firmware update
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Upcoming system update adds auto-reboot to Xbox One
Microsoft offered a few more details on upcoming updates for Xbox One in the form of three new features that testers can preview. First, firmware updates for the Xbox One controller and headset adapter will improve wireless connectivity and are expected to reduce static heard over the headset. Microsoft also plans to update the Blu-ray player app and add support for 50 Hz video output. Lastly, the console will quietly reboot following future updates, so owners won't need to manually turn their systems back on after they update, providing the system is in Instant On mode. Microsoft discussed a suite of SmartGlass options for Xbox One last week, bringing snap functionality, mobile Xbox Live alerts and easier navigation to the companion app along with the ability to view Xbox content on any Microsoft device. The company also detailed improved voice commands and friend notifications in mid-March, announced plans for external storage support on the system last week and just announced an update to the Xbox One YouTube app yesterday to allow users to upload clips to the video platform. [Image: Microsoft]
Major Nelson: Xbox One getting external data storage support 'soon'
The Xbox One will receive support for game storage via external hardware in a forthcoming update, Microsoft's Major Nelson confirmed in a Reddit comment this week. "Lots of good work going on to make the console even better - some you'll see soon, some will show up later," he said, later adding, "External game storage is coming soon." Nelson was unable to confirm the maximum storage size the Xbox One will support, and a timeframe for the update was not announced. The Xbox 360 enabled external storage in a 2010 update, later expanding its support for devices up to 32GB in size. [Image: Microsoft]
Nvidia Shield slashed to $199 for April, getting remote game streaming
Nvidia's Android-based handheld game system, Shield, will receive a temporary price drop for April, cutting the system by $50 to $199 for the month. The price cut is accompanied by new features arriving in a software update for the system next week, including a new user interface for the Shield's button-mapping feature. The addition lets players use the Shield's physical buttons for touch-based games on the Google Play store. The hardware company will also add a beta version of its away-from-home game streaming support feature. Players will be able to remotely play PC games on their Shield, waking up and logging in to locked PCs while on the go. Additionally, the update will add bluetooth keyboard and mouse support for those that want to hook their Shields up to a TV to play on a bigger screen. Lastly, the Nvidia Shield will receive the latest version of the Android operating system, nicknamed KitKat (version 4.4.2). Nvidia also recently revealed that Valve's popular first-person puzzler Portal will receive a full PC port on Android with full Shield support. [Image: Nvidia]
Here's a look at March's Xbox One update
Microsoft has released a preview video detailing the new features and enhancements coming in next month's Xbox One firmware update, including improved party chat functionality and friends list features. Starting next month, Xbox One player parties will have party chat enabled by default -- a change spurred by frequent user requests. The Xbox One's improved interface will clearly differentiate between in-game competing players and cross-game chat within parties, and party invitations will specify player requests for chat, gameplay, or both. Players will also be able to check up on what their friends are doing more quickly starting in next month's update, as friend status can now be accessed with three button presses or a single voice command. The update additionally introduces a message shortcut menu, and friends may now be identified as "favorites," giving them priority and list placement over followers and acquaintances. If you're looking to maintain a tidy friends list, you might want to start mentally ranking your friends by how much you like them. Friendship quotient, incidentally, is determined by frequency of real-world interaction divided by cheap Titanfall kills. Judge your friends harshly. [Image: Microsoft]
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 begins Android 4.4 KitKat rollout in Poland
Sometimes, even the most massive of updates have humble beginnings. This is the case with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, a device that offered Android 4.3 Jelly Bean upon its debut. We all figured it was just a matter of time before an upgrade to 4.4 KitKat became available to users, and it appears Samsung is now ready to offer it -- albeit, on a rather small scale starting in Poland. According to SamMobile, Polish Note 3 owners (for the Snapdragon 800 quad-core version, at least) can now sideload the update through the manufacturer's Kies software. This is a pretty quiet and restrictive launch, so Samsung hasn't officially made any announcements, but we have a feeling that the company's limiting the rollout at first to ensure all of the possible bugs have been squashed prior to worldwide availability.
PS4 firmware 1.51 available to pre-download in Europe on Thursday
A PlayStation 4 firmware update will be released in Europe via the PlayStation Blog on Thursday, giving early adopters the chance to bypass a sizable download and any potential PSN service hiccups when the console launches on November 29. PlayStation Europe community manager Chris Owen revealed that the file weighs in at around 300MB, putting it on par with North America's pre-release firmware update. Players in Europe wanting to get their PS4s up and running as quickly as possible can follow these instructions to install the update via a USB memory stick.
Microsoft pulls offline USB updating instructions for Xbox One [Update: Microsoft responds]
Microsoft pulled its support page that instructed users how to update their Xbox One systems offline using a USB drive. We've included an image of the cached support page above, which is no longer available to view. The Xbox Support page instructed Xbox One owners with a two gigabyte USB stick to download one of two compressed update files to their computers, then unzip them to the root of the USB drive. The process then had owners holding the bind and eject buttons while turning their consoles on, releasing the two buttons once they hear two start-up tones. According to the now-unavailable support page, that last step told the Xbox One to search for an update from a USB drive, a procedure that isn't part of the system's initial booting process. We've contacted Microsoft for comment. Update: A Microsoft spokesperson tells Joystiq that "the site was not an alternative way to take the Day One update and customers still need to connect to Xbox Live for the update. Because of the complexity of this customer support process we've actually removed the page and we will work with customers directly to make sure they have a smooth experience."
Updating an Xbox One with a USB stick is a three-step process
Much like the PS4, prospective Xbox One owners can download the system's day-one update early to a USB stick. The process is listed on Microsoft's support page as an "emergency offline update" procedure, and boils down to a few simple steps. Those looking to update their systems offline will need a USB stick with at least two gigabytes of space on it, and will need to format it as NTFS on their computers. After checking their OS version on their Xbox One consoles, they can then download one of two compressed files to their computer from the Xbox support page, unzip them and copy the contents to the root of the USB stick. Given that the system isn't out yet and players can't check for their OS version, those looking to get a head start on the process will need to account for that missing nugget of information. After setting up their USB stick, the next step is to power off and unplug your Xbox One, plug the power cord back in after 30 seconds then hold the bind and eject buttons while turning the system on. The console will emit two power-up tones after 10-15 seconds, at which point owners can release the two buttons and wait for the system to automatically restart, completing the update process. Microsoft says the button combination forces the console to search for a USB drive update, which isn't the default chain of operations when the Xbox One normally boots up. Check out our living review of the Xbox One for more about the console ahead of its launch on Friday. [Thanks, Dylan!]
Plan ahead: Install PS4 firmware v1.5 to a USB stick right now
If you're getting a PS4 this Friday, here's a handy tip: Copy the necessary version 1.5 firmware update onto a USB stick and install it on your console that way. It's probably not the best idea to try and access Sony's servers while swarms of other people are trying to do the same thing on launch day. Simply head over to this PlayStation page and download the firmware. Then go into your USB stick and create a "PS4" folder and an "UPDATE" folder inside of that. Now it's simply a matter of copying the 308MB in files over to your USB stick and you're good to go. Speaking of launch, today our PS4 review went live, as did reviews on some of the more high-profile launch games like Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack, Resogun and Contrast. We'll continue to roll out coverage on the launch of the PS4, so keep an eye on this link for new content as it's made available.
PlayStation 4 day-one features outlined, internet required for first Blu-ray/DVD playback
When the PlayStation 4 launches in North America on November 15, some (but not all!) of its swanky new features will be available for use by the disheveled, exhausted consumers that spent all night waiting for their new console in a tent outside of Best Buy or wherever. This news comes from the announcement of a day-one patch for the PlayStation 4, though it is unclear whether the patch is explicitly required to enable the features listed below. We do know, however, that "at first time use, users must connect to the internet" before Blu-ray and DVD playback will function, according to the press release. Regardless, a launch-day PS4 will be capable of Remote Play through the PlayStation Vita, second screen experiences through PS Link and the PlayStation App on mobile, Twitch/Ustream streaming functionality and game DVR capabilities will all be available day-one. Users will also start out with the ability to play games as they download, use party chat, log-in using facial recognition via PlayStation Camera, navigate the home screen with voice commands, play games online and watch Blu-ray/DVD discs. Other features, such as the PlayStation 4's low-power suspend/resume capabilities, will not be enabled on day one and will be added at a later date. Further information about which system functionalities will and won't be ready by launch day is coming "in the near future."
Apple issues day-one EFI update for new iMacs to address Boot Camp issue
No sooner had Apple announced the 2013 iMacs than they also issued a day-one EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) update for the speedy new all-in-ones. The update is targeted at an issue that sometimes occurs when installing a Boot Camp partition with Windows 7 or Windows 8. The issue appears when an external optical drive (the devices have no internal optical drive) and a USB thumb drive are connected at the same time, causing the screen to go black. The update also ensures that the default boot drive for the system will be OS X after Windows 8 is installed. iMac (late 2013) EFI Update 2.1 can be downloaded from Apple's support pages, and requires that the Mac be running OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 or later.
PSA: New 3DS firmware out today, adds StreetPass 'relay' functionality
The latest firmware update for the 3DS is available, bringing new StreetPass functionality along with it. 3DS owners with firmware version 6.2.0-xU or higher will now be able to access StreetPass data from other users that previously passed by Nintendo Zone locations. Nintendo Zone locales now temporarily store one user's StreetPass data for games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for a future passer-by to collect, then automatically stash the following person's game data. Nintendo points out that Relay Points will be especially helpful for Mii Plaza games, which have done well for the company.
3DS system update adds on-board save data backup
The latest 3DS system firmware update (ver. 2.0.0-2U) adds the ability to backup saved game data onto the handheld's SD card, which is good news for people with cramped cards and/or hoarding sensibilities. This allows players to delete games or applications without removing their progress/work in said games/applications, provided the program supports backups to begin with. Backing up a game's data can either be accomplished by selecting the game's icon on the home screen and then tapping the little arrow on the bottom left, or by selecting the "Save-Data Backup" option in the System Settings menu. If neither of these options are present, it means you need to connect your 3DS to the Internet and download the update. Well, or it means that you've never actually played a game, or own a 3DS, and that everything you think you know about your life has been a lie. Your identity is a curse; your past – a mystery. Coming this fall.
3DS update adds four purchasable Mii Plaza games, save data backup
3DS firmware update v6.0.0-11 should satiate the needs of those who have collected every single StreetPass puzzle piece and beaten StreetPass Quest twice (or more). The update, only available in Europe at the time of writing, adds four purchasable Mii Plaza games in addition to the original two. Those four are StreetPass Squad, Garden, Battle, and Mansion. We'd love to tell you about the games themselves, but StreetPass Mii Plaza has crashed on us every time we've loaded up the new Shop page - reports on NeoGAF indicate others are also struggling with crashes. One NeoGAF user reports each game costs £4.49 ($7), while all four can be obtained in a value bundle going at £13.49 ($21). There's no official word from Nintendo, perhaps indicating the patch went out earlier than scheduled. What we can confirm is another feature in the new update, and that's the ability to create save data backups. Accessible via 3DS Data Management in System Settings, the new feature lets you create or restore backup save data, but only for software downloaded to the 3DS. The new feature may not be compatible with every single game; we tried it for our freshly obtained Animal Crossing: New Leaf, only to be greeted with a message telling us "this software's save data cannot be backed up."
PS Vita v2.1 system update cleans up the home screen
PS Vita owners will find a new firmware update awaiting them tonight, rolling over the system to version 2.1. Chief among changes is the ability to add and drop shortcuts into folders, for obsessed organizers looking to clear the clutter on their home screen. Your customized layout can then be saved to the memory card.Some videos can be viewed in the browser with v2.1, though a memory card is required for this feature – only certain videos supported. Email has been tweaked too, and PS Plus members can update PlayStation Mobile software and upload game save data automatically to the cloud through 3G. Finally, a new mute feature in v2.1 lets you automatically silence your PS Vita speakers and pause your music when a headset isn't in use.
3DS firmware update adds save transfers, streamlines 'download later'
The next time you open up the 3DS eShop, you'll be prompted to update your system hardware, to version 5.0.0-11U. While not a drastic change in the 3DS user experience, this firmware does offer a few tweaks that sound useful.For example, you won't have to exit the eShop anymore for "Download Later" to work. Just close the 3DS and downloading begins. You can also download game updates in the background. The update also makes the save data transfer tool available, so you can move save data from a packaged version of a game to the eShop version (but not back!) The firmware also makes unnamed "further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments."Apparently, however, Japanese users have been experiencing trouble with the firmware update. We're checking with Nintendo of America to see if the same error messages are in danger of occurring here.Update: Nintendo of America acknowledged the issue. If an error message prevents you from updating, turn the 3DS off, then turn it back on, while holding the L, R, A, and Up buttons.
Apple rolls out firmware update to revive old, troubled batteries
Yesterday, Apple rolled out a trio of firmware updates for MacBook users to help address a rare issue that can cause the batteries to malfunction. The update targets the System Management Controller in the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, which can run into issues as the computer ages. As Apple explains, "This update addresses a rare issue on some Apple notebooks where a battery that has accumulated more than 1,000 charge cycles may unexpectedly shut down or stop functioning." You can download the fix for your computer of choice straight from Apple's support page, or click the links above. [Via Macworld]
Wii U update available now, improves 'system stability'
Relive the thrill of Wii U's day one firmware update today! A new firmware update is available now. "Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience," Nintendo notes.Start downloading it now. "The new system update may take an extended amount of time to download," Nintendo says on its support site. "Depending on the speed of the Internet connection used, it could take an hour or more to download and install, even if you have already downloaded the previous update. Please be patient." We're looking at about 1:56 on our progress bar.Remember: don't unplug your Wii U while this is happening!
Report: Wii U dies if power cut during massive firmware update
We'll get this out of the way first: Do not unplug or turn off any console when it is performing a firmware update.Unplugging the Wii U during the day-one firmware update might brick the console for good, LA Times film and video game industry journalist Ben Fritz reports on Twitter. Fritz says he unplugged his Wii U 15 minutes into the update, when the progress bar said it would take two hours to finish, and his console is now completely busted. There was no "cancel" option, Fritz says.A few people on Twitter have chimed in with their own update horror stories, with one saying the connection timed out during the update and another claiming Nintendo support told him to unplug the Wii U for 15 seconds, both scenarios ending with bricks. The Wii U's sizable update will take a while to process, of course expanding the chances of something going wrong. Nintendo has not confirmed the update's actual size.Nintendo of America warns Wii U owners, "please do not power down or unplug your system while downloading updates. Doing so may cause damage to your Wii U."In the spirit of Fritz's Twitter avatar, remember: If you unplug your Wii U during a firmware update, you're gonna have a bad time.
Vita firmware 2.00 makes web browser faster, usable in-game
Today's Vita firmware update is giving the system's web browser a speed boost, as well as making it usable in-game. We knew the browser's due enhancements in the 2.00 update, but Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida shed further light on Twitter today.The browser becomes a "small app," said Yoshida, meaning it can be used without quitting a game. That's vital for when you're stuck and need a walkthrough, not that we ever have of course, cough splutter. Yoshida also noted browsing is faster in 2.00 firmware.The biggest deal with 2.00 is the introduction of PlayStation Plus for Vita. The first batch of Instant Game Collection freebies arrives tomorrow, with six Vita games added including the likes of Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Jet Set Radio, Wipeout 2048, and Gravity Rush.
