unboxing
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Ostentation awaits in Sony's official PS4 unboxing video
A mystery figure in brown leather gloves (no white gloves for him), dramatic beams of light, a throbbing soundtrack, and a backdrop that looks like it was borrowed from the set of Hackers. It could only be Sony's official PlayStation 4 unboxing video, giving us a look at the box that launches this week in North America on November 15, priced $400. Update: As a few commenters noted, there's a striking resemblance to a certain Daft Punk unboxing video for the Sony-produced Random Access Memories. Which in turn resembles Hackers...
Sony parodies Daft Punk in its official PlayStation 4 unboxing video
It's a commercial imperative for Sony and Microsoft to maintain people's interest this month, by any means necessary. But at least the PlayStation marketing team isn't taking itself too seriously. The latest release on its YouTube channel starts with an overplayed build-up, replete with a shadowy sci-fi setting and steady crescendo, and then ends with a detailed (and inevitably mundane) look at exactly what you'll find in the PlayStation 4's box when it lands in stores this Friday, right down to the voucher freebies and plastic-wrapped cables. The video is presented by none other than Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Worldwide Studios -- a man who's known to enjoy a bit of fun in the spotlight.
Here's the first PS4 teardown video
Here's Yasuhiro Ootori, director of Sony's engineering department, breaking down the PlayStation 4 into its various components. Unlike the time we did this to the family television as children, we're pretty sure he knows how to put it back together again.
iPad Air: Unboxing, first impressions and benchmarks
Today's the first day of availability for the new iPad Air, and after totally forgetting to order it online at 1 AM MT, I got onto the online Apple Store at around 7:30 AM to order one. After confirming that the model I wanted -- 32 GB, silver, AT&T -- was in stock at the Aspen Grove Apple Store in Littleton, CO, I pushed the button. I picked it up at around 11:30 AM, and was in and out of the store in about five minutes. I'm one of those sick individuals who tends to hold onto the old boxes for my Apple products, so I was able to do a quick size comparison with the 3rd-generation iPad and iPad mini. The box was the same height and thickness as that of the iPad, but not as wide. With that silliness out of the way, it was time to grab the scissors and actually open the box: I apologize for the video quality, but I get sooo excited with a new iPad. Some people like new cars, some people get excited about new clothes, I love new tech. It's when you first get your hands on the iPad Air that you realize just how good a job Apple did at trimming the weight. It weighs only about 6 ounces more than an iPad mini, as you'll see in the weigh-in pictures in the slideshow below. I found the display on the iPad Air to be slightly brighter than that of the 17-month-old 3rd-generation iPad at the same brightness setting, and it had a slightly warmer tint to it. There's a side-by-side image in the slideshow that demonstrates this. In terms of speed, the Air seems to be quite snappy. "Snappy" isn't a good quantitative unit of measure, so I installed Geekbench 3 on all three iPads to get a much better picture of exactly how fast they all are: Geekbench Score Comparison SIngle-Core Score Multi-Core Score iPad Air 1469 2675 iPad (3rd-Gen.) 262 494 iPad mini (1st-Gen.) 259 468 Yes, the iPad Air is FAST. All apps except Geekbench were shut down and the devices were restarted before running the benchmark. The device specs are as follows: Device Specifications Model iPad Air iPad (3rd-Gen.) iPad mini (1st-Gen.) OS Version 7.0.3 7.0.3 7.0.3 Processor A7 @ 1.39 GHz A5X @ 1.00 GHz A5 @ 1.00 GHz RAM 976 MB 988 MB 503 MB Storage 32 GB 32 GB 16 GB All in all, my initial impressions of the iPad Air are very favorable. I hope to do some additional tests in the near future for publication here on TUAW.
EVE: The Second Decade Collector's Edition has landed
You've known that EVE Online's giant tribute to the game's first 10 years was coming in the form of a special collector's edition of the game, and now you can finally get your hands on it. The Second Decade CE is chock full of in-game items, from clothing to ship skins to a CCP Mystery Code for a special item, as well as real-world collectibles like a commemorative hardcover book, a board game, and an EVE Online Symphony CD. There are also in-game rewards available for DUST 514. The Second Decade CE can still be purchased at EVE's new store for $149.99. If you're currently waiting for yours to arrive, you can help pass the time by watching the official unboxing trailer below. [Source: CCP press release]
The Mog Log Extra: Unboxing the Final Fantasy XIV collector's editions
I barely ever buy the collector's edition of any game. That's not to say I don't like the idea, but it's hard to justify the increased cost for the same game, especially when the included bonuses aren't all that good in the first place (I don't know who decided that collector boxes should come with statues that add $100 onto the box price, but I don't like that person). The original Final Fantasy XIV collector's edition, however, was one of the games on which I spent the extra money. Not just for the heck of it, but because of early access, which was tied to the special edition back in the day. So when Square-Enix sent us a review copy of the new collector's edition, I knew that there was only one thing to be done: I needed to offer an unboxing review of this new edition.
Xbox One unboxing vid reveals Chat headset now included
Microsoft unXboxed the Xbox One in a new video this morning, showcasing everything that's bundled in the console's Day One Edition, which we now know includes the Xbox One Chat headset. The company previously said the Xbox One would not include a pack-in headset, but in today's video Microsoft's Major Nelson said both the Day One and Standard Editions do come with the accessory. Specific to the Day One bundle are a commemorative controller with a chrome D-pad in lieu of the Standard Edition's regular controller, special packaging, and a code for a Day One achievement, should you want to get cracking ASAP on the new Gs. The Standard and Day One bundles, which share a price of $500, both include the new Kinect, HDMI cable, power supply, and Quick Start guide - oh, and the console ... nearly forgot that One. Microsoft has yet to pin a date on the Xbox One, but we know it's due in November. Its rival in the shiny new console race, the PS4, has an even wider window of "this holiday."
Take a look at one of the first Xbox One retail units (video)
There are still a few months until its November launch, but the Xbox One is already ready for primetime, apparently. One of the first Xbox One retail units -- among just 20 or so in existence -- made an appearance this morning in an unboxing video hosted by Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, director of programming for Microsoft's Xbox division. In particular, the video features a limited edition "Day One" version of the console, which is more or less sold out at every major retailer (at least Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy). It's just below the break.%Gallery-195690% If you were one of the lucky few (thousand) to get in on Day One Edition pre-orders, you'll be getting the same stuff as standard edition pre-order folks, albeit with some extra "Day One Edition" branding flair -- the gamepad says "Day One Edition" on it and has a chrome d-pad, and there's an achievement exclusive to DOE owners. Both the standard and Day One editions cost $500, and both now include a wired Xbox One headset -- something that was previously excluded from the retail box. Also of note, the video's subsequent blog post reveals that Xbox One gamepads recharge using microUSB rather than the proprietary cable used for charging Xbox 360 gamepads. Moreover, when the One's gamepad is plugged in, the internal wireless radio is turned off and it transmits data through the wire (which was not the case with the 360 gamepad). This has interesting implications for the One's gamepad in PC applications, which we'll assuredly explore more in the coming weeks as Gamescom returns to Cologne, Germany for another year of Euro-style game news. Update: We've added some official press photos of the headset that comes in the box. Enjoy!
TUAW TV Live: Post-vacation blues episode
I've just come back from an amazing trip (how many of you have ever been 635 miles from the North Pole or driven a dog sled?), which means that it's time to get back to work while trying to unpack and recover from jet lag. Since it's Wednesday, that means it's TUAW TV Live day. Today Doc and I will be chatting about Apple's latest earnings report (and the resulting rise in the share price today). Plus I've got a lot of unboxing to do, and I'm sure we'll have other things to talk about for an hour. To join in to watch the live feed and participate in the chat, just click here. You'll join us on the AOL On Network. If you can't watch the entire show today, come back to this page within 24 hours to see the video or visit http://tuaw.com/tuawtvlive to see the latest show. Past shows are also available on the TUAW YouTube channel.
TUAW TV Live: Apps, unboxing, and the usual cast of characters
Welcome back to TUAW TV Live! Today's show is going to give you a look at some new products; we'll delve into some of my favorite new apps; and we'll also engage in the endless conversation in the chat room. No guests are visiting this week so I can see if Skype is causing some of the streaming issues I've been running into, but Ruby the Internet Famous Cat may decide to grace the show with her feline presence. Below, you'll find a Ustream livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. IRC fans can join us in the "official" chatroom: server chat1.ustream.tv, room #tuaw-tv. You'll be watching the show in glorious HD! If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream App. It's a universal app and is wonderful on an iPad, both for viewing and participating in the chat. In addition, the live stream and chat will be available through our Facebook page. Just point your browser here to watch the show and chat with other viewers while you're on Facebook. We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.
TUAW TV Live at 5 PM ET: Flying solo
After a bunch of TUAW TV Live episodes featuring various buddies Skyped into my machine, I've decided to do a solo gig this week. I'm not sure if Skype is what has been causing some of the issues that have occurred recently, but this might be a good way to do a little bit of troubleshooting while having a whole lot of fun. Believe it or not, I have some unboxing to do, so you'll get to see some new toys. There are a few new favorite apps I want to show off as well, so be prepared for demo time! And as always, I will be responding to the insanity of the chat room. As usual, I'll be starting the show at 5 PM EST (2 PM PST / 10 PM GMT) sharp, and we'll take a few minutes to chat before the demos start. To join in on the chat and watch the live streaming video, drop by TUAW about five minutes before the start time to get your instructions on how to participate. If you're unable to join us for the show, remember that you can always subscribe to the video podcast and watch the show at your leisure in iTunes or any other favorite podcatching app. The past shows are also available on the TUAW YouTube channel. The chat is on IRC: join us on server chat1.ustream.tv, chat room #tuaw-tv.
Pebble smartwatch unboxing (video)
It's here! After nine months of waiting and a whopping 31 project updates, our very first Pebble smartwatch has finally arrived. Despite all of the excitement surrounding this device, the unboxing itself was rather anticlimactic -- there's nothing but a watch and USB cable inside, and the box took all of 10 seconds to open, despite an unexpected cardboard zipper failure. The packaging is very similar to what Amazon uses to ship its Kindles, and we definitely don't mind the no-frills design, especially considering that it's efficient, made from recycled materials and dead-simple to open. If you're a Pebble backer, your device is coming soon, if it hasn't arrived already -- that doesn't mean you can't unbox one with us, though. There's a gallery below, followed by a quick video after the break.
TUAW TV Live at 5 PM ET: Unboxing Day
In a number of the Commonwealth nations, Boxing Day (celebrated on December 26) is celebrated both in the historical sense as a day when gifts are distributed and in the present sense as a big day to watch sporting events and go shopping. Today, December 5, 2012, is going to be celebrated at Unboxing Day, when I will try to go through some of the piles of stuff that have arrived in the past two weeks and show you the latest in new accessories for everything Apple. As usual, I'll be starting the show at 5 PM ET (2 PM PT / 10 PM GMT) sharp, and we'll take a few minutes to chat before the demos start. To join in on the chat and watch the live streaming video, drop by TUAW about five minutes before the start time to get your instructions on how to participate. If you're unable to join us for the show, remember that you can always subscribe to the video podcast and watch the show at your leisure in iTunes or any other favorite podcatching app. The past shows are also available on the TUAW YouTube channel. The chat is on IRC: join us on server chat1.ustream.tv, chat room #tuaw-tv.
New iMacs on sale now starting at $1,299, we unbox both of them
This is more of a PSA than anything else: just like Apple said they'd be, the new iMacs are on sale today, with the 21.5-inch model available right away and the 27-inch version shipping in December. The smaller guy starts at $1,299, though there's also a more tricked-out $1,499 version; the 27-incher starts at $1,799 and goes up to $1,999. Whichever the model, a few key design principles apply. For staters, both measure just 5mm thick at the edges, and neither has a built-in optical drive. Both promise a 15 to 20 percent performance boost fueled partly by Ivy Bridge, and partly by Apple's new FusionDrive, which combines an HDD with a 128GB solid-state drive, with everything stored on the SSD by default until you run out of space. Finally, both promise 75 percent less screen glare, thanks to a manufacturing process that eliminates the gap between the LCD and the glass. (Apple and other OEMs already use a similar technique on smartphones; we've just never seen it done on a screen quite this large.) So what separates the two, then, aside from screen size? Specs, mostly. And also, resolution. The 21-inch version has a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel count, while the 27-incher steps up to 2,560 x 1,440. (In other words, the same resolution as last year's offerings.) While both pack quad-core Core i5 processors, the 21.5-inch model starts with a 2.7GHz clock speed, compared with 2.9GHz for the bigger guy. As you might have guessed, the graphics are slightly better on the larger version: NVIDIA's GTX 660M is standard there, versus GT 640M on the 21-incher. Both offer 1TB of storage, but the smaller machine uses a 5,400RPM drive while the bigger one has a 7,200RPM disk. The 27-incher can also be configured with a 3TB drive or 768GB SSD. As for RAM, both come with eight gigs standard, but the 21.5-inch model goes up to 16GB, while the 27-inch version goes up to 32GB and has user-accessible memory slots. As it happens, we have two new iMacs here in house (one in each size, natch) and you can expect a full review very soon. For now, though, we've got some unboxing shots and first impressions just past the break.
Samsung Galaxy Camera unboxing (video)
Samsung's much-anticipated EK-GC100 Galaxy Camera finally hit stores in the UK late last week and we've managed to get our hands on one of the very first samples to cross the assembly line. We're putting the Android-powered hybrid through its paces at this very moment, but since this is the company's first entry in a brand new category, we wanted to have you along as we opened the box. This may be a camera, but it's very much a Galaxy device, and that's immediately evident when you first see the packaging. The cam ships just as any premium smartphone, with a very thin selection of accessories -- you get an AC adapter, USB cable, a wrist strap and a pair of pocket guides (there's no user manual to speak of). Much like Samsung's latest round of point-and-shoots, it uses microSD cards and charges via a micro-USB cable and AC adapter. Even the 1,650mAh battery looks like a smaller version of Samsung's smartphone offering, rather than something that ships alongside the company's traditional camera lineup. Rest assured, we'll have much more to share later this week, but for now, we invite you to join as we unbox the Galaxy Camera in our video just past the break.
Iwata dons white gloves to unbox a Wii U for U
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata may be the best person to watch unboxing a Wii U, since he knows precisely what he's doing with each of the parts. Besides, he wears fancy white gloves that he says make him feel like Mario, and that's pretty baller (and helps avoid fingerprints on the glossy system). Be sure to heck out Joystiq's own sexy unboxing as well.
Nintendo Wii U unboxed alongside more details: Multiple users, 'karaoke' microphones and Wii U Chat (video)
Nintendo took to UStream again to announce even more details for its impending new console. The company's CEO was on hand to detail exactly what comes in the box with a very official-looking opening (Yep, Iwata-san just unboxed his own console.) It's some pretty familiar packaging, but we noted that the AC adapter appears to be a weighty block separate from the main console. Alongside the main unit and the GamePad, the process also gave us a glimpse at the rest of the premium package, including a charging stand for the Wii U GamePad, console stand, HDMI cable, more cable twists, packaging and a beta test for the new Dragon Quest title. White-gloved console handling aside, the CEO had plenty more to explain -- and some of it involved karaoke.
TUAW TV Live: Talking minis, opening boxes
Welcome back for another fun episode of TUAW TV Live! Today I've got a lot of hot topics: the new Macs -- mini, 13" Retina MacBook Pro, and iMac; the new iPads and the handful of accessories that were announced by Tim Cook and Phil Schiller yesterday. In addition, I have been inundated over the past few weeks with piles of hardware to review. It's everything from iPhone 5 cases to compact disk drives, from web cams to USB hubs. We'll do a little unboxing on the show this afternoon, and you can give me your first opinions on what you're seeing. Below, you'll find a Ustream livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments. You'll be watching the show in glorious HD! If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream App. It's a universal app and is wonderful on an iPad, both for viewing and participating in the chat. In addition, the live stream and chat will be available through our Facebook page. Just point your browser here to watch the show and chat with other viewers while you're on Facebook. Last, but certainly not least, you can watch here and join the chat with your favorite IRC client. Join us on server chat1.ustream.tv, chat room #tuaw-tv. We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.
Vodaphone Germany iPhone 5 unboxing video
While you wait for your iPhone 5 to arrive, watch this unboxing video posted by an excited user in Germany. The user is reportedly a Vodafone carrier rep. In the video below, you can see him open the box, inspect the various contents and power the iPhone 5 on. Pretty exciting, no? He certainly thinks so. [Via Boy Genius Report]
Felicia Day unboxes Guild Wars 2 Collector's Edition
Want to play Guild Wars 2? Too bad! You've got another 17 days until the headstart. Want to at least look at the box? We can help with that. Felicia Day, who voices the iconic Asura Zojja in Guild Wars 2, received an extra early copy of the collector's edition box and put up a video of its unboxing for all the internet to enjoy. Jelly? We are too! The collector's edition includes a physical copy of the game, a 10-inch figurine of Rytlock Brimstone, a making-of book, an art frame with five prints to put in it, and a soundtrack. Additionally, owners of both the collector's and digital deluxe editions will receive in-game perks: a miniature Rytlock, a golem banker, a chalice of glory, a tome of influence, and a unique elite skill to summon a Mistfire Wolf. Skip below the jump to watch Felicia unveil the CE box and contents.
