Sliver
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The 6.8-inch Hisense X1 smartphone is basically a tablet and it's coming to the US this summer (updated: video)
There's big, there's b-i-g and then there's "oh my god, are you [redacted] kidding me this is [redacted] BIG!" That's pretty much how we felt when we first laid our eyes and outstretched hand on Hisense's X1, a 6.8-inch Android smartphone first introduced at this year's CES. You wouldn't be wrong for thinking it's a tablet -- it pretty much unofficially is and depending on your taste and needs, that could be a good thing. The X1, which is slated to launch in China before the US, comes outfitted with what we'd expect from a high-end smartphone: Snapdragon 800, 13-megapixel camera, 1080p IPS display, 3,900mAh battery and Android 4.4 KitKat. So the performance and shine are there, but its dimensions stop it just short of being practical in daily use. With Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 powering the X1, the overall user experience zips along smoothly and briskly. There's hardly any hesitation when effecting input actions, accessing the app drawer or launching applications. And viewing angles are also excellent, owing to that IPS display. As you can see from our gallery (demo video to come soon), the X1's also running a light skin atop Android, but it's not so cluttered as to make the phone confusing and nearly unusable a la Samsung's TouchWiz. Though the X1 model we previewed was on running 4.3 Jelly Bean, Hisense reps assured us it would ship with KitKat onboard.
RIFT's Update 1.9: An interview with Scott Hartsman and Hal Hanlin
"It's about more players being able to do more things with each other." That's how Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman described the core goal behind Update 1.9. And based on the upcoming changes, it looks like there will be plenty of opportunities for both. From Conquest to mentoring to low-level instant adventures to the new 10-man sliver and even the arrival of global chat across all servers, the world of Telara has several exciting new changes on the way. Massively sat down with Scott Hartsman and Design Director Hal Hanlin for a roundtable discussion about what's in store for 1.9. Read on for highlights and a look at what's coming from this rather beefy patch.%Gallery-159097%
PvP, slivers and crocodiles: RIFT outlines patch 1.4
While RIFT's patch 1.4 has been on the test servers for a couple weeks now, we've finally received concrete details about Trion Worlds' latest update to this dynamic MMO. Titled "Legacy of the Fallen," 1.4 follows up the recent world event with a new epic quest line and a 10-man instance revolving around the continued threat of the Abyssal. The epic chain, called the Water Saga, not only reveals the truth about the origins of the Abyssal cult, but gives players an opportunity to score high-end loot and a special crocnard mount. Those looking for more group-oriented activities may want to check out the Drowned Halls, a 10-person sliver that presents an alternate view of history where the Abyssal have conquered Telara. Patch 1.4 has plenty of PvP action as well, including PvP rifts and alternative forms of warfronts. There are plenty of other goodies in store from the RIFT team, including quest item storage, the LFG tool expanding cross-server, and several new crafting options. Currently, there is no date for the patch.
World Tour Nirvana tracks now available for download
We knew it was coming and it's finally available for download. The Nirvana track pack for Guitar Hero: World Tour features songs "Negative Creep," "Sliver" and "You Know You're Right," with each costing you a cool 200 Wii Points. As usual, if you want to hear the songs before you go spending, head past the break. "Negative Creep" - 200 Wii Points "Sliver" - 200 Wii Points "You Know You're Right" - 200 Wii Points %Gallery-23491%
Wireless Camera Hunter makes spying fun
If you thought Billy Baldwin had a pretty sweet setup in Sliver, but you don't have the time nor the funds to build your own monitor-filled "observatory," then a product called the Wireless Camera Hunter may be just the ticket to feeding your voyeuristic jones. Sporting two antennae and a 2.5-inch TFT LCD for maximum peeping enjoyment, the WCH DD9000 is a video Walkman-sized device that scans the airwaves for wireless video transmissions in the 900MHz to 2.52GHz range, and locks in on any usable signals within 500 feet. For $500, it would be nice to get some rechargeable batteries instead of having to use your own AAs with this model, but sometimes you have to sacrifice the little things for the greater good of spying on your friends and neighbors.
