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Draft 5G specs lay the groundwork for a real standard
With all the hype around early 5G launches and tests, there's one glaring problem: the telecom industry hasn't really defined what 5G is. However, the super-fast wireless is starting to take shape. The International Telecommunication Union has published draft 5G specs that set performance expectations. As a user, you should get 100Mbps download speeds and 50Mbps for uploads -- unlike with LTE, though, that's more of a consistent baseline than a theoretical maximum. You should also see extremely low lag of no more than 4ms (versus 20ms for LTE), and service should work on trains traveling as quickly as 500km/h (311MPH). In short, this should be as fast as a good home internet connection.
FIFA 15 PC engine, features on par with consoles
The PC version of the next entry in EA Sports' soccer series, FIFA 15, will be powered by the publisher's Ignite Engine. The engine was announced for next-gen versions of EA's sports games just over one year ago at Microsoft's pre-E3 2013 Xbox One event, though it was left out of FIFA 14's PC version. The tech is reportedly used by the publisher to enhance the intelligence and motion of athletes in its games thanks to "four times more calculations per second" than past efforts. The results were apparent in games like FIFA 14 (seen above) and Madden 25 on PS4 and Xbox One, and now it seems PC devotees will get a version of FIFA that "will include all the same core features" on Sony and Microsoft's latest consoles. EA will have more news on FIFA 15 at its E3 2014 press event on Monday, June 9. Head past the break for the minimum and recommended PC specs for the game.
Watch Dogs PC specs announced, R18+ reclassification in Australia
Two doggie-snack sized bits of Watch Dogs news to report, starting with Ubisoft Montreal releasing the minimum specifications required to run the hacker game on PC. To become a Watch Dog you need a 28.8 BPS modem, an active-matrix display with a million psychedelic colors... oh wait, wrong specs. What you'll really need at minimum is an IntelCore 2 Quad Q8400 2.66Hz processor, or an AMDPhenom II X4 940 3.0 GHz. That's with 6GB of RAM, a 1024 VRAM Direct X11-capable graphics card, a Direct X9 sound card, and 25GB of disk space. There's no info yet on recommended specs, but we're sure Ubisoft will make that available closer to the game's release date of May 27. The second piece of news comes from Australia, where the often-prominent classification board has upgraded - if that's the right word - the game's rating from MA15 to R18+. Watch Dogs received the MA15 rating ahead of its originally planned release late last year, but it was re-submitted to the ACB following the delay and whatever's been added was enough to nudge it into the R18+ category. Comparing the two ratings, the ACB deemed there to be more impact from violence, drug use, and sex in the new version. It's probably still not as wild as Zero Cool, though. [Image: Ubisoft]
Transformers Universe promises that beta is approaching
It's been a long wait for Transformers Universe hopefuls. The game has gone from MMO to MOBA to MOTA (which is still sort of a MOBA), its release date has been pushed back, and hopeful players could be forgiven for increasingly not expecting the game to ever come out. A new post on the official site confirms, however, that the game is approaching its next beta test in the very near future. Players who hope to be taking part in the beta are asked to fill in their computer specifications, giving the development team valuable information about the game's performance on various machines. They should also keep a close eye on their email inboxes; beta invitations will be sent out based in part upon the specifications filled in on the official site. So keep the faith, and before long you too could be swapping forms and blowing up other Transformers all over the place.
Thief PC specs slip out
After a rollercoaster half-decade or so of development, Thief is barely a month away from our lives. If that scarcely sounds conceivable, the proof is in the presently procured parchment: Eidos Montreal posted the stealthy reboot's system specs. Square Enix once again turned to conversion specialist Nixxes for the PC port; the two have worked together on several projects over the last decade or so. As for the PC specs, the good news is you probably won't have to make off with a friend's uber-system to play it. For the full list of minimum and recommended specs, check past the break. Thief is also coming to Xbox One, PS4, PS3 and Xbox 360, and is due to finally reach all those platforms on February 25 in North America, and February 28 in Europe.
Community Blog Topic Results: Favorite class and spec
Last week, we asked "What is your favorite class and spec?" We got many answers from altoholics who couldn't choose to enthusiastic odes. Here's what everyone had to say, listed in order of popularity. Hunter AlternativeChat over at ALT:ernative says If it's Hunter shaped, I'm going to play it. She favors the Beast Mastery spec due to its utility in soloing and farming as well as its pet buffs granting access to all DPS and crowd control abilities.
Crysis 3 system requirements published, PCs everywhere wince
Crysis 3 having high-end PC specs is about as eyebrow-raising as Cliff Bleszinski posting a photo of a courting game studio. Nonetheless, EA has published the shooter's minimum, recommended, and hi-performance system requirements for your perusal.For starters, DirectX 11 support is a minimum, which means Windows XP isn't on the guest list. Also minimums are a 1GB graphics card and dual core CPU, with EA detailing Nvidia GTS 450 & Intel Core2 Duo 2.4Ghz (E6660) and AMD Radeon HD5770 & AMD Athlon 65 X2 2.7 Ghz (5200+) as example minimalist Intel and AMD setups respectively.The full list of specifications is after the break.
Wii U browser runs on NetFront, doesn't support plug-ins
The specifications for the Wii U's internet browser have been made public, and it's no surprise that the software shares its technical underpinnings with the 3DS' browser. Specifically, the Wii U's window into the web is actually NetFront NX, which is a WebKit-based browser designed for smart TVs, mobile devices, game consoles and the like. NetFront, in one form or another, has powered the 3DS, PSP, PlayStation 3 and Vita's browsers.Like some other first-party applications, the browser can be pushed to the WiiPad's screen and used from there, freeing up the television for other activities. Since the WiiPad's resistive touchscreen doesn't support multitouch, however, familiar tablet maneuvers like pinch-to-zoom will not be present. It also won't be possible to save any images found while browsing, or conversely to upload anything saved in local memory.Flash support is a no-show, as is compatibility with any other plug-in, although HTML5 is supported and in fact, the browser renders HTML5 websites more efficiently than any other console (and even IE 10 on PC), according to this benchmarking site.
CompactFlash Association develops XQD 2.0 spec, promises up to 8 Gbps throughput
Just as were starting to get cozy with the still vastly unavailable XQD format, the CompactFlash Association is back with version 2.0 of the spec, which it says could provide transfer speeds of up to 8 Gb/s (1,000 MB/s). You'll need to have access to a PCI Express 3.0 interface in order to take advantage of that throughput, however -- a boost from the 5 Gbps offered with the previous-gen solution. XQD 2.0 is still under development, with Sony footing the bill, and the organization is welcoming "additional participation" as it works to refine the standard. There's no saying exactly when we'll start seeing devices that employ the new tech, though CFA is aiming to make the spec available "in the second half of 2012." Cards that utilize the new format will enable video capture at higher bandwidth that the SD and CF media of today, and while we seem to be managing just fine with the current stock for capturing 1080p, faster storage will certainly be welcome in the future, once 4K, and perhaps even larger formats, make their mainstream debut.
802.11-2012 WiFi freshens up spec with 3.7GHz bands, mesh networking
It's hard to believe that 802.11 WiFi has only had three major revisions since it was started up 15 years ago. The IEEE must be equally surprised, as it's introducing a new 802.11-2012 standard that unites 10 technologies from various amended WiFi versions under one big tent. Among the picks are new support for 3.65 and 3.7GHz bands, to avoid clashing with 2.4GHz or 5GHz networks, as well as better support for direct linking, faster cellular hand-offs, in-car networks, roaming and mesh networking. You can pay $5 to have a peek at the 2012 WiFi spec today, although we'd brace for a significant wait before smartphones and routers ship with the new 802.11 format -- we know how long it can take for a WiFi standard to become a practical reality.
Pantech Element for AT&T specifications confirmed: 1.5GHz CPU, Android 3.2, 4G LTE radio
We've had bits and pieces of information trickling in about the unfazed-by-trickles Pantech Element, but the whole load of specifications just showed up on our doorstep. The waterproof 8-inch slate (16.6 ounces) will start slipping out to retail shops starting today, with a two-year contract price of $299.99 and an off-contract charge of $449.99. Those tallies will net you a 4G LTE / HSPA+ enabled device, powered by Android 3.2 and a 1.5GHz processor. There's also 16GB of inbuilt storage, a microSD expansion slot, haptic feedback, a handful of preloaded applications (AT&T Messages, Enzo Pinball, Sketchpad and Photo Frame) and compatibility with a couple of data plans; there's the $35 / month (3GB) option for those on a contract, or the $14.99 / month (250MB) and $25 / month (2GB) alternatives for those operating sans strings attached. For those waltzing into an AT&T shop to snag one, don't be shocked if you're pressured to pick up an $85 Body Glove case or a $20 screen protector -- because, you know, the waterproof shell just isn't quite good enough on its own.
Google confirms Verizon's LTE Galaxy Nexus dimensions and specifications
Four zillion new Galaxy Nexus promo videos not enough to sate your appetite for superphones? We hear ya. Google's specifications portal just went live for Verizon's looming LTE version of the world's first Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone, and as expected, it's a wee bit bigger than the HSPA+ version. We heard back in Hong Kong that the LTE model would be slightly beefier -- presumably to house a larger battery to counter that energy-sucking LTE module -- and it seems that said scenario is indeed proving true. The HSPA+ build checks in at 135.5mm (h) x 67.94mm (w) x 8.94mm (d) thick, while the LTE model measures 135.5mm (h) x 67.94mm (w) x 9.47mm (d). That's right around half a millimeter thicker for those needing specifics, and it's likely due to the 1,850mAh battery within; if you'll recall, the HSPA+ variant has a 1,750mAh battery. Finally, the LTE model is gaining 15 grams of weight, tipping the scales at 150g (LTE model) instead of 135g (HSPA+ model). Everything else looks to be identical, but you can hit the source link to satisfy any lingering curiosity.[Thanks, Matt]
Wii U has last-gen Radeon inside, still more advanced than PS3 and Xbox 360
Slowly, but surely, we're starting to piece together what's going on inside that mysterious white box known as the Wii U. IBM was a little coy about the multi-core CPU it was providing, but did tantalize us by mentioning the name "Watson" in describing some of its underlying tech. Now details about the custom Radeon GPU are starting to surface and, while certainly capable, it's not exactly cutting edge. At its heart is a chip similar to the R770 found in AMD's last-gen cards like the 4890 and, before you dismiss it, remember the PS3 and Xbox 360 are still capable of pumping out impressive visuals while packing five-year-old silicon (The 360 is essentially running a souped up ATI X1900). The custom core also supports Direct X 10.1 (Microsoft runs out of steam with Direct X 9) and Eyefinity-like multi-display tech for up to four SD video streams -- though it'll be up to Nintendo and developers to put that to good use. In case you're still not convinced of the Wii U's graphical prowess, Crytek has said its advanced CryEngine is "pretty much" up and running on Nintendo's upcoming console -- and, if it's good enough for Crysis, it should be good enough for you.
HTC Sensation versus the rest of the dual-core world: smartphone spec sheet smackdown
We got to feeling a bit curious about how exactly HTC's latest Android superphone, the Sensation 4G, stacks up against its fellow dual-core competition, so we did what every geek does in such situations, we compiled a chart. Included in this list are the finest and brightest Android handsets from each of the major manufacturers that have gone dual-core so far: the Galaxy S II, the Atrix 4G, the Optimus 2X / G2X, and HTC's own EVO 3D. As it turns out, there are quite a few commonalities among these phones (besides the benchmark-crushing performance). They all boast screens of either 4 or 4.3 inches in size, the minimum amount of RAM among them is 512MB, the smallest battery is 1500mAh, and yes, they all have front-facing video cameras. Basically, it's the future of smartphones, reduced to a stat sheet. As such, it must also come with the warning that specs aren't everything, and user experience will most often depend on the software available on each device and on the preferences of the human holding it. With that proviso fully digested, join us after the break for the data.
Deciding on a tablet by comparing specs? You've missed the point
Last night, I was browsing through story after story on the interwebs that hoped to help people decide on a tablet purchase by comparing the Motorola Xoom specifications with the iPad 2. From multitasking to chip speed to RAM, analysists attempted to find consumers the best possible value for the money. And they completely missed the point. When it comes to tablets, it's not about the specs. It's about user experience. It's about the way we use the device and how the device fits itself to the way we want to use it.
HTC HD7 leaks out once more with Dolby Sound, stars in a brief video
HTC may have stemmed the flood of HD7 activity, but details about the 4.3-inch Windows Phone 7 device keep leaking out. Today, an O2 Germany tipster blew off most of the remaining doors. We've got what appears to be a full spec sheet confirming a 1GHz processor, 8GB of storage and 5 megapixel camera but also detailing internal memory, a full complement of sensors, quad-band radio frequencies, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and more. There's also a few pictures sizing up the HD7 alongside a Galaxy S, a training slide for the hopefully-more-than-a-marketing-buzzword "Dolby Mobile Sound," and for what we believe is the very first time, a cameo appearance on video. Our tipster says it'll launch in Germany in just two weeks at €559 (about $770) or €79 ($109) on a two-year contract. Tempting, no? Video after the break. %Gallery-104129%
Samsung's Cetus SGH-i917 sashays into FCC database, winks seductively at AT&T
AT&T came right out and confessed that it would be "the premiere carrier" for Windows Phone 7, and while it's obviously far too early to say if that'll be the case, this ain't a bad way to start proving one's point. Samsung's Cetus (SGH-i917) was just recently confirmed to be one of the first commercial Windows Phone 7 devices last week, and now the always-disclosing FCC database has shed even more light on the phone's intentions. Based on the mention of 850 / 1,900MHz frequency support -- and that whole "SGH-i917 (ATT)" marking on the label -- it's pretty safe to assume that this 4-inch, AMOLED-packin' superphone will soon be fighting with the iPhone 4 for shelf space. There's obviously no indication of when Ma Bell plans on releasing this one to the wilds, but it's typically not too far out after hitting this milestone. Giddy yet? %Gallery-98984%
Cataclysm class and mastery systems explained
Everything we knew about talents have changed. Some highlights: You choose one tree at level 10 and then can only add talents to that tree until you have put 31 points in it. Then the other trees open up. At level 78 and above, items will start dropping with Mastery as a stat. Once Mastery is learned from your class trainer, the stat will give bonuses based on the tree specialized in. The Mastery bonuses will be flat percentages and will no longer be based on the number of talents spent in a tree. Talents will alternate with skills when leveling. So you will get a talent point "about" every other level. The full blue post is after the break.
iPhone 4 to have 512MB of RAM, double the 3GS and iPad?
Apple has traditionally been -- how shall we put it -- cagey with revealing memory and CPU specifics of its mobile devices, but MacRumors is today reporting its discovery that the fourth-gen iPhone's RAM apportionment will be a very healthy 512MB. We've heard similar rumblings from reliable sources of our own. What it means is that iPhone 4 users can look forward to not only the same processor (though potentially at a lower speed) as their iPad compatriots, but also double the memory allowance. Of course, this will hardly be the first handset to offer half a gig for the OS to dance inside, but at least Apple's keeping up with the times. Wouldn't wanna disappoint all those pre-orderers now, would we?
Microsoft Kin specs update: 600MHz processors, ambient sensors
Surfing Facebook for Kin info? That's so last year. The cool kids are members of the "upload generation" -- meaning they wait at gdgt for Microsoft employees to upload the specs. This week, social marketing director John Starkweather did just that, and now we know that both Kin One and Kin Two will sport a 600MHz processor and EV-DO Rev. A when they come to market in May, as well as light and proximity sensors. Bluetooth remote and headset profiles are to be had alongside Microsoft Exchange, and there's support for H.264, MPEG-4 and WMV video files. Last and assuredly least, the phones aren't technically Verizon-exclusive in the US; the last remaining customers of Alltel will also get their chance to show off tragic, angst-filled lives.
