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Vindictus beta key giveaway round 2: Don't miss out again!
OK, so we knew you guys would be interested in slicing demons in half, but we had no clue how much you really wanted to slice demons in half. We had 2,000 beta keys to give away for Vindictus, and you guys cleaned us out in two hours! Thank you so much! To celebrate how fast you cleaned us out the first time, we've been given 2,000 more beta keys from our friends at Nexon! Just like last time, these keys, once redeemed, will get you into the beta and give you two more keys to give to your friends! Each key redeemed spawns two more, like the never-ending Fomor forces you're about to face! If you'd like to help us out, post your unused friend keys in the comments so we can help spread the love! Or, if you want to chat with your fellow MMOers, come join us in the Massively.com chat room, where you can trade keys, talk about your favorite games, and meet the Massively.com editors! Either point your IRC client to irc.quakenet.org and go to the #massively channel, or hook up with us on our webchat, located at http://webchat.quakenet.org, and put massively in for the channel name! But, you want Vindictus keys, don't you! Hit the continue reading button to find out how to claim a key!
Froyo code for HTC EVO 4G, Droid Incredible goes open source
You know the drill: if you're rolling custom firmwares for your Android-powered devices, you've got to release the GPL portions of those binaries for all of our prying eyes to see. It's a drill HTC is well-acquainted with at this point, and once again, they've come swooping in with a couple that should pique the particular interest of the North American hacking community: kernel source for the Android 2.2 releases for Verizon's Droid Incredible and Sprint's EVO 4G. Of course, finding a frickin' Droid Incredible is another matter altogether... but hey, at least when you do, you'll have the source for it. Half the battle, right?
The HP eStation Zeen, the Zeus printer, and everything we know about them
We've been flooded with a deluge of tips about the HP Zeen ever since we posted those first FCC images of the tablet device this morning, and it's actually a little surprising at how perfectly everything aligns. We've now had multiple tipsters confirm that the Zeen is an e-reading-focused Android tablet with the unique ability to connect directly to an HP printer and function as its interface without the need for a computer. But that's not all -- here's everything else we know: The Zeen is a capacitive tablet running a HP skin on top of Android 2.1 -- it won't get shifted to webOS, and it's not clear if it'll get upped to Froyo before launch given the development time required. It has capacitive touch buttons, a SD card slot, video support, and at least some prototypes have cameras with a special webcam app installed. The goal is for the HP home screen and skin to be the only home screen available, but that hasn't been fully implemented yet. E-reading is a major focus, and the Zeen has "significant" integration with the Barnes & Noble Nook bookstore and ecosystem. Makes sense, as the Nook itself is based on Android, and being able to print e-books from the Zeen would be a huge differentiator -- and a great way for HP to sell more ink. The Zeen will come in two configurations: a $399 bundle with a new printer called Zeus and as a standalone unit for an unknown price. The Zeus has its own "basic" control setup, but when the Zeen is docked it provides a rich interface to the printing functions -- presumably a web-connected interface like the one HP's been moving towards with other printers. Despite the CQ model number, the Zeen is a straight HP product, with a laser-etched logo on the back. So that's what we know about this enigmatic product. It certainly adds up -- HP has long said one of the reasons it bought Palm was to use webOS as a consistent interface to other connected devices like printers, and it only makes sense that the company was working on executing that strategy with an OS like Android long before Jon Rubinstein and company joined the team. Besides, how better to sell more ink than by making it easy for consumers to hit Facebook and print pictures without having to use a computer at all? It's certainly interesting -- we're waiting patiently to see when and where the Zeen next appears.
Rumor: iTunes still heading to the clouds
We didn't get that cloud-based iTunes at the last keynote, but the project (and the rumor) isn't dead yet. Boy Genius says "one of our reliable Apple sources" is confirming that iTunes in the cloud is still being developed -- the capability discussed would allow streaming of music and movies both from Apple's servers and between home computers, as well as wireless syncing with whatever iDevices you've got laying around, sending apps, contacts, and videos and photos wirelessly back to your Mac. That all sounds good (and fits with Apple's purchase of Lala a while back), but when? No answer yet. But the source does say that this fall will bring "two new devices with camera/camcorder capabilities." Now we're talking -- if Apple updates the iPod touch and the iPod nano with the same camera system now found in the iPhone 4, it would make a lot of sense to update iTunes and premiere a cloud-based service then as well. As is usually the case, we'll just have to wait and see. But good to know iTunes still has a chance of getting partly cloudy.
Chrome OS build internals confirm Acer, Dell, and HP hardware coming?
We're getting closer and closer to Google's planned Chrome OS release this fall, but still the hardware side of the equation is looking a little less shiny. As of today we don't know exactly who will be bringing Google's little laptop OS to retail first, but now we have a few more clues. Google's code repository contains build configurations for Acer, Dell, and HP hardware, suggesting the OS is being tested by those manufacturers, and while this isn't hard confirmation of device support it does back up what we've heard previously. Acer was rumored to actually show hardware at Computex (it didn't), Dell has already shown Chrome OS running on a netbook, and HP was one of the many that Google indicated was aboard when Chrome partners were announced last year. In other words: no real surprises here, but it's an encouraging indicator just the same.
Source SDK being patched for mods on Mac
Since Steam launched for Mac earlier this month, those of us enjoying the service have been seeking the answer to one crucial question: Will we ever be able to shoot Nazi dinosaurs like everyone else? It appears our answer is "yes, eventually," as one Valve employee took to the publisher's forums to respond to fans questions about whether Source mods would be available on Mac, saying, "We are working on a code update so you can compile your mods for OS X." The employee doesn't go into specifics, but MacStories guesses we could see the update as soon as WWDC. Frankly, it's possible that the update will arrive around then, but we'll probably be so ensconced in news about the new iPhone that Nazi dinosaurs will be far from the top of our priority list. Oh, who're we kidding? Killing Nazi dinosaurs is always near the top of the priority list. [Via MacStories]
Apple //e running source code loaded from an iPad
Stick with us here -- this is complicated but cool. So, Stewart Smith happened to see online that the Panic Software guys had an old Apple IIe (sorry, //e) sitting around their office, and he emailed to ask them if they could possibly use it to run an old text animation that he'd created for a song a while back. Being the considerate guys that they are, they agreed. There was a problem, though: Stewart's code was meant to be played on the old cassette deck source, and they didn't have one. "What did we have?" they ask, and the answer is, "an iPad." You can see the results in video over on their site, and they are magical. There are a couple of amazing things here: one, that the old source code can be "read" just as easily coming out of the iPad's audio port as it was when coming out of cassette tapes back in the day, and two, that the //e runs it so well. Let's also remember that we're watching it happen across the Internet in full audio and video quality, possibly even on an iPad itself. For all of the new and shiny that Apple has brought us recently, you almost forget how much history is building here, and it's somewhat surprising that a connection can be made between then and now so easily and elegantly.
Apple visited the iPhone 4G's finder before the police did
With all of the chaos going on around the lost iPhone case, everyone has more or less assumed that Apple is behind the police department's actions in searching Gizmodo Editor Jason Chen's house late last week. Of course, no one believes that the sheriff is working for Apple, but most people seem to be under the impression that Apple wants to get to the bottom of the case, and that the company is pulling strings in law enforcement to try and do that. However, some new information discovered by Wired suggests that the story may be more complicated than that. They have heard claims from an anonymous source that Apple already knew the identity of the person who found the iPhone, and allegedly sold it to Gizmodo. Someone identifying themselves as being affiliated with Apple apparently arrived at the finder's house in Silicon Valley last week, looking for the finder (and possibly the phone) but finding only a roommate, who didn't let them in. Wired's source also says that the person who found the phone never tried to keep it a secret and even contacted Apple and searched Facebook for someone to return the phone to. When money finally changed hands (from Gizmodo), Wired's source says it was "for exclusivity," and not for a sale of the actual device. Of course, this is all a mix of hearsay and conjecture, spoken by an anonymous source who may or may not know about the case. The bottom line at this point is that the police investigation is underway. If they find evidence that makes them believe a crime was committed, then we'll see them take action. Until then, though, it's unclear exactly what happened with the iPhone's finder and whether the "sale" was illegal or not. [via Business Journal]
Steam for Mac beta reveals possible Linux compatibility in the pipeline, penguins rejoice
Gaming on Linux? That's not something we hear every day just yet, but it looks like the good folks at Valve might be considering a penguin revolution. In one of the latest beta releases of Steam for Mac, Phoronix spotted a mention of the open-source platform in the launcher script, and we were also able to verify this code ourselves. Furthermore, the eagle-eyed Linux blog has previously seen a handful of evidence hinting Linux compatibility for Valve's Source gaming engine. We're probably still a ways off from any announcement (if ever) so for now, let's just leave the guys alone -- we don't want to distract them from bringing the Portal goodness to our Macs now, do we?
Valve adds user-created items to Team Fortress 2
Got a great idea for a hat or weapon for Team Fortress 2? Valve wants to hear about it -- better yet, Valve wants you to make it. The TF2 blog reports that Valve has already seen plenty of solid submissions -- items you can get a hold of in today's update. If you're the creator of one of these items, you'll find a special version waiting for you in your backpack. Hooray for bragging rights! And for you budding designers out there, don't just think of it as a way to get some experience under your belt, but think of it as a service for these guys. Heavy above always had an image problem (thanks, male pattern baldness!), but now he's feeling good and going out on dates like every night! [Via Big Download]
GDC10: Nexon's Vindictus revealed
I'll admit to being somewhat of a Nexon fanboy, and someone that considers them to be in the toy business rather than in the MMO business. They manufacture joy in my eyes. Bright, shiny joy. But the recent announcement of their new title "Vindictus" shows us a game that we are not used to seeing from Nexon. While it will follow the same business model that other Nexon games do, it promises to be a "sexy" game: a game that will make players feel like a hero. It promises to be more of an action game, or as Nexon America's Vice President Min Kim put it when he sat down with us for an interview, "an mmoACTIONrpg, epic, fierce and intense." Want to know more? Want to see the killer trailer? Join us after the jump. %Gallery-88064%
Valve confirms Steam for Mac, debuts in April
Eager gamers have no doubt already seen the teasers, but Valve has now finally confirmed that its Steam game distribution service and Source engine will at long last be headed to the Mac. According to Valve, the company's current line-up of games (including the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead series) will be available to Mac users in April, while Portal 2 will represent the company's first simultaneous release for PC and Mac later this year. Better still, Steamworks for Mac also boasts a new feature called "Steam Play," which will let you buy a game once and, for instance, start playing it on a PC at work and then pick up where you left off on your Mac at home (we'll give you a moment to let that sink in). Game publishers will have to enable that feature themselves, but Valve says it expects most to take advantage of it.
Team Fortress 2 update adds Highlander mode
It's indicative of Valve's creativity that we don't play Team Fortress 2, but we still get excited about the game's hilarious updates. In its most recent patch, TF2 received the new "Highlander" mode, in which teams are composed of nine players -- but each team can only have one of each class. In other words, "There can be only one (Spy, Sniper, Heavy, etc.)." This not only sounds like an interesting new mode, but it also gives us occasion to link to the intro for the Highlander television series, which scientists recently concluded is the coolest intro sequence in the history of mankind. We're also guessing the ultra-Scottish Demoman class gets some sort of intangible benefits while playing in this mode, but that's just pure speculation.
HTC pulls wraps off Droid Eris' kernel source
They knew this day was coming, but still, we can't help but feel like there must be some higher-ups at Verizon that are squirming today at the knowledge that the innermost workings of one of their highest-profile smartphones -- the Droid Eris -- are now available to anyone willing to invest the couple minutes that the package takes to download. This should give hackers some more elbow room to cook custom ROMs for Verizon's remix of the Hero -- and if they can beat an official Android 2.1 release for the phone by even a single day, that sounds like a win in our book.
HTC posts kernel source for Tattoo, Sprint Hero
The terms of the GPL require that developers of Android handsets out the source code for their phones' platform kernels, something HTC, Samsung, and others have generally been good about (emphasis on "generally") -- and now HTC's gone ahead and pushed a couple more notables into the public domain. The Tattoo and the Sprint-branded version of the Hero are the latest to get their innermost software workings exposed; the Tattoo should be an interesting choice here because it's one of the lowest-end Android sets released to date, and the Sprint Hero's been taking some heat for a while now for its lack of code exposure. We're happy to see HTC stay in compliance, yes -- but really, we're even happier to know that it's now in the hands of people who intend to tear it apart and do cool stuff with it.
Valve looking for user-created items in Team Fortress 2
There once was a time when your only option for exercising creativity in Team Fortress 2 was to come up with clever ways to grief your fellow players. Today, Valve announced that players would soon have a less annoying way to stretch their imagination muscles -- by designing their own items and avatars which could possibly show up in-game. Of course, you can't simply break one of the classes by creating a mini-nuke launcher for them -- there's a number of restrictions to what's appropriate for the game. Check out Valve's handy "Tips and Tricks" page to find out how to ensure your homebrewed creations are TF2-acceptable. For instance, a new fedora for the Sniper? Absolutely. A gun shaped like genitalia for the Heavy? Absolutely not.
Apple adds 30-second samples to browser-based iTunes previews
Last November, Apple launched browser-based iTunes previews, which gave customers information on a song or artist before pushing them out to the iTunes Store. It's a handy, welcome change. And now this week, they've added 30-second song samples to those preview pages (check it out). Just as you do in the store, you can hear any track's sample by clicking the small "Play" button that appears when you mouse over its name. There has been speculation about the future of a streaming-based version of iTunes since Apple bought Lala in November. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that LaLa executives have been given key roles at Apple, and that members of the existing iTunes team will report to them. While playing with the new previews today, we explored the page's source for any hints of Lala, but found nothing. However, we did come across something interesting. Turns out you can easily turn any 30-second preview into an iPhone-compatible ringtone, and you don't even need GarageBand. First, find a snippet you're interested in. Then view the page's source. Scroll down until you see something that starts: audio-preview-url="http://a1.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/016/Music/3a/7b/83/mzm.ekrigiqi.aac.p.m4a" Copy the URL (minus the quotes) and paste it into Safari's Downloads window. You'll get a file with a name similar to: "/mzm.ekrigiqi.aac.p.m4a" Now, replace ".aac.p.m4a" with ".m4r," drop it into iTunes and sync. You've got a new ringtone! Of course, you can't choose the 30 seconds you hear, and that use probably isn't intended by Apple. But if the preview happens to be what you want, there you go. [Via Mac Rumors]
Half-Life 2 PC updated with Episode 2 tech, longs for Xbox 360 parity
It's not often that console gamers get to brag to their PC gaming counterparts that their version of any given release is graphically superior; however, 2007's Xbox 360 release of Valve's Orange Box compilation included updated releases of both Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One – rebuilt with Episode Two's fancy new Source engine tech – while the PC releases sputtered on, sans engine enhancements and sans Achievements. Well, that didn't sit right in one Mr. Filip Victor's craw, who grabbed his handy coding toolbelt and started hammering away on the original 2004 game adding things like HDR High Dynamic Range lighting (see above screengrab from the comparison video, posted after the break), updated models and textures and, of course, 32 Steam Achievements (demo video here). While the legality of this project is certainly dubious, the requirement of both Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode Two should assuage your piracy concerns. Now, whether or not that assuages Valve's possible concerns with this project remain to be seen. If you're interested you'd better find a download link in this forum thread, sooner than later. And, if you're keeping score, the Xbox 360 version still comes out on top with an updated version of Episode One, though Victor is apparently "working on the EP1 part now." Until that day of parity comes, enjoy the moment console gamers. [Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
Castlevania Half-Life 2 mod brings Belmont to the Source
Man, is this National Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Weekend, or what? Machinima.com user (and assumed Source engine guru) m0rtanius recently made a 3D adaptation of the first level of Castlevania, which you can view in the video after the jump. Before you pass judgment on this mod, we suggest you view this clip from Castlevania 64. We've come a long way, baby. [Via GoNintendo]
Google's Chrome OS just a week away from launch?
We'd heard last month that this month was the month that Google would finally launch its highly-anticipated Chrome OS, and now we've got a "reliable source" over at TechCrunch asserting that the software is gearing up for launch "within a week." Granted, we can't ever be too certain when it comes to a rumor such as this, but if the system really does hit the wilds, we probably won't see it available for every machine on the face of the planet. The presumed Alpha build will likely only support a select few products that Google engineers have had a chance to specifically work with -- possibly something such as an Eee PC netbook, which has generally the same specifications regardless of design or model number. Either way, we'd go ahead and prepare ourselves for something new before the end of November -- but don't let it spoil your holidays should things get pushed back a bit, okay?
