date
Latest
NASA and SpaceX's first crewed flight is set for May 27th
Today, NASA announced that its crewed SpaceX flight will launch on May 27th, The Washington Post reports. The flight will mark the first astronaut launch from US soil since 2011, and it will be the first SpaceX flight carrying passengers, not just cargo.
Quibi is launching on April 6th with 50 shows
There's been a lot of hype around Quibi, the upcoming streaming platform designed for your phone, and we finally have some concrete launch details. Quibi will be available on April 6th. It will launch with 50 shows, and release 175 shows in its first year.
Hitting the Books: How to get a date online
Welcome to Hitting the Books. With less than one in five Americans reading just for fun these days, we've done the hard work for you by scouring the internet for the most interesting, thought provoking books on science and technology we can find and delivering an easily digestible nugget of their stories.
'Final Fantasy XV' coming to PC early next year
Square Enix has milked Final Fantasy XV, offering not only PS4 and Xbox One console versions, but also a (bad) free mobile game, branded Sony Walkman and even a cookbook. What it doesn't have yet, surprisingly, is a Windows version of the game, but that's going to change soon. Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition is coming in early 2018, NVIDIA announced during its Gamescom press conference, and is of course loaded with NVIDIA tweaks and features.
Alibaba gave online shoppers a VR celebrity date
Alibaba really, really wants you to use its virtual reality shopping experience, and it's resorting to a clever tactic to lure you in: dream dates. The Chinese internet giant marked May 20th, a romantic pseudo-holiday, by giving Taobao mobile app users a virtual reality date with either famed actress Dilraba (if you were looking for a girlfriend) or the actor Yang Yang (if you wanted a boyfriend). If you had a mobile-friendly VR viewer and scanned in a QR code, your digital squeeze would help you wake up, make breakfast and otherwise keep you company. Think of it like Konami's augmented reality girlfriend app... just more immersive and private.
Ghosting redefined
They are our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our teachers, our students, our bankers, our janitors, the bathroom attendant, the perfume-counter girl, the porn star, the preacher. They are the right-wing nut job, the Left Shark and the guy in the middle seat. There's no discernible difference between us and them. In fact, there's a good chance you're one of them. They are ghosts -- or so we've been told.
This manicure is also a roofie detector
An experimental nail polish line called Undercover Colors can do more than color your nails to match those shoes: it can tell if your drink's been spiked by a dubious date. Just pretend to stir the drink with your finger, and the polish will change color the moment it detects GHB, Rohypnol or Xanax (aka date rape drugs or roofies) in the liquid. Pretty cool, right? And certainly useful, seeing as 1.) date rape drugs are typically odorless and tasteless, and 2.) a recent Washington Post report has revealed that sexual assault cases on college campuses continue to grow from year to year.
The Perfect Ten: Romantic game activities
I assure you, it's a complete coincidence that I'm writing a column on romance the week of Valentine's Day. Seriously: I have a 10-gallon cowboy hat filled to the brim with ideas for Perfect Ten and draw one every two weeks. It just so happened that -- again, in a complete coincidence -- the topic of romance and a romance-centric holiday occurred on the same day. You're not buying it, are you. I've always said that you're too wily for me. Whether or not Valentine's Day is something you do, gaming couples do turn to their favorite hobby for a virtual dating hotspot from time to time. It only makes sense. These aren't just worlds where we are celebrated serial killers and butchers of entire races but places in which we live out pretend lives while taking it very, very seriously. So if you're ever in the position where you want to go on a date in-game, here are 10 romantic activities that this Casanova suggests.
Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G bringing keyboard, longwinded name to T-Mobile September 19th
We knew it was arriving soon, but until now, we weren't exactly sure what T-Mobile meant when it said the Relay 4G was hitting in the "coming weeks." Now the magenta carrier is putting the release of the QWERTY handset formerly known as the also verbose Galaxy S Blaze Q at September 19th. The slider will run you and your thumbs $150 with a two-year contract, after a $50 mail-in rebate.
Sprint's white EVO 4G LTE reportedly set for July 15th release, BOGO on Epic 4G Touch in tow
Are you a Sprint customer with a penchant for LTE technology and white handsets? If so, listen up. Intel leaked to blog TechnoBuffalo seems to indicate that the Now Network's very first LTE-toting handset will be hitting store shelves, in snow white, on July 15th; obviously, we're talking about HTC's latest spin on the EVO, the EVO 4G LTE. The albino set, much like its hued brethren already in market, will set you back $200 with a signed two-year commitment, or can be had for $550 contract-free. As an added bonus, it looks like Sprint will also be serving up a buy-on-get-one-free offer on Samsung's Epic 4G Touch. Purchasing one 4G Touch -- scheduled to get Ice Cream Sandwich in the near future -- for $99 on-contract will allow you pick up a second set for the always attractive price of $0. Any takers?
Google wants you to join the party, announces Google+ Events (video)
At the tail end of today's Google I/O keynote, the company demoed Google+ Events, which, as you might imagine, let's you invite your virtual buds to an in-person hangout. You've probably already guessed that there's some pretty tight integration with Mountain View's other virtual properties, including Calendar, which means that sending your friends or coworkers a "save the date" to brunch or brainstorming no longer requires clunky email, or a phone call. That's not to say that your contacts need to opt-in to the search giant's social networking site to join the fun -- email invites are still available by typing your friend's address alongside your circles, or individual friends should you wish to plan an awkward inter-group soiree. You can choose from a variety of themes for your e-vite, which integrate motion or static banners. Once the fun begins, you can hop into Party Mode from your mobile, and photos you shoot during the event will appear beside the invite -- friends can add pics to the page as well, which you can later download. For now, please accept our invitation to jump past the break, where a Google demo video awaits. Check out our full coverage of Google I/O 2012's opening keynote at our event hub! %Gallery-159279%
Diablo III releases May 15, free Diablo III Annual Pass deal ends May 1
Diablo III finally has a release date: May 15, 2012. World of Warcraft players looking to grab a copy of Diablo III for free can still sign up for the WoW Annual Pass and get all of the rewards until 12:01am on May 1, 2012. After May 1, the Annual Pass promotion will be ending, so sign up soon if you're interested. Signing up for the World of Warcraft Annual Pass requires a one-year commitment to World of Warcraft to acquire and keep rewards associated with the commitment. Free Diablo III annual pass ends May 1, 2012 World of Warcraft players interested in getting Diablo III for free can still get in on the World of Warcraft Annual Pass, but the promotion will be ending at 12:01 a.m. PDT on May 1, 2012. source
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera to ship on March 31st? (update: now April)
If a ship date pops up on Amazon for a date in the not-so-distant future, we're typically inclined to listen up -- after all, the world's largest e-tailer probably has a fairly good idea of when its products will first leave the warehouse. This time, it's the Olympus OM-D E-M5, which just appeared on the distributor's Japanese site with an estimated release date of March 31st. There's no mention of a date on the company's U.S. site, however, so it's still unclear whether or not the Micro Four Thirds cam will hit North American shores on the 31st as well. Still, unless a trip to Japan is in the cards for the end of Q1, your best bet for getting early access to the highly-anticipated mirrorless cam would probably be to get your pre-order on at our coverage link below.Update: We're now seeing US retailers listing the device with an April 10th release date. Check the More Coverage links below.
ArenaNet announces 48-hour beta signup for Guild Wars 2
If the reviews and videos rolling out since Monday morning are any indication, last weekend's Guild Wars 2 closed beta press event left most players feeling pretty optimistic about the game's future. And if the newest posts on ArenaNet's social media are any indication, it left the team feeling pretty optimistic, too! To add to the excitement, ArenaNet has just announced that it's opened a page for beta signups! This is music to the ears of fans who have been waiting for a chance to get into the world of Guild Wars 2. The signup is only open for 48 hours, so act now to get in line -- it closes at at 1:00 p.m. EST (6:00 p.m. GMT) on Friday February 24th. So what are you waiting for? There's a beta signup just waiting for your name to be on it! [Source: NCsoft press release]
Blacklight: Retribution moves to open beta on February 27
Zombie Studios' free-to-play sequel to Blacklight, called Blacklight: Retribution, has gotten itself an open beta date, which means that the game will essentially be ready to party. Feburary 27 is the date in question -- that's the point when the closed beta (which started up last year) will end, player information will be wiped, and the game will start anew for good.Additionally, the open beta will bring new content with three new maps and custom Heroes to play with, and the Data Node system (which allows users to upgrade and specialize certain pieces of gear) will go live. If you weren't able to get in on any of our many beta keys for the game, then mark your calendar for February 27.
Apple email suggests iTunes Match launch soon
Apple sent out the following emails to developers this afternoon: iTunes Match Update As we prepare for the launch of iTunes Match, we will be deleting all current iCloud libraries on Saturday, November 12th at 10 AM PST. Please turn off iTunes Match on all of your computers and iOS devices. On your computer, choose Store > Turn off iTunes Match. On your iOS device, tap Settings > Music, then turn off iTunes Match. On your Apple TV, please choose Music > Turn off iTunes Match. The songs on your computer should not be affected. As always, please backup regularly and do not delete the music you add to iCloud from your computer. Best regards, Apple Developer Program Support Though Apple doesn't overtly say that the iTunes Match launch is impending, the email differs from others Apple has sent to developers in the past by mentioning a specific time for the deletion of developer's iCloud libraries and also states that it is "[preparing] for the launch of iTunes Match." On November 1st, Apple officially missed the release date for iTunes Match. They had previously said the service would be available "by the end of October." When iTunes Match does officially launch, it will cost users US$24.99 per year. The service will scan your iTunes library for titles, match them with copies in the cloud, and then allow you to replace whatever copy you may currently have in your iTunes library with a non-DRM, high-quality 256-Kbps AAC copy.
Fez delayed (again) to early 2012
Fez creator Phil Fish has posted this video on Vimeo, a "long screenshot" showing off one of the game's intriguing 3D environments. As with everything else we've seen of the game, it looks pretty amazing, combining great colors and design work with the 2D/3D ... Wait, what? Oh crap. Fish just tweeted, buried in between parentheses of what we can only assume to be shame, that the game's been delayed yet again. It won't be out until at least 2012. So don't enjoy that video too much -- we're not sure if we can stand the wait that much longer.
Dell Streak 10 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1... fight!
Why look at this! Samsung's very own Galaxy Tab 10.1 decided to stop by in Beijing to greet Dell's latest tablet. As mentioned in our hands-on post, it's clear that the Streak 10 Pro would need to go on a little diet to match the Korean tablet's lovely figure and weight, though the latter won't be released in the country until some time next month. Also, there's no doubt that Sammy will continue to ask for a premium price in exchange for the better display and portability, so our wallets will be the final judge. For now, just enjoy our quick and dirty comparison photos in the gallery below. You're welcome. Update: It appears that some of our readers are missing the point: the 16GB WiFi Galaxy Tab 10.1 is being sold for $499 in the US, and it'll most likely be more expensive in China; whereas the Streak 10 Pro is priced at just ¥2,999 ($465). So again, you get what you pay for. %Gallery-129456%
Dell Streak 10 Pro tablet makes global debut in China, we go hands-on (update: video!)
There's a Chinese saying that will suit most of our Western readers here: "quenching thirst by gazing at plums." Oh yes, we're talking about Dell's Streak 10 Pro alright. Just as promised, said US company has skipped its home country to debut its first 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet in China (ka-ching!), and we happened to be at the Beijing press event for some intimate hands-on time. To be honest, you won't be needing many imaginary plums for this Android's rather mundane specs: it's equipped with the oh-so-familiar 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 T20 chip, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 1,280 x 800 LCD (with Corning's Gorilla Glass), 5 megapixel camera and 2 megapixel camera back and front, and regular-size SDHC expansion. That said, Chinese buyers can grab this 16GB WiFi tablet plus 2GB of cloud storage for just ¥2,999 ($465) a pop -- a slightly more attractive price compared to its competitors. Check out our impressions after the break. Update: Hands-on video added after the break. Update 2: We've also done a comparison hands-on with our very own Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. You're welcome. %Gallery-129455% %Gallery-129450%
ZTE Skate coasting into UK retailers... in September
Oh, now it's on. Not too long ago, we learned the ZTE Skate Monte Carlo would be "coming soon" to Orange in the UK. While the citrus-flavored network has yet to pin down an actual release date -- or price -- Clove Technology, a mobile-centric reseller based in England, is telling its customers to expect a September 19th arrival and £250 price tag (subject to change, anyway). Naturally, the announcement of an actual, honest-to-goodness Skate falls in line with ZTE's recent announcement that it would begin selling its hardware -- replete with ZTE badging -- directly to UK consumers. If you've got the gamblin' spirit and are willing to put money on Clove, the pre-order madness has already begun. So, ZTE, who's claiming the coveted "First!" dibs?
