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Global Chat: Gamers Secret Santa
One of the yearly traditions in the blogosphere that I always look forward to is Stargrace's Annual Gamers Secret Santa. Currently in its sixth year, Gamers Secret Santa accepts any and all who want to sign up to be a part of a gift exchange. You'll end up sending a gift ($20 maximum) to someone and will receive a gift from another person during the month of December. There's even a digital exchange for more remote locations. It's always a blast to see what gifts I end up getting (and they are always geeky), and I wanted to encourage others to be a part of this. You'll need to sign up by December 1st if you do, however! It's grown every year, but this year I'm giving a bit of Massively publicity, so let's see if we can make this the biggest year ever! Another blogger-driven Christmas initiative is Syl's Blogosphere Xmas Countdown, during which she's assigning various blogs a day to write about the theme of positive gaming and community. Keep an eye on MMO Gypsy to see this advent countdown progress!
Tegra Note 7 gets updated with Android 4.3 and camera enhancements
A few things were missing from NVIDIA's Tegra Note 7 when it launched a month and a half ago, but the company promised that users would get a timely update that filled in some of the holes. That refresh, which includes Android 4.3 and a handful of other enhancements, is coming out to the $200 Tegra 4-powered tablet today. One of the biggest features that should've been offered from the very beginning is Always-on HDR (AOHDR), which does exactly what the feature's name implies -- making sure users can snap a real-time HDR shot without waiting several seconds for the camera to process it. There are a few other nice touches in the changelog, such as left-handed stylus support, improvements in the DirectStylus' response, notifications and the ability to transfer files to microSD from internal memory. Granted, this isn't the latest version of Android (4.4), but NVIDIA is planning on bringing it to the Note 7 eventually. In the meantime, at least users can enjoy the current update as it begins rolling out today around the world, regardless of which market you live in.
UK retailer offers 7-inch tablet with speedy Tegra 4 chip for £180
Hey, do you remember Advent? It turns out that the Dixons-owned brand has slapped its logo all over NVIDIA's Tegra Note reference design tablet in preparation for the holidays. Packing a 7-inch 1,280 x 800 display, the Advent Vega Tegra Note comes with a Tegra 4 paired with 1GB RAM, 16GB storage and Jelly Bean. 'Round back, you'll find a 5-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel webcam up front, and there's micro-USB, micro-HDMI-out, Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11 b/g/n WiFi finishing off the spec list. As with the original, the slate comes with a stylus, which NVIDIA promises will be incredibly responsive thanks to its DirectStylus know-how. Pre-orders begin tomorrow, and the hardware will start hitting doorstops on November 15 for the rather reasonable sum of £180.
Advent Vega gets unofficial, GPU accelerated Android 3.2 port (video)
The surprisingly cheap, Tegra 2-powered Advent Vega just keeps getting better and better, thanks in large part to a dedicated community of developers and hackers. In May the £199 (about $329) tablet got its first taste from the Honeycomb pot, now Android 3.2 has been ported over and it's sporting full, native GPU acceleration. (Hip, hop, hooray!) There are some bugs, neither Bluetooth nor the camera are working yet, but for the most part it seems like a worthwhile hack for a slate that packs impressive hardware, but ships with a depressingly outdated OS. Check out the video of it in action after the break and hit up the source link to download the ROM.
Advent's Vega tablet gets a little sweeter with the addition of Android 3.0 (video)
There's plenty of Android tablets out there, but you could certainly do a lot worse than the Advent Vega with its Tegra 2 innards and £199 ($326) asking price. You may take issue with its outdated OS, but thankfully a couple of hackers have replaced the Vega's antiquated Android 2.2 with a heaping helping of Honeycomb. It's currently an alpha release, so while widgets and apps are working well, camera capabilities, screen rotation, web-surfing on WiFi, and most everything else is currently off limits. There's still plenty of work to be done, but seeing Advent's slate running buttery smooth Android 3.0 with aplomb (even if unofficially) makes us think it's a better bargain than ever before. Check out how the Vega looks sporting its slick new threads in the video after the break.
Advent Vega finally gets its Flash Player
The Advent Vega tablet shipped late last year but quickly had its Flash Player pulled due to a little spat with Adobe about certifications. Now that's been fixed and this 10.1-inch, Android 2.2 and Tegra 2-powered slab can finally take off its mask and show us what it can do. If you're an owner, get yourself the 1.09 software update on the other end of the source link below.
Advent Vega's Flash Player yanked due to missing Adobe certification
The Advent Vega was never the most polished Android tablet in the world -- after all, we had to rely on a custom ROM just to get native Android Market access -- but a reasonable price tag and NVIDIA's Tegra 2 has still made it hard to resist. For those who've managed to snag one already, you may have noticed that the Flash playback isn't exactly... awesome. That's probably because the version loaded onto already-shipped versions isn't certified by Adobe, and in order to fend off future complaints, the company's yanking Flash Player entirely from newly-shipping models for the time being. The certification process is apparently underway, and the outfit expects Vega tablets shipped "in the early part of 2011" to have a green-lit build pre-installed; as for everyone else, they'll be provided a gratis update as soon as it can be pushed out onto the interwebs. Head on past the break for the full statement.
Gameloft Advent promo offering free mobile games
Gameloft is having a Twitter Advent event, with an e-chocolate based piece of information or free game every day up until December 24. The free games will be available globally (unless specified) for iOS and Android devices, with "a little bit more in the end." All you have to do is follow @Gameloft on Twitter to partake in the goodies. Yesterday's treat was Driver for free, today was a sneak peek at StarFront: Collision. Yeah, we're hoping for more stuff like the former too.
Gameloft Advent Calendar offers free iPhone, Android games until Christmas
Deals on iPhone and Android games aren't exactly hard to come by at this time of the year, but the folks at Gameloft have cooked up something a little extra special for the month of December. They've just kicked off an Advent Calendar on Twitter, which promises to reveal a free iPhone games, Android games, and a few other surprises every day until December 25th -- plus "a little bit more in the end." While there may be a few duds in there, things have gotten off to a pretty good start -- you can now grab the updated version of the classic PlayStation game Driver for the iPhone and iPod touch.
Advent Vega nabs Android Market access courtesy of MoDaCo custom ROM
The Advent Vega seems to be gaining some serious traction overseas, but despite the low price, not having access to Google's bona fide Android Market is a huge Debbie Downer. Well, it was. The fine folks over at MoDaCo have cooked up a custom ROM for the 10-inch tablet, and if you've nothing better to do on a Black Friday than tinker with software, the v1.04 build hosted in the source link promises a "full Google experience" including Gmail, Maps with Street View, Talk, Voice Search and even Android Market access. All the steps you'll need to follow are just a click away, so allow us to ask you this: what's the holdup?
Advent Vega goes on sale in the UK, promptly sells out
No Android Market? No problem! The 10-inch Advent Vega tablet, famously boasting NVIDIA's Tegra 2 chipset, just went on sale across the pond earlier today, and after a matter of hours, the £249 device has already sold out. In a message that sounds eerily similar to that uttered by HP regarding its Slate, PC World has confessed that the first shipment "sold out nearly as quickly as 'Take That' tickets." It's hard to say just how "unprecedented" the demand was with no actual sales figures, but it looks as if this here tablet will be quite the item this holiday season. The Tickle Me Elmo of slates? Maybe, just maybe. Update: We've touched base with PC World and Currys in the UK, and both reckon that it'll be "another week or two" before stock is replenished.
Look into the lore of Forsaken World
With the first phase of closed beta in Forsaken World now underway, we're getting more tasty tidbits of information on this new MMO from Perfect World Entertainment. For those who didn't manage to make it into the first batch of beta testers, or those who are simply curious for a bit more information on the lore of Eyrda, we have a shiny new trailer for you! In this new video, we're introduced to the two gods behind the Forsaken World; Dyos and Nyos, as well as their children and creations. The Advent trailer also gives us a look at the different races that now populate Eyrda, and some great looking in-game footage. So, if you're curious about the story behind this new free-to-play MMO, hit the break and check out the loretastic eyecandy.
FLO TV storms automotive lots, FLO-EV gets launched and FLO smartbook apps surface
FLO TV may not have had the best Super Bowl commercial (not by a long shot, actually), but the fledgling mobile programming service is doing its darnedest to make some waves over in Barcelona. The biggest news is that Qualcomm will be on hand at MWC in order to showcase a FLO-enabled smartbook, a device that will purportedly bring together live television and live social networking updates -- something that would come in handy while watching the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, for example. In other, more international news, FLO-EV is being introduced, with Qualcomm describing it as the "next evolution of the FLO air interface." Finally, Audiovox has announced that an in-vehicle system based on FLO TV is now sweeping the nation, with Advent-branded solutions hitting up showroom accessory departments en masse. Now, if only these guys and gals could convince people to care about TV on-the-go...
Audiovox integrates PlayStation 2 into rear-seat entertainment system
Tired of strapping muzzles on your youngsters whenever you have to make that eight hour trek to grandma's pad? So were a couple of engineers at Audiovox. The VOD10PS2 claims to be the planet's first fully integrated gaming system made for the car, with the overhead system not only packing a 10.2-inch display, but an honest-to-goodness PlayStation 2 console as well. Just so we're clear -- the $949.99 asking price nets you the box itself, a screen, a PS2, two wireless controllers, a built-in dome light, a pair of fold-flat IR wireless headphones and a copy of Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and Hot Shots Golf 3. Heck, there's even a remote and FM transmitter, not to mention a pair of trim rings that'll obviously work with whatever drab interior color you selected for your minivan. So, willing to pay just under a grand to shut the little ones up forever? (Tempting, isn't it?)%Gallery-73801%
Dixons launches slim little Advent Altro CULV PCs
UK electronics retailer Dixons just got the memo that slim is in, and its taken it to heart. The store is on the verge of launching two new PCs as part of its Advent brand -- and the 13.3-inch CULV Altro line is pretty sexy looking. Already drawing the obvious comparisons to the MacBook Air in the looks department, the Altro boasts an Intel Celeron CPU, 3GB of RAM, and a 120GB hard drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, plus USB and HDMI ports, and one multifunction connector for hooking up an external port replicator. If the specs of the Altro aren't beefy enough for you, there will be a second version -- the Elite -- which will have an Intel Core 2 Solo processor, and a "premium" flush glass finish. Both of the Advent Altros will be available at Dixons (that's UK-only) starting August 24th, with prices at £600 (around $987) for the standard model and £800 (about $1,316) for the Elite. Both come with Windows Vista pre-installed, but a free upgrade to Windows 7 is also included. One more shot after the break.[Via SlashGear]
Advent Eco PC gets photographed, tested
After the latest green PC (that'd be the Advent Eco PC, pictured above) launched in late September, we don't suspect too many Britons rushed out to get one. Why? 'Cause the £600 ($880) list price has already sunk to around £440 ($646). If that figure is a little more in your budget, you might want to give the read link a look. The critics over at Techcast Network found the design to be fairly attractive, the keyboard to be a touch cramped (and unnecessarily wireless) and the performance to be "nothing to write home about." Comically enough, they also point out that an Atom CPU would've probably increased the "greenness," and quite frankly, this machine lacks the raw horsepower necessary to adequately handle Windows Vista. But hey, there's lots of pretty pictures to glance at below even if you've no interest in bringing one home.
Advent Eco PC dials down your power meter
PC World has branched out its Advent brand, offering the Eco PC through its UK online store, aiming to best the average desktop power consumption by 78 percent. The system is priced at just under what you might expect to pay for a slightly dusty super computer -- £599.99 (or about $1100) -- but the specs don't quite match up: 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo T5250 CPU, 2GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g, and Vista Home Premium onboard. The environmentally-friendly PC is made from recycled materials, so don't be surprised if it starts to reek of old banana peels after a while.
Advent 4123 netbook boasts built-in SIM card slot, can't escape UK
PC World (the store) already netted itself an MSI Wind rebadge for its Advent brand, and it's now plundered the netbook depths yet again for another model, with its new Advent 4123 adding a built-in SIM card slot to the mix. While it's getting increasingly tough to distinguish the rebadges from the rip-offs, this one appears to be based on ECS' G10IL netbook, with it boasting all the same design cues (minus the LED-adorned trackpad button) and identical specs, including a 10.2-inch display, a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and Window XP as standard. You'll also apparently be able to get this one in both black and silver versions, but only in the UK, it seems, where it'll set you back a hefty £349 (or just over $600 if you're thinking about trying to import one).[Via Pocket-lint]
MSI Wind shipping in "3 to 5 weeks," Advent rebadge available now
Okay, so we've got hard evidence the Wind is shipping out somewhere in the world, but the latest status check on Amazon reveals that it'll be another 3 to 5 weeks before Americans can indulge. Granted, we've seen these dates slip around a bit, so hopefully it'll slide to "sooner" if anything. Interestingly enough, the Advent 4211 rebadge is shipping this very moment to customers in the UK for £279.99, though that currency conversion is apt to be a real thorn in your side when looking to import.Read - MSI Wind availability, via ComputerMonger, thanks IvanaRead - Advent 4211, thanks zeesh
Jensen's NVXM1000 Rock'N'Road XM / GPS system on sale now
Given that the last time we heard about Jensen's NVXM1000 was nearly 11 months ago, we won't hold it against you if you just can't bring back the memories of this well-spec'd XM mini-tuner / navigator hybrid. The $799.99 Rock'N'Road, as it's so affectionately dubbed, is finally ready to take to the streets, and it's packing a 4.3-inch color touchscreen, support for XM Instant Traffic, weather, sports and stocks, 11 million POIs, an 8GB hard drive, wireless FM modulator, an integrated media player / photo viewer, USB connectivity and a SD expansion slot. And if you just so happen to find yourself in a participating GM, Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Hyundai dealership, you can get hooked up with the rebadged Advent ADV800XM for the same amount of dough. Now, whether or not this thing's actually worth all eight Benjamins is another story, but it's available today for those who adamantly feel it is.
