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OUYA console pre-order now available for non-backers starting at $109, slated to ship in April
Miss out on your chance to snag the Android-based gaming console during OUYA's Kickstarter tour-de-force? Worry not, friends. The outfit has opened up pre-orders it promised for those who didn't take the plunge initially via on its website. While you will have to wait another month to get your mitts on a kit of your very own, the second round of advance purchasing will set you back $109 for US customers and $119 for those abroad. Included in the aforementioned price tag is the console, a single controller and the requisite shipping costs. Hit up the source link below to part with your funds and begin the waiting period.
OUYA's Kickstarter funding is complete: over $8.59 million raised, starts shipping in March
It's a wrap! Suffice it to say, it's a been a relatively short, yet astoundingly fruitful -- and initially record-breaking -- funding run for OUYA, the hackable, Android-based gaming console. With just 29 days to work with since being announced, the Yves Behar-designed system has raked in over $8.58 million thanks to just under 63,300 backers on Kickstarter as of its official 1AM ET funding deadline today (You'll find the final tally below). Those who opted for developer editions will be able to start tinkering with their own units around December, while the majority of backers should receive the console as early as March 2013. Missed the Kickstarter bandwagon? Don't fret, because OUYA plans to take pre-orders from the general public over the web soon, expecting those units to arrive at doorsteps near April. The numbers are only part of the picture, of course. If you'll recall, OUYA swiftly acquired a slew of partnerships from companies like OnLive, Square Enix, XBMC, Vevo, and Robotoki -- and as if that wasn't enough, just yesterday Namco Bandai and Plex officially joined the content-providing party as well. What's more, we now know that each console will support up to four of those touchpad-equipped controllers for local multiplayer action. Even with all that, this story is far from over, as Joystiq points out that Julie Uhrman and company "promise" to have more updates before its official launch. Naturally, it still remains to be seen how OUYA's (literally) tiny, Tegra 3-powered footprint will fare against the big three in gaming, but we're cautiously optimistic. So, while the final, mass-produced product is still months away, in the meantime you'll find a recap of all the highlights from OUYA in the nifty saga module below. You can also hit up our friends at Joystiq here for extra insight from the company about its successes so far. Update (1:15AM): Despite the timer hitting zero, it appears that pledges are still being accepted past the 1AM deadline -- better be quick! We'll be sure to update the numbers again as soon pledging is officially halted. Update 2 (7:30AM): It took a bit of time, but OUYA's Kickstarter is officially not accepting any more pledges. The final numbers? 63,416 backers helped to raise a final sum of $8,596,475.
OUYA's $99 Android-based gaming console meets Kickstarter goal: $950k in under 12 hours (update: it's a record)
The gaming public at large has spoken. In less than 12 hours, Yves Behar's Android-based OUYA gaming console has reached its lofty funding goal of $950,000 on Kickstarter. To refresh your memory, the $99 system (which was only $95 for 1,000 swift early adopters) packs a Tegra 3 CPU, 8GB of storage, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a USB 2.0 port and an SD card slot -- that price also grants you a single controller with a touch sensor. Most notably, the system is aimed at being extremely developer-friendly, having open hardware and software with a push for free-to-play content. There are only about 5,000 units (out of 10,000) (update: that number has been bumped to 20,000, with just under 10k available) left at the $99 price, so feel free to check out our in-depth chat about OUYA with Behar himself here before you head over to Kickstarter. It appears that the traditional business model for gaming consoles just got rocked, and we can't wait to see the final results. Update: If you thought that was fast, you'd be right: Kickstarter has confirmed that OUYA achieved the biggest first day ever for one of its hosted projects, and it's just the eighth project ever to crack the million-dollar mark, joining an esteemed company that includes Double Fine's upcoming adventure game and the all-time champion, the Pebble smartwatch.
Google Maps 'Cube' game rolls out, back, up, back again
Cast your mind back to January if you will. Head full of steamy CES action? Of course, but you may also remember Google teased us about a new tilt-and-roll Maps game. Well, it looks like the creators may have missed the original February deadline, having finally snuck it out this week. The browser-based game is a series of maze challenges, that'll take you through the streets of San Francisco, downtown Tokyo and beyond. All atop Google's iconic 3D textured maps, naturally. Eight levels in total are on offer, making it an ideal lunchtime -- or if the boss is away -- afternoon time kill. Roll down to the source link below to give it a spin, nudge and roll.
Google outs new tilt and roll Maps game, promotes Google+
If you weren't in the know on Google Earth's flight simulator easter egg, rest assured that Google's next map-centric game will be entirely public. A new promotional video pimping Google+ Games invites you to "play your world" by cubing a mapped area of the Earth, and dropping a ball into it. Tilt and roll -- not the most complex game ever, but novel to say the least. The game is based off another recent video showing Google Maps as an actual, physical cube. Zany enough for you? Hit the break, and let your tactile cube map dreams come true.
Games mentioned in Google Plus source code
As if you needed more evidence that Google was planning a games service than the recent job listing -- and the fact that, as something you do on your computer, it falls into the category of things Google would want to own -- Engadget found a hint in some Google+ source code. Unused code somewhere within Google's social networking service reads "... have sent you Game invites and more from Google+ Games," suggesting a Facebook-like functionality allowing users to play games socially through the service at some point in the future. It stands to reason that the Big G will probably wait until more people have Google+ and, perhaps more importantly, know how to use Google+. We know plenty of developers are relieved they didn't put too much effort into Google Buzz-based games.
Google TV officially launching October 17th?
It's been no secret that Google TV is scheduled to arrive sometime this fall and we've already seen the Logitech Revue box hardware pass the FCC, but a tipster has just shared an internal Best Buy document with us disclosing that the original planned launched date was October 3rd, and it's now been mysteriously pushed back by two weeks. That would pin the official launch as October 17th, which is certainly later then what Intel's chief recently hinted at. While it's certainly not definitive proof, considering the fact that Best Buy is an official partner of Google TV and the dates timing relative to the upcoming holiday season, we don't think this leak is all that far fetched. Let's not forget that schedule would also place its release a little more than two weeks after the suggested ship date of Cupertino's new hobby. Sure, Google's mantra may be "do no evil", but that doesn't mean they can't try to rain on Job's parade every now and again right? Oh and for all the eloquent waxing you could want on Google's assault on the living room, make sure you check our editorial on the platform if you happened to miss it.
Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel
As expected, Google just announced Google TV at I/O. There's four billion TV viewers worldwide, making it the biggest market in the world, and Google's after it in a big way -- it's a $70 billion ad market in the US alone, after all. According to Google, "video should be consumed on the biggest, best, and brightest screen in your house, and that's the TV." The idea is to merge the web and TV without compromising on either the web experience or the video experience, with a focus on discovery and personalization. Of course, since it's Google, the interface is search-driven, so you can just type in things like "30 Rock" or MSNBC" to find channels and content -- including upcoming content to record and content from the internet. Yeah, it's kind of like the TiVo Premiere's swivel search, but prettier -- and there's a Hulu logo on the screen, which is extremely intriguing. Google's not sharing hardware specs, but we're told Google TV devices will have WiFi, HDMI, the Intel CE4100 processor, and... some will have an IR blaster to tune your cable or satellite box, which is just sad. (Like, 1997 sad.) The input devices will all have keyboards, and you'll also be able to use Android devices as a remote, including using voice search to find content and sending content from the phone to the TV. The software is based on Android with Chrome as the browser and full Flash 10.1 support. Since it's Android, there's a version of Android Market -- any app that doesn't require phone hardware can run on Google TV. There will also be a Google TV-specific Android SDK launching in "early" 2011, along with the Android Market for Google TV. As for partners, it's just as we heard: Sony will launch Sony Internet TVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV in the fall, and Logitech will introduce a set-top box with a Harmony remote and an HD camera for video chat at some point in the future. Dish Network will also launch a Google TV box at some point, while Best Buy will promote the platform as a whole in-store. Make sure to keep up with the latest from I/O in our liveblog! %Gallery-93396%
KDDI to roll out Gmail-based mobile email
We're not sure why people wouldn't just... you know, use Gmail, but Japan's KDDI is working with Google to roll out a customized version of the ubiquitous email service for subscribers of its au brand. Called "au one mail," a prototype getting passed around last week showed a mobile interface virtually indistinguishable from its Gmail doppelganger -- except, of course, for the KDDI au branding. Like Gmail, au one mail will be accessible from both phones and desktops; we reckon that's a good thing, though we're still not really understanding the value proposition. At any rate, look for it to launch at no charge to subscribers some time next month.[via mocoNews.net]
Google's iPhone-specific search website
It appears that Google has released a mobile-accessible search page just for iPhone users, which sent us scratching our heads a bit. Isn't the iPhone supposed to give customers "the real web?" If so, why has Google developed a bare-bones search page that appears to be just for iPhone customers? Perhaps this is a work in progress, but since the Safari browser on the iPhone has no problems going to the normal Google search website or Google's xHTML page, what's the point here? Unless you really (really) want a bare-bones Google search page on that new iPhone that doesn't even feature many of Google's search properties, we suggest hitting www.google.com. Sounds pretty easy to us.[via TUAW]
Google maps for mobile gets GPS
Google Maps' capability for the mobile environment won us over a long time ago. Alas, it was just a matter of time before GPS integration was unveiled in Google Maps for Mobile. That day recently arrived, and Google's mobile maps software will now use the GPS capability of many newer handsets (with GPS carrier support) to pinpoint your location and make directions and navigation just that much nicer. Right now, handset compatibility is a little hit-n-miss (with carriers too), but that is sure to change soon. We do know that AT&T's BlackBerry 8800 works as well as most Helio models. For Sprint, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile handsets, you'll have to keep checking to see when your day in the sun comes. Our conclusion? Free Google Maps with GPS support is, well, very nice.[Via The Boy Genius Report]
Google to launch MVNO in Britain with O2?
With Google's wireless phone plans still under close guard, the web search giant may get a little ahead of itself in Europe soon. Rumor on the street is that Google will launch a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) wireless brand in the UK sometime in the early summer of 2007. Google will brand its wireless services in partnership with UK carrier O2 similarly to how current MVNOs brand themselves and work in Europe and in the US. To become a possible Google MVNO customer, a website will be provided -- no stores or other physical locations will be part of the deal. Why would Google want to brand itself as a wireless carrier? Who knows, but perhaps it fits an overall Google world domination strategy or something. Now, it just needs phones.[Via Wirelessinfo.com]
Newer images of iPhone spotted -- with new features?
It looks as if the Google Maps app inside the upcoming Apple iPhone may have gotten a few more useful icons according to recent reports. The"up/down arrows" and "front-facing car" icons in the above image lead us to think that the Google Maps demo by Steve Jobs back during January's iPhone announcement wasn't totally showing the app's capabilities at that time (nor should it have been). Do the arrows signify "directions" and the car icon "traffic?" That sounds plausible to us. Google Maps may be the iPhone's built-in complete navigation solution if this is true. After all, looking at map and satellite images is nice and handy, but a complete navigation solution would be even better to those who plunk down serious cash for the iPhone.
Yahoo! "jumps ahead" of Google in mobile search
We're not quite sure how Yahoo! claims to have "jumped ahead" of Google in terms of mobile search, but upon investigation here, the Sunnyvale company has unveiled its new "local" search for the first time in the States, delivering locally relevant answers to mobile search queries instead of just relevant but global search results (like Google defaults to with its mobile search). It's true that offering customers search results that are specifically tailored to locality (Yahoo!) instead of a list of relevant but global URLs (Google) are more likely helpful for mobile web searchers, but we're not sure on if this really has Yahoo!'s oneSearch "jumping over" Google's mobile presence. In terms of usefulness, probably. In terms of sheer search volume, well... who knows.
Google gets psychic with mobile search patent
Google sometimes has the uncanny ability to know exactly what we're searching for and can cut through all the results muck sometimes. Not all the time, but nothing is perfect, right? Those Mountain View Mensas are ready to take that to the next level it appears, as Google has just applied for a patent filing that looks like possible precursor to a "Google Phone." If not a Google Phone, then at least a "Google GUI" for a phone. Heck, maybe this will show up in the iPhone upon release or as a software upgrade later. The Google patent appears to contain language and associated mobile processes (user input, of course) that can predict what a user is searching for or the words they are typing in a text message. According to the patent, Google's software takes into consideration the customer location, previous searches (search history) and even SMS history and the time of day when all this search info is requested by the customer. Before we belt out mobile AJAX in our minds, it's just a patent filing, so no dice yet on what this could mean for the future of Google's mobile efforts.[Via mad4mobilephones]
European mobile carriers plot against Google and Yahoo!
Apparently the Brits and other European wireless telco carriers want to drop the bomb on Yank mobile search engines like Yahoo! and Google -- so much that Vodafone, France Telecom, Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, Hutchison Whampoa, Telecom Italia and, gasp, America's Cingular are plotting to try and supplant the mobile search services of Google and Yahoo! from their customer's handsets. You know you're performing more Google searches from your wireless 10-key than from your ultra-fast PC, right? Those Europeans are a tad more mobile-focused compared to us here across the pond, so it comes as no surprise really that the big European wireless carriers want to capture all those mobile searches using...their own search service. We're not quite sure how they'll index the mobile (and real) web for all those customers to compete with the years-ahead services from Google and Yahoo!, but we wish them well at 3GSM next week when they pitch this to, well, whoever will listen.
