gold
Latest
Bloomberg: Apple's splashing gold paint on the iPad too
The nice thing about living in Apple's ecosystem is everything is consistent: the app library, the user interface and design motifs echo across all of the company's devices. Well, unless you have a gold iPhone -- then any iPad you could possibly buy just simply wouldn't match. According to Bloomberg, however, those days might be over: the usual people familiar with Apple's plans say that the company will launch a 9.7-inch iPad next month with a gold backplate. You know, in case your buying habits are governed more by fashion than new features.
The Undermine Journal returns
Back in July, we reported on the sad news that The Undermine Journal, long a staple resource for WoW's Auction House enthusiasts, was closing down. In their corresponding blog post, they did mention that if they were working on an Undermine Journal 2.0, and hoped to have it up and running eventually. That eventuality became reality earlier this week, when The Undermine Journal reopened it's doors. The new site is still a work in progress--there's no EU support yet, for example--but they plan on having that ready to go by the time patch 6.0 arrives, so never fear. I'm sure that news of The Undermine Journal's rebirth will be happily received by many, and may all of your auctions always be profitable. Welcome back!
Destiny: No trading with others allowed
One major staple of online gaming won't be present in Destiny when it launches: trading. The developers have made it clear that all of your gear must be attained with blood, sweat, and tears instead of swapped for another player's loot or bought for virtual bucks. "We want you to earn 'em. You should be able to tell a badass story for every sweet jewel in your arsenal," Bungie wrote on its blog last week. "Once you earn them, the various Guardians under your account will be able to trade them, but weapons belong to the players who acquire them through action and bravery." The team reported that it did one final internal playtest of the game this past weekend: "Though Destiny may be basking in the gold light of release, we're already looking ahead to the next milestone, and the next one after that."
Xbox One gamers could soon try before they buy with a 'Free Play Day' (update)
At $60 per year, an Xbox Live Gold subscription isn't cheap, but Microsoft's working to make the all-access package a bit more attractive to gamers. The 'Games with Gold' offering that we first saw with Xbox 360 made its way to One as well, and now it appears that the company's latest console may soon get a second bonus feature. Xbox One beta users noticed a new 'Free Game Day' option this week, which enables 24 hours of access to select titles, giving you a chance to preview games before making a purchase. Max: The Curse of Brotherhood appears to be the first offering, and if an Xbox Support tweet is any indication, a broader rollout may be on the way very soon. Update: Microsoft tells GamesIndustry.biz that the tile was posted "in error" yesterday, and would only say that it's "constantly exploring different ways to offer more benefits to our Xbox Live Gold members." Our interpretation? It's not if, just when this kind of promo starts popping up regularly.
5 ways to get rich off an agonizing grind
Skyshards are a bit like leprechauns: Some people never see them, and some -- usually the heavily inebriated souls awake at 2 am -- see them all the time. You need 10 for a Sky Crystal which brings Alani crashing out of her route around the Vale. Because that's the only way to get the Thundering Ruby Cloud Serpent, and because some of us are working on Mount Parade and will barf the next time we see the Argent Tournament, sometimes you just have to resign yourself to a long and boring grind. However, if you've got to kill thousands of mobs anyway, you might as well make the most out of it and improve your hourly genocidal "wages" with a few things: Helpful Wikky's Whistle A rare drop off Major Nanners. While definitely the least helpful item on this list, the Whistle isn't expensive to use and doesn't use a trinket slot. Blow it, and a tiny hozen will appear. Talk to him, and he'll run off to forage for you while you kill mobs. Once you get to around 50, Wikky will reappear with a Bag of Helpful Things. Warning: He vanishes fairly quickly if you don't talk to him, so keep an eye on the emotes in your chat screen. He'll always announce his presence. More past the cut!
Celebrate 10 years of Monster Hunter with a $29,213 Felyne
After a decade of swinging massive weapons at unfeasibly large dinosaur creatures, Capcom has decided to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Monster Hunter with a 24k gold statue of the series' adorable Felyne mascot. According to Siliconera, the anniversary statue depicts a Felyne wearing full Rathalos armor and smirking in that simultaneously adorable and infuriating way that only bipedal cats can. It stands 3.5 inches tall, 2.16 inches wide and has a depth of five inches. Despite only weighing about a quarter of a pound, the miniature statue is made of solid gold, which means this little Felyne has an asking price of 2.99 million yen (about $29,213). It's currently unknown if the statue will remain exclusive to Japan or if it will also be available in other regions. If you desperately need gold Felynes in your life and would rather import than wait, keep in mind that Capcom has instituted a strict "10 statues per customer" limit. [Image: Capcom]
This gold-plated, Putin-worshiping iPhone is the price of a used car
You can get a whole lot of gaudy decorations for your iPhone, but if you're really looking to add some Russian flair, you can't do much better than a golden portrait of Vladimir Putin. The Supremo Putin -- yes, that's what they actually named this custom iPhone -- comes from Italian luxury retailer Caviar. The 64 GB iPhone features gold plating and is, as the company has labeled it, a "Presidential accessory for people of a higher range." I don't know about that, but the phone's US$4,300 asking price will definitely limit its appeal to those who can afford to be particularly ostentatious. To top things off, the phone ships in a wooden case lined with velvet and punctuated by gold accents, because why not? Of course, underneath all the patriotic glitz, it's still an iPhone 5s, so you can use your $4,300 phone to play 99-cent App Store games. [via CNET]
Warlords of Draenor: Guild leveling and guild perk changes
Players on the Warlords of Draenor beta have noticed something a little different about guild perks in the new expansion -- a large portion of them have simply been removed entirely, including both the Fast Track and Cash Flow perks. While some assumed this was likely a bug, it turns out this is part of change that has been planned for guild leveling. Namely, guild leveling is being by and large removed from the game. Or, if you want to think of it in a slightly different fashion, all guilds will automatically be what level 25 once was. Why the changes? Watcher hit the forums to explain, and to point out that the perks people normally associate with guilds aren't really going away entirely. Some of them, like Ride Like the Wind or Honorable Mention will just be rolled into the game as default behavior, rather than offered as a perk of any kind. So yes, while the perk is getting removed, we won't really see a change -- flight paths will simply go 25% faster by default. The Cash Flow perk, however, is being flat out removed, and Watcher had some really good points as to why this is being changed.
Xbox One Deals, Games with Gold launch in June
Microsoft's Games with Gold program will hit Xbox One in June, offering Xbox Live Gold members free games each month, starting with Max: Curse of the Brotherhood and Halo: Spartan Assault. Games with Gold is celebrating its one-year anniversary on Xbox 360 by offering Gold users an extra free game in June: Dark Souls, Charlie Murder and the bonus game, Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition. One Gold membership grants users the free games on both Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Free games on Xbox One are available to active Gold members only. Stop your Xbox Live Gold subscription and lose the free games you've downloaded. Deals with Gold, which offers discounts on games each month for Gold members, also launches on Xbox One in June. First on sale in June is Ryse: Son of Rome and Forza Motorsport 5, plus a few "surprises," Microsoft says. Xbox One is getting a new feature, the virtual VIP room, which features free games, monthly deals and "other great benefits." This is exclusive to Gold members (not Goldmembers) as well. [Image: Microsoft]
World of Warcraft garrisons won't cost you gold
You know that World of Warcraft's next expansion is going to feature housing. Not just housing, in fact, since Garrisons are sprawling complexes under your direct control. So you know you need to figure out how you can afford it. You've been farming diligently, even resorting to shaking down repair vendors for gold, although that one hasn't worked out so well. But as it turns out, you don't need to worry. According to a tweet by Senior Game Designer Jeremy Feasel, Garrisons won't cost you gold. Feasel specifies in the tweet that Garrisons will use their own resource, stating that more information about what that resource is and how it can be gathered will be available soon. So you can rest easy knowing that your hard-won gold won't be needed to build your fortress. Or you can rest despondent that all of your gold won't buy you a nicer place. Either one, really.
Latest Heroes of the Storm blog post details heroes, mounts, and more
Want more information on Blizzard's upcoming MOBA Heroes of the Storm while waiting for your technical alpha invite? The latest blog post dishes details on the availability of heroes, a try-before-you-buy feature, leveling, earning in-game currency, acquiring new skins, and mounts. Every player starts with a basic horse mount. For the free-to-play crowd, five heroes will be available to play each week, with the list rotating every Tuesday. Players can buy other heroes at any time using cash or with in-game gold that is earned after reaching level 5. Various skins with tint slots can also be bought. For more info or to apply for alpha, check out the official site. We've got the video first look of the alpha after the break.
'All New' HTC One leaks again with a bright gold paint job
Is there anything that hasn't already been leaked about HTC's photography-focused successor to the One? Not much, except that we haven't seen publicity renders quite as detailed as the one just shared by @evleaks. It suggests that the dual-camera handset will be offered in a gold flavor when it arrives on March 25th, alongside the rumored silver and black options. Furthermore, the source -- who has a generally reliable track record -- claims to know how the new phone will be branded. It'll apparently skirt around tricky numerical conventions by adopting a slightly Apple-esque alternative: the "All New HTC One." A name like that should roll right off the tongue, shouldn't it? Update: One of HTC's press and marketing guys has just responded to @evleaks with a big fat "LOL" in regards to the "All New" branding claim. Make of it what you will, but perhaps we could be looking at an "HTC One Two" after all.
You can order a gold LG G2 in Taiwan, but just... don't.
It's de rigeur now for flagship phones to get a gold version, a debatable trend that's at least working out for snarky tech editors. After all, there's something awkward about gilting a geeky handset like LG's G2, especially in a shade reminiscent of gaudy late '80s home decor. It's now available in Taiwan (and possibly elsewhere later) for $530 -- if you're in the target market, those back buttons are less likely to tangle with manicured nails.
$10,000 and a bout of madness nets you this gold-plated Xbox One
What does one get for the eccentric billionaire who has it all? A gold-plated Xbox One from famed retailer Harrods of London is a start, and it turns out that Harrods is selling just that in its London store right now. Of course, that kind of bespoke game console experience comes with a hefty price tag: £6,000 (around $9,800), or about £5,600 more than a standard Xbox One in the UK. But then, if you're already spending nearly $10K on your favorite eccentric billionaire, why not buy them this luxurious African safari hunting package? Or how about a trip to this underwater hotel? The world really is your play thing when money is no object, eh? [Image credit: Reddit user 'SirSyhn']
How much would you pay for this gold-plated Xbox One?
If the answer's not "about £6,000 ($9,750)" just keep on moving, pal. A Reddit user spotted the 24-karat, gold-plated console at London mega department store Harrods, which specializes in luxury items like furniture, fashion, kitchenwares and ... Xbox One, apparently. And really, the console looks pretty good in gooooold - but if you want it to keep its value, this might be one of those "display but don't actually play with the toy" situations. So there you have it, last-minute holiday shoppers: if you're looking to snag an Xbox One and aren't having any luck at your local stores or online, you can always head over to Harrods. They've got one.
Nothing says 'war is hell' like a $2,500 gold-leaf Battlefield 4 print
With the Battlefield 4 Premium add-on, EA's letting you score a dozen goodie-laden golden battlepacks for about $50 without, you know, earning them. But any plebe can do that, right Sedgwick? What you really need to flaunt your gamer cachet is a limited edition BF4 battlepack print from purveyors Cook & Becker priced at a mere $2,500. It was created from a high-res render by EA DICE studio artists and made with 24-carat gold leaf and gold paint in a tiny run of 10 copies. Outrageous? Sure, but at least you'd be going in with eyes wide open.
Results are in for World of Wealthcraft survey
Last month, we reported that Xsinthis of The Golden Crusade was putting together his annual wealth report survey -- the third year he's put this particular survey together. The results are in, and while the pool of participants was smaller this year, there were still plenty of interesting facts to be found. The reported gold average has risen a little since the last survey, making the leap to 472,979 gold -- but nearly 81% of those surveyed were under that reported average. Other interesting facts -- wealthy players make use of addons and websites to boost their gold-earning prowess. While that shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone, it does mean that those looking to get a foot in the door may want to check out the various addons and websites listed if they'd like to be competitive with those already pulling in the gold. In addition, there's a section that inquires about ToS-breaking activities, and according to the survey, botting doesn't seem to be making a big impact. All in all, it's an interesting survey, and has some good food for thought for those seeking to make more gold, or just wondering where they stand in the grand scheme of wealth and WoW players. Xsinthis has the full results, including more information about demographics and in-game activities, available for reading on his website.
HTC reveals another gold-colored One, this time without the 18-carat finish
It seems a limited edition 18 carat gold One just isn't enough for HTC. Today, the Taiwanese smartphone maker unveiled another golden variant of its Android flagship, swapping the soft and expensive exterior of its MOBO-themed One for a familiar aluminum chassis. We first saw the front half of HTC's latest variant in September, suggesting the company would make a fifth color available alongside its silver, black, blue and red designs. As for specs, there's no change internally, which means it's still powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 processor and features the same 4-megapixel UltraPixel sensor. The latest variant does come late to the game, with Apple's gold iPhone 5s enjoying huge demand and Samsung launching the Galaxy S 4 gold edition, albeit in limited markets. HTC says the device will be available across Europe with a number of partners -- when we hear more, we'll let you know.
World of Wealthcraft survey returns
Everyone loves data. We've posted in previous years about the World of Warcraft Gold Survey, which is a data gathering attempt run by Xsinthis, a keen WoW economist. He's gathered the past two years of data, looking at how much average gold a player has, and now he's after a third. He uses that data to provide WoW wealth reports to the community. As Xsinthis says: As you may recall, the World of Warcraft Gold Survey (called the Wealth Survey in previous years) is an attempt to ascertain how much gold the average player has on them. In addition to this, the survey asks some background and demographic questions to gain insight on how the gold is spread out, if different aspects of the game correlate to having more gold, etc. Last year, 11,344 people participated and I got some fantastic results. This year's survey will give a third data point, and will be the first time that a second survey has been done in one expansion, so I'm really looking forward to the results this year. The survey is really quick, should only take one or two minutes for most people, and is completely anonymous. If you're interested in WoW wealth, take the survey! And if you want more information you can check out Xsinthis' website. The reports are really interesting reading, very in-depth, and Xsinthis does a great job of presenting the data in a readable way. For example, as he reports, last year's survey in late-Cataclysm found the wealth gap between the mega-rich and the just-getting-by in WoW had widened. Nearly 82% of those surveyed were under the reported gold average, leaving only 18% of players over it. That average? 302,593g. 58% of responders were under 100,000 gold. Interested yet? Get involved!
Zelda edition Nintendo 3DS XL spotted in GameStop ad with $220 price
Americans wanting that flashy Zelda edition 3DS XL may not have to import a European model. If GottaDeal.com's leaked copy of GameStop's Black Friday flyer proves to be accurate, Nintendo's gold-colored handheld should be available in the US for $220. As overseas, stateside buyers would get both a Triforce-adorned 3DS XL and a download code for A Link Between Worlds. Nintendo hasn't confirmed an American launch, so don't plan your shopping trip just yet; we've reached out to the company for details. Should the Zelda bundle come to the US, though, it may satisfy gamers (and gift-givers) looking for a truly stand-out system this holiday.
