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Watch Apple’s ‘Time Flies’ event here at 1PM ET
Watch Apple's 'Time Flies' launch event here at 1PM ET.
Microsoft Stores celebrate Master Chief Collection launch with streams and swag
If there's one thing Halo's Master Chief is known for, it's partying ... okay, maybe not. Regardless, Microsoft will be celebrating the launch of Halo: The Master Chief Collection with special events taking place at Microsoft Store locations across the US. According to Microsoft spokesman Larry Hryb (aka: Major Nelson), those who visit their local Microsoft Store will be able to score a free t-shirt and canteen, among other prizes. The HaloFest Premiere Event will also be streamed to each of the 106 Microsoft Stores around the country, meaning you'll be able to catch the debut of the live-action series Halo: Nightfall while waiting to pick up a copy of The Master Chief Collection. If you live within visiting distance of the Bellevue, Washington Microsoft Store, you're in for arguably the biggest treat: Master Chief himself (or someone dressed like him, seeing as this is the real world and not the dream world we write about in our Livejournals) will be available for photo opportunities, and the store itself will act as a museum, full of props and replicas from the Halo universe. Wherever you're looking to go, the party starts on November 10 at 10 p.m. local time. [Image: Microsoft]
Sony to sell PS4 consoles at London's launch night event
No pre-order? No problem. Instead of forking over cash for a new console early, Sony fans attending the company's November 28 midnight launch festivities in London can buy a PlayStation 4 at the event. This offer does not come without caveats. The supply of PlayStation 4 consoles being sold at the event will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Sony is allowing fans to line up for the launch event as early as Thursday morning, and given that PS4 pre-orders have been sold out for months, it's probably in your best interest to show up as early as possible. While this does mean that you'll likely be spending hours in the chill of an English winter for the chance to spend £350 on a new gadget, Sony is hoping to make things a bit more bearable by offering dedicated line-sitters food courtesy Red Bull and Domino's Pizza. There's no word on heating elements though, so if you hope to grab a PS4 from the launch event, we suggest you bundle up.
Xbox One launch event to be streamed on Spike TV, Xbox channels
Not to be outdone, Microsoft is hosting its own Spike TV-aired launch event for the Xbox One next week, and it'll air at 8PM PT/11PM ET on Thursday, November 21. You'll also be able to watch the live show on Xbox.com and Xbox Live, which will showcase launch events taking place across the globe, as well as the "ultimate midnight celebration" taking place in New York City. "Today we invite millions of Xbox fans around the world to join us for the launch of Xbox One, beginning on Nov. 21 as we count down the final hours to the launch of Xbox One," Corporate VP of Marketing & Strategy Yusuf Mehdi proclaimed. "Xbox One will be the biggest launch in the history of Xbox and we can't wait to celebrate with our fans." There's no word if Microsoft's shindig will match the "exclusive world premieres and announcements" of tomorrow's PS4 event - whatever they may be - but the apparent "pinnacle of the evening" is Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performing outside the Best Buy Theater in in Times Square. Make of that what you will. In case you've got this far and are still wondering what the hubbub's about, we better remind you the Xbox One launches in nine days time on November 22, priced $500.
BlizzCon 2013: Warlords of Draenor pre-launch event
In the World of Warcraft: What's Next panel, Cory Stockton, Lead Content Designer, announced that Warlords of Draenor will have a substantial pre-launch event to introduce players to the story of Warlords of Draenor. Pre-launch events sort of fell by the wayside with Cataclysm and Mists. The last time we had a really involved one was with Wrath of the Lich King's scourge invasion and zombie plague. This event will be a very "guided" experience similar to the death knight class introduction. This will be more than a simple quest. It will begin in the Blasted Lands when something strange happens with the Dark Portal, causing it to turn red. Players are sent on on a suicide mission through the Dark Portal (yes, before the expansion even launches) to help prepare for the real journey into Draenor when the expansion launches. Those of you who played before BC will remember when the demons started pouring through the portal in the days leading up to launch. It sounds like it will be like that, except we actually get to venture into the portal ahead of time. I've always missed the pre-launch events and was extremely excited to hear this news. The question is will there be any "gameplay disrupting" events like the zombie plague, or will it be isolated to the events surrounding the portal itself?
Sony, Spike TV 'PS4 All Access' event promises 'exclusive world premieres' [update]
Sony and Spike TV are teaming up for the PS4 All Access: Greatness Awaits launch event, which will air on Spike TV, DirecTV and stream online November 14 at 11pm ET. The PS4 launch celebration takes place in New York, where Sony promises "exclusive world premieres and announcements about the PS4 games that will define 2014 and beyond." We expect we'll see the launch lineup, but also Driveclub, Infamous: Second Son, Watch Dogs and perhaps some unannounced games. The PS4 launches in North America on November 15 for $399. Sony's next-gen console features a new DualShock 4 controller, optional PS4 Eye camera, but will not support DLNA for media streaming over networks, nor will it allow .mp3 file playback and external USB storage at launch. Update: This post originally stated that DLNA would be available on the PS4 at launch, which is incorrect. We apologize for the error and have updated the text above accordingly.
The end of (beta) days invasion is coming to Neverwinter
The "It's only in beta" catchphrase is going to become obsolete for Neverwinter come June 20th. At that time, open beta will go quietly into the night as launch takes its place. Did we say quietly? We mean with the loud crashing sounds of Valindra's army at its heels! Starting today at 3:00 p.m. EDT, three phases of events will herald the coming of the official launch. Players will enjoy double the rewards of enchantments and runestones until the 17th in the first phase. In the second, lasting the 17th through the 20th, players will have to guardProtector's Enclave from attack by Valindra's army. More dangerous and deadly creatures then join the fray during the third phase running the 19th and concluding at 12:00 p.m. EDT on the 20th. Successfully defending Neverwinter through the final two phases can net participants unique rewards, including scrolls, a companion, and more. For full details and exact times, check out the official announcement. Then prepare yourself for war. [Source: Perfect World press release]
BlackBerry 10 launch event to be held on January 30th
As RIM gradually inches towards the eventual launch of its new mobile OS, the company's now pinned down a concrete date for BlackBerry 10's full unveiling. It's the other side of 2012 and will happen "simultaneously in multiple countries around the world" on January 30th. No specifics on those lucky territories just yet, but RIM's official blog states that we'll hear availability (hopefully both prices and dates) for two new BB10 smartphones at the event. There's no full press release just yet, but you can see what CEO Thorsten Heins has to say about it after the break. Update: The press release is now out -- we've added it below.
Nintendo World hosting Wii U launch event in NYC
Want to buy a Wii U on November 18 in a celebratory setting, surrounded by other Nintendo fans and even Nintendo staff? Want lifelong nightmares? The Wii U and celebrations are courtesy of Nintendo World's launch event in New York City, starting at 6PM on November 17.The nightmares are courtesy of "Mii costumed characters" stalking the event.Fans waiting in line will get exclusive bonus items, and Nintendo will sell New York-themed Mario shirts to benefit the Red Cross. Also, you may actually have a chance to buy a Wii U, which seems like a rare event on launch day.
Windows 8 launch event gets real, the celebration starts October 25th
Microsoft's been doing its best to get Windows 8 ready for public consumption. After dogfooding the OS to employees and IT pros and getting unsolicited feedback from company co-founder Paul Allen, the time has come for its official unveiling. Microsoft told us to save October 25th on our calendars for a Win8 celebration, and now the invites are out. Naturally, we'll be there in New York City reporting on the event live, so come on back in three weeks to get your full Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface fix.
Visualized: Nokia's Asha 308, 309 in-house lunchtime launch
Typically, when OEMs launch the next generation of their mobile wares, we're treated to painstakingly choreographed industry parties (that we chronicle in great detail). In fact, we can think of a recent one in particular that saw several tech journos corralled into a blue-hued freight elevator and then let loose on three levels of demos. Well, if you thought new product excitement began and ended with select press events or that executive-level enthusiasm was all just a by-product of intense media training, think again. As you can see from the image above, lunch time at Nokia's glass-walled HQ saw a crowd of curious employees noshing on the assortment of cafeteria delights while also sampling the newly announced Asha 308 and 309. It's that company-wide, inside-out passion for all things Nokia we've seen evidence of again and again throughout our time in Espoo. And because of that, we feel justified in saying there's clearly something in the Finnish water. Zach Honig contributed to this report.
WoW Archivist: Vanilla WoW's launch event was out of control
WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold? This Monday, WoW fans will line up at stores around the world to buy the game's fourth expansion, Mists of Pandaria. For Blizzard, the past eight years have been an incredible run, setting records for sales and building one of the largest virtual communities on Earth. Let's look back at the game's original launch, when Blizzard wasn't quite as prepared as they are today for the game's overwhelming popularity. A moonlit walk Blizzard's chief operating officer Paul Sams couldn't wrap his head around what he was seeing. Just after 11 p.m. on November 22, 2004, he was sitting in deadlock traffic on a freeway offramp in Fountain Valley, California. He looked over at the Fry's Electronics outlet not far from the road. The store had been surrounded by some sort of dark, seething mass. Caught in traffic, Sams was in danger of missing the game's launch event at Fry's. Rather than fight his way through the jumble of cars, he decided to park some distance away. It was still unclear to him what was happening. The electronics store was only minutes from Blizzard's headquarters in Irvine. He thought he had left the office with plenty of time to spare. He never imagined that getting to the store would be difficult this late at night.
ASUS Padfone 2 launch event slated for October 16th in both Milan and Tapei
ASUS has sent out invitations for the official launch of the Padfone 2, the follow-up to its hybrid smartphone / laptop / tablet Padfone device. According to an invite nabbed by Notebook Italia, the unveiling will take place simultaneously in Milan and Taipei on October 16th. The picture shows a corner of what is likely the upcoming handset, but we'll have to wait till next month to get a closer look at the full package.
Nokia, AT&T and Green Day join forces for Nokia Music launch event in NYC
Nicki Minaj was there to introduce us to the Lumia 900 earlier in the year, and now Green Day has been drafted in to celebrate the launch of Nokia Music. Lumia-toting Americans were granted access to the free music streaming service a couple of days ago without much fuss, but the official party kicks off on September 15th at NYC's Irving Plaza. AT&T's also putting its name to the event, and if you head over to Green Day's Facebook page, you'll find instructions on how to get your chance to be there. Let's hope this one goes well for Nokia's marketing team, because if it's anything like that Lumia 920 embarrassment, they'll probably just want waking up when September ends.
Blizzard announces official Mists of Pandaria launch events
Yes, there will be launch events, my friends. All over this world of warcraft of ours (the actual world we humans call Earth) there will be real live locations where you can go get your copy of the game signed, meet people on the dev team, and otherwise take part in merriment and mild mayhem. Among the festivities at the US event in Southern California (Irvine, to be exact, near the Blizzard campus) will be a 'challenge-mode challenge' between Blizzard employees and members of the community. I have no idea what that means. If you want to find an event near to you, the official site has an events page that will be of use to you. For US residents, the official meetup in California is at Giant Wheel Court at the Irvine Spectrum Center, 71 Fortune Drive in Irvine at 9:00 p.m. PDT on September 24. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Guild Wars 2 launch events coming September 1st
Looking for a way to celebrate the release of a certain fantasy title with other like-minded fans? Launch events for Guild Wars 2 are coming a few days after the game's release, but don't go blaming the launch parties for being lazy. They've got to revive several overworked and passed-out ArenaNet employees, after all. ArenaNet has just posted a list of launch events across the US for Guild Wars 2. The events will take place on Saturday, September 1st, in Seattle, Austin, Orlando, New York, and Los Angeles. Devs will be on hand to sign Guild Wars paraphernalia, stage quiz contests, hold raffles, and give away T-shirts, posters, Guild Wars 2 collector's editions, and exclusive in-game items to the first takers. ArenaNet hasn't forgotten its fans in Europe; the studio will be partnering with agencies in the region to hand out similar goodies.
Samsung Mobile Unpacked liveblog!
Ready to cut through that packing tape and see which smartphone Samsung has in store for 2012? The next Galaxy will make its debut on this very page, so click on through to our liveblog for the play-by-play at Earls Court in London. The fun gets started at 2PM ET on Thursday, May 3rd, listed in your local time zone just below. March 7, 2012 2:00 PM EST
Samsung unpacks the Galaxy tomorrow, we'll be liveblogging the London event right here!
Is that Galaxy S II feeling a bit stale? It's just about time for Samsung to name a successor to the massively popular smartphone, live at the company's Mobile Unpacked event at the Earls Court Olympic venue. We'll surely see a brand new mainstream handset make its debut, but what's not quite as clear is what other gadgets Samsung plans to show off in London. With defined divisions, the Korean device maker's "Mobile Unpacked" event title implies that Android phones will steal the show, so it's unlikely that we'll see an updated Tab or two. We have 24 hours and change to find out for sure, however, so bookmark this page to stay abreast of the news as it happens in our liveblog. The show kicks off at 2PM ET tomorrow (7PM local time in London) -- you'll find your local time translation just below. May 3, 2012 2:00 PM EDT
Microsoft plans Windows Phone Tango reveal for March 21st in China
There's no doubt that China's feeling the Microsoft love as of late. After HTC broke ground last week with the launch of the country's first ever Windows Phone handset -- a re-badged Titan known as the Triumph -- Nokia quickly reacted, announcing its plans to unleash unspecified members of the Lumia line on March 28th. Now, further fueling MS' mobile momentum in the region, comes word of a major launch event, slated for the 21st, which centers on the official unveiling of Tango: Redmond's lighter, low-end software. While it's already been confirmed that HTC's Chinese flagship will be shipping with that version of the OS onboard, it remains to be seen whether Espoo's Sino-devices will follow suit. With that planned public release only a week away, it won't be long before we know for sure.
Rise of Dragonian Era launches with special in-game events
Tired of being stuck in your daily commute, crawling along at 15 mph? Ever fantasize about saddling up a 10-ton dragon to soar above the rat race and deliver a final blow to that driver who cut you off? While Mgame USA hasn't perfected dragon genetics (yet), the company has released Rise of Dragonian Era to give you a virtual taste of the high life. RODE, a free-to-play fantasy MMO, is quite big on our dragon brothers and sisters. The title has two factions, six races, and four classes from which to choose. Players will begin their journey through the game with a freshly hatched dragon pet who will accompany them through thick and thin. If that's not enough Dragonheart for you, you can also get the opportunity to fly one of these majestic beasts later on and engage in aerial warfare. To promote RODE's launch, Mgame is handing out rewards left and right through various means. Players can earn in-game items, gift cards, and big-ticket prizes like a PS Vita just by playing for 30 minutes or more, submitting winning screenshots, leveling up, and attending special events.
