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Outlast free on PS4 in February for Plus users, buy extra batteries now
The PS4 version of Outlast, the insane asylum horror game from indie developer Red Barrels, will be free in February for PS Plus members. Red Barrels announced the freebie on Facebook, ahead of the official PS Plus February rundown. Outlast hit PC in September and we found it to be a "perfect nightmare." The story has players take on the role of an investigative journalist – complete with night-vision camera – following a hot tip that Mount Massive Asylum is filled with horrific government secrets and all manner of violent inhumanity. Spoilers: It totally is.
Don't Starve plushie funded in 90 minutes
Indie darling Don't Starve must be a hit, as a plush doll based on one of the game's ancillary characters was able to meet its $15,000 Kickstarter goal in less than two hours. Currently the fundraising effort sits at $48,746 with the full 30 days remaining on its countdown clock. For those bad at math, that's nearly 3.25 times more cash than the $15,000 the fundraising effort was initially seeking. What could inspire such a generous outpouring of money? Chester, a helpful character found in Don't Starve who is something of a fuzzy chest that players can use to store their in-game items. He doesn't look like much - imagine Chester as a cross between a garbage can, a pig with inexplicable devil horns and a few shag carpet samples - but he is quite useful, and his bizarre, almost Henson-esque good looks have apparently struck a chord with fans. Reacting to news that the Kickstarter has proven a phenomenal success so quickly, the developers of Don't Starve will be adding a new variation of Chester to the game. Dubbed "Shadow Chester," this new character features three additional inventory slots as well as a more sinister color scheme. There's currently no word on when Shadow Chester might make its in-game debut.
PS Plus weekly: Galaga Legions DX free, Call of Duty sales
PlayStation Plus members can snag Galaga Legions DX free on PS3, normally priced $10, with this and all following discounts going live for one week starting tomorrow, September 10. On PS3 and Vita, Dragon Fantasy Book 2 is discounted to $12 for Plus members, regularly priced $15. PS3 games in the Call of Duty franchise are on sale this week for Plus members, including Black Ops 2 and the Season Pass reduced from $94 to $85, a bundle of Black Ops and Black Ops 2 reduced from $82 to $70, and Modern Warfare 3 with DLC Collection 1 reduced from $35 to $30. Doodle God on Vita is down from $6 to $4.50. There's also a sale on Aliens: Colonial Marines content, with the game just $9 for Plus members, but ... you know.
Free PS Plus version of Driveclub will be 'missing' a few things
The free, beta version of Driveclub that PlayStation Plus members get when the PS4 launches will be exactly the same as the retail version – except different, Evolution Studios said during a Q&A session recorded by PlayStationer. "Yes, the PS Plus version will be the exact same as the full version, except that it may be missing a few assets, such as cars or tracks, that will be found in the full version," Evolution said. The PS Plus edition of Driveclub will include online multiplayer, the singleplayer campaign and asynchronous challenges, and Plus players will be able to purchase any missing content. After trying out the Plus version, players can "pay a sum of money" to convert it to the full retail version, Evolution said. We got our buttery-smooth driving gloves on Driveclub at E3, and found it more accessible than Gran Turismo 6, with a distinct arcade vibe.
PS Plus in May: Free Sleeping Dogs, Knytt Underground, Pinball Arcade
PlayStation Plus members can snag Sleeping Dogs, Pinball Arcade and Knytt Underground for free on the PS3 this May – for standard PSN users, Sleeping Dogs runs $50, Pinball Arcade is $10 and Knytt Underground is $15. Knytt and Pinball Arcade are Cross-Buy enabled, meaning a purchase on PS3 enables that game on Vita, and vice-versa. Also free on Vita for Plus members in May is Germinator ($10 standard) and BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend ($25 standard). Mother, May you get a handful of great games for free? Yes, you May. Sleeping Dogs is free for Plus members starting tomorrow, May 7, along with a 25 percent Plus discount on Papo & Yo on PS3, making that game $9.
PS Plus offers up a Ubisoft sale, cheap Scott Pilgrim, free Joe Danger 2
PS Plus members can snag a pile of Ubisoft games for 50 percent off this week, while standard players get 30 percent off the same titles. Games available for half off include the Prince of Persia Trilogy ($19.60), Rayman Origins ($9.80 on PS3, $13.20 on Vita), Shoot Many Robots ($4.90), I Am Alive ($7.30), Lumines Electronic Symphony ($13.20) and a bunch of other PS3, Vita and PSP games. Check out the complete lineup below.Ubisoft has reason to celebrate following the surprise PSN launch of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World's multiplayer and Wallace DLC pack today. PS Plus members get $1 off the DLC, making it $4, and the full game's Ultimate Edition is $12 for Plus members, a discount of 20 percent.Joe Danger 2: The Movie (which is a game) is free for Plus members this week, a savings of $15. How dangerous.
Google+ experiencing outage, temporarily the anti-social network
We know, we know. You were trying to get on with your online social life this morning, but Google+ was nowhere to be found. Looks like the social network is experiencing an outage today -- here in the States at least. According to folks in the UK, things are moving a lot more swimmingly on that side of the pond. We've reached out to Google for a response. You'll know more as soon as we do. Update: Looks like everything's back in working order. You can quit complaining about it on Facebook now.
The Meebo Bar returns, this time with more Google+
Back in the balmy heat of June Google snapped up (and then largely dismantled) a new property by the name of Meebo. Now, as winter starts to bite, it looks like the one part it was going to keep -- the tool bar -- is back in full Google livery. The discovery comes after a few eagle-eyed users noticed it on TV Guide. The bar itself seems pretty unobtrusive right now, with just some site specific menus on the left hand side, with the expected Google+ sharing options on the right. Overall, though, things look much like before only more... Googly. Don't believe us? Or just want to see what's different? Head over to the more coverage links for a good old before and after.
PS Plus hits Vita on November 19
PlayStation Plus will be available on Vita on November 19, Sony announced today. The Vita PS Plus rollout will include access to an Instant Game Collection, a series of AAA titles available for download via the PlayStation Store. The Instant Game Collection will be accessible on November 20, when the PlayStation Store publishes.Plus members will receive six games for the Vita: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Jet Set Radio, Wipeout 2048, Gravity Rush, Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack! and PSP's Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions.Plus costs $18 for three months or $50 for a year, and those with a PS3 Plus membership automatically can use that on Vita, and vice versa. Plus also provides 1GB of cloud storage on PS3 and 1GB of cloud storage on the Vita.We first heard that PS Plus would come to Vita this month during Tokyo Game Show in September.
Google+ offers custom URLs for verified accounts, other profiles to come 'over time'
Do you happen to be David Beckham or Toyota? Well, congratulations -- you now have a Google+ vanity URL. The rest of us looking for the football star or car manufacturer need only type "google.com/+davidbeckham" or "google.com/+toyota" to reach those respective pages, enabling easy access to that must-see picture in front of a private jet, or a vehicle recall notice. Sadly, you're probably not eligible for a custom shortcut of your own -- here's the word from Google: At first, we're introducing custom URLs to a limited number of verified profiles and pages. But over time we plan to offer custom URLs to many more brands and individuals, so please stay tuned! So, for now, you better get comfy with "plus.google.com/108326689306432447266," or whatever the good Goog has granted.
New Nike+ shoes further enhance digital training
The Verge has a long look at the latest improvements to Nike's Nike+ fitness system, which uses sensors in your shoes (and on the company's very popular Fuelband peripheral) to calculate fitness and workout information, and attempt to help keep you motivated while working out. The whole system sounds very complex: There are multiple sensors in the shoes designed to track exactly what you're doing and how, and all of that movement is broken down into a single number that aims to push performance. Unfortunately, Nike is somewhat skittish when it comes to actually explaining what that number means -- while getting out and moving around will almost always be good for your health, Nike's reluctance to pin down its formula does reveal that this is still all marketing for shoes, despite what the PR department may say about just trying to encourage fitness. Hey, if the system gets you out and running, or playing basketball, or whatever you can do to exercise and move, then it's working, right?
Google+ patent app details myFaves-like carrier contacts integration with social network circles
With more carriers pushing unlimited calling plans, we can't say there's necessarily a need for the friends and family features of yesteryear on this side of the Atlantic, but plenty of networks beyond the good ole US of A are a bit more stingy when it comes to tallying talk time. The latest Google patent application to be published was filed last December and covers exactly this type of scenario, suggesting that the Google+ profile of the future could include an option to create a "Telco Co. Preferred Calling" circle, which would theoretically enable free calling between yourself and a small group of friends. According to the application, semi-public information, such as a telephone number, would be shared between Google and a registered service provider, and you would maintain discount calling relationships from within Google+, adding and dropping callers to and from your online contacts list. You could also dictate custom rules, such as ringtones for contacts in specific groups, or create carrier-branded circles that are populated with your friends on the same network, making it easier to determine whether or not you'll be billed for calls to a particular user. Like all patent applications, there's no guarantee that Google's submission with come to fruition, but if you're feeling optimistic, you can hit up the source link below for all the legalese.
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%
Google adds same-site recommendations to +1 buttons, but only for platform preview testers
On the eve of its I/O event, Google is continuing to roll out new features, one of which is expanded functionality for its ubiquitous +1 sharing buttons that can be found all over the web (and on this site). For users that are a member of its platform preview test group, other than clicking once to +1 something, or clicking again to share it on Google+, now on mouseover it will display recommended pages as seen above. According to the corresponding blog post, it pulls in related content and stuff shared by friends, and will only display selections from the same domain or subdomain as the page the button is on. Google anticipates this will go live to all users "in the next few weeks", if you can't wait until then hit the more coverage link below to join the preview and give feedback on how well it's working.
Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU family expands past phones to HDTVs, tablets and Windows 8 PCs
Sure Qualcomm has snagged quite the coup by sliding some of its dual-core S4 CPUs into the US-bound Galaxy S IIIs, but it's not stopping there. The company just revealed versions of these chips will power connected HDTVs and set-top boxes as well as PCs and Windows 8 (including Windows Phone 8) devices. There's four tiers of the upcoming processors: Prime, Pro, Plus and Play. S4 Prime is the smart TV platform that includes the MPQ8064 1.5GHz quad-core CPU with Adreno 320 graphics, while S4 Pro processors are ready to be the brains of Windows RT tablets, laptops and tablet / laptop combos. S4 Plus is the high-end smartphone experience we've come to associate with the Snapdragon brand, and finally S4 Play for more entry level mobile devices. Check after the break for more info on the chips in each family and details on what they can do, and our hands on with some S4 powered Windows 8 devices right here.
AT&T Plus now in trial stages, lets loyal users in on special deals and more
Looks like racking up those loyal points may just pay off in the near future, as Ma Bell's rolling out a new loyalty program dubbed AT&T Plus. The free service -- which is only available in Houston, Colorado and Minneapolis at the moment -- will let customers get tidbits such as a "personalized customer experience," with access to a special 1-855-ATTPLUS customer service line. Additionally, AT&T Plus users get a 25 percent discount on accessories (sorry, no iPhone or iPad add-ons) as well as waived activation and upgrade fees. AT&T's yet to say what you'll need to get a Plus party invite, but we'd imagine that staying away from any warning is the first step...
PlayStation Plus in March: Early Journey, free Sly Cooper, more
PlayStation Plus members get a plethora of freebies and early-play opportunities this month, including access to Journey tomorrow, March 6, one week before its official launch. Tomorrow PS Plusers will also get Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus and Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix for super turbo thieving free. Sony will announce all winners of the 2012 PSN Gamers' Choice Awards, which will all be 50 percent off for Plus members for one week.March forth, PS Plusers -- well, actually, March 6, because that's when all the PSN goodness begins. But you get the idea.
Google+ iOS app updated, instant image upload in tow
This Valentine's Day, the gang over at Google showed iOS users some social-networking love by releasing an update to its Google+ application. Aside from providing "various bug fixes and performance improvements," G+ gave iOS Nation access to a feature that Android users have enjoyed for quite some time: instant photo upload. When configured, the app will automatically -- when running in the background -- send your mobile candids to a private album housed on Google+. After the upload is complete, users are just a few clicks away from sharing the snapshots with their virtual clique; the photos are also, for all intents and purposes, backed up online. This functionality is not new to iOS users, of course -- iCloud's Photo Stream stashes mobile photos to the cloud -- but those that enjoy being swaddled by the Sultan of Search will, undoubtedly, be pleased as punch. Hit the source link, have yourself a download and enjoy.
Android Developers ready to hangout on Google+
The mobile ninjas over at Android Developers have announced a new medium for advice, collaboration and training: Google+. The collective will use the social networking site to help developers "meet, share, and connect with the people behind the Android developer experience." Programming tips, SDK announcements and training offerings are all on the menu, and the group is promising to hold weekly "broadcast office hours" for live Q&A using the Hangouts feature built-in to Google+. Hit the source link to invite the coding co-op into your virtual circle of choice.
Comcast testing pay-per-package, still afraid of a-la-carte
Charleston, South Carolina might be famous for the eponymous knee / hand dance, but this week sees it become the second location in the US to get Comcast's MyTV Choice. Rather than buying all the channels, or paying á la carte for just the ones you watch, you pick a platform and then bolt on a package of channels, grouped by theme -- you get "Entertainment & Lifestyle," "Movies," "Kids" or "News & Info." These smaller, cheaper bundles are in response to being forced to carry channels owned by the same group, if you're paying for MTV, you're also paying for TV Land, for example. Still, those in the city (when not dancing their knee joints away) should be interested to know that the Get Started platform costs $25, Get Started Plus $45 and each additional package is $10.
