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The Ascend is a robotic knee brace on a budget
Bay Area startup Roam Robotics has a less intensive and expensive means of getting folks with mobility issues back on their feet. It’s called the Ascend and it’s a sub-$10k exoskeletal knee brace for everybody.
How would you change Huawei's Ascend W1?
When I reviewed Huawei's Ascend W1 last summer, I was surprised at how much I liked it, considering its bargain-basement price. Microsoft clearly deserves plaudits for getting Windows Phone 8 to work on such low-power hardware, and Huawei made a real effort to produce a solid feeling, well-made device. Unfortunately, the inclusion of a forward-facing camera couldn't make up for a paltry 1.88GB of storage, and I couldn't recommend that you all buy the W1. Instead, I pointed people to the slightly more expensive Lumia 620 - but if you pressed ahead and snapped one of these up instead, what did you think of it? Hop into the forum and share your feels.
Huawei tweaks Ascend P6 chipset, tacks on an 'S' for good measure
We had some issues with Huawei's Ascend P6 when we reviewed it last year -- despite a sleek thin design, a gorgeous display and a solid camera, it simply lacked oomph. Now the company has given the handset a slight revision, bumping its original 1.5GHz quad-core processor up to 1.6GHz. Unfortunately, the phone's new silicon still doesn't support LTE, and not much else has changed: the phone still has 2GB of RAM, a 4.7-inch display and a 2,000mAh battery. All in all, it doesn't sound too different from the original model, but it Huawei did tweak its moniker; it's now the Ascend P6 S. Well, that's something. Folks looking for the revision will find it at Huawei's Vmall store at the source link below.
Hi-Rez CEO: Without SMITE, Tribes would have 'closed down'
Hi-Rez co-founder and CEO Erez Goren took to Reddit yesterday to deliver a message about his studio's history and its plans for the future. Discussed in the post were challenges of making a profitable game (Global Agenda, for example, lost money throughout its lifespan) and some of the reasoning behind recent decisions made by Hi-Rez about its biggest titles. On the subject of Tribes Ascend, Goren explained that the decision to go free-to-play was made in an effort to give fans easy access to the game. Goren noted that the game broke even "at best," though some financial concerns may have been the result of poor monetization strategies. According to Goren, Tribes Ascend launched to good reviews and a positive community response, but nothing Hi-Rez did could stop players from leaving the game over time. Goren also answered calls for mod tools and accusations that Tribes development was shuttered due to the success of the studio's new MOBA, SMITE. Goren explained that Hi-Rez's development platform does not support modding and that developing the feature set would represent a massive cost to the company, and noted that without the successful development of SMITE, Tribes likely would have been shut down along with the studio itself. According to Goren, the success of SMITE is "very unusual" but has allowed Hi-Rez to expand its team and to find financial stability. Hi-Rez feels as though the future of SMITE is bright, and is dedicated to making it "the best MOBA game in the world" through continued development and partnerships with publishers like TenCent.
Hi-Rez's Todd Harris argues Tribes: Ascend is a 'complete' and 'content-rich' experience
We reported earlier this week that Hi-Rez decided to stop updating Tribes Ascend in favor of user mapmaking tools because the studio feels that the Tribes experience is "complete" as-is. In a follow-up interview with Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Hi-Rez's Todd Harris has now discussed the development hiatus in more detail and answers some tough questions on extant issues with game balance. He argues that not only is the game complete, but it's already feature-rich and a bargain for the price. Since launch, we added 54 new weapons. We added a new game mode, a new leveling system, custom servers, server browser, shielded base assets, 29 new maps – all free – and all that in a brief period of time. We also added an option for people to pay one price and get all the weapons. I don't know of any other free-to-play game, other than our own SMITE, that has that option. It's free-to-play, but it does have a twist. You can get all the gameplay elements for the price of a normal game. It's fairly complete in its content. Harris also tells RPS that a new tutorial would be only a "modest improvement as far as new people sticking with the game"; instead, he says, he hopes to facilitate community resources. But mostly, he appears to believe the game has already found its audience. "The days of major changes in the game are behind us," he says. What about insinuations that the studio bit off more than it could chew? Harris explains that the studio has three small teams working on multiple games and has learned "learned the value of focus." According to Harris, Tribes has supported itself commercially and profits were always returned to the game's development. Even so, the studio is focused on the MOBA space: "SMITE is doing well enough that it's justifying a large amount of resources on it . . . we see the biggest studio opportunity on SMITE."
Todd Harris confirms no more development on Tribes: Ascend
If you've been a fan of Tribes: Ascend, we hope you're happy with the current state of the game -- or that you like SMITE just as much. In response to a user inquiry, Hi-Rez Studios head Todd Harris announced that there are no major updates planned for the game within the next six months. The studio's current resources are devoted first to SMITE, then to Global Agenda 2, and beyond that a full-on sequel to Tribes: Ascend is more likely than a major content patch. While Harris goes on to mention that there are additional maps being worked on, he states there is no definite date for release, if indeed these maps are ever released. While support for servers and the existing game is not in question, the long-term health of the community without further content is questionable. And with no developers working on a sequel, even that seems rather unlikely at this point.
Huawei Ascend P6 review: a beautiful handset, but performance is lacking
More Info Huawei Ascend P6 officially announced Huawei Ascend P6 specs leaked New Huawei P6-U06 spy shots show off black, brushed metallic body Well, what do we have here? Okay, let's scrap the faux surprise. The recently confirmed Ascend P6 has landed, and Huawei hopes it will stir interest in the hearts of mobile users. Debuting across Europe, China and Australia in late June / early August with a €449 ($600) price tag, it's asking you to take it seriously, and that's what we'll do. The mobile market is a fickle place, so it doesn't matter where you are right now; it's all about where you're going. Huawei? Well, it's definitely got its sights set on an upward trajectory. The Ascend P6 is the latest rung on the ladder, intended to elevate the company to mobile greatness. But, with competition stiffer than ever, can it really call a device with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 720p display and 8-megapixel camera a flagship? (For its P-series at least?) Huawei's certainly giving it a try, and it's hoping that beauty, not brawn, will win the day.
Huawei Ascend P6 hands-on (video)
Well, we can't say that we didn't know it was coming, despite only getting officially announced this afternoon in London. Either way, Huawei's Ascend P6 is here, and we got some hands-on time with it. As one leak suggested, the P6 comes with a 4.7-inch LCD display (1,280 x 720), a quad-core K3V2 processor, 2GB of RAM and just 8GB internal storage (there is thankfully a microSD card slot). Camera-wise, reports of a 5-megapixel shooter on the front were on the money, while the rear camera is a shade above that at eight megapixels. The front-facing cam isn't the only talking point, either. At just 6.18mm thick, the Ascend P6 is potentially the slimmest phone out there (for now), but is a trim waist and the promise of improved selfies enough? We spent some hands-on time with it to find out.%Gallery-191578%
Huawei Ascend P6 announced: 6.18mm thickness, 4.7-inch 720p display
We knew it was in the works given the sheer quantity of leaks but, with a small sigh of relief, Huawei's Ascend P6 is now official. At the company's London launch, the handset has been revealed with a 6.18mm-thick, all-metal body that weighs in at 120 grams -- only 8 grams more than the iPhone 5, which, for the sake of context, has a thickness of 7.6mm. The 4.7-inch device comes with a 1,280 x 720 in-cell LCD display, 1.5GHz quad-core CPU and 2GB RAM. While users may be dismayed to read that the P6 has a small 8GB of storage, a microSD card slot will let you add up to 32GB more for your media perusal. The phone's primary camera is an 8-megapixel, F/2.0 BSI lens with a 4cm macro, but the vain amongst you shouldn't worry as there's a 5-megapixel shooter up front. The build of Android 4.2.2 will be skinned with Huawei's customary Emotion UI, while AV fans amongst you will be happy to see the handset boasting Dolby Digital Plus sound. A 2,000mAh battery and GSM/UMTS/HSPA+ radios round out the spec sheet, and the handset will be launching in China from June and western Europe from July, with 19 countries covered by the end of that month. A total of 100 nations will have the Ascend P6 by the end of the year, and an LTE version is due sometime in the fourth quarter. You'll be able to pick it up in black, white or pink colors from places like EE, Three, Vodafone, O2, Orange and the Carphone Warehouse in the UK. Most Europeans will have to set aside €449 ($601) for the smartphone; we're still waiting on pricing details for the UK and other countries.
Huawei Windows Phone appears in render, said to be the Ascend W2
It feels almost unfaithful to the Ascend W1 to be looking at a potential sequel already, but that's what evleaks claims this is. How he got the image we have no idea, and neither do we have any price or specs to go with it -- it's just this lone render of a Huawei handset running Windows Phone 8 in Chinese. There was actually a previous leak back in April (shown after the break), which also purported to be the Ascend W2 and which did come with some detail: a 720p 4.3-inch display, Snapdragon S4 chip, 8MP rear camera and 1GB RAM for $289. However, today's picture fails to match up with the earlier one in a number of respects, not least in the shape of the bottom edge and in the position of the front camera / sensor opening next to the earpiece, which means the only certainty here is that they can't both be right.
The Daily Roundup for 05.23.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Huawei Ascend P6 leaks in official imagery, may launch on June 18th
Huawei's upcoming Ascend P6 must be as slim as we've heard, because it just keeps slipping out -- this time, in an official rendering obtained by @evleaks. The imagery appears to validate what we've previously seen in photos, including the wafer-like 6.2mm thick body, a metal chassis and an iteration of the Emotion UI layer that we just saw on the Ascend Mate. And in case there's any lingering doubts, we've even received a possible launch window from the company itself. In a quickly deleted Sina Weibo post referring to the previous leak, Huawei Device Chairman Richard Yu told his followers that this device is indeed part of the P series, and should be revealed at the company's June 18th event in London. At this rate, all that's left for the company is to walk on stage and make its skinniest Ascend official.
Huawei Ascend Mate review: a supersized phone with supreme battery life
When Huawei revealed the Ascend Mate at CES this year, it felt like smartphones had reached an end point -- they surely couldn't get any larger. We've since been proven wrong by Samsung's Galaxy Mega 6.3, but the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate has gone on sale first, and it's every bit as intimidating as it was in January. The question is whether or not Huawei has more than just size on its side. Is this nearly tablet-sized device worth putting in our pockets, and can it fend off the suddenly tiny-looking Galaxy Note II and Optimus G Pro? Read on past the break, and you'll find out.%Gallery-189060%
Huawei Ascend G710 reportedly spied touting a 5-inch, 720p screen
Just because Huawei has already launched a small torrent of smartphones two months into 2013 doesn't mean the company is taking a vacation anytime soon. @evleaks has spotted what's purported to be the Ascend G710, a not-quite-high-end smartphone that would sit just below the Ascend D2. While it would preserve the 5-inch screen and 1.5GHz quad-core processor, it would dip to a 720p resolution. There's hints that it may be more a step sideways, however, through some less performance-minded changes: the G710 would have a premium-looking metal (or metal-effect) back, free up screen real estate with capacitive navigation buttons and talk to both CDMA and GSM networks. When the camera, storage and the all-important launch plans are still missing, though, there's a long way to go before we know where this latest Ascend might sit in Huawei's catalog.
Live from Huawei's press event at MWC 2013!
One of the mobile world's Ones To Watch is back. Huawei's phones are getting bigger and better, but it seems two new phones just last month wasn't enough. The company's here at MWC and we're expecting to see some new slender models and hopefully something we haven't already been given hints about. The liveblog starts here -- but not just yet. You'll have to wait until the time stated below. February 24, 2013 9:00 AM EST
The Firing Line: On Destiny, Tribes GOTY, and Ghost in the Shell
It's been a pretty eventful week for online shooter news, and The Firing Line is back to help you catch up on all the tidbits you might've missed. Since we've got so much to cover, what say we skip the usual game journo intro puns and get right to it?
Huawei unveils Ascend G615: 4.5-inch 720p screen, 1.4GHz quad-core processor
Huawei's just unveiled the Ascend G 615 (not to be confused with the G 520) in Germany, and it's packing a 4.5-inch 720p IPS display and 1.4GHz quad-core processor for 299 euros. In addition to the silicon, 8GB of built-in storage, 1GB of RAM and a microSD slot hide behind the 330 ppi display. As for optics, the phone carries a 1.3-megapixel front-facing cam and an 8-megapixel shooter accompanied by a dual-LED flash, and records 1080p footage. In terms of connectivity, the device features support for WiFi, Bluetooth and pulling down 21Mbps over HSDPA. Next month, the G 615 will be served up in Germany with Ice Cream Sandwich onboard, but Huawei says the hardware will be updated to Jelly Bean at some point in March. There's no word on a US release, but it's expected to hit the road for a few international markets in short order. If Huawei's latest offering strikes your fancy and you call Deutschland home, hit the source links for more details.
Huawei's Richard Yu confirms 8-core chip for 2H 2013, teases super slim P series phone for MWC
We never thought our day could get any better after Huawei's Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu became available again for our CES stage interview (there was originally a "last minute urgent conflict"), but our man was also kind enough to share a couple more scoops with us. First of all, Huawei will be joining Samsung at the octa-core Cortex-A15 party in the second half of this year, and given what Yu's told us earlier this week, our guess is that this will either be the HiSilicon K3V3 or a sister chipset, again manufactured by TSMC. The second scoop of the day was delivered fresh off the stage after the interview. Yu told us exclusively that at MWC next month, Huawei will be unveiling a super slim follow-up to the current P series Android phones. We asked if it'll be even thinner than 6.45mm (the thickness of the Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra announced at CES), and Yu said yes. The exec added that the new phone will have a beautiful metallic body as well. Exciting times, right?
Hands-on with the Huawei Ascend D2 (update: now with video)
Chinese phone maker Huawei just pulled the lid back on its Ascend D2. The D2 features a 5-inch 1,920 x 1080 full HD display, a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.3-megapixel front-facing shooter, 2GB of RAM and Android 4.1. While the Ascend Mate may dwarf it, we're pleasantly surprised what Huawei's managed to cram in here. We've got a hands-on video and more impressions after the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Huawei D2, Mate and W1 reportedly pose for press images
Huawei has already left little doubt as to what we'll see from its smartphone line at CES. If official teasers aren't enough, however, well-known phone tipster @evleaks has given Unwired View what's purported to be press images for the three key introductions. The Ascend W1 Windows Phone (at left) looks much like we've seen from live shots, just with newer black and pink hues; the Ascend D2 (right) isn't quite so rainbow-like, but supports what's been claimed of the 5-inch phone's aesthetic and custom interface. A shot for the Ascend Mate (after the break), despite representing the company's stand-out device, is the least surprising given that executive Richard Yu showed customers the real thing just days ago. We'd still give these images a long look -- while there's chances for inaccuracies or surprises, they may be the best glimpses of Huawei's early 2013 lineup before we see it first-hand.
