Eden
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Netflix quietly developed a VR tie-in for its 'Eden' anime series
Netflix may be getting into video games sooner than expected.
XBMC Eden officially steps out of beta, available for download now
Been snacking on popcorn with the beta build of XBMC 11.0 Eden since it got released last December? If, you'll be pleased know that the full-on release version is now officially available for download. In case you don't recall, this latest build of the media center house many new features, not limited to Addon Rollbacks (in case you hate their new builds), a plethora of speed-improvements, official "in- sync support" for iOS devices, AirPlay functionality and UI tweaks. There's also good news for Ubuntu users, as XBMCbuntu Final has been officially announced as the successor to XBMC Live. Excuse the pun, but if you're ready to taste the fruit now that it's ripe, you'll find the full details for both and the download link for Eden at the source link below.
7-inch Eden Tab launches in Japan this weekend, could become the Xiaomi tablet
For those who've been keeping an eye on Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, you should already know that after the Xiaomi Phone's successful launches (most recently in collaboration with China Telecom), the man's been pondering over whether the Chinese tablet market is worth tapping into. Funnily enough, it turned out that during CES, Kingsoft's Japanese subsidiary Mobile In Style announced the 7-inch Eden Tab, which just so happened to be co-developed by Xiaomi and shares the same ODM, Inventec, as the Xiaomi Phone. This is no surprise considering Lei Jun also chairs both Xiaomi and Kingsoft, and the two companies have announced partnerships before; though it doesn't seem like this tablet uses the former's MIUI software. Read on to find out more.
XBMC Eden finally makes it to beta, promises HTPC superpowers
Remember that big XBMC update teased back in October? Well, v11.0's multifarious additions are finally ready for a spot of beta testing. These include all-round speed increases, a "vastly improved" default skin, the ability to rollback unpleasant add-on updates, and better hardware support for iOS devices, plus a host of other new features that can only be listed in full at the source link.
XBMC teases new features coming in 11.0 'Eden' release
The next version of XBMC isn't ready for prime time yet, but the team behind it is already talking about what's being added and tweaked in v11.0, a.k.a Eden. This is the first major release since the media player app added iPad, iPhone and Apple TV support and as such improved touchscreen support is high on the list. We can also expect a new "Files" view in the video library, a different default skin, improved CPU / GPU efficiency, customizable home screens and other UI tweaks as seen above. Now that the list of features is pretty much locked down we'll be expecting a beta, and eventually final release, but you can hit the source link to dive in early and help test everything out.
Notion Ink Adam review
The saga of the Notion Ink Adam is a tale like many we could name -- it's the story of a tiny company struggling to bring a vision to market, facing friction from investors, factories and the march of time itself. The difference is that the Adam captured the imaginations of gadget fiends like ourselves with ideas that were fantastic from day one and are still novel now that it's finally been released, including a paneled UI, full USB host functionality, and of course that Pixel Qi screen. But does the Adam deliver on the promises of unifying form and function with such technology? In two words: Not really. Update: With a new software update, the Notion Ink Adam is slightly better now. If you asked us, we'd definitely still call it beta, but there's progress being made on the UI front. %Gallery-120854%
VIA says Eden X2 is world's most power-efficient dual-core processor
Following close behind the low-power Nano X2 comes the Eden X2, or what VIA is calling "the world's most power-efficient" fanless dual-core processor. While we've yet to see any official numbers, the original Eden did 500MHz on one watt of power, so we should see similarly thrifty specs here. Aside from that, the unit houses two 64-bit cores in a 21 x 21 millimeter package, is compatible with Windows CE and Linux operating systems, and was built using a 40-nanometer manufacturing process. The Eden X2 made its debut at the World Embedded conference this week, and should make it to the real world by the end of Q2. Full PR after the break.
Atari starts Test Drive Unlimited 2's engines
MMO racers are an interesting breed, seemingly rarer than a '68 GT40. Whether it's due to EA's relatively under-the-radar Need For Speed World or the gone-but-not-forgotten Motor City Online, car enthusiasts with a shared passion for MMOs have endured slim pickings in recent years. Happily, Atari and Eden Games are looking to change all that with this week's release of Test Drive Unlimited 2, an ambitious new racing title for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 platforms. TDU2 lives up to its MMO billing (and its "beyond racing" tagline) by delivering a non-linear experience that is as much about collecting and progression as it is about driving. Also in the mix are a variety of social options such as avatar, housing, and furniture customization as well as the requisite car tuning and parts tweaking minigames. TDU2 also aims to out-MMO many current MMOs by delivering large playfields and emphasizing shared social spaces (including gambling hubs, player-run clubs, and cooperative races). TDU2 can be played sans a sub fee after you purchase the digital download or retail box, and Atari plans to offer DLC in the form of car, clothing, and furniture packs to monetize the game over time. Check out our exclusive in-game gallery below and head to the game's official website for more info. %Gallery-116007%
Notion Ink Adam ships today
Well, what do you know: Notion Ink just announced that it will begin shipping its FCC and CE certified Adam tablet starting tomorrow today. If you pre-ordered, then you should see your delivery status update soon to the last week of January. That's a lot better than February and much, much better than never which is always the risk when David takes on the Goliaths. Now we'll see how it holds up to real-world usage -- here's hoping for some of that good JooJoo. P.S. For what it's worth, we're still not seeing the shipping version of Adam -- product NI3421A01 with guarantee code Y2G -- in the FCC database. Anyone else? [Thanks, Anthony]
NFC certification program announced just in time for Android 2.3 Gingerbread launch on Monday?
Call it coincidence if you want, but a December 7th press conference to launch the NFC Forum's new Certification Program likely has something to do with NFC read / write support built into Google's new Android 2.3 "Gingerbread." An OS that could be officially unveiled as early as today according to a cheeky blog post by Notion Ink that includes this bullet: "6th December is another big day for Android and you will find out how fast Notion Ink can work. (Eden is extremely compatible with 2.3)." Recall how gung-ho Eric Schmidt was on the topic of Near Field Communication while demonstrating it using a still unannounced Nexus S with an embedded NFC chip at the Web 2.0 Summit. That was way back on November 16th when Schmidt promised a Gingerbread release "in like the next few weeks." According to the NFC Forum, a device must be certified in order to display the official "N-Mark" (pictured) -- a symbol for NFC that tells you where to touch in order to initiate NFC services on your device. So, Google... anything you'd like to announce before Tuesday? P.S. Almost forgot that Google's Andy Rubin will be kicking off the D: Dive into Mobile event later today. We'll be there live just in case Andy feels like introducing something pungent and tasty during the opening session scheduled for 6:30pm San Francisco time.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 feels like Home in this new trailer
If you clicked on the video above before reading this, you're probably a little confused. Yes, it looks like you've somehow pulled up footage from PlayStation Home. If you stick with it for a bit, though, you'll see that it isn't. It really is footage from Test Drive Unlimited 2. Like we said in our preview last month, the game is essentially an MMO, incorporating player avatars and various places for folks to hang out when not racing. That's what you're seeing. Crazy, right? The video provides you with a pretty good look at this aspect of the game; thankfully, it also contains a decent amount of actual racing, specifically highlighting TDU2's day/night cycle, weather effects and off-road driving. You know -- the other stuff you'll be experiencing when not shopping for clothes, getting cosmetic surgery or chilling in a jacuzzi on-board your yacht. (Actually, the MMO stuff is pretty cool ... )
VIA's power-sipping VN1000 chipset brings Blu-ray playback, DX 10.1 support to low-end rigs
VIA may not have the clout that AMD or Intel have, but one thing's for sure: these guys sure love to bring as much heat as possible to the broke-as-a-joke among us. Take the all new VN1000 chipset, for instance, which is designed for Windows 7-based all-in-one PCs and other low-end desktops that yearn for the ability to handle modern day multimedia. The chipset is compatible with VIA's range of Nano, C7, C7-M and Eden processors, and aside from supporting DDR3 memory, up to five PCI slots, up to four SATA II drives, a multicard reader and 12 USB 2.0 ports, it also allows for Blu-ray playback. Users can slap up to 16GB of RAM around it, and the integrated Chrome 520 GPU is apparently potent enough to support DirectX 10.1 and BD films. Who says 1080p is reserved for royalty? %Gallery-80089%
Video: VIA EPIA-P720 Pico-ITX motherboard plays 1080p, doesn't sweat much
While NVIDIA's Ion has been getting all of the attention of late, VIA's been doing this 1080p thing for quite some time. We actually heard earlier this year that the company's EPIA-P710 Pico-ITXe board was capable of playing back glorious 1080p video clips, but now we've got video proof that the unit's successor truly can. According to VIA, this mobo is the first from it to come with the VX855 Media System Processor onboard, which is obviously the secret sauce involved in delivering the high-res graphics. Head on past the break for a peek at the demo, and good luck resisting the urge to build a new SFF HTPC over the weekend.
Fujitsu's sleek FUTRO S100 gets VIA Eden implant
By and large, thin clients are relatively boring. That said, they're typically dead silent and plenty powerful to handle the most basic of tasks, and thanks to Fujitsu, this one's even halfway easy on the eyes. The new FUTRO S100 was revealed today, complete with a 500MHz VIA Eden ULV processor that enables the entire system to suck down just 11 watts under full load. Other specs include 1GB of DDR2 memory, a pair of USB 2.0 connectors, VGA output, Ethernet, a VX800 media processor, Chrome9 HC3 graphics and internal CF-based storage support. There's nary a mention of price, but it's ready to ship today for those with the correct change.[Via HotHardware]
VIA's VX855 Media System Processor handles the 1080p
Big news, folks -- 1008p is about to hit the minuscule PC market, and VIA's making darn sure it doesn't miss the boat. Hot on the heels of HABEY's BIS-6550HD announcement, VIA has stepped in to formally introduce its VX855 Media System Processor, which aims to bring hardware-based 1080p decoding to VIA-based rigs. The highly integrated single chip package sucks down just 2.3 watts and provides hardware H.264 video acceleration when snapped in alongside a VIA Nano, C7 or Eden processor. Other specs include a 400 to 800MHz FSB speed, support for up to DDR2 800 memory (4GB maximum), six USB 2.0 ports and the company's own Chrome9 graphics set. There's no mention of when this bugger will find its way into shelf-bound rigs, but we're hoping Computex sheds some light on the situation.[Via HotHardware]
Eden 'can't promise' PS3 Alone in the Dark fixes for 360
Remember all those new features Eden is working into the PS3 release of Alone in the Dark? Oh, or how, upon announcing them, the developer also said they'd be arriving as a patch for the Xbox 360 version? Now the tune has hit a sour note, according to MTV Multiplayer.Game designer Emile Morel says that Eden is, "Trying to do a patch," but that "it's technically complicated," saying that, if anything, the control and camera fixes will be implemented; don't expect the new subway chase sequence in the PS3 release to show up. There's evidently also an issue with the actual estimated size of the patch not sitting too well with Microsoft. So now it's not only a case of if the patch will happen but when. Morel says that the decision to patch or not to patch might actually depend on the success of the PS3 version, and that the team probably won't get around to working on it until the release for Sony's machine goes gold.
PS3 Alone in the Dark fixes coming to 360
There are a lot of things that Alone in the Dark does very well. Building yourself a Molotov cocktail and subsequently taping a box of ammunition to it is not without its charm. Throwing said contraption onto a hapless zombie? Well that's just awesome. Unfortunately, other much more simple things, like camera controls, driving and combat can be a chore. Thankfully, it looks like developer Eden games if fixing many of these issues in the PS3 version. Even better, an upcoming patch should implement many of the improvements into the Xbox 360 version.For example, Edward Carnby, the game's protagonist, now runs by default (rather than when the A button is held). Walking is accomplished by gently pushing the analog stick (what a revolutionary idea). Many other changes, including a better -- and manually controlled -- camera and improved driving controls, improve the game substantially according to Eurogamer. Exactly which PS3 improvements will make it into the 360 version remains unclear, but we'll happily take anything that can improve Alone in the Dark's more annoying aspects.
Video: Alone in the Dark meets Benny Hill
Speeding up a film and adding "Yakety Sax" as the background music makes anything funny. We all know that. While that holds true for this Alone in the Dark video, it's also interesting to note that the additions make it particularly poignant as well. You see, Alone in the Dark has greatness tucked inside of it, but often the greatness is hampered by the difficulty inherent in the simplest tasks.Case in point, this video covers a sequence early in Alone in the Dark in which the game prompts you to break a car window so that you can open the door and steal it. The only problem is that the game's inventive yet wonky control scheme makes breaking that itty-bitty window about as difficult as taking down a Big Daddy.Out of curiosity, how many of you out there are trudging through Alone in the Dark despite its faults?
Some Alone in the Dark footage to ponder
With Alone in the Dark finally shipping this week, we thought it fitting to cram one last post with a few gameplay videos. The first video is a melange of scenes from the game, giving a glimpse at the game's story (and more than a few bleeped f-bombs). It certainly looks exciting, though the other three videos (embedded after the break) definitely reveal some of the clunkier elements cited in European reviews so far (voice acting, controls). As of right now, there aren't exactly a lot of choices for 360 survival horror fans (though there are plenty on the way). As such, will you be overlooking the noted faults in Alone in the Dark in the hope that the game is more than the sum of its parts?
Scared stiff: Why should we care about Alone in the Dark?
The survival horror genre is set to get a shot in the arm in 2008 with a number of high profile, not to mention highly anticipated entries all vying for the opportunity to keep us jumping at shadows and screaming like little girls. Or, for those gamers who are, in fact, little girls, just keep them screaming. But as all of us know, build-up seldom equals pay-off, leaving us to look upon these titles with what could be described as a mixture of cautious excitement and malaise. However, rather than simply sit and wait to see what the games have in store for us, we decided to corner the teams working on this year's more notable survival horror titles, and pick their brains in true survival horror fashion -- with an ice pick. But having left the ice pick at the office (my bad!), we opted to simply ask those working on these titles why we should keep their games on our collective radar. This week we'll be talking with people working on such games as Dead Space, Silent Hill: Homecoming and Project Origin, and kick things off today by asking Eden Games' producer Nour Polloni about her studio's re-imagining of survival horror architect Alone in the Dark, particularly, why should we care?%Gallery-14429%
