirmed. Read more | Hands-on

?

Fujifilm X-Pro 1

Take the hugely successful retro-styled, APS-C sized sensor camera that is the Fuji X100, give it a mount for interchangeable Fujinon lenses and you've got yet another red hot gadget from CES 2012.?The Fujifilm X-Pro 1 is a 16-megapixel machine with the added benefit of Fujifilm's now familiar EXR technology.

In terms of glassware, it's reported that the X-Pro 1 will get three prime lenses - an 18mm F/2, 35mm F/1.4 and 60mm F/2.4?macro. The other thing to note about the X-Pro 1 is that it offers a hybrid viewfinder similar to the highly acclaimed one in the X100. Read more

?

Griffin Twenty

The heat from the Griffin Twenty is all about the fact that it can turn any speakers into AirPlay ready ones saving you the chore of having to upgrade if you want to stream your music around your house. The new gadget uses an Airport Express to capture the AirPlay stream, decodes it, then sends the lossless, amplified sound through any speakers connected.

The Twenty comes equipped with a power connection and mount for Airport Express and features a 2.1 channel sound system with 20W output per channel, as well as offering users the chance to plug in a powered subwoofer with an automatic active crossover at 80Hz. Hands-on

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Lenovo X1 Hybrid

A clever idea from Lenovo makes for a laptop that can provide far greater battery life for day-to-day tasks than a normal, Windows-based PC. For things like surfing the net, watching video or writing documents you just put Windows in to sleep mode, and switched to a Linux-based OS.

The system works using not just an Intel CPU, but also a dual-core Qualcomm processor too. Using a processor like this obviously cuts power consumption enormously, and while you won't be able to run games and other Windows applications, it's ideal when you need a bit of stamina from your laptop.

It's nice and slim too, making for a laptop that has all of the advantages of a Windows-powered computer, but with some additional benefits too. Hands-on

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Ion Audio Guitar Apprentice

iPad owners will, no doubt, have been waiting for this for some time. It's just amazing it's taken this long for someone to invent a guitar shaped case for the iPad. Of course, the idea here is that you can play guitar on your iPad, whilst looking like some sort of idiot at the same time.

The good news is, for a modest 65 quid, you do get a bit of kit that, when linked to an Ion application, can teach you how to play the guitar. It does this with lights that illuminate where your fingers need to be. Is it a serious tool, or a money-wasting gimmick? We'll investigate when it eventually launches in the UK. For now though, at least it takes pretending to be Slash to a whole new level. Photos

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Huawei Ascend P1 S

Had you read this article yesterday, we might have been telling you about a different phone here. But the current champion in the "world's?slimmest?phone" stakes is the Huawei Ascend P1 S, which is a lot?thinner?than that?clumsy?name. But, with a depth of just 6.68mm, it certainly is a tiny little thing.?

There's a 1.5Ghz dual-core TI processor here too, and 1GB of RAM, so it's diminutive size shouldn't mess up its performance at all. The phone will also ship with Android in its Ice Cream?Sandwich?flavour, which is a relief, as a phone this slim deserves a full-fat OS. Hands-on

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LG 55EM9600 OLED TV

OLED TVs are something of the tech industry's unicorn. They're exciting, but pretty much mythical. Until now that is, because LG is finally showing of a 55-inch TV, beating the previous record set by Sony of 11-inches in a production model.

What's more, the asking price of $8000 (?5188) sounds like a bit of a bargain to us. Although it's not cheap, compare it to the launch prices of LCD and plasma TVs, and it stacks quite favourably. And with OLED offering super-fast refresh rates and amazing colour, this could be the start of something very exciting.

Of course. OLED has a lot of quirks too. Panels are said to have a short lifespan, and their vivid colour might look good on demo loops, but how will it look showing an episode of Eastenders? Hands-on

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Sony Xperia S?

Sony might have some troubles at the moment, but in phones it seems to have finally cracked the winning?formula. The Xperia S proves this by rocking up at CES with a 720p HD screen, 1.5GHz processor and built-in storage of 32GB. It also has a little bit of clear plastic that makes it appear as if it's in two pieces.

But design gimmicks aside, we have a lot of love for this phone already. It looks stylish, cool and subtle. It's also likely to be one of the first phones to do away with the Sony Ericsson name. It is not, however, going to be one of the first phones of 2012 that has Ice Cream Sandwich but an upgrade is promised this year. Read more?

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Nokia Lumia 900

Considering the Lumia 900 might not come to the UK, we're still as excited as children on Christmas day about it. Many of the things we'd change about out 800 have been tweaked on the 900. Gone is the USB flap, added is a new, wide-angle video camera on the front and the screen is just that little bigger and sexier.?

It's a 4G LTE phone too, which means super-fast surfing where those networks are in place. Happily, the UK and Europe should start seeing support for these speeds soon, but until then, the main advantage of the Lumia is just for the Americans - explaining why it's on sale there, not here. Hands-on

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Panasonic VT50?

Since the Pioneer Kuro went the way of the Dodo, we've missed having an ultimate plasma TV to drool on. The good news is, Panasonic continues its quest to bring Kuro technology to its Viera screens. Last year's VT30 was already one of the best TVs we've seen, and the VT50 looks even better. You'll be able to get this TV in both 55- and 65-inches so you might want to start clearing space now.

There is THX 3D certification, a stunning one-piece glass design and a new kind of remote that is designed for the new "smart" TV features that are common on new TVs. You'll also get built-in support for Skype, Netflix and YouTube, which should help when there's nothing good on the telly. Read more

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Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook

If you could marry a laptop, then we have a feeling that we'd tie the knot with the Dell XPS 13 in a rush wedding in Las Vegas. Sure, it might only last a few years, but we'd have a blast thanks to that carbon fibre and aluminium body. It's got brains, as well as looks too, with a choice of i5 and i7 processors 4GB of RAM and a choice of 128 or 256GB SSD drives.?

The XPS 13 will be available from March, and while it's not the first Ultrabook we've seen - we've been around the block you know - it certainly looks like the prettiest yet. Hands-on preview

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook

As names go, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook has to be one of the worst yet. Sure, it's not as bad as the model numbers that come stamped on some TVs, but as a clumsy pile of nonsense it's right up there. But that hasn't put us off this?intriguing?machine. It's an Ultrabook, with all that involves, but it also has a twisty screen that allows it to be used as a tablet too.?

Let's be honest here. It's not going to upset the iPad apple cart too much, is it, but as an idea for a different kind of Ultrabook, it's a pretty good one. Lenovo has form here too, it's done laptops that convert in to tablets before, and they're always pretty decent. Hands-on

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Samsung's transparent smart window

Look at your window. Now look at the Samsung smart window. Now look back at your window, and cry at how boring and low-tech it is. The idea here, is to turn glass surfaces in to information points, and places for you to watch video as well as maintain your privacy.?

Samsung says, you won't be able to see on from the other side, so people who enjoy being naked in the privacy of their own home need not worry. Like all concepts, this is doubtless a long way off, but we can't wait. Read more

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iPro wideangle lens for iPhone

The camera on the iPhone is very good but there's always room for improvement, or room even for a little more picture. Which is where the iPro comes in. It gives you a choice of two lenses. One a normal wide-angle and the other a fairly extreme fisheye.

The kit is $200 in the US, but it's expected to be available globally soon. Hands-on

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Intel Medfield Atom Android smartphone?

Intel has been left out of the smartphone market, and that must hurt. After all, it's used to being king of the processors and suddenly it's being overtaken by the likes of Qualcomm. Our first impressions were good, the phones seems powerful and there's a lot of potential here.?

Of course, most users won't care what processor powers their phone. Do you know what's in your handset?running?the show? But even so, it brings more competition, could help speed phones up and should certainly drive prices down. Hands-on

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JVC?GY-HMQ10 4K camcorder

4K production isn't new, certainly this is how digital cinema has worked since it first started. But for a home camcorder aimed at normal people, costing just a few thousand pounds, it's quite an advance.?

JVC says editing and watching 4K footage is straightforward, although you'll need a quick computer. The camera shoots to SD cards, so storage is cheap, and if you want to step down to 1080p, that's no problem either, as the advanced optics mean you'll get superb quality. Read more

Tags: Audio Phones Televisions CES2012 Laptops Tablets Gaming Cameras Features

Hottest gadgets at CES 2012 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:35:00 +0000

OnLive is due to hit Google TVs, bringing built-in cloud based gaming to your television. As of now, those who own a Google TV can use OnLive viewer, which will let you view content being played via the arena. You cannot, however, actually play games using OnLive, this is coming soon.

OnLive has been showing off gameplay at CES on a Vizio VAP430, which like all current and future Google TV devices, supports the OnLive controller.?

It means a massive change to the way people play games, bringing out of the box instant console quality gaming without the need for any console purchases whatsoever. Unlike some Smart TVs, which offer built in basic apps like Angry Birds, the inclusion of OnLive means being able to play games like Batman Arkham City and Deus Ex.?

We expect, although don't quote us on this, that some television manufacturers will start offering OnLive controllers bundled with their Google TV devices. This isn't restricted just to televisions either, Google TV can be found in Blu-ray players, set top boxes and media streamers.?

Those who don't currently own an OnLive controller, but want to give the service a go on their Google TV can either use a standard USB game controller or the television remote itself.?

We will have more on the built-in Google TV OnLive gaming when we have played with it.?

Tags: Gaming OnLive Google Google TV CES2012

OnLive coming to Google TV originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:06:00 +0000

The UK Association for Interactive Entertainment has released a list of the top ten best selling games in 2011. Most of it is relatively unsurprising, like Call of Duty sitting at the top, but there are games in the list in positions that we didn't expect.

Second came FIFA 12, followed closely by Battlefield 3, which in all honesty we had expected to be positioned the other way round. EA's shooter built by DICE was something different to the usual online Call of Duty experience and clearly made a big impact from day one. Both, however, were relatively puny in comparison to COD's sales, which grabbed ?83 million in the first week. Battlefield 3 did stay within the top 10 most popular week one sales however.

Next up was Zumba fitness, the first motion sensing title in the lineup. Sitting at fourth, it shows how much things like Kinect have infiltrated into the gaming market. In fifth was The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, which stood out as one of our favourite games last year. Released relatively recently, it hasn't had as long to accumulate sales as other titles.?

Dance 3 in sixth was the next motion control title. It was our best reviewed Kinect game this year and is definitely worth picking up if you have one of the devices. Assassins Creed: Revelations followed, with L.A. Noire sitting in eighth.

The real major surprise of the line up was that Saints Row: The Third sits above Batman: Arkham City. The latter picked up a Pocket-lint award for Game of the Year.

Tags: Gaming PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 UKIE

The best selling video games of 2011 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:13:00 +0000

Qualcomm has told Pocket-lint that its new Snapdragon S4 processor that is working its way into mobile handsets due out in the coming months will be able to create games graphics as good as, if not better than, the soon to be released dedicated handheld games console the Sony PlayStation Vita.

"The next GPU on the Snapdragon S4 is better than the Xbox 360 and the one after that will be better than the PS3," Dave Durnil, Director and General Manager of Advanced Content and Gaming at Qualcomm told Pocket-lint. "The Snapdragon S4 devices arriving in the coming months will be comparable or better than the PS Vita in terms of graphics."

The news is likely to be a massive blow for Sony who is keen to convince gamers that they need to get a dedicated device to enjoy the latest state of the art games.

"Mobile has caught up in terms of graphics experience. The next generation of kids are going to get smartphones or tablets, not a handheld games console or Xbox 360," explained Durnil. "The barrier of entry is gigantic to go for a dedicated games console."

Durnil believes the moment that chip makers and game developers can duplicate the same experience on a different platform, for example a smartphone or tablet, will be the moment the dedicated device becomes less compelling to buy.

"Nintendo is very good at trying to create something different. We saw this with the 3D and the 3DS," noted Durnil. "The minute consumers can't differentiate between mobile and consoles is the moment consoles will die."

In a move that is likely to send even more concerns Sony and Nintendo's way, Durnil said that Qualcomm was actively working with big publishers to bring the big games to Snapdragon S4 and mobile.?

Tags: Gaming CES2012 Sony PlayStation Vita Sony Qualcomm Snapdragon

Qualcomm: Snapdragon S4 phones will be better than PS Vita originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:02:00 +0000

It looks like Alienware is lining up to launch their next generation of gaming desktop, teasing with their Let Your Hero Out video.

There isn't much to go on, but we can expect plenty of gaming power and breath-taking design for the new PC. The date given in the video is 18 Jan 2012 for a reveal, so I guess we'll know all the details by then.?

Alienware recently launched a new Aurora desktop in December 2011, at which point the Area 51 retired from active service. Therefore, it would be logical to guess that this will be an exciting new Area 51 desktop, which some had expected to see launched at CES 2012 in Las Vegas.

In previous years we've seen a run of Alienware gaming laptops released, you can read our review of the Alienware M11x R3 here.

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Tags: Alienware Dell Video Desktops Gaming

Alienware teases new desktop, promises to be triumphant (video) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:25:00 +0000

Just as it did when it tuned in Last.fm for HTML5 scrobbling, Microsoft is flexing its IE9 HTML5 muscles again - this time by bringing Cut The Rope to the browser, as shown by CEO Steve Ballmer during his keynote presentation.

That's right Om Nom lovers, your favourite little green, er, thing is back with 25 levels of online fun - including 7 brand spanking new ones never seen on any other platform before.

This isn't an attempt by Microsoft to launch a Google+ or Facebook rivalling online gaming platform though, merely another attempt to demo the HTML5 skills of its latest Internet Explorer browser. Cut the Rope, Gabby?Hegerty, Internet Explorer's lead in the UK, told Pocket-lint is "as close to the original as possible" but "fast" as a result of tweaks such as GPU hardware acceleration.

The game is a result of a partnership between IE9 engineers and developers from both ZeptoLab and? Pixel Lab. And whilst the game will work on any modern browser packing HTML5 power, you'll only get the complete experience on IE9.

And that's because, as well as the 18 familiar levels, the 7 new ones are only activated once you pin an IE9 version of the game to your Windows 7 taskbar. As well as the 7 new levels you'll also be treated to some cute Cut The Rope cursors and buttons as well if you do this.

Also, if you're killing time playing at work and don't want the bossman to catch you, you can switch off the music and even play a SD version of the game if your work-based PC is struggling with the HD one.

It's free to play and is available now at www.cuttherope.ie. There's also a wealth of info available regarding the technical side of the browser conversion for any budding developers out there.

Tags: Online Gaming HTML5 Cut The Rope Microsoft Browsers Internet Explorer 9

Microsoft gets its IE9 HTML5 game on with Cut the Rope originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:03:00 +0000

Angry Birds is coming to Samsung Smart TVs soon. The games of the world-renowned and hugely successful casual game franchise will be available to download through the company's Smart Hub and rendered in Full HD.

The announcement was made by Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America, who had a conversation with an on-screen Angry Bird as part of a whole range of new app teases for later this year.

As well as Angry Birds, a number of content deals have been made which we shall see the fruit of shortly, including the acquisition of the rights to stream 3D converted versions of Battlestar Galactica, the most recent science fiction series (rather than the 70s/80s one), through Samsung's Media Hub service.

The company also announced that in just two years, the number of developers developing applications for Samsung's Smart Hub have risen from 500 to 25,000.

Tags: Samsung CES2012 Televisions Gaming Samsung Smart TV Samsung Smart Hub Angry Birds Rovio

Angry Birds coming to Samsung Smart TVs originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:55:39 +0000

The massive success of the iCade iPad arcade cabinet has prompted manufacturer Ion Audio into adding to the range, including an iCade Core arcade style controller, the iCade Mobile controller case for iPhone and a mini version of the original, the iCade Jnr.

Almost identical, just miniaturised, the iCade Jnr works by linking to your iPhone or iPod touch via Bluetooth and is compatible with a rapidly growing range of games, which the company claims to number more than 200 at present.

The cabinet Pocket-lint got to see at CES in Las Vegas wasn't functional yet, being merely a mock-up, so we can't tell you what it plays like. But, considering the excellent response time and build quality of the original we're expecting big things from this, er, small thing.

Release date and pricing details for the iCade Jnr are not know at present, but we'll let you know as soon as we find out. Its?bigger brother?(which only came about after ThinkGeek created a dummy as an April Fool's joke initially) was ?80 on launch, so we'd expect the dinkier version to be cheaper than that.

Tags: CES2012 Ion Gaming Phones iPhone iPod Touch iCade Jnr

iCade Jnr coming for iPhone arcade gaming originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:07:00 +0000

We've seen a few gamepad accessories for the iPhone in the past, one being the Gametel Bluetooth adaptor we've previously played with, but the iCade Mobile is the first that allows the phone or iPod touch to be?swivelled?around for either landscape or portrait play.

For all intents and purposes, the Bluetooth controller looks like a stretched Sony PSP. It has top bumper buttons and triggers, four action buttons and a direction pad. The iOS device slots into a central housing and, well, that's about it.

It's a fairly hefty piece of kit, feeling substantial in the hand, and works with any of the rapidly expanding list of games that have been converted to be compatible with Ion's iCade system. Unfortunately, you can't just play any game at all, but with more devices like this coming, you can bet that developers will be keen to sign up - especially as we've been told that the control codes are simple to implement at programming level.

At $79.99, the iCade Mobile isn't cheap, but it could help provide the impetuous needed for hardcore gamers to take the iPhone seriously.

Tags: Gaming Phones iPhone iPhone accessories iPod Touch Ion Ion iCade Mobile iCade CES2012

iCade Mobile turns your iPhone into a PSP... sort of (pictures) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:59:00 +0000

Call of Duty: Black Ops was the most played game on the Xbox 360 based on Unique Users that connected to Xbox LIVE in 2011 to play the game according figures released by Microsoft on Friday.

Although the company hasn't said how many gamers opted to play the first person shooter, it has listed the top twenty games played over the last year.?

The list is dominated by Call of Duty, Battlefield, and other first person shooters suggesting Xbox gamers like to kill stuff more than anything else.

But the top 20 list also highlights just how popular Skyrim has been. The game ranked 6th overall even though it was only released in November.

Another November title that has performed well is the box office smash hit Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 3 which placed second behind the older title Call of Duty: Black Ops.?

Implying that is isn't just Americans trying to kill things, sports titles like FIFA 12, and Madden NFL 12 are also in the top charts.

The full list is as follows:

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops

2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

3. Call of Duy: Modern Warfare 2

4. Halo: Reach

5. Battlefield 3

6. Skyrim

7. Gears of War 3

8. FIFA 12

9. FIFA Soccer 11

10. Madden NFL 12

11. GTA IV

12. NBA 2K11

13. Battlefield: Bad Co. 2?

14. Call of Duty 4

15. Battlefield 3 Beta?

16. Halo 3

17. Gears of War 2

18. Forza Motorsport 4

19. Red Dead Redemption

20. Call of Duty: WaW

The top 20 story is very different for Windows Phone 7 users. They have stuck to big puzzle games rather than "murder, death, kill".

Again late arriver Angry Birds is the most played game in the Marketplace according to Microsoft, beating Fruit Ninja and Plants vs Zombies to the top spot.

The full list is as follows:

1. Angry Birds

2. Fruit Ninja

3. PvZ

4. Need for Speed Undercover

5. Full House Poker

6. MONOPOLY

7. Doodle Jump

8. Bejeweled LIVE

9. Rise Of Glory

10. geoDefense

11. ilomilo

12. Assassin’s Creed – Alta?r’s Chronicles HD

13. Sonic 4 Episode I

14. Tetris

15. Fable: Coin Golf

16. Hydro Thunder GO

17. The Harvest

18. Uno

19. Tentacles

20. The Sims 3

Read

Tags: Gaming Xbox 360 Microsoft Angry Birds Windows Phone 7 Call of Duty Black Ops Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

Call of Duty: Black Ops most played Xbox 360 LIVE game of 2011, Angry Birds wins Windows Phone 7 choice originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:35:00 +0000

Sony and Microsoft are set to go head to head at the E3 games expo this June, with the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720 both purportedly to be given d?buts at the LA based show.

That's the low-down according to gaming site MCV, who claims to have confirmed the details with "third-party publishing sources" who state that Microsoft had "signalled to partners" that it was all set and Sony would "not be left behind this time".

Microsoft famously beat Sony to the 7th generation console punch back in the mid-noughties with the Xbox 360 getting a head start on the PS3. A start that led to a lead it has never let slip.

This isn't the first E3 launch murmurs for the two consoles either. Back in November an Edge report stated that Ubisoft Montreal (the development team behind Assassin's Creed Revelations) is "hard at work on target boxes?based on the intended specifications of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 successor" using PCs stacked with off-the-shelf components supplied by Microsoft itself with a view to an E3 showcase.

And, later that month Jim Ryan, PlayStation Europe's big cheese, said that it would be "undesirable" for the PS4 launch to lag too far behind the competition. Nintendo's Wii U is all set to hot shops this year, don't forget.

And if you think we're being presumptuous with our Xbox 720 moniker, you'll do well to remember that Microsoft itself has already revealed the name....sort of. In the Real Steel movie, which is set in the near-future, the logo can be spotted on advertising hoardings at the "Bing Arena" (alongside one for Virgin Galactic).

Pocket-lint reached out for comment from both Sony and Microsoft regarding the latest rumour. Unsurprisingly, they are both keeping tight-lipped on any future developments.

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Tags: Gaming Sony Microsoft E3 PS4 PlayStation 4 Xbox Xbox 720

Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 to go head to head in June originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:37:00 +0000

The company behind the?Gametel Bluetooth gamepad?for Android phones that we saw before Christmas, has just confirmed to Pocket-lint that the controller now works with the iPhone and iPad too.

Previously only compatible with Android smartphone and tablets, the Bluetooth controller now transforms your iPhone and iPad into portable games console, delivering a level of gameplay accuracy and immersion never experienced on Apple devices.

Compatible with Apple iPhone running iOS 4.0 or later and Apple iPad running iOS 3.2 or later, Gametel supports hundreds of arcade titles from the iCADE suite, including classics like Missile Commander, Asteroids, Centipede, Pong, Super Breakout, Lunar Lander and Warlords.

Alongside these retro titles, other selected iOS games, such as No Gravity, Silverfish, Super Crossfire HD and Terra Noctis, are also available to download from Apple’s iTunes App Store.

Gametel connects to the device via Bluetooth while a built-in adjustable spring-loaded clamp allows secure docking of any Android handset and iPhone. Once paired the Gametel automatically connects to the device every time it is powered on.

A quick play on the gamepad we've got in the office and it works a treat. Users won't need to download any app to allow the system to work, it just works. ?

The device costs ?49.99 and is on sale now.?

Tags: Gaming Phones Gametel iPhone iPad

Gametel Bluetooth gamepad adds iPhone and iPad support originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Microsoft has announced that it has resurrected its flight simulator franchise in the guise of Microsoft Flight, a new PC game that "lets players jump into the challenge, fun and freedom of flight."

However, if you're expecting a mega worldwide flying experience - then don't. "Microsoft Flight" will be available as a free download this spring, but restricted to allowing you to fly the skies over Hawaii.

Still, while the flying arena might not be as big as you'd hoped, you shouldn't let it dampen your spirits.?There will be a variety of exciting missions, the chance to test your skills in flying challenges and find hidden aero-caches on the island.

According to Microsoft:

"Players [will] view the world from above in a visually stunning and realistic representation of the earth, complete with region-specific weather patterns, foliage, terrain and landmarks. Players can choose to take the helm using?highly rendered, accurate cockpits and authentic piloting procedures, or simply use their mouse and keyboard to control the plane in an exterior view."

More experienced players?can tailor?the?flight controls to match their skill level.

While the initial experience will be free, players will be able to expand the game excessively soon afterwards. Players who sign in to their Games for Windows Live, for example, will automatically receive additional free content, including a Boeing Stearman plane, supplementary missions and access to achievements and an Online Pilot Profile.

Those looking to deepen their experience can purchase and download additional content that adds new aircraft, regions and customisation options.

There also looks to be daily aerocache challenges and updates promised too.

In a further attempt to lure would-be pilots, you'll also be able to fly the new ICON A5 before real-world production starts at the end of 2012.

Designed by the aeronautical engineers behind the Voyager spaceship, X-Prize winning SpaceShipOne, and Virgin Galatic’s SpaceShipTwo, the ICON A5 is the “jet ski for the skies,” a high-wing amphibious monoplane with a carbon fibre airframe and a comfortable, automobile-inspired cockpit with space for two.

The ICON A5 will be the first aircraft available to players for free in Microsoft Flight.

The game is out in the spring. Those who can't wait that long can sign up for the closed beta here.?

Tags: Gaming PC games Microsoft Microsoft Flight Simulation games

Microsoft Flight takes, erm, flight originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:41:00 +0000

Since its launch, Star Wars: The Old Republic has thrown up a few issues, with Bioware even going to the extent of warning and then banning players for exploiting bugs in the system in its first month. Now though, it seems the developer of the massively successful massively multiplayer online game is taking a more softly softly approach. Which is just as well, because this hilarious exploit may never have seen the light of day otherwise.

One SWOTR player and forumite posted this video of, what is now known as, the "/getdown exploit" on the official forums, and while he has been politely informed that it has been taken down, he still lives to fight another day: "We recently removed your thread about the /getdown video," the poster claims to have been told by Bioware. "We appreciate you trying to bring it to our attention but we do not allow the posting of potential exploits on the forums. Note this message is just to let you know and is NOT a warning against your account!"

The exploit itself is hilarious, and even if stamped out promptly by the developer in patch form, it's immortalised in the video posted by?iAmPeacecraft. Typing /getdown during the game allows your character to burst into dance, cutting some groovy disco moves. However, doing it while in battle constantly interrupts your opponent, including boss baddies. They can't use any of their power attacks so your team mates can easily dispatch them, plus, you don't take damage while dancing.

Great stuff, if short-lived.

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Tags: Star Wars Gaming Star Wars The Old Republic MMORPGs MMO Video

Star Wars: The Old Republic /getdown exploit brings invincibility while you boogie (video) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:29:00 +0000

The sales of the PS Vita, Sony's new handheld games console, have dropped in the second week of release in Japan. While it sold 325,000 units in its first 48 hours (17 - 18 December) the following 7 days saw a massive dip, with only a further?72,479 devices sold.

Some sites, such as GamesRadar, are even reporting that some retailers are already cutting the price of the 3G version of the Vita by up to 20 per cent. One retailer is now listing the 3G model at 24,999 yen (?208) whereas it launched at?29,980 yen (?250).

News site Forbes also believes that prices could be slashed even further in the coming weeks: "Sony will likely be forced to cut the price of the PS Vita from 24’000 yen to well below 20’000 yen very soon," it says.

In addition, it believes that Sony's pricing strategy for the US launch could cause more troubles for the handheld's initial take-up: "The upcoming US launch could be a true debacle for several reasons. Sony has decided to price Vita at $250, higher than the Amazon Kindle Fire. The hottest games like the latest Uncharted are priced at $50, while many other major titles are $40," it states.

"The tablet and iPhone market penetration rates in America are higher than in Japan – consumers may well be more reluctant to splurge on expensive, proprietary handheld consoles."

Of course, many were writing off the Nintendo 3DS after poor launch sales figures, but in its 9 months of?existence, it has sold more units than the now hugely successful Wii did after it launched. Although, it must be said, that its first week figures of 370,000, with 210,000 units sold in week two vastly outnumber those of the PS Vita.

The Sony PlayStation Vita hits the UK on 22 February, priced at ?279 for the 3G + Wi-Fi version, ?229 for Wi-Fi only.

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Tags: Sony Gaming PS Vita SCEE PlayStation Vita

PS Vita Japanese sales dip in second week - too expensive? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:51:00 +0000

We love our gadgets, we all do, but as the competition continues to get tougher and tougher, companies have to make better and better gadgets to stay not just relevant, but in business.

Here are nine companies that are going to find 2012 tough. Some will have the gumption to stay in the game, others however, we believe, will either be bought or sadly close completely.

The king is dead long live the king.

Kodak

Kodak's decline and fall?has been steady in the last couple of years, like a dog waiting to be put down, and now the end is almost here.

The company has been taking drastic measures by selling off all that it can to stay alive, but with high costs and little left to sell, 2012 is likely to see the end of the long-established camera brand.

RIM

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is such a mixed bag. On the one hand the company is adding more and more subscribers every month; on the other its profits are falling, the co-founders are struggling and the PlayBook, the company's tablet, has failed to take off.

With news that new phones running BlackBerry OS 10 won't be appearing until the end of the year, RIM and the BlackBerry will have a tough 12 months ahead.

Nokia

Nokia's "everything in" approach to Windows Phone 7 has got off to a flying start, but the road to victory is long; consumers are fickle, and ultimately it is just the start.

Nokia has not only got to convince users of its Symbian OS - where it makes most of its money at the moment - that it is still on their side, but attempt to persuade smartphone users that Android and Apple aren't cool anymore. That's a tough fight in anyone's books.

HMV

The UK high street is about to become a rather grim place, with numerous companies already filing for administration after poor Christmas sales.

One such retailer in the tech sector to feel the squeeze is HMV. It started showing signs that it was struggling in 2011, and as more and more of us look to the download or access the "Cloud" for our music, movies, and games, the need for a high street shop in order to buy these "things" just isn't going to be there.

Best Buy

Huge plans of a UK expansion were dashed in 2011 with the confirmation that it would be closing all of its UK "big out of town stores" in 2012 (Best Buy UK to cease trading 15 January 2012: Closing down sale begins). The brand will live on in the guise of smaller elements within Carphone Warehouse, but you have to ask for how long?

AMD

Who? AMD might be all but forgotten already, but it isn't out for the count yet. Whether the same can be said 12 months from now is a different matter. Intel has given it a tough time over the last couple of years, and the fight isn't going to get any easier as the lines between phones, tablets and laptops blur.

Those blurring lines also means new players like Nvidia and Qualcomm are coming into the fray and they, by Jove, are hungry.

HP

What a year 2011 was for HP. While the fallout may be over, it means the company has to pick up the pieces and that could spell a tough time for the company as it tries to regain its confidence in the next 12 months, especially in the consumer space.

What will become of webOS, what about its consumer laptop range, is the printer business a dying industry? There are lots of questions that need to be answered.

MySpace

With Facebook still dominating (IPO is rumoured to be on the cards) and Google Plus gaining momentum, it looks like MySpace's days will be numbered in 2012.

Olympus

If you thought the above are likely to have a tough year you just have to look at Olympus to wonder what is going to happen here next.

With the company's board in disarray, an exiled CEO, and plenty of skeletons still to come out of the closet, we suspect Olympus doesn't have long before it is bought up by one of its competitors looking to raid it for the good bits. Our bet is on Fujifilm doing just that.

Tags: Phones Tablets Olympus Gaming Nintendo HP AMD Best Buy HMV Nokia RIM Kodak MySpace Features

9 companies fighting to stay alive in 2012 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Contrary to popular belief, the Nintendo 3DS has not been a failure and has, in fact, sold faster than the massively successful Wii games console did in its first nine months of life. The company has announced that it ended 2011 with more than four million units of the handheld glasses-free device being sold in the US alone.

In addition, 3DS-only titles Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 have been the fastest-selling games in the history of their respective franchises, with Nintendo flogging over one million copies of each in the US.

Considering that the Wii took longer to bed in than, it seems, the 3DS, yet still went on to have an installed user base of 39 million in the States (over 90 million worldwide), perhaps those who decry that the handheld console is a "flop" will have to think again.

Scott Moffitt, sales and marketing executive of Nintendo of America, even claims that this is just the beginning: "One of the strongest software line-ups in our history helped Nintendo have a great holiday season and to close 2011 with a full head of steam," he said.

"Not only have the new Mario and Zelda titles already broken records, but with strong reviews and satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences, all three are also shaping up to be the latest long-tail titles from Nintendo.

"Couple that with a massive first- and third party line-up in the first part of the year and the prospects for 2012 are extremely promising."

Read

Tags: Gaming Nintendo Mario Mario Kart Super Mario 3D Land Mario Kart 7 Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS sells faster than Wii from launch originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:50:00 +0000

No, you're not still hallucinating from that food poisoning you got after eating that six day old Christmas turkey, this really is Sonic the Hedgehog (and his pal Knuckles) appearing on the PlayStation Vita.

The classic Mega Drive (or Genesis, for our US readers) title appears courtesy of a game of Russian Dolls - emulation-stylee. The action is an emulator within an emulator you see - the PSP one that comes on Sony's latest handheld, combined with the Half Byte Loader running the Picodrive emulator.

It's not likely that you'll be able to get Sonic & Knuckles, Altered Beasts, Golden Axe, James Pond or any other Mega Drive favourites on your PS Vita when it hits UK shops next month though - Sony has the ability to close up this exploit via an update.

Shows what might be possible in the future, however. Let's hope they sort the sound issue out though....

Read

Tags: Gaming Sonic the Hedgehog PlayStation Vita

Sonic the Hedgehog hits the PlayStation Vita (video) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:43:00 +0000

Remember, remember the fifth of November? No? Us neither - in fact (possibly due to hitting the Christmas sherry a trifle early) we don't really remember November at all. It's just like a hazy dream.

But, a quick look on Wikipedia tells us that November was the month that voters in?Egypt went to the polls for the first round of voting in?parliamentary elections despite violent protests, a month of flooding in Thailand and a month where Silvio Berlusconi finally resigned as?Prime Minister of Italy?to make way for an emergency government to address the?country's economic crisis.

And, trawling through the Pocket-lint archives shows us that it was also a month that....

Year in Review:

?

The Xoom 2 xoomed in

Called the, tricky to say, Droid Xyboard over in the States, we Brits were obviously seemed too dim to be able to comprehend anything more vocally challenging than the Xoom 2. Oh, and the Xoom 2 Media Edition too, of course, the big sequel's little brother. Much less fanfare than the original, the Honeycomb fun landed just in time for the Christmas shoppers. Read More.

Cameron, Obama and pals picked up a naff tablet

We all know that David Cameron likes to chill out with his iPad and that Barack Obama likes to keep it real with a BlackBerry but over in Cannes for the sixth meeting of the G20 heads of government, the only official tech action was on Archos G9 tablets. The 10-inch 101 G9 tablet were given out to "the Heads of State and government members of G20 states, the delegation and the journalists attending the summit". Angry Birds is probably the reason we're still in a global economic mess. Read more.

GTA V got us all excited

Would it be set in fictional California or New York? Would old characters return? Would there be multiple playable characters? All these questions were whizzing through our minds before we saw the official teaser trailer for the fifth Grand Theft Auto instalment. The trailer answered only one of them though, which was a pooper. Looks cool though.? Read more.

Panasonic's Evolta Iron Robot completed the Hawaii Triathlon

The Iron Robot completed the race, inside his 168 hour objective as well. Actually, three robots did - but we're not calling foul play. It took a total of 166 hours and 56 minutes to complete the 230km triathlon challenge. Not exactly world record pace but Evolta is only about 6 inches tall, so give him a break. Read More.

We parked the BlackBerry Porsche phone

RIM is reportedly struggling to shift regular priced BlackBerry smartphones. So why they thought a ?2000 device was needed is anybody's guess. But that’s the amount of pocket money you’ll have to have saved up to afford the BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 smartphone, which packs a stainless steel frame hewn from a single block of metal and has a hand-wrapped leather back. Read More.

A kid friendly tablet hit the market

And a budget friendly one to boot. The Karuma PlayBase came wrapped in a shock-absorbent silicone cover to prevent damage from drops and also protects against rain, spills, dirt, scratches and screen marks and packs some pretty nifty tech too, for less than ?170. It won't survive a dip in the bath though, we can assure you of that. Read More.

Apple admitted yet more battery woes

iOS 5 is a serial battery killer. That was the general consensus of fanboys everywhere, and the opinion of Apple too it seemed as the Cupertino collective stated that "a small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices, we have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks." We're still waiting for a decent fix though...Read More.

The Pirate Bay's ship hit choppy waters

"We would not tolerate Counterfeits 'R' Us on the High Street - if we want economic growth, we cannot accept illegal rip-off sites on the internet either," said the CEO of the BPI, Geoff Taylor. "We hope that BT will do the right thing and block The Pirate Bay." It didn't - but later on in the month Google removed multiple file sharing websites from its search engine. Sites like The Pirate Bay, isoHunt, 4Shared and Torrentreactor, along with many others, no long appeared in Google Instant or auto-complete searches. The web, it is a changing. Read More.

Steve Jobs made it as a comic

Comic book hero that is. A book dedicated to the life of the late Apple CEO was released digitally, and was available on Android as well as iOS devices. Steve Jobs: Co-founder of Apple, hit the Comixology Comics application for both operating systems and was a 32-page look at the man's many achievements in biographical form. A graphic novel version of the book was also available, as were Kindle and Nook ebooks. We can't wait for the Robert Rodriguez movie adaptation. Read More.

Google blurred Streetview and Parklife

"I get up when I want, except on Wednesdays when I get rudely awakened by the Google Street View trike." Not an actual lyric from Blur's 90s classic, but we're sure it would have been had Damon Albarn been born 15 years or so later than he was. And that's because the Big G went off-road to bring us its latest Street View escapade - this time into some of the world's green and pleasant lands. That's right, we're talking parks. Six of them in fact, spanning three continents. Read More.

And ushered in a new Gmail

The Big G also had time in November to get the decorators in for a little Gmail spruce up. In came customisable page sizes, new density options, streamlined conversations and access to profile pics. And out went our ability to navigate it without issue. That came back though luckily. Read More.

But couldn't get it all right

One Gmail success story and one major cock-up. After waiting for ages for the Gmail app for iPhone to turn up, it finally arrived on 2 November. Only to be pulled hours later as it contained a bug which broke notifications and caused users to see an error message when opening the app. It was back again 16 days later though. Its story has been a real rollercoaster of emotions, with highs and lows; tears and laughter; all culminating in an eventual rebirth - a little bit like a phoenix, but without the crispy bird. Read More.

Netflix set sail for Blighty

At last, after months, nay years, of speculation Video on demand giant Netflix finally confirmed that it was coming to these shores, with a UK service all set for an early 2012 launch. And it's got some big players on board; MGM, ITV, Lionsgate and the BBC amongst others. Lovefilm is on the ropes, we'll see if it comes out punching next year. Read More.

Tegra 3 geared up for quad-core fun

It had been on the cards for month but November was the month when Kal-El finally got real. No, not that Kal-El, but the codename for Nvidia's Tegra 3 chip. The new Nvidia mobile processor features the first quad-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU designed to bring the maximum level of power and performance to a mobile device, with a fifth companion core for things like video and low power applications. Sound boring? Okay then, how does - beefy power, super graphics and low battery use on your gadgets sound? Good, we know. Read More.

Adobe proved Steve right

It looks as if Steve Jobs was right after all. Remember the open letter that the late Apple CEO penned back in April 2010? Amongst other things Jobs said: "Flash was designed for PCs using mice, not for touch screens using fingers" and that "Flash is closed and proprietary, has major technical drawbacks, and doesn’t support touch based devices". In November, Adobe finally agreed. Read More.

Sky celebrated an important birthday

Everyone likes a birthday suit and Sky's HD boxes are no different. To celebrate 10 years of Sky+, the satellite broadcaster commissioned limited edition designs for its 1TB Sky+HD box from 10 different designers, including a saucy Agent Provocateur one. Read More.

?

WH Smith tried to take on Amazon

Tried and failed we should say as the Kobo Vox hasn't exactly been met with much love. We all know of the hot Amazon product that it bears similarities too, but that's a Fire that Kobo is clearly not yet ready to burn. Read More.

?

Apple took your tunes cloud bound

iTunes Match finally tuned in in the States (it would hit the UK a few weeks later) bringing you a one stop solution to all those dodgy tunes that you pinched from Limewire back in the 90s. The idea is that it checks the songs you have in iTunes and then instantly backs those tracks up in the cloud. Any music with a match is automatically added to iCloud for you to listen to anytime, on any iDevice, and Apple says that, with 20 millions songs available, it should have most of what you’ve got. It's proved a bit hit and miss to be honest. Read more.

?

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare smashed records

Step aside Star Wars, take a walk Lord of the Rings and do one Harry Potter - there's only one entertainment franchise that can claim to be the most successful of all time and it's the third Modern Warfare instalment. It shifted an astronomical 6.5 million copies in the UK and the US on launch day alone meaning $400 million in revenue in just 24 hours. Ker-ching indeed. Read More.

Tags: Tablets Phones Videos Features Year in Review Internet Audio Gaming

Year in review 2011: November originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

We've had a great run of AOTD's this year and as we near the end of 2011, we thought we'd feature a cracking game, which is not only very pretty, but plays particularly nicely on the iPhone.

Potted from the older Xbox 360 title this game should while away a few peaceful hours whilst you prepare for the new year and also bring some light relief from any number of action titles you've been given/playing during the Christmas period.

Lumi for iPhone

Format

iPhone

Price

?0.69

Where

iTunes

Lumi for iPhone, on the face of it, is just another puzzle platformer mixing a little bit of grey matter usage with some basic use of the iPhone's touchscreen to propel your mouse-like creature around a world that stretches over ten levels.

However, there are numerous touches that set this apart from the overcrowded genre and make it worth the 69p download price: it is one of the prettiest games on the platform, nice colours and solid visuals bringing a feast for the eyes especially with the Retina Display; and its gameplay is simple and intuitive.

Controls are, for the most part, a breeze as you fling Lumi from magnetic vortex to magnetic vortex in order to collect the fireflies that will bring light and enlightenment back to a world shrouded in darkness. Despite this simplicity, however, you'll need to practice in order to get Lumi moving just right as some of the fireflies can be tricky to reach.

There is also enough on show to keep the interest going as new challenges are introduced across the levels including little bug meanies and ever complex puzzling.

We have to say we are impressed with what's on show here, it won't be for everyone as it's a nice game to relax to and won't get the blood pumping like some other titles; but if you like pretty games with easy controls and addictive gameplay then you need look no further.

Tags: iPhone apps Apps Gaming Lumi App of the day

APP OF THE DAY: Lumi for iPhone review originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

As staying in is the new going out, what better way to brighten up your New Year's Eve party than firing up your console and playing some party games?

Games don't have to be solitary experiences, and no, we're not suggesting you fire up Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer to frag your buddies into 2012 (although we guess many will). And fun-filled gaming isn't just the reserve of the Nintendo Wii either - the Xbox 360 and the PS3 have a great selection of games to play.

And it doesn't have to be just be Wii Party, Mario Party or the PS3's Start the Party, there are plenty of options out there. Here are some of our favourites.

Dance Central 1 and 2

It doesn't matter which version you have, although obviously the latest version will be a little more refreshing for anyone who has played the game before. Dance Central uses Kinect to track your dancing movements, following the lead on-screen. Additional fun comes from breaking out in the freestyle section, which plays back in high speed to much hilarity.

It's a great game for participants and spectators, both before you pack the kids off to bed and after. Adults can always add variety by adding forfeits for poor performance: strip Dance Central anyone?

Review: Dance Central, Dance Central 2

SingStar

There are a wealth of karaoke games across platforms (We Sing, Lips, Karaoke Revolution), but we consider SingStar on the PS3 to be the champion of console singing titles, but that's probably down to the many hours we've lost to it, warbling our way through a bit of Take That or Elton John. But there is also a huge catalogue of discs and SingStore tracks to choose from, covering different genres, decades and individual artists. Again, great for the whole family, just get those wireless mics charged and ready.

Having said that, we couldn't resist sharing this video of X Factor's Kitty Brucknell belting out a We Sing classic.

Review: SingStar, Lips, We Sing (quick play)

Rock Band or Guitar Hero

People will argue whether to go with Guitar Hero or Rock Band, but set either game up in your front room and you've got an instant party. Rock Band looks to have emerged victorious, with Guitar Hero on haitus for 2011. Thanks to the instruments it takes a little more skill to get through it than either Dance Central or SingStar, so not as approachable for some, whilst those hardcore fans could take it far too seriously.

Again, pour a little alcohol into the adults and hours of fun will ensue, even if it costs you a little more to get up and gaming than with some other titles.

Review: Rock Band, Guitar Hero 6

Kinect Adventures

It may have been the launch title for Kinect, but it contains a good variety of games so you're sure to find something to play along with. They're pretty short too, so it's easy to swap people around so everyone gets to play. If you've never seen Kinect in action, then it's a perfect introduction, requires little thought and will result in little embarrassment. Importantly, it can be played fairly quietly, whereas some music games can't.

It's also incredibly easy and fun for kids to get involved with, thanks to its lively gameplay. You can work up quite a sweat playing Kinect Adventures, so be sure to refresh yourself and don't hog all the action.

Mario Kart

Where the Wii really comes into it's own is with Mario Kart. Racing with all your favourite characters using the Wii Mote has never been easier and is simple for anyone to pick up and play. It also lets you set up a variety of players quickly and easily. Of course, winning at Mario Kart can involve a great deal of skill, so it's worth getting in some hours of practice before someone throws down the gauntlet.

We've tried party gaming with Forza Motorsport 4 and a strange thing happens. The men crowd around, they gawp at the graphics and then things get very, very, serious. By all means try it, but expect it to descend into silence and cursing. Wives and girlfriends will probably tut, until one of them steps up and beats you round the Nurburgring in a hot hatch.

Review: Mario Kart, Forza Motorsport 4

Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Kinect Sports

It's due to the many hours of playing Wii Sports with ridiculous massive-headed Mii, that we can't leave it off the list. Some sports games take themselves a little too seriously, but Wii Sports isn't guilty of that. The funniest thing about Wii Sports often isn't the game itself, but the replay. Seeing your Mii waving a tennis racquet wildly around never fails to amuse.

Wii Sports Resort serves up much the same, but if you're of the Xbox 360 pent, you'll probably be looking at Kinect Sports, or Kinect Sports: Season Two instead (the latter being better, with video above). Just avoid Sports Champions for PlayStation Move: it's as dull as dish water and a sure party stopper.

Review: Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Kinect Sports, Kinect Sports: Season Two, Sports Champions

Wii Music

Wii Music is approachable and can be taken seriously, or ridiculously. It's perhaps not as much fun on first glance as some of the other music games, but what it builds into can be wonderful. It's probably best played with someone who's never seen it before, so you can dump them in the dog suit and watch the hilarity unfold.

But it does encourage you all to get together, so if you want to get more people involved at the same time, then it's definitely worth considering.

Review: Wii Music

Tekken or Street Fighter

Here comes a new challenger! Something about Tekken and Street Fighter continues to appeal, although we prefer the early versions and are grateful that our PS3 plays PS2 games. Short fights, ridiculous moves and nothing too intense gives an enduring quality to both fighting titles.

The interesting things about both Tekken and Street Fighter is that almost anyone who has played computer games over the past 20 years has played some version of these two. And every time we spring it on an unsuspecting party guest, they roll back 15 years, pick their favourite character and remember that special move. Guile surely owns Street Fighter, despite the unfortunate casting of Van Damme in the 1994 movie. On the Tekken front, it has to be Jin. Or Heihatchi. Or just one of the girls.

Tags: Gaming Consoles Xbox 360 Nintendo Wii PS3

Best console party games for New Year's Eve originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

It seems as if the Nintendo Wii U may offer more than just a gaming experience on launch, as reports are emerging that the Japanese company is currently building a fully-fledged app store that will host a wide range of applications above and beyond those available on its current Nintendo eShops for Wii and DSi/3DS.

An inside source told The Daily that the new store will contain a "wide variety of apps", which are expected to include content channels and other, more practical software. And some of them will run through the Wii U console onto a big screen, others will be for the touchscreen Wii U Controller.

The Daily also speculates that the 6.2-inch screen of the Controller could be used to access social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, access emails and browse the web; much like a house-bound iPad, in many respects.

It is unknown at present whether Nintendo will continue to use its own credits system for payments, or take on a system like Apple's, with micro-payments made through a subscribed account.

We believe that all will become clear in June 2012, when?Nintendo is expected to unveil the final product at games trade exhibition E3. It could even be on sale in the UK by next Christmas.

Read

Tags: Nintendo Nintendo Wii U Gaming Apps

Nintendo to create fully-fledged app store for Wii U launch originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:36:26 +0000

Some games are just a little frustrating on mobile devices. The controls are rarely perfect, the action not quite as big as it needs to be and both the physics and the graphics just a bit of a let down. In fact, it often comes of something of an annoyance that you downloaded it in the first place.

Not so with today’s App of the Day on Pocket-lint. So, if you fancy a little good, old-style arcade racing, then you’ve come to the right place.

Shine Runner

Platform

Android & iOS

Price

$1.99/69p

Where

Here and here

“Yeeeeehaaaw!!!” is the common parlance one might use to describe the fun you get out of playing Shine Runner on either iOS or Android. The shine referred to in the game's title is moonshine, essentially, and the running it is where you and your thumbs come in.

You play some nameless, faceless hero of a sort in the deep South. Your job is to drive one of those swamp, fan-powered, hovercraft things - as made world famous by the series Gentle Ben - from A to B around a basic map delivering and picking up cargo at each stop. Acceleration is automatic and braking is non-existent, so all you have to do is tap each side of the screen to steer. In other words, it’s dead easy but the fun comes in the shape of all the jumps you can make, objects you can smash and police you can evade. Add in the odd Wilhelm Scream for amusement and you already have yourself a winner.

The other side of the experience is the buying and selling of the commodities, which fluctuate in price, at each stop and doing your best to make as much cash as possible. In a way, it’s rather like a very rudimentary, redneck version of Elite. However, you want to think of Shine Runner though, what’s very clear is that it’s an absolute treat for anyone to play. We’re not convinced that the lasting appeal will hold any longer than a few weeks but it’s well worth it all the same.

Tags: Apps Android apps iPhone apps App of the day Shine Runner Gaming Racing games

APP OF THE DAY: Shine Runner review (Android & iOS) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0000

It's the end of the year, but before we get too excited about what's to come next, lets take a breather, let those mince pies break down and glance back at 2011.

In the big wide world, June saw the strange death of Jackass's Ryan Dunn and the legend that was Peter Falk but nothing so tragic, fortunately, in the world of technology. So what was going on in Pocket-lint's pages?

Year in Review:

?

MacBook thief caught by app

Joshua Kaufman began a blog when his beloved MacBook was stolen from him posting photos of his computer's new owner in all sorts of situations and positions all thanks to an app called Hidden. Eventually Oakland police caught onto the website and managed to catch the criminal. And return the laptop to Joshua too. Read more

It's right here, ray

Sony Ericsson announces the high end but compact Xperia ray smartphone with an 8.1-megapixel camera, Bravia Engine and Reality Display all packed inside a 100g chassis with a 3.3-inch screen. In fact, it turned out so tidy that it made Pocket-lint's best five mobile phones of the year. Read more

Mitsubishi go super-wide

Further proof that East Asia is both completely nuts and yet far in advance of anything we can dream up in the West was once more served up as Mitsubishi Electronics showed of a 16:3 aspect, wall-mounted display for showing off your panoramic shots. Of course. Read more

iPope

"Dear Friends, I just launched?News.Va. Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI". So read the very first tweet from the Pope on his iPad, no less, to mark the launch of the Vatican's multimedia website. Religion 2.0. Read more

LG mystery phone

While T-Mobile was showing off its wares to come at an event in London, Pocket-lint spied a rather unique looking device that no one ever seemed to get quite to the bottom of. Not seen since, was this an American exclusive? Was it the LG Flip II, the LG Maxx Q, or possibly even the LG Q or LG Optimus Slider? We never found out, but that second touchscreen in the middle of the keyboard was certainly very interesting. Read more

Korea goes future shopping

Tesco in Korea decide to treat locals to a taste of shopping in the 21st century by pasting the walls of the subway with flat representations of supermarket shopping shelves. All customers needed to do was use the QR codes to select which goods they wanted and it was delivered to them just after they got home. Read more

Google takes on Facebook

What started as a fairly innocent redesign in early June 2011 turned out to be the first sparks of a full explosion for Google in what has become the company's take on social networking - Google+. While not everyone was able to access the service until September, Pocket-lint certainly managed to scope the new Facebook rival's pages and at least explain what Google+ actually is?to those that were not privy. Read more

Apple in 'big trouble'

Technology editor at NBC's Today Show Paul Hochman told all those gathered at the?inaugural Forward with Ford Futuring and Trends Conference in Dearborn, USA, that, despite Apple's huge success, that it was in "big trouble" because of its closed system way of operating. Cue much commenting. Read more

Brush with the future

When we went hands-on with the Nokia N9 back in June 2011, little did the world realise that we were looking at the very same slick chassis that would later be boasting Windows Phone 7 rather the MeeGo no-go OS that didn't proved so popular. Read more

Daleks for sale

The online Aladdin's cave of amusements and geekery that is Firebox quite often comes up with some pretty interesting high ticket items for the masses to have a giggle at and for the few to actually buy. All the same, we couldn't fail to be impressed when it began selling full size Daleks for ?3,000. Read more

E3 games show takes place in LA

The gaming world came together in its annual look at what's to come in the shape of top titles, word from the three console giants and a fair few interesting accessories like this blacked out gas mask used to create that little bit more tension when trying to find an underwater monster in the game Deep Sea. Read the story and read more of Pocket-lint's E3 2011 coverage

€4,700 Android phone

That's what Tag Heuer decided to charge for the croc-clad handsets launched in June 2011 - and they didn't even run Gingerbread! Still, at least we could be thankful for the 5-megapixel camera and 3.5-inch screen - oh, and the label, of course. Read more

Fastest printer in the...East?

Printers may not be that exciting but LG and Memjet managed to spice things up a little in June when they created the world's fastest printer that managed to print at half the cost as well as twice the speed of its nearest rival. Read more

Google noodle

Google saluted what would have been the 96th birthday of guitar legend Les Paul by coming up with probably the best Google Doodle since the Pac-man one. The playable guitar logo spawned all sorts of fan versions and videos of people playing well known tunes with everything from the Star Wars theme to the Star Spangled Banner. It's still up there if you want to have a go. Read more

Gillette shaves giant Federer

It's debatable as to whether it was clever but Gillette's June viral campaign was certainly big. Taking one of its sports star personalities, the company decided to manicure a piece of English countryside to look like Roger Federer's face from the air. The next trick was to cover its chin with 1,000 litres of foam and shave it with a mower. Read More

iOS follows suit

Apple turned the tables on the norm at its WWDC event in June 2011 when it announced and detailed the next version of its mobile and tablet software to come later in the year. iOS 5 pleased Android and iPhone users alike by adding touches like the Notifications Center and free chat service iMessage. RIM might not have been too happy. Read more

You know, for kids

LeapFrog showed that all this tablet business didn't have to be for grown ups when it launched both the LeapPad computer slate and a version of the Kindle called the My Own Story Time Pad too. As ever, Pocket-lint was on hand to snap some shot. Read more

Streaming revolution rolls on

Marantz became the latest high end audio brand to embrace digital music when it released two AirPlay compatible, MP3 enhancing AV receivers complete with USB port and an HDMI too. Read more

How Mario was created

The people over at Dorkly.com came up with a much better version of how Mario came into existence in a spoof video they created showing a meeting between the 8-bit Italian and his agent. Given the chance, we'd probably stomp on a turtle too. Read more

Mango Landing

Windows Phone 7 took its second sally to the mobile market in the shape of the fruity sounding update called Mango. We first got our hands-on of the software to be launched later in the Autumn and brought you the details of what those changes would look like nice and early, like.?Read more

Tags: Tablets Phones Videos Features Year in Review Internet Audio Gaming

Year in review 2011: June originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

It's the end of the year, but before we get too excited about what's to come next, lets take a breather, let those mince pies break down and glance back at 2011.

In the big wide world at large, the US finally tracked down Osama Bin Laden, Manchester United were crowned winners of the Premiership making the club the most successful in English League history and the UK voted firmly against the Alternative Vote in the first nationwide referendum in years.

Meanwhile, this is what was going on in technology and on Pocket-lint's pages.

Year in Review:

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Twitter injunctions

After a month of madness on the social networks over a certain footballer who couldn't actually be mentioned in the newspapers and yet everyone knew who he was and talked about it quite blatantly, breathe, Twitter and Google both agreed to hand over the details of anyone in the future on their services that were in breach of such court orders. The upshot since has been that, effectively, we're all newspapers now. Read more

Dellz

Dell refreshed its upper end range of laptops, and indeed eventually it's lower ones too, by adding the letter Z to the name. Fortunately, the ?899 starter price tag on the Dell XPS 15Z pictured below also meant a top end engine room, integrated side speakers and all the mod-cons including Bluetooth 3.0 and as many ports as you can think of. Read more

Spot the difference

The tech habits of the Prime Minister became all very clear in May when Misses Cameron and Obama posed for a photo in the cosier parts of 10 Downing Street. Among other spots were his and?hers Apple iPads and an old Sky box. No iPad 2. No Sky HD.?Read More

More reasons not to lose your phone

Despite the hard economic times, Google was keen to put money matters first in May 2011 when it launched the contactless payment Google Wallet system. Arriving first in America, as usual, the NFC-based system encourages users to add their credit card and bank details into a mobile phone app which can then transmit the required payment details locally at point of payment. We're still waiting to give it a whirl in Blighty. Read more

Gmusing

In yet another bold move from the Big G, the company announced another US-only (for now) service, this time taking on the world of digital music. Music Beta by Google allows user to store and stream their tunes to wherever they are given access to a mobile phone/web app and a little internet connectivity. We managed to go hands-on for a taste of what might come to the UK one day soon.?Read more

Size zero

Asus unveiled the UX-series of ultra-slim, ultra-sleek laptops which later became part of the Intel Ultrabook brand once the next generation Sandy Bridge processors arrived to go in them. At 17mm thick at the thickest and just 3mm thin at the thin bits, the UX laptops weighed in at just 1.1kg.?Read more

Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels decided to create a life size version of its track and send driver Tanner Foust on a record breaking 332ft jump. Personally, we think it's a bit of a cheat that the car had any kind of engine power but there you go. Impressive nonetheless. Read more

Wood, you believe it?

Sadly not available in the shops, designer Michael?Roopenian came up with this beautiful concept for a classically non-beautiful area of technology. The Engrain wooden keyboard and its ripple effect was created by sandblasting a solid plank and then sectioning it up into keys. Quite how it feels when touch typing is another thing. Read more

Nexus Tab

Google I/O 2011 was a chance for the developers of the world to head over to San Francisco, exchange ideas with other coders and listen to talks on new APIs as well as how to work with what's already there on Android and on any of Google's other platforms too. It was also a chance to walk away with a free piece of kit which, this year, was a brand new, pure Honeycomb version of the old Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Not bad. Read more

Like, really?

A couple in Israel liked Facebook so much that they decided to name their new baby daughter after the famous thumbs up button. Like Adler's name didn't go down wonderfully well with friends and family of parents Lior and Vardit but these are the new icons rather than biblical names, apparently. Read more

75 inches and counting

The tech calendar just isn't right if no one has shown off a world beating TV at some point. May 2011 was the turn of Samsung to award itself biggest 3D LED set ever invented with the arrival of the 75-inch Samsung D9500 aka the 75 Premium Smart. It shattered the previous record by a whole 3 inches. Read more

R2-BBQ

Another clever clogs in the form of Philip Wise managed a rather nice hack job all of his own. With May the start of the outdoor meat grilling season, he took his rather bog standard 55 gallon Ugly Drum Smoker and gave it a custom job Naboo style. Read more

Sorry

2011 was a terrible year for Sony but nothing quite captured the moment better than this photo of when the very top executives of the company bowed down in apology to the world in a ritual known as ojigi after the security breaches in April which led to the loss of thousands of personal details of users of the PlayStation Network. Read more

When dreams come true

Pieces of cheese? Sails on the horizon? The answer is none of the above. What's pictured below is, in fact, the KEF Blade which the hugely popular home cinema kit manufacturer described as its most ambitious speaker to date when it made what once was a concept into reality, in May, after popular public demand. Now all that public need is ?20,000 for a pair. Read more

Mega Maker

In one of the very best pieces of fancy dress we've ever seen, a gentleman over at the Maker Faire 2011 came up with a way to become a head in a jar. While it looks great, the idea of spending the party underwater and barely able to speak does sound a little on the nightmarish side though. We wonder how long he actually kept it on for.?Read more

To Boldy go

Pocket-lint took a trip over to Florida in May to the annual BlackBerry World event. As well as the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, the Bold 9930 and the Bold 9900 were also on display, the latter of which is pictured below. Lovely handsets but is good design enough for RIM to hold off the rest of advancing smartphone market? Read more

Domesday Reloaded

The BBC dug up and republished the data of the 1986 Domesday Project for the modern day web. The information, as recorded onto LaserDiscs at the time, includes a census of Britain as recorded by the local communities themselves as well as accounts of days in the life of hundreds of school children across the country. Read more

...and...action

After much chitter chatter about the idea and general fear from broadcasters the world over, YouTube launched its movie rental service taking what once was the bastion of home movie moments another step towards respectable video legitimacy. That said, the library of films hasn't exactly been Oscar gold. Read more

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Pocket-lint on prime time

Probably the biggest event for Pocket-lint in 2011 was our appearance on the number one popular TV show on the BBC that is the Apprentice. Three of the team got to grill the contestants as they presented their apps each designed and developed in under 24 hours. Our response? A pick of the nose, a nod of the head and the words "1.7 million, actually". Read more

Whoops

Motorola had US mobile network Verizon to blame for an all too early and all too official leak of the hotly anticipated refresh of the hit Android smartphone in the shape of the Motorola Droid X2. The story was just one of hundreds of leaked news hits of the year in the field of mobile phones and tablets.?Read more

Tags: Tablets Phones Gaming Sony Google Twitter Laptops Digital music Facebook Televisions Features Year in Review

Year in review 2011: May originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It's the end of the year, but before we get too excited about what's to come next, lets take a breather, let those mince pies break down and glance back at 2011.

In the real world, the Arab Spring was in full flow and an estimated 2 billion people worldwide tuned in to watch William Windsor and Kate Middleton become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Meanwhile, in the far more important area of consumer technology, this is what we were writing about on Pocket-lint.

Year in Review:

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Fooled you!

As ever, the month began with the web's creative takes on how to have by far and away the silliest day in the technology calendar. 2011 saw a MacBook with phone dock, Google writing in Comic Sans and even a pair of tickets for the Royal Wedding up for grabs on Groupon. Read more

iPlay?

As ever, ThinkGeek managed to confuse the April Fool's issue by coming up with yet another creation that the public wanted to become true. Sadly, the Playmobil Apple Store has never, and probably will never, see the light of day in the same way that the iCade and Tauntaun sleeping bag managed to. Read more

Super thin

Samsung launched its super-powerful, super-thin, super-smooth laptop, the Samsung Series 9. Made from the same material as put inside fighter jets and backed by celebrity sportsman Alastair Cook, fresh from an Ashes victory, it was little surprise that this 1.31kg machine was going to be only for those who could afford. ?1,299 is what it takes. Read more

Newsstand Boy?

Twenty-six years on, the cult 80s classic game Paperboy returned for free for all to play as an iOS app. Sadly, as with many of these retro titles, the enjoyment is really all about taking a pedal down memory lane with some of the touchscreen gameplay leaving little to be desired. Still, always nice getting Grifter to chuck papers through windows. It still feels naughty. Read more

A white April

After nearly a year of waiting, the white iPhone 4 finally turned up for sale on 28 April 2011. Like a kind of mobile version of Marmite, it either meant the world to you or you just couldn't figure out what all the fuss had been about. We'll leave it to you to decide for yourself. Read more

Noking on heaven's door

At the same time, Nokia appeared at its very lowest in April 2011 when one week it made attempts to calm nerves by updating a stream of Symbian powered handsets, such as the X7 pictured below, only a matter of days later to drop the ailing mobile OS and 7,000 employees in the process. Hard times. Read more

Blocks of eight

Fresh from the success of the likes of Batman and Indiana Jones, Lego jumped on the 2010/11 bandwagon and brought out a Pirates of the Caribbean game for land lubbers to enjoy on consoles around the world. Read more

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TabSpree

The tablet PC craze took a budget turn as the likes of Acer, Viewsonic and Hannspree got in on the Android act. We went hands-on with the Froyo powered Hannspree SN10T1 which still managed to pack a Tegra 2 chipset while keeping the price down to a reasonable €349. Read more

White House not cool

President Obama confessed to the press that the technology inside the Oval Office is seriously disappointing. With particular attention to the backwards phone systems, he also rued a missing screen which ought to pop up at the flick of a switch. Presumably, there's no big red button either. Read more

Cisco kills Flip

In probably the second most shocking piece new of the year, Cisco, parent company of Flip Video, decided to stop the business entirely. No one ever got to the bottom of why Cisco didn't even trying to sell on the market leading pocket camcorder maker but it must have had its reasons. Answers on a postcard, please. Read more

Pent-tack

Pentax decided to take a fresh and slightly hideous approach to popularizing its faltering DSLR range by sprucing up the outer of the Pentax K-r mid-range snapper. With the most palatable the standard camo colour pictured below, the other four versions looked more like they should have been appearing in a Snow video. Read more

Royal flush

Kate and Wills themed gadgets, technology and even web services?went completely nuts in the build up to the Royal Wedding. We put a giant lasso around the lot. Our personal favourite has to be the double door fridge pictured below but the Union Jack coffee table would do us proud too. Read more

I like Steve Jobs just where he is

April saw one or two particularly inventive iPhone cases the like of which we'd never seen before. The best was probably this homage to Return of the Jedi with the Apple supremo pictured frozen in carbonite. Another cracking effort was the HipstaCase from the retro photography camera app, Hipstamatic. Read more

Cool Pool

A ?39,000 glass pool table went on sale on Firebox.com. The G-1 Glass Pool Table is made of 15mm thick floating sheer glass table top, lightweight metals and, of course, features a ball return system that you can actually watch in action.?Read more

Virgin territory

With nearly as much depth range in feet as the G1 will cost you in pounds, Richard Branson's latest exploration vessel hit the headlines with plans to get down as far as the Marianna Trench. The Virgin Oceanic Sub will hold just one passenger with enough life support for 24 hours but there are plans to get the public involved with later models. Read more

Call of the Dead

The enormous gaming franchise that is Call of Duty, treated its fans to some gruesome fun by releasing the Call of the Dead downloadable content package which presented the same game but in a rather macabre light. Teaming up with horror and action stars Robert Englund, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michael Rooker and Danny Trejo, they invented a zombie level to the Black Ops game. So, just how do you kill those who are already dead? Read more

Flippin' 'ell!

Seven million YouTube users did backflips over?Joonas Jokinen and the most audacious penalty kick manouever ever attempted. The 16-year-old player at FC Baar in Switzerland has since represented his native Finland at U16 level and, with any luck, we'll be seeing him at the World Cup one day to humiliate our national side in traditional penalty shoot-out style. Read more

Apple No.1

Apple overtook Microsoft for the first time in recent years as the most profitable technology company in the world. Raking in figures of?$5.99 billion in the first quarter of 2011, $760 million more than Microsoft's $5.23 million, Jobs Inc. cemented its position as the top tech outfit around.?Read more

Oh my *$@%!

The world-winning Samsung Galaxy S II arrived in style as Pocket-lint did its best to extol the virtues of what became the best mobile phone of 2011 while hurtling towards the Earth from 12,000ft in the air. The stunt was part of a series of extreme unboxing videos as organised by Samsung. Read more

A whole new hole

Four years on Portal 2, the sequel to the 2007 cult hit video game, hit the shelves. With the addition of big budget ideals like a plot and script, the new game went down a treat with the die hard fans of the original and brought more staying power to what had originally been a bonus in the Orange Box. Read more

Tags: Tablets Laptops April Fools Day Features Phones Gaming Cameras Year in Review Apps

Year in review 2011: April originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Star Wars: The Old Republic has over 1 million players already according to stats released by EA, Bioware, and LucasArts even though the game launched just 7 days ago.

The Massive Multiplayer Online game, billed as the most expensive game ever due to its huge size and scale, sees gamers choose to play a range of different characters in the Star Wars universe.

Instead of getting full and fat on turkey and all the trimmings, SWTOR gamers have racked up a litany of stats for EA to brag about a week after launch day.

So far the 1m gamers have racked up over 60 million in-game hours, which is roughly equivalent to watching all six Star Wars movies over 4 million times.

Those playing appear to have a calling to the dark side too with EA also telling us that over 850,000 Sith Warriors have been created compared to 810,000 Jedi Knights, surprisingly it looks like most haven't bothered becoming Troopers.?

Other stats include over 260 million quests completed, over 44 million PvP battles, over 9 million space combat missions completed, and over 3 billion NPCs killed.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire locked in the middle of an epic, galactic war.

Players choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent.?

Tags: Gaming Star Wars The Old Republic Star Wars PC games

Star Wars: The Old Republic: 1 million gamers strong already originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:01:00 +0000

It's the end of the year, but before we get too excited about what's to come next, lets take a breather, let those mince pies break down and glance back at 2011.

In the world outside of tech, the Irish were busy taking to the polls for a General Election, football fans everywhere were mourning the retirements of possibly the greatest moustache-wearing right-back of all time, Gary Neville, and North Korea was warning that it would take military action against South Korea...again.

But February 2011 will really only be remembered for one thing.....

Year in Review:

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Google plays its part in Arab Spring

And the Big G was on hand to help out those Egyptian protesters. Egyptian authorities had banned the use of Twitter as the protests against president Hosni Mubarak intensified but Google used the SayNow service to let Egyptians tweet via their phone lines. "We hope that this will go some way to helping people in Egypt stay connected at this very difficult time," said AbdelKarim Mardini, Google's product manager, Middle East & North Africa. Let's hope it did. Read more

Apple whips up iPad 2 frenzy

The iPad 2 rumour mill actually began life at 10.07am (PST) on 27 January 2010 - exactly one minute after Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPad. So imagine the frenzy of fanboys worldwide when they saw this, the first official confirmation that the second coming was upon us. How we couldn't wait to see the Retina displayed, super sequel to the original unleashed. Oh.... Read More

MWC unleashes the Samsung Galaxy S II

A February round-up wouldn't be complete without tipping our cap in the direction of Barcelona and the Mobile World Congress expo. And undoubtedly, with the benefit of hindsight, the star of the show was Sammy's latest flagship smartphone which went on to sell by the bucket-load (buckets capable of holding millions of smartphones that is). A phone so exciting it literally made Pocket-lint's Dan Sung spew his guts up. Read More

And a rather podgy Galaxy Tab 10.1

But MWC wasn't a complete rip-roaring success for Sammy. Oh no. Despite the fact that the company has expo goers cooing at its latest tablet - the device actually proved to podgy and its 599g weight-load was trimmed to 565g for launch, with 2.3mm of thickness shaved off. We have an inkling that a certain Cupertino based tablet launch may have had something to do with the prompt redesign. Still, it was plane sailing for Samsung with the 10.1 after that..... Read More

The PlayStation phone finally gets its game on

After years of speculation and months of intense rumour mongering the PlayStation phone finally became a reality....kind of. Rather than the PSP-like phone that we were all hoping for, Sony Ericsson actually chucked out a fairly standard Android smartphone with some PlayStation controls botched on. Definitely a let down. Read More

HTC's tablet ambitions get off to a Flyer

Or rather, it didn't. Whilst fandroids across the world getting all hot an flustered with a barrage of Honeycomb flavoured tablet releases, HTC decided to throw out a 7-inch Gingerbread machine, albeit a very HTC Sense-tastic one. And one that came with a pen. Read More

LG banks on 3D for Optimus range

LG went 3D mental at MWC. Aside from launching the LG Optimus 3D, it announced the UK version of the T-Mobile G-Slate - the LG Optimus Pad - which, rather than packing a screen that allowed you to watch 3D without glasses, outputed in anaglyphic 3D. That’s right, whilst the company’s 4.3-inch Optimus 3D smartphone gave you the 3D experience without glasses, the tablet required you to don a pair of blue and red glasses, like people have been doing for over 100 years to get the 3D experience.Read More

The Facebook phone finally dials in....sort of

Like the PlayStation phone, a Facebook handset had long been the material for techno folklore, existing only in our minds. That was, until the INQ Cloud Touch touched down. The Facebook-centric Android phone put to rest a rumour trail as long as Facebook’s reach although Facebook was quick to stamp on any "official" Facebook phone suggestions. Read More

Murdoch tries to prove he's not out of touch

Rupert Murdoch had a funny old 2011 and, in the grand scheme of things, the launch of The Daily; an iPad newspaper, probably won't score too highly on his cock-up-o-meter. But it hasn't exactly been a hit (just a quarter of the subscribers anticipated) and is further proof ($580 million for MySpace, anyone?) that Uncle Rupert is out of touch with the modern media. Read More

Sky crosses the pond for Atlantic action

February was the month when Sky Atlantic hit our screens and we haven't looked back since. We haven't been able to you see, our neck stiffened after sitting through a Sky +ed session of Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men and The Sopranos all in one long week where we didn't get changed out of a dressing gown and ate only Honey Nut Loops straight out of the box (with water, we had no time to buy milk). Read More

Nissan plugs its Leaf into the UK

Electric cars, no longer a novelty item, arrived in Blighty on a cold and wet day in Sunderland when the first shipment of Nissan Leafs for Europe arrived on board the (energy efficient, of course) City of St. Petersburg carrier. We didn't check the weather that day, we just guessed it was cold and wet - this is Sunderland we're talking about here. 27,000 pre-orders worldwide proved the Leaf had gone mainstream. Read More

Microsoft and Nokia, sitting in a tree......

Would it buddy up with Android, would it sell out to RIM or would it just go pop? The answer was none of the above actually as Nokia decided to walk down the Windows Phone path with Microsoft forming a "broad strategic partnership that will use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem". Indeed. So far the only fruit is the Lumia 800 and the Lumia 710 and we await the revolution. Read More

But it's not all good news for Windows Phone 7

Bad news followed good as Microsoft had to pull the first Windows Phone 7 update for the Samsung Omnia 7 and Samsung Focus, after users of the new smartphone found the update was buggering up their handsets. Luckily, Microsoft got it all sorted eventually and we all looked forward to a Mango-flavoured future. Read More

HP's big Palm ambitions seem so long ago

Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear as the brothers Chuckle would say. What seemed such a significant launch only months ago quickly turned into one of the biggest tech balls-ups in recent memory. HP hasn't killed webOS as such, more like emotionally scarred it so badly that it will probably never recover. What a waste of talent. Read More

iPlayer fun for iPad arrives

Our favourite iThings got all cosy in February, meaning that we could finally catch up on Bargain Hunt without disturbing Mrs Pocket Lint whilst she slept. No 3G fun at launch, which was a bit of an inconvenience for when out and about, but this has since been rectified. Be nice to have a download option on board as well... Read More

Nikon unleashes a barrage of Coolpix cams

Nikon went Coolpix launch crazy with not one, not two, not three....we're bored of that - it was nine. Nine new Coolpix cams all in one hit. It was like a tidal wave of cameras, only smaller and less wet. The highlight of the bunch was the Nikon Coolpix P300, designed to take on the Canon PowerShot S95 although we also liked the price-tag of the L23 compact...just ?50 or so. Read More

MacBook Pros Thunderbolt in new features

Thunderbolt and lightning very, very frightening. At least for our wallet as Apple ushered in the latest generation of its top end notebook line. Packing the new Thunderbolt I/O technology, the 13, 15 and 17-inch models also included a FaceTime webcam for the first time and boosted CPUs. ?999 - ?2.099 mind, so not cheap. Read More

BlackBerry Curve tickled pink for Valentine's Day

Not content with rubbing Apple's nose in it by releasing a couple of white handset variations when Cupertino Computers was struggling to do so, Research in Motion also arrived at the table with another coloured device - a pink version of the BlackBerry Curve 3G that hit the Carphone Warehouse in time for Valentines day. So, if your lady loved a bit of RIM-action then you knew exactly what to get her. And if she wasn't up for that, you could have got her pink BlackBerry Curve 3G instead - boom, boom.

Read More

Pocket-lint pins its hopes on Android

We always knew that Mobile World Congress 2011 was going to be a big year for Android and Google told us that there were, in fact, 86 Androids appearing at the show this year. But wait - we're not talking about phones or tablets, but Android collectable badges! That's right, we got our hands on these limited edition Android pin badges and couldn't help but go "aww". Read More

Tags: Tablets Phones Videos Features Year in Review Internet Audio Gaming

Year in review 2011: February originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Ah, 2011; a year of further monetary recession, tragic celebrity deaths, continued conflict in the Middle East, and the veiled threat of nuclear war in Korea. However, on the up side, it was a cracking year for tech. And we got our boiler fixed, so it's not all bad.

Certainly, Pocket-lint had a cracking start to the year, with extensive coverage of CES in Las Vegas and the Toy Fair in, er, Olympia, London. And, of course, we were invited to the launch of the Nintendo 3DS. Yep, January 2011 was an interesting month for the die-hard gadgeteer...

Year in Review:

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iPhone New Year alarm glitch

The year didn't start so well for Apple, as iPhone owners discovered the hard way that a bug in iOS rendered their alarms impotent as soon as 2011 began.?

Thankfully though, while the problem affected non-repeating alarms set for the first couple of days, all alarms started working properly again from 3 January. In many ways, it was just like the?millennium?bug back at the start of 2000, in that it really didn't have much impact at all?in the end.?Read More.

General Motors EN-V: electric car of the future

Whenever you see a cartoon (such as the Jetsons) or movie about the future, there always seems to be some weird form of transport that we're led to believe will be the de facto vehicle of choice. Well, at CES 2011, we saw exactly that... in the flesh... for real. And videoed it for good measure.

The EN-V all-electric vehicles are two-seater concept cars that have the potential to feature a myriad of technologies, such as self-driving, on-screen read outs, and more. The proposal even includes stackable garages and charge points to pop your pod into when you travel into town. Read more.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer debut

If there was one outstanding thing about CES 2011, it was that it saw the explosion of tablet devices; there were more tablets launched than Michael Jackson's bedside table. And Asus pretty much started?proceedings?with the unveiling of the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, one of the few slates we still regard highly here at Pocket-lint. Read more.

Behold the Motorola Atrix

Like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Motorola's Atrix Android handset's biggest unique selling point was that it could dock with a keyboard attachment, and essentially become a netbook. However, it looked to be a decent smartphone regardless, when we got to play with the US 4G version at CES.

Powerful and packed with potential, the dual core device could even be hooked up to a TV via a docking station in order to watch 1080p movies, or play Angry Birds on the big screen. Of course, all of these things seem almost?blas??now. Read more.

Honeycomb demoed on the Motorola Xoom

The other big kit announcement from the newly-formed Motorola Mobility arm of the company was its Xoom Honeycomb tablet. However, when we first got to taste its tantalising treats at CES, the Google Android operating system wasn't finished, so we only got to see brief demos.

That said, it still gave us a hint that the OS could make a big difference in the battle with iPad. Until Ice Cream Sandwich comes along, of course. And the one after that. And...?Read more.

Britain goes Angry Birds crazy

Although Angry Birds was already massively popular in 2010, it was 2011 when the merchandising machine kicked into overdrive. Certainly, London's Toy Fair in January was awash with the poorly tempered avian agitators, in all shapes and sizes - bringing the franchise to kids.

The one that most caught our eye was the Angry Birds Catapult by Character Options. All you needed to add was a stack of pigs and block-like objects and Bob's your uncle, a home-made, real-world version of the game. It was so fiendish that the, now defunct, News of the World newspaper even ran with our picture, which we gave them so they didn't have to hack our email accounts. Read more.

iPhone turned into AR gun

British company AppToyz also used the Toy Fair to debut its AppBlaster, a plastic device that effectively turns an iPhone or iPod touch into an augmented reality gaming gun, when combined with one of the compatible applications. Strap your Apple device into the front of the ?20 toy, start the app and away you go. It's still available from shops, such as Amazon and, even, Marks and Spencer, and there are new apps that work with it being developed all the time. Read more.

Hexbug: Freaky little robots

By far the most interesting gadget-based product at the Toy Fair was the new addition to the Hexbug range, a series of tiny robots that act in the same way as cockroaches and other creepy crawlies. Just flick the switch on the side, and the little beggers scuttle about in a genuinely scary fashion.

Also available with playsets and raceways, the end result is like a futuristic version of I'm a Celebrity Get Me out of Here, although we wouldn't recommend downing one of these wee fellas alongside a crocodile's nob, it'll still be wriggling inside you a good year later or so; the batteries seem to last forever. Read more.

London 2012 Olympics Scalextric

Although it wasn't fully working at the time, and was more a concept build to illustrate what it'll look like, the London 2012 Olympics Scalextric Team GB Track Cycling Set?was another to cause a stir at the Toy Fair. It's certainly be a different sort of game to the conventional racing car version, with the "vehicles" being taller and more unstable, and the track being an oval, like a cycling velodrome, but collectors everywhere are already snapping up the ?70 set in their droves. Read more.

Sony NGP announced - eventually to become PS Vita

That a PSP2 was coming was no secret; however, few could have guessed that it would be so revolutionary in its specification and design. Not only would the Next Generation Portable (its original codename) have a full 5-inch OLED touch screen, but the rear of the console would also be touch enabled, with many games making use of the feature as an extra control system.

The announcement came at the company's?PlayStation Meeting 2011 in Tokyo, and was clearly a reaction to the launch shindig held for the Nintendo 3DS just over a week beforehand. Read more.

Nintendo 3DS revealed

Pocket-lint travelled over to Amsterdam in the Netherlands in order to check out the new Nintendo hand-held console, and, like TV presenter and self-confessed games geek Jonathan Ross, was initially impressed by its three-dimensional charm. Little did we realise at the time that it would fail to set the world alight.

This was partly due to its price, with retailers listing it at ?230 - a massive amount for a portable device partly aimed at kids. Then, of course, there was that 3D screen... Read more.

Thumbs Up 1980s iPhone Case released for yuppie chic

Fitting the iPhone 3G, 3GS and iPhone 4, the retro case by gizmo designer Thumbs Up may not be the most practical of sheaths, but it fitted the 80s mood at the time. Plus, it featured the side benefit of helping with the iPhone 4's antenna issue, even if it did make you look like a bit of a nob at the same time. Read more.

Kara Tointon roams London in her nightie

BT launched an initiative to give its broadband customers free Wi-Fi on their iPads around the UK, by simply logging into their existing Internet accounts, but that's not really enough to make it into a tech retrospective of the year. Strictly Come Dancing 2010 winner Kara Tointon in her skimpies was. Read more.

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales talks the future of the site

Pocket-lint was invited to interview the workaholic figurehead behind the 'net's biggest free information resource, and got to chat to him about all manner of subjects, including the philosophy behind Wikipedia, and how it could possibly ever make money. And, to his credit, his brief illustration of the site's history, its future and the world wide web in general ended up taking a talk-packed 45 minutes. All fascinating stuff, too. Read more.

The Gadget Show's Suzi Perry takes the Tech Tin Test

The first and last of our series of celebrity grillings, the Tech Tin Test was devised to help interviewees speak comfortably about technology and gadget-based subjects without a set structure of questioning. And TV presenter Suzi Perry was the ideal subject, giving us more than we could ever have asked for, simply by drawing different subject headings from a tin. Come to think of it, we should dust off the old idea for 2012. Read more.

We get to drive the Chevrolet Volt electric car

Pocket-lint really stepped up its coverage of motor vehicles in 2011, mainly because motor vehicles really stepped up their use of gadgetry and technology inside. And there was no better example at the time of a more gizmo-friendly car than the Chevrolet Volt.

It ran completely on a?lithium-ion battery, which would last around 40-50 miles, until it was completely depleted, and then switch to a petrol engine to drive the wheels. This would allow the vehicle to remain completely?emissions-free for short trips, yet provide the peace of mind that it wont conk out on the motorway. Plus, it hooked up to General Motors' OnStar Mylink iPhone, Android and BlackBerry app in order to check battery levels or even unlock the doors remotely. Read more.

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Tags: Gaming Tablets Home Cinema CES2011 Year in Review Features

Year in review 2011: January originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Help Santa delivery presents to all the good boys and girls this Christmas with Jet Pack Santa, a game for the iPhone and iPad, designed by Whacked Prattle and the Serious Games Institute. All profits from the game will go to the Prince’s Trust.

Jet Pack Santa

Format

iPhone/iPad

Price

?1.49

Where

iTunes

?

This nice little game in aid of the Prince's Trust should help to kill a few minutes during the Christmas break and although perhaps a bit rusty around the edges for the price, it is for a good cause and certainly has a decent amount of entertainment factor - especially for children.

Controls will initially take a little bit of getting used to, but quick taps on the left and right of the screen should see you able to navigate your way between houses in order to deliver presents to the little darlings.

Mince pies refill you jet pack tank and there is a variety of Christmas paraphernalia to collect in order to increase your points, which will help you achieve the all important five-star finish.

Obstacles come mainly by way of naughty children throwing snowballs - in actual fact they look down-right evil with their menacing stance and nasty red eyes - but in the early levels at least these are easily avoided.

The game has been designed as part of the Prince’s Trust ‘Million Maker Challenge, 2011’ project, an initiative dedicated to raising funds to help young people get back into work in deprived areas across the United Kingdom.

Find them on their Facebook page for the project, and they’re hoping to get over a 1000 fans before the day of launch. You can also follow the group on Twitter.

Tags: iPhone apps Apps App of the day Charity Gaming

APP OF THE DAY: Jet Pack Santa review (iPhone) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Are you a Sony Ericsson Xperia Play owner? Good news if you are, OnLive, the streaming gaming service has just confirmed that your phone is one of the new smartphones now supported meaning you can game games like never before.?

"The OnLive app for Android has been updated to support the slide-out game controls on the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY smartphone, enabling gameplay of almost all OnLive games, including the latest AAA console-class titles." OnLive got in touch to tell us.

"From the moment we launched our OnLive Android app, gamers began asking about Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY game control support," said Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO. "We listened and delivered. Now Xperia PLAY gamers in the US and UK can play almost all of OnLive's 200 premium titles-including hit AAA games like Saints Row: The Third and Assassin's Creed: Revelations-on their Xperia PLAY smartphone with a full console-class experience, including multiplayer and social features."

The OnLive app has been available on the Android Market since 8 December however game without control support.

Tablet and smartphone owners who don't own an Xperia PLAY can choose two other ways to play on an Android tablet or smartphone using onscreen controls instead.

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Tags: Phones Gaming OnLive Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Gingerbread Android apps Honeycomb

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play owners get 200 new games from OnLive originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:41:00 +0000

Sony has priced up the 25 launch titles that it hopes will set the PlayStation Vita off with a boom come February - with games priced between ?24.99 and ?44.99.

Some of the more interesting launch titles are; Uncharted: Golden Abyss (?44.99), ModNation Racers: Road Trip (?34.99), Everybody’s Golf (?34.99), WipEout 2048 (?34.99), Unit 13 (?34.99) and Reality Fighters (?24.99).

The Japanese company has also priced the memory card options; ?17.99, ?31.99 or ?44.99 depending on your choice of 4, 8 or 16GB, as well as giving cost details for the various accessories that you'll no doubt not bear to live without. Don't even think about going on holiday without the Travel Kit, for example, which will set you back ?25.99.

The PS Vita will go on sale in the UK, Europe and the US on 22 February. The new console will be available for ?229.99 for the Wi-Fi model and ?279.99 for the 3G/Wi-Fi model.

The handheld machine recently went on sale in Japan and over 300,000 were snapped up in the first 2 days of availability. However, the launch has been plagued with complaints of apparent technical glitches from early adopters.

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Tags: Gaming Sony PlayStation Vita Sony PlayStation Vita

PlayStation Vita launch titles priced up for the UK originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:45:00 +0000

Soldiers - lock, load and look lively as the first downloadable content for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has been announced. It will be hitting Xbox LIVE on 24 January, with Call of Duty Elite members getting first dibs.

"Today we informed the Call of Duty Elite Premium community that the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Elite Content Season will officially kick off on January 24 for Xbox users," said an Activision spokesperson. "We'll have more details about the entire 2012 MW3 Content Season in early January, so stay tuned for updates."

PS3 gamers will have to wait for now, it seems.

Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling has highlighted that the MW3 DLC may be a bit different to what gamers might be expecting. "The way we're doing downloadable content this year is unlike we've never done before," he said.

"Not only in how you can get it - in content drops or choose for the collection - but also the type of content you're getting. We're doing more than just maps. We're going to do Spec Ops missions and a variety of things that players have never seen before.?

Bowling stated that, as well as Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer and Raven will also be "pitching in".

The last part in developer Infinity Ward's FPS trilogy, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, is officially the fastest selling entertainment product of all time. It hit $1 billion worth of sales in 16 days, beating records held by Avatar and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two. The title had also broken some records by taking $400 million in less than 24 hours after launch.

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Tags: Gaming Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 DLC Xbox Live Infinity Ward Activision

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 DLC hitting Xbox LIVE in January originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:30:00 +0000

Just as Star Wars: The Old Republic, a massive multiplayer online game of one hugely popular sci-fi franchise launches, another hits the 'net. And this one is free to play.

Doctor Who: Worlds in Time is BBC Worldwide's first MMO featuring the globally successful Doctor and, rather than forcing players to download a client, it is played entirely in browser. Designed by online games specialist Three Rings, it is freemium, so credits can be bought to speed up the acquisition of certain power-ups and items, but it is possible to play the game to its fullest without having to spend a single penny of real money.

Pocket-lint was given a full demo of the game, which is available to play from today in an open preview build, by assistant producer, Games, BBC Worldwide, Ben Milsom and Robert Nashak,?executive vice president, BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment and Games. And we must say that we're impressed... Very impressed, indeed.

For starters, the premise is excellent; rather than allow you to play the Doctor himself, or an alternative Timelord (which would break continuity with the show), you get to design and take on the role of a brand new Doctor Who assistant. Your character is fully customisable (aesthetically) and you can even choose from multiple races plucked from the show's vast history. You then get to play the adventures (or "interventions") without the direct help of the Doctor himself (although the Matt Smith version of the Timelord does give you guidance along the way).

Your goal, as this character, is to save worlds which are under peril through, mainly, a wide variety of puzzles. At present, there are 10 big worlds, including Skaro, Messaline and New New York, which you need to save from 10 iconic enemies from the Doctor's past and, although the game is heavily influenced by the more recent series, these can range across the entire show's (almost) 50-year history - enough to get any true fan excited, young and old.

The game is, if you want a reference point, similar to Puzzle Quest in some ways, although you must explore in order to find out what you have to do, and team up with other players to solve some of the mini-games and perform functions, such as open locked doors, etc. And the puzzles come in a variety of forms, from match-three games to Tetris-style block building and more.

It's not a role-playing game in the traditional sense, as you don't get to improve your character's talents or choose classes - everybody starts on an even keel. However, each player is given their own room on the Tardis to adorn with trophies and collectables from the game, and, more importantly, a "Gadget".

The Gadget is, basically, the player's Sonic Screwdriver, and it is here that each character can build up a different skill set, and therefore become unique. You can add abilities in the form of power-ups to the device, and then use it in different ways in the game.

For example, if you add a lockpick-style power-up to your Gadget, you will be able to crack through the security on doors more speedily than without. Plus, if you team up with players who also have similar abilities on their Gadgets, you can combine to quicken actions further. That also means that you can team up with players with different abilities on their Gadgets, and create a party with a range of strengths.

Items and customisations can be found throughout the levels or bought with the in-game currency Chronons. These are rewarded for puzzle-solving, but also build up automatically on a day to day basis, and can be spent on new outfits for your avatar or power-ups for the Gadget. It is these that can be bought with real money through a micro-transaction model. However, as previously stated, it's possible to still accumulate the same?additional?features through?persistence, it just takes longer.

As the current version of the game is an open preview build, there are some features that will be added when Doctor Who: Worlds in Time hits full?commercial?release around March 2012. One of these will be the option to start and join guilds, thereby offering a traditional option familiar to hardcore gamers.

As Robert Nashak told us, there's not really an age limit on the ideal audience for the game. BBC Worldwide fully expects it to appeal to Doctor Who fans from 13-years and up, including those who's fondest memories of the TV show could've come from Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker and, even, William Hartnell's days. The puzzle mechanic is easy to understand, and there's plenty of secrets and surprises for the die-hard Whovians out there.

The BBC is also making a long-term commitment to Doctor Who: Worlds in Time and promises that there will be perpetual extra content and support. New worlds will be added, and new storylines that match those that are seen on TV as and when the new series starts. Plus, Nashak hinted, there will be major developments surrounding the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who next year. We can't wait.

You can sign up to the open preview of Doctor Who: Worlds in Time at DoctorWhoWIT.com. We'll see you there.

Tags: Gaming Online BBC BBC Worldwide Doctor Who Doctor Who Worlds in Time MMO

Doctor Who: Worlds in Time pictures and hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

A video has been posted on YouTube showing, what has to be, one of the most audacious kills ever in Battlefield 3, and as such has seen nearly 6 million hits on YouTube since its upload.

The manoeuvre involves the downing of an enemy fighter, however despite the player involved - gamer tag RendeZook - having a perfectly functioning fighter all of their own, it seems their skill set lies elsewhere: namely in the handheld anti-tank (anti jet) department.

Rising steeply RendeZook then ejects from the fighter, takes aim at the pursuing craft and narrowly missing his own jet fires a single shell at the enemy. What happens next we'll leave to the video as we'd hate to spoil the ending completely.

Needless to say the entire Battlefield 3 and, for that matter, wider gaming community is heaping praise on the stunt; clearly, for RendeZook, the long hours have paid off.

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Tags: Gaming battlefield 3 Video FPS Virals

Battlefield 3 insane stunt pwns YouTube (video) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:31:00 +0000

It has to be said that word games, as a rule, aren't at the top of Pocket-lint's must-download list. Not because we shy away or poo poo the more intellectual pursuits, but because, often, word games don't hold the?excitement?of a shoot-em-up or graphical interest of some of the more sophisticated puzzlers.

However, our app of the day brings with it some nice touches which set it apart from the usual word puzzler fair and so earns itself a mention on our beloved slot.

Rhymie Stymie

Format

iPhone/iPad

Price

Free

Where

iTunes

This great word game is based around, as the name might suggest, rhyming. It is very simple in premise but can be devilishly hard in practice and will always keep you coming back for more.

On booting up the app?you'll be greeted with a fair few options, but if you want to just dive straight in, you can. Gameplay consists of trying to decipher a blurb to which there is a rhyming counterpart; something like "straighten backbone", after a great deal of thought, will come out as align spine.

Tap this in and you'll be?whisked?onto the?next?level. The gameplay doesn't stray too much from this, but it keeps its appeal with some great sounds and some nice visuals. Solve the puzzle quickly enough and you'll get some nice blues harp as your victory music.

There are three levels of difficulty in RhymieStymie and the hard level will certainly test. There are also a fair few in-app levels, all with a different theme, which you can download to add to the few given on the initial free purchase. We found the free content to be reasonably generous and the lack of any obvious adverts was very nice.?

It is, however, the very polished UI and sounds that compliment the great premise of the game which sets this above the competition and as such it's a great game to enjoy with children. This has been clearly thought out; the lack of a timer will make sure there is no pressure to solve the puzzle quickly, but if you, or child, do happen to have a eureka moment you'll be rewarded my a few extra graphics and some different music.

We'd whole?heartedly?recommend?giving this a look.

Tags: iPhone apps Apps App of the day Gaming RhymieStymie

APP OF THE DAY: RhymieStymie review (iPhone) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:40:00 +0000

The Kinect for Xbox 360 sensor seems to be going from strength to strength, so if you've been thinking about getting in on some controller-free action then this deal via eBay from gaming store ShopTo might well be of interest.

You can pick up a Kinect sensor plus two games for ?99.99, which by anyone's standard is a bit of a bargain and might keep the children, and some adults for that matter, entertained during the Christmas holidays.

The two games on offer are Dance Central and Kinect Adventures, perhaps not the latest and greatest Kinect titles, but between the two there should be enough to keep most amused.

There doesn't seem to be a time limit on the deal, so take a look here and if you're feeling flush you can fill your boots.

Tags: Gaming Consoles Gaming accessories Microsoft Kinect Credit Crunch Christmas eBay

Credit Crunch Christmas: Kinect sensor and two games under £100 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:13:00 +0000

Professional Ewok and star of BBC comedy Life's Too Short, Warwick Davis, was on hand last night to help launch the much anticipated massively multiplayer online game Star Wars: The Old Republic. Sitting amongst the famed 501st Stormtroopers, Darth Vader and alongside?Alex Freed, senior writer for the game, Davis answered questions and handed out early copies to 150 eager fans at Game in London's Oxford Street.

Although the midnight event was held on 15 December (technically), SWTOR is not actually due for full release until 20 December, a full five days away.

While it is not the first Star Wars game that has been made as a MMORPG, it is the first from role playing game specialist Bioware, who also created Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for PC and the original Xbox back in 2003. An Apple Mac version also followed in 2004.

The latest edition is based on the same folklore created back then, with the plot set thousands of years before the movies when the Sith and Jedis were both many in number. There are eight primary classes to play in the game, with each enjoying their own unique storyline.

There will be three versions of the game available to buy on release; a Standard Edition at ?44.99; Digital Deluxe Edition (exclusive to Origin, EA's online shop) at ?59.99; and a Collector's Edition priced at ?129. Each has varying levels of added extras.

Each comes with 30 days game time, with subsequent subscription fees costing ?8.99 for one month, a one-off payment of ?25.17 for three months, or ?46.14 for six months.

Pocket-lint will be posting a Star Wars: The Old Republic review soon. Keep 'em peeled.

Tags: Star Wars Gaming PC games Star Wars The Old Republic MMORPGs

Star Wars: The Old Republic officially launches - early copies snaffled by fans originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:08:00 +0000

We've had cakes, we've had toys, we've had iPod docks, we've even had a real-life, oversized version of the game, surely there's nothing that's yet to be touched by the feathered wings of Angry Birds. Well...

UK children's playground equipment firm Lappset Group has licensed Rovio's massively popular franchise in order to create slides, swings, sandpits and other kiddy rides. There are even plans to put them altogether in fully Angry Birds-themed activity parks.

There will be 20 different products adorned by imagery of the birds and their evil pig nemeses in all, including an outside arcade game featuring the blighters.

The first parks and play kit will be installed in 2012 in Rovio's home nation of Finland, with the UK soon to follow. And "Mighty Eagle" Peter Vesterbacka is hoping that world domination is soon to follow:

"The activity parks tie in perfectly with the Angry Birds world and our way of thinking," said the Rovio chief.

"We will be developing a service which brings together the digital world and the physical world in a way that’s never been seen before.?The popularity of Angry Birds isn’t restricted to any age, sex or social group, and the activity parks will be designed to be interesting places for absolutely everyone, all around the world."

What's the betting on an Angry Birds theme park ride next? They load you up into a giant catapult and...

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Tags: Angry Birds Apps Gaming Rovio Dad

Angry Birds - coming to a children's playground near you originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:20:00 +0000

Pocket-lint has teamed up with Xbox UK to bring you the chance of winning an Gears of War 3 Xbox 360 as part of our Pocket-lint Xmas Spectacular.

Xbox 360 offers the best blockbuster games and exclusives, and you can win the biggest console exclusive of the year with the Gears of War 3 Limited Edition 320GB console. It features a custom design, sounds from the game and two customised wireless controllers. Additionally, you’ll score the Epic Edition of the game, which includes a Limited Edition Marcus Fenix Statue, expertly crafted by the artisans at Triforce.

All you have to do is follow Pocket-lint (@Pocketlint) and Xbox (@tweetbox360) on Twitter and then retweet this or any story with the hashtag #plxmas. The competition will last just 24 hours after which a winner will be drawn 15 December at 11am. The winner will be announced on Twitter.

So what are you waiting for? By this time tomorrow you could be the proud owner a new Gears of War 3 Xbox 360 console.

This competition is now closed.

Congratulations to @BigDaveHaze for winning a Gears of War 3 Xbox 360 console.

Tags: Microsoft Consoles Xbox 360 Competitions Gaming Gears of War 3

The Pocket-lint Xmas Spectacular - Day 9: Win a Gears of War 3 Xbox 360 console originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Gameloft is to release four of its classic iPhone games for absolutely free in time for Christmas, but exactly when that happens is up to you.

The publisher has launched a scheme whereby, the more people that sign up to the offer's dedicated Facebook page and click on a massive button, the faster the games will be revealed and released.

At present, we're not even sure what games might be on offer, but the company has promised that there will be no hidden catches; each game will be the full version and cost absolutely nada.

Of course, there are plenty of titles in Gameloft's back catalogue - iTunes itself lists 160 available for download for the iPhone alone - with such incredible titles as Starfront - Collision, Shadow Guardian and Eternal Legacy, but we'd put money on one of the Let's Golf trilogy being included for sure.

To take part in the click-a-thon, head over to Gameloft's Facebook page now...

Tags: Gameloft Apps Gaming iPhone iPhone apps

Gameloft to give away 4 classic iPhone games for free originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:08:45 +0000

Imagine that somehow you had travelled forward in time from an age before video games consoles existed. Stepping into the sitting room of a modern day household, you are confronted with the sight of young people blasting others in the face on a television screen. You would probably be horrified by this mass killing, turn your back and walk straight out of the house. The problem is that you wouldn't get far, as Call of Duty, the game you have just witnessed, pops up in just about every home with kids the world over.

People get seriously addicted to Call of Duty, pouring hours of their lives into competitive multiplayer. This means less time spent with the family and, as this is the?Good Christmas and all, is not something we want. If you cant beat 'em, join 'em, is the idea here. So, instead, why not learn how to play the game from your young ones and spend time with them in the process?

Of course, it might be that as a parent you're into it before your kids have had a chance. If that happens to be you, then why not teach your little ones to get involved with you and your COD addiction? After all, if it's not a responsible adult such as yourself showing them the way, then who knows what terrible habits they might pick up with their mates leading the charge?

Where to start?

The first thing we suggest doing is moving your games console. Most of the time they are relegated to play rooms or bedrooms, but having it sat beneath the family TV in your lounge will mean everyone can play together.

The next step is taking the edge off the game for either your parents, or if you're an adult, your kids. Call of Duty can be an incredibly loud and confusing game if you're not used to it, so get them up to speed on exactly how it works with a quick multiplayer match. Try and keep this to a minimum though, as the shorter the amount of time spent playing alone the better. Believe us, whoever you are trying to teach will get bored.

Now we suggest taking the first major step into your family’s COD training, pitting them all up against each other. This is where the Good Christmas really begins and is guaranteed to generate plenty of laughs as you watch you Grandma spin around in circles while your Dad fires wildly around her head.

Set up something like a free for all and hand out four controllers to everyone involved. If you are going to be playing yourself, tone down your skills a bit so that you aren’t perpetually wasting your family. Instead, offer hints and tips to those struggling.

This stage of COD training needs to go on until the person you are teaching has a basic grasp of the controls, otherwise the internet play to come will consist of nothing but repeat deaths. If trainees are really suffering at the hands of others, why not switch up control schemes, show them things like inverted play or even walk them through a match side by side, just to build up their confidence.

COD is a game that can be particularly brutal and temper tantrums amongst the younger ones are likely. If you spot any signs of agitation - things like controller rage or repeated shouts of "that's not fair" and "I'm going to my room" - then turn the game off and start again later.?

Create your character

Once you have your own personal COD boot camp out of the way, it's time to introduce your trainee soldiers to the idea of playing the game on the Internet.

Hopefully a lot of the spinning/random firing will have now been worked out of the system, leaving the trainee wandering around freely and letting off rounds without much difficulty. We personally would plan on holding off from the next step until you can be absolutely sure the family has got the game down. With any luck though, now should be the time to let the family choose what sort of weapons they want to use.

In order to keep the family element going, why not suggest different specialisations for each? That way, when it comes to playing later, your family will form a consistent team that games well together. Say, for example, you turn your Grandma into a shotgun expert. It would be even better if you could have your Grandad providing sniper cover from behind, with mother and son rushing through the middle firing SMGs. Can you picture a better family moment?

Those struggling with the dual analogue stick element of things, best try and push them towards being a sniper, as that way they only have to deal with one single stick for aiming. Fans of shooting from the hip will likely do a lot better using things like SMGs. Don’t bother your family with the niceties of perks. Just set them up in a way that you think will suit them best. If they want to change them, then they can, once they have a few hours under their belt that is.

Get online

Now comes judgement day and setting your family free on a real live game of Call of Duty. Expect the first match to be a relatively traumatic affair for all concerned. Make sure you sit yourself next to your trainee to comfort them as they get repeatedly blown to bits.?As soon as you see any signs of irritation reaching dangerous levels, then pull them out of the game. This is supposed to be family-friendly play time and you don’t want a tantrum on your hands.

While you're playing, why not offer a few words of wisdom about the futility of war, particularly if you're teaching a young one about the ways of COD? Christmas isn’t really supposed to be about violence and, sure, we know gaming is just a bit of fun, but a few moral lessons could be learnt while you are at it. Black Ops is particularly useful for this, as set in ‘Nam there is at least a basic level of historical accuracy rather than trying to teach your kids about the perils of a World War 3 between Russians and Americans. Anyway, keep it light. Best not to bore the family with too big a history lesson. It could detract from the joys of the COD action going down on screen.

Good CODmas

So, the family is all settled down to a decent game of COD, they are starting to pwn, even Grandmother is beginning to destroy the competition. But along the way, they have picked up a few rather cheeky Call of Duty habits that go against a lot of the Christmas spirit.

First up is how to deal with a gran who is a bit of a camper. Sure the old lady might be racking up the kills but you don’t want her getting a reputation. If it looks like your Nan keeps hiding in corners with a shotgun, force her out of her comfort zone by making her switch weapons. Say, for example, she is a master with an SMG, then make her use a long range weapon or just pistols, it will make her have to run about in order to get any kills.

Next up are the dangers of tea bagging. If, for some reason, your favourite son has picked up the dirty habit of celebrating over a kill he has just made by crouching onto the victim's face, then it needs to stop. We know a telling off isn’t what Good Christmas is about, so we have a top tip to train him out of it. This one is an easy one, simply follow him round for every match and each time you catch him making a boo boo onto a kill, then shoot him in the head.

The final habit that could detract from a thoroughly happy CODmas is trash talk over in-game chat. If your Grandad appears to be putting down adversaries after each kill, calling them n00bs and so forth, then this needs to be stopped. But how do you do this, especially after all the training you have given them?

Well, if you have a little family of pwners, all sitting round gaming and leading each round, trash talking all the way, then why not return to where you started and go in for the final battle yourself? The difference is that this time everyone is only allowed to compliment each family member after kills.?Better still, offer a prize for the most polite CODer.

Christmas is for n00bz

So, you have transformed your entire family into a L337 COD gang who wander the multiplayer servers causing mayhem and destruction wherever they go. Now it's time to capitalise on what you set out to do in the first place - play COD with your family.

With the console sat in the living room, start handing out those controllers. This is going to be Christmas Day with a twist. Rather than going for individual presents for each, organise a tournament with gifts ranked in order of who does best. The winner, for example, could take home something like a box of chocolates, the loser gets a toy from a cracker.

We understand this might go against a lot of the common man’s Christmas spirit, but what won't, however, is when you surprise the family post-tournament with presents for each and every one of them - something to remember the day with, such as little plastic guns or soldiers. Even a helmet with "Born To Kill" written on the side would look great on your Grandad when he falls asleep in his armchair after the Queen's Speech.

Whatever happens, we wish you best of luck in getting the family sat round the CODmas tree and getting their game on. One word of advice, don’t underestimate the elderly, they tend to get rather serious about war.

Tags: Features Gaming Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 Call of Duty Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Good Christmas

Teach your family to play Call of Duty originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:20:00 +0000

File this one under scary and mental, one Skyrim fan has built himself a Dragonborn helmet made entirely out of bacon. No, really.

Reddit user Liktwo claims that his Baconborn helmet is made out of enough bacon to feed six to eight people, and, once worn and photographed, it was actually eaten. The strips of piggy goodness were laid over a tin foil shell, which was removed after baking.

It's hard to know what was going through his mind (apart from bacon fat after it was on his head), but we've got to applaud the effort that's gone into it. We may have had an Angry Birds cake or two here on Pocket-lint, but we've never seen such inventive use of meat before. So, a hearty "well done".

We're also proud of ourselves for getting through this entire story without once referring to it as a "glistening porky helmet"... Or suggested that it could be followed up with a beefy bayonet...?Oh...

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Tags: Gaming Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Bethesda

Forget dragonscale, behold the Skyrim bacon helmet! originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:09:00 +0000