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Report: Ubisoft on Xbox 720 projects for 2012, 'major' Sony dev shifting to PS4
And the rumors just keep flying. The latest comes by way of Edge, which reports that Ubisoft is currently working on projects for Microsoft's next console using "target boxes" designed to emulate the system's projected specifications. Supposedly, these boxes contain components provided by Microsoft, with actual development kits expected to be in the hands of studios by the end of the year. According to Edge, a 2012 launch for the console remains likely. Meanwhile, the site also reports that a "major Sony-owned studio" is no longer working on PlayStation 3 development, fully shifting its resources to the next iteration (we're going to go out on a limb and call it the PlayStation 4). Furthermore, said studio has apparently been "involved in the development process of the graphics technology" used in the upcoming console. Now what Sony game could possibly need more graphical horsepower? Oh, wait.
Rumor: Next Xbox slated for 2013
With Nintendo revealing its Wii U console at E3 2011, many speculated that Microsoft would be pressured to unveil the next Xbox at the next E3 in 2012. According to Develop sources, we might have to wait a little bit longer, until 2013 to be precise. The site reports that various sources "from processor chip manufacturers to middleware firms" are expecting an E3 2013 reveal of the console, followed by a launch later in the year, though it could be as far away as early 2014. Apparently Lionhead is busy working on a project named "Fable Next," for the new console, which certainly doen't seem like a stretch. It also gels with a report earlier this month about Alan Wake 2 and other next gen projects. Furthermore, Develop believes that Epic will unveil a new Unreal Engine before 2014, the date recently predicted by CEO Tim Sweeney. Finally, sources still seem to believe that EA is already in possession of development tools for the next Xbox, despite the publisher claiming otherwise. Our prediction? The Xbox 1080 will be announced by Microsoft next week. The unit will feature an integrated Kinect sensor and will support PlayStation 4 emulation using a heavily modified version of Bleem.
The Wii U controller, revealed! (video)
Whoa! The rumors turned out to be true: a 6.2-inch screen will be built into the controller for Nintendo's next-generation Wii U console. It'll also feature a microphone, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, dual analog controls, two shoulder buttons and two triggers, a front-facing camera, a stylus, and yes, it's a touchscreen, too! Satoru Iwata was careful to forewarn that the Wii U's controller was "not designed to be a portable game machine," even if it shares some characteristics with handhelds. You will, however, be able to game and video chat even without a TV. Screen resolution isn't given yet, but the display ratio is stated as 16:9, matching every other widescreen in your living room. Check the video after the break while we go try to hunt down some hands-on time with this multifunctional new beast of a controller. %Gallery-125639% %Gallery-125641%
The Wii U, Nintendo's next console (video)
Coming in 2012, Nintendo's next home console will deliver "deeper game experiences" that aim to offer "something for everyone." And it'll be called the Wii U! A variety of new controls will be made available by that crazy new controller with a 6.2-inch touchscreen embedded in it. Most importantly, you'll no longer be tied to a TV to enjoy your home consoling action -- the Wii U controller can handle your gaming session when the television is needed for other purposes, while a built-in front-facing cam will let you video chat from anywhere too. Notably, you won't have to use the 6.2-inch behemoth if you don't want too -- the Wii U will be compatible with all current-gen accessories and software. Yes, your expansive Wii collection will play on the U version of the console as well. We've also seen some decidedly high-def visuals from Nintendo showing off the Wii U's graphical prowess. See video of the unveiling after the break! Batman: Arkham City, an Assassin's Creed game, Dirt, Ghost Recon Online, Tekken, Metro Last Light, Aliens Colonial Marines, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, and Darksiders II all got a mention as coming to the Wii U. Yes! EA's John Riccitiello just said the Wii U will deliver "brilliant HD graphics." Finally, the Wii is going HD! Speaking of HD, the fact sheet from Nintendo informs us that the Wii U can pump out 1080p video over HDMI. It'll also be compatible with component, S-video and composite cables. There'll be "internal flash memory" of unspecified quantity, which will be expandable via either an SD card or external USB HDD. IBM is, as with the original Wii, once again responsible for providing the processor inside. Four USB 2.0 slots are made available, while game media will be served up on "proprietary high-density optical discs." There's also another, worthwhile, reminder that the Wii U will play Wii games and their optical discs without a problem. Update: We just got word from the folks at Kotaku that Nintendo game designer Katsuya Eguchi has revealed the Wii U's proprietary disc format will hold up to 25GB of data. Update 2: And now we have the final piece of the puzzle: the Wii U's graphics will be handled by a "custom AMD Radeon HD GPU." %Gallery-125637% %Gallery-125641%
Qualcomm CEO confirms death of 5.7-inch Mirasol e-reader display, looks forward to 'next version'
Remember that Mirasol e-reader display Qualcomm was hoping to release this year? Yeah, it's not happening. Speaking at a press briefing in San Diego yesterday, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs confirmed that the 5.7-inch panel has been abandoned after failing to meet expectations. Instead, the company will devote its attention to the "next version" of the technology, which has Jacobs feeling optimistic: "We have a really interesting roadmap -- we're starting out on e-readers because we figured having E Ink as a competing technology was a good way to get started. But if you think about the power consumption of the screens that are out now [on tablets], they're very bright OLED screens that use up a lot of the power of the battery. We don't today have as vibrant color as an OLED display - but we have a roadmap that gets us to a much brighter color." Presumably, this roadmap would include that low-power "converged e-reader" we heard about a few weeks ago, slated for release by the end of the year. Jacobs also mentioned that Qualcomm is planning to invest a billion dollars in its Taiwan Mirasol plant, which might help produce the kind of volume that, say, Amazon would demand for its Kindle displays. It's all speculation, of course, but Qualcomm certainly seems to have some big plans in store for the rest of the year.
E Ink dashes hopes of a next gen display in 2011, but pencils in full-motion video for 2012
E Ink Holdings is brazenly making us wait until 2012 before producing a successor to its popular Pearl electronic paper display. One of the company's VPs dropped into CNET's offices to spill the bad news: developing and testing a next-generation display "takes some time", apparently, and it is sticking to a two year product cycle. Perhaps E Ink has shifted its focus to the LCD screen in Amazon's rumoured tablet. Or maybe it's still working on the Triton color e-ink display that left us so underwhelmed at CES. Either way, the monochrome Pearl has been knocking around in the Kindle and other e-readers for a while now and although it has better contrast than earlier iterations, it is still ripe for a revamp -- especially a faster refresh rate. But the E Ink VP did hint at some brighter news: the next-gen display, when it does finally arrive, could sport full-motion video. So far e-ink video has failed to go beyond a slightly jittery 10-15fps, so full-motion 24fps or 30fps could definitely be worth the wait.
Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon roadmap leaks, exhibits great expectations (updated)
Seems like we just can't get ARM's next-generation Cortex-A15 system-on-chip out of our minds. Having figured as a headline item in LG's ARM licensing deal this morning, it's now shown up on a leaked Qualcomm roadmap, landing itself a lynchpin role in that company's Snapdragon future. Alas, Qualcomm had been promising for the earliest of its MSM8930 / 60 and APQ8064 Snapdragons to be sampling in Q2 of this year, but this latest schedule shows them as sampling at the end of 2011 (see update). This isn't hugely surprising in light of ARM's recent forecast of Cortex-A15 devices in "late 2012," but it'll be disappointing to users keen to be exploiting quad-GPU and quad-CPU mobile rigs as soon as humanly possible. Guess that just leaves us waiting for the NGP or NVIDIA's quad-core SOC in August. Hit the source link for more on Qualcomm's plans for the near and distant future. [Thanks, Mike] Update: Qualcomm got in touch to correct the timing here. The company's 3G/LTE MSM8960 chipset remains on track to sample in this quarter, as promised in the company's latest earnings report. The other two parts were already expected to come later, so there's no delay to speak of. Just juicy specs.
Nintendo confirms next Wii coming in 2012, will preview it at E3
Nintendo has just announced it plans to introduce a successor to its Wii console next year, a "playable model" of which will be shown off at the E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles coming up on June 7th. No details are available as to how the next Wii will improve on the first one, though we imagine Nintendo will be happy if it simply matches the success of its current-gen home entertainer -- the brief note publicizing the new roadmap also comes with a total of Wii sales accumulated between its launch in '06 and the end of last month: 86.01 million. That's said to be on a "consolidated shipment basis," so maybe Nintendo is mixing its definitions of sales and shipments the way Sony likes to, but it's a mighty big number either way. Bring on E3, we say! Update: Bloomberg has provided the first official hint about Nintendo's next console with a quote from company President Satoru Iwata. Nintendo will "propose a new approach to home video game consoles," though it won't be a simple move to 3D, as Iwata notes "it's difficult to make 3-D images a key feature, because 3-D televisions haven't obtained wide acceptance yet." Given that motion gaming is no longer new and 3D is off the table until 3DTVs go mainstream, we're now left facing only one potentiality -- Nintendo is planning on bringing genuine innovation to our living rooms. We suppose it also adds fuel to the rumor of a crazy next-gen controller to go with this next-gen console.
Next-generation iPhone coming in September?
Ok, so you won't be getting an iPhone refresh this summer. But according to a trio of sources speaking to Reuters, the next-generation iPhone should be shipping in September -- as we've heard before -- with production starting in July. One source said that the iPhone will feature a faster processor, naturally, and look largely similar to the iPhone 4. If true then prepare to see it unveiled at Apple's fall event, usually held in early September.
iPhone 5 to feature a bigger 4-inch display?
Thus far we still know surprisingly little about the next generation iPhone (or iPhone 5 for lack of a better name) expected this summer in keeping with Apple's traditional launch cycle. We've heard that the completely redesigned handset will boast a next generation A5 processor and Qualcomm chipset that will unify the CDMA / GSM / UMTS radios. Others have heard that it'll also feature NFC integration along with the possibility of a "universal SIM." But what about the display? How will it size-up to the existing iPhone 4's rather puny 3.5-inch display and the smaller and lighter iPhone model that the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg say is in the works? Well, if DigiTimes and its chatty "upstream component suppliers" are to be believed then the next generation iPhone will be sporting a 4-inch display. While DigiTimes can, at times, be a suspect source for Apple information, the idea of a larger 4-inch iPhone flagship to help differentiate itself from a smaller iPhone nano and legacy iPhone 4 (that becomes the budget model) does make some sense.
AMD launching next generation of Radeon graphics cards next week, shipping by end of the year
The attentive newshounds over at AnandTech have picked out a golden nugget of disclosure from AMD's earnings call last night, citing CEO Dirk Meyer as saying "we will be launching our second-generation DX11 graphics offerings next week." What he's talking about, of course, is the highly anticipated refresh of the Radeon HD 5000 series, which some recent spec leaks suggested would bring a healthy bump in performance. After announcing the new product line next week, AMD promises to flood the market with "hundreds of thousands of units," which will be shipping before the end of this quarter -- meaning you'll have a Radeon HD 6xxx in time for the holiday gaming craze if you really want it. Can't ask anymore than that, now can we?
Square Enix job listing reveals preparation for 'next generation platforms'
Sony may have a 10 year plan for PS3, and Microsoft may be extending the life of the 360 with Project Natal -- heck, even Nintendo has repeatedly stated it's sticking with the Wii -- but Square Enix is reading between the lines and gearing up for the next generation of gaming regardless. IGN spotted a listing over at the official Square Enix website that seeks a variety of technical positions "in anticipation of the appearance of next generation platforms." From 3D graphics core programmers to technical artists (and pretty much everything in between), the new hires will be charged with development of a "new generation game engine development project" -- presumably the next iteration of the company's Crystal Tools game engine. Square notes the intention of this early development as "for competing beyond the level of the world's powerful developers," though we should note that you kinda sorta have to move to Tokyo if you're interested in applying for such a lofty position. Oh, yeah, and you should probably be able to speak Japanese. [Via IGN]
Cisco promises the 'next generation internet,' delivers markedly less
Cisco promised us a significant announcement this morning, one that would "forever change the Internet and its impact on consumers, businesses and governments," so we had to tune in to the company's webcast to find out what it was all about. We were instantly bowled over with the shocking news that video is the killer app of the future internet, before getting it drilled into our heads that we really need, like and want more bandwidth. No kidding -- so what, Cisco, what is your revolutionary next step? Is it the space-based IP router? Some killer alternative 4G connectivity? Well, it turns out it was the CRS3. The what? Cisco is bringing out a new Carrier Routing System, which Pantaj Patel describes as "huge" in a perfect monotone. We couldn't agree more. Apparently Cisco is keen on offering smarter pipes, and we did hear that AT&T is handling 19 petabytes of traffic each and every day, but the sum of the whole thing is that Cisco is just refreshing its backhaul hardware and regurgitating promises about 100Gbps bandwidth and whatnot. The internet remains safe and un-revolutionized for another day. Video after the break.
Purported pics of next-gen iPhone front face surface
iResQ, the iPhone/iPod repair site, has posted pics of what they claim is the front faceplate of the next-gen iPhone. Two things about this piece of hardware are particularly interesting. First, the part is approximately 1/4 of an inch taller than the iPhone 3GS, indicative of a slightly taller form factor for the next-gen iPhone. Second, there's a small, reflective strip directly above the hole for the phone speaker. iResQ believes this is likely to be the new location for the iPhone's proximity sensor rather than an indication of any new hardware; however, moving the proximity sensor to a new location and increasing the overall length of the device could still point to a front-facing camera or other new hardware on the next-gen iPhone. digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Purported_Pics_of_Next_Gen_iPhone_Front_Face_Surface'; It's worth mentioning the possibility that these "iPhone" parts aren't legitimate. iResQ hasn't revealed its source for the part, and purported iPhone bezels leaked in 2009 turned out to be parts for a completely different device. The backside of the supposed next-gen iPhone's face is missing quite a few parts present on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, which either means the part iResQ received was incomplete, the next-gen iPhone has had its internal hardware shifted around, or the part is fake. So case manufacturers, don't throw out your old blueprints just yet. Unfortunately, it's likely we won't find out whether these are legit or not until June/July of this year; despite rumors of an iPhone update in April, the most likely date for the next-gen iPhone's release is early summer. [Via MacRumors]
Audi teams up with NVIDIA for next-gen MMI replete with Google Earth, Vibrante entertainment system
As if NVIDIA hasn't been busy enough this year, what with its next generation Tegra chips and all, looks like the kids have inked a deal with Audi to supply the GPU for its new in-dash navigation and entertainment system. The 3G MMI system sports something called the Vibrante engine for dual zone entertainment (allowing different media on dash and backseat monitors), as well as Google Earth, 3D topography, real-time traffic reporting and navigation, iPod, SD card, USB memory stick support, and online video via the optional EDGE modem (funny, mums the word on handwriting recognition). This bad boy starts shipping with the Audi A8 in 2011, and moves on to all of the manufacturer's cars in the model year 2012. PR after the break.
Next-gen iPhone to get a 5 megapixel camera?
I'm about due for an upgrade to my first generation iPhone, and a sweet camera would help seal the deal. That's the rumor going around (more or less unrelated to the other set of rumors we heard today, though I probably wouldn't turn down a higher-resolution iPhone with better camera included) according to a few places, which seem to stem from a company named Omnivision Technologies. They're expecting to not only see an increase in production of iPhone CMOS image sensor parts from 20 million to over 40 million in 2010, but they also say they've landed a deal to put together 5-megapixel CIS pieces for a new version of the iPhone. Take this with the requisite grain of salt, of course -- we've expected cameras in some of Apple's devices before, and a few of us were disappointed. But it's not a big stretch to think that if Apple does release a new version of the iPhone as expected this year (be it a normal handheld or a larger tablet product), the camera in there will be able to take nicer video and better pictures than before. [via MacRumors]
Panasonic's next-gen IPS-Alpha panel is uber quick, dark (video)
We've seen some dark, dark panels in our day, but Panasonic's next-generation IPS-Alpha has us all sorts of hot and bothered. Unlike Pioneer's plasmas of yesteryear, the prototype seen here at CEATEC has wide angle viewing down to an art, and the image quality was simply stunning. Fast moving objects slid in with nary a jagged edge in sight, while the production unit on the left produced a noticable and continual blur. When portraying a pitch black background, it's easy to see just how much darker the IPS-Alpha panel was compared to the next best thing. Have a peek at the video below for a more personal peek, and look forward to us prying out some sort of price and release estimate when the company shows this again at CES. You will have that information at CES, right Panny? %Gallery-74744%
Video: Panasonic's next-gen IPS-Alpha panel is uber quick, dark
We've seen some dark, dark panels in our day, but Panasonic's next-generation IPS-Alpha has us all sorts of hot and bothered. Unlike Pioneer's plasmas of yesteryear, the prototype seen here at CEATEC has wide angle viewing down to an art, and the image quality was simply stunning. Fast moving objects slid in with nary a jagged edge in sight, while the production unit on the left produced a noticable and continual blur. When portraying a pitch black background, it's easy to see just how much darker the IPS-Alpha panel was compared to the next best thing. Have a peek at the video below for a more personal peek, and look forward to us prying out some sort of price and release estimate when the company shows this again at CES. You will have that information at CES, right Panny? %Gallery-74744%
Engadget HD's recession antidote: win some Next Generation Home Products gear!
This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget HD didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. Today we're going to clean out our box of goodies from Next Generation Home Products, grab-bag-style -- there's a bunch of good stuff in there, so we'll make packages for ten lucky winners, each package centered around a HDMI switch. Just like Cracker Jacks, we'll also throw in some surprise Next Generation gear as well -- something from our stash of HDMI wall plates, HDMI mini cables, IR emitters and other neat stuff. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff! Big thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the goods! The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Nine winners will be chosen randomly. Each winner will receive one HDMI switch and an additional product of our choosing. Items to be given away include: six (6) 3-port HDMI switches (approximate retail value $180 each); four (4) 5-port HDMI switches (approximate retail value $185 each); four (4) HDMI decor wall plates (approximate retail value $25 each); one (1) HDMI decor double wall plate (approximate retail value $38); five (5) HDMI mini cables (approximate retail value $20 each); two (2) RF transmitters (approximate retail value $55 each); one (1) IR emitter cable with 6 eyes (approximate retail value $25); and one (1) 1-m HDMI bulk cable (approximate retail value $35). If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until July, 27th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Project Natal basis for new Xbox console coming Fall 2010?
We'd be careful about putting too much stock into an admittedly far off rumor, but the gang at 1UP claim they've heard from those in the know that Microsoft's set to release a new Xbox console in Fall 2010, and that current media darling Project Natal is "the cornerstone" of that evolution. Specs-wise, it's suggested we're looking at only a marginal boost analogous to Nintendo's GameCube-to-Wii transition -- place your bets on how long it'll take to "max out" this time -- as well as a rebranding (Xbox Natal, anyone?) aimed at attracting the highly coveted, more mainstream / casual audience, before Mario and the crew catch a second wind with the oft-rumored Wii HD. There's nothing unbelievable about these whispers, but again, Fall 2010 is quite a ways off and anything can happen in the meantime. First unveiling will allegedly be the 2010 Game Developers Conference in early March, so your best bet for now is to hold tight and keep a close eye on who gets a primetime slot among that event's keynote speeches.
