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GameStop's Black Friday ad leaks Xbox One, PS4 bundle deals
GameStop's Black Friday ad has apparently leaked, spilling dollar-saving deals all over the Internet's floor. The retailer will reportedly offer the Xbox One holiday bundle that includes Assassin's Creed: Unity and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag for $330, as well as the PS4 limited edition bundle with Grand Theft Auto 5 and The Last of Us for $400. As for individual games, GameStop will feature deals on Alien: Isolation and EA's sports games such as Madden 15 and FIFA 15 ($40). Also on sale are The Evil Within, Sleeping Dogs and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor ($30 each) as well as Metro: Redux and Murdered: Soul Suspect ($25 each). BFAds has the full leaked ad ready for your perusal, thrifty spenders. GameStop and Amazon already discounted PS3 and PlayStation TV systems ahead of the shopping spree holiday. [Image: Microsoft]
GameStop, Amazon discount PS3 and PS TV ahead of Black Friday
Black Friday may be two weeks away, but retailers are already dropping the price on two pieces of Sony hardware: PlayStation TV and PlayStation 3. Both systems will start at $80 and $200 respectively through Amazon and GameStop for the holiday season, though GameStop notes that the deals are temporary and are "first-come, first-served." The PS TV's DualShock 3 bundle is also down to $100 at the two retailers, saving game streamers $40 off the bundle's regular price. Thrifty buyers can also opt for deals on PS3 bundles, such as the 12 GB PS3 with Disney Infinity ($200) or a 500 GB console with either The Last of Us or Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and The Sly Collection ($250 each). Sony isn't the only company offering early discounts this year; Microsoft cut the Xbox One's price by $50 for the holidays and already listed the Microsoft Store's Black Friday deals. [Image: Sony]
Swaive smart thermometer works with iPhone, Health app
The Swaive intelligent in-ear thermometer (US$79.99 for the thermometer, companion app is free) makes the glass-and-mercury model I remember from childhood look like a museum relic. It works as a stand-alone device and syncs data with Apple's Health app, making it easy to track history. I had a chance to talk with Swaive's Gurpal Bhoot about the compelling new device, currently available for preorder. Anyone who's had to care for someone who's down with a fever knows the importance of keeping a track of the patient's temperature over time. I'm famous for writing those numbers down on a piece of paper, and then promptly losing said paper. Not only does the Swaive keep this history for you, Bhoot says it can use that data in several ways. "The data that the Swaive gathers gets transferred to the iPhone automatically via low-energy Bluetooth. Now, you can use that information in a variety of ways. For example, you can create a history of each individual's temperature, if you're monitoring more than one sick individual. You can also monitor when each temperature was taken and compare it to a person's typical temperature range, or baseline." That's great for keeping a nurse or doctor up to day. But what if you're away and someone else is watching the kids? You can opt to get notifications to your phone as well. The Swaive has the largest display on any thermometer available as well as a built-in flashlight. I shouldn't be as excited about the flashlight as I am, but if you've ever woken up a sick child by turning on the bedroom light, you understand my enthusiasm. I'm excited about what Apple's iPhone and Health app mean for the wellness and fitness industries. Devices like the Swaive expand the iPhone's capabilities far beyond what I ever imagined for it in 2007.
Littlebits' Halloween kits make old-school decorations more techy
So you want to make your Halloween just a little more geeky, but you're not quite ready to port Tetris to a pumpkin -- maybe LittleBits is more your speed? The modular prototyping platform has created a series of themed kits that should make augmenting holiday easy. There are three in all: a sound-activated jack-o-lantern light, a "creepy portrait" that moves when someone walks by and Halloween "stick figure costume." All of them are cute, but they're also a little less than what they seem.
3DS mod adds smashing GameCube controller support
With the launch of the exceptional Super Smash Bros. for 3DS looming, some might still be miffed that the game won't support the Circle Pad Pro add-on. Though the game will make use of the new 3DS and 3DS XL's C-stick, some may want a separate controller entirely for optimized Smash Bros. usage. A new 3DS mod introduced late last week does just that, giving players the ability to play any 3DS game with a GameCube controller. The hardware hack is courtesy of dekuNukem, the same modder that delivered an automatic shiny Pokemon finder mod last year. According to the demonstration video seen after the break, those looking to dust off their GameCube controllers for the mod will spend roughly $12 for the parts needed, which include a handful of resistors, a circuit board and an LCD screen from a Nokia phone. The screen offers a visual aid so players can change button configurations from the controller itself. DekuNukem doesn't have a full detailed list of instructions for the mod yet, which results in an empty circuit board on the bottom side of your still-functional 3DS, but they are accepting a few send-in modification requests. [Image: dekuNukem, YouTube]
HP and Neat partner for home and small office organization
HP has been manufacturing all-in-one printers with scanners for years, and Neat has made a name for itself with smart scanners and organization software. Today, the two companies have announced a partnership of sorts, with the new HP OfficeJet 8040 with Neat e-All-in-One printer (US$399). The new product combines the features of HP's e-All-in-One printers with Neat software, making it simple to digitize documents, then organize, store and access those files from just about anywhere -- including on most mobile devices. This is also the first HP printer that has a built-in 1 TB hard disk drive for safeguarding files and documents that are scanned and organized. Neat's software is quite impressive, allowing scanning of receipts, business cards and other documents while making the data on those documents keyword searchable and exportable to other applications. Printing from iOS devices to the HP OfficeJet 8040 is a piece of cake with the HP All-in-One Printer Remote app, which works with iPhone 4 or later, iPad 4 or iPad Air, and iPad mini. HP also announced that the HP OfficeJet 8040 features the HP Instant Ink function, which orders new ink cartridges automatically for home or office delivery when it detects that a cartridge is getting low on ink.
Attention makers! You have until 11:59PM tonight to enter Insert Coin 2014
Makers, it's time to put down those soldering irons and stop worrying about any detail you've potentially forgotten. It's September 26th, which means this is the last day we're accepting Insert Coin entries. Remember, you'll have two chances to take a nice fat wallet home with you, since our panel of judges and our readers will be voting separately. You can win up to $25,000 to kickstart your hardware project, and earn some bragging rights, as well as generate publicity, in the process. Also, the top 10 semi-finalists will receive $1,000 each in travel stipend to showcase their masterpieces at the 2014 Expand event in New York this November. Not a bad deal at all, right? So, read our submission guidelines thoroughly one last time, make sure the pictures and videos of your work are top notch, and fill out our entry form by 11:59PM EDT tonight. Good luck!
Yoshida: Project Morpheus is 85% complete
Work on Sony's Project Morpheus virtual reality hardware is nearing its completion, as Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida told The Wall Street Journal that the company "finished 85 percent of the work needed to make the product available." Yoshida would not say when the headset would launch, nor would he comment on its price. He did add that a bulk of Project Morpheus' components are also found in smartphones, which would drive the device's price down. Sony announced Project Morpheus at GDC in March as a VR headset that offers a 1080p display with a 90 degree field of view and full 360 degrees of head tracking. Sony will use Project Morpheus to compete for attention in the virtual reality space with Oculus VR, which was purchased by Facebook in March for $2 billion. Sony said Facebook sought out Project Morpheus before acquiring Oculus; Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe later noted in June that the company invited Sony to check out its Oculus Rift prototypes. We went heads-on with Project Morpheus at GDC and took its luge demo for a spin at E3 in June.
Searching for the big idea behind the little Apple Watch
Unlike the iPhone and the iPad, which created entirely new design spaces, the Apple Watch looks to be following the market, not leading it. We've seen the Fitbit. We've seen the Pebble. We've seen Google Glass. So why should we care in the slightest about the Apple Watch? The Apple Watch represents both a mix of strengths and omissions. It combines features from three exciting markets that deserve representation in the Apple line, adding daily contexts that continue to move users away from screens and into real life. The Mark 1 unit may not fulfill all the possibilities that these technologies can offer, but I see it as a bold, strong move into a new product category. Mobile keeps changing the ways we relate to technology. The Pebble showed us what a heads-up (wrist-up?) notifier looks like. It offers a way to move computing away from screens and into the context of the real world. I hesitate to use the word "footprint" since the metaphor is even more strained than the ones I normally misuse, but the Pebble computing footprint is tiny. With just a twist of the wrist, it enables "glance" computing. The wrist-based Pebble offers always-available integration with our digital life stream. Google Glass introduced wearable ubiquitous computing. Its natural-language, voice-driven command system enables users to request information, perform searches, and interact with an enhanced reality. While the new Apple Watch won't overlay your visual field with wikipedia pages, its Siri integration enables you to use voice searches on the go. A few caveats however. First, iOS 8 already supports "Hey Siri" on your mobile devices -- so long as you're tethered to a power source. "Hey Siri" is the "Okay Glass" prompt for hands-free Siri queries in iOS 8 and later. Second, you need to push a button on the Apple Watch to access that Siri functionality. You must press and hold the new "digital crown" (read iPod-touch-wheel-for-the-2010's) to activate Siri interaction. And, of course, the Apple Watch isn't going to float any virtual reality displays in front of you. The Fitbit for all its flaws and reliability issues went down another path. Its the ever vigilant monitor that watches our movement and our sleep, that tells us how our body's activities relate to our goals. It brings a ubiquitous connection between what we do and how we reflect on those choices. While the iPhone 5s offered some minor mirrors of that functionality with step tracking, it demanded a greater connection between portage and observation than most of us were willing to use. The Apple Watch has a bigger wrist-print (there I go again with that metaphor thing) and you cannot use it 24 hours a day. It has to be charged on a daily basis (the charger coupler is cool) so it doesn't look like you'll be able to use it for sleep tracking, so don't expect it to act as a full time health tracker. On the plus side, the Apple unit does include a heart rate monitor and pedometer, which are probably higher on the average Fit user's must-have list than sleep tracking. Despite this, sleep tracking is a big gap in the "help me track and tune my life" wish list for many potential customers. Remember that the first generation iPhone had no 3G and the first generation iPad had no camera. Apple's quick refresh cycle (and excellent resell market) means these features can grow and evolve rapidly should the Apple Watch sell and find its niche. The Apple Watch might not yet have its one "big idea" moment but it offers a lot of satisfying little ideas and for now that's probably enough.
LittleBits' BitLab wants to be the app store of hardware components
Thinking about building something out of LittleBits' library of interconnecting circuit boards? Until today, your creativity has been artificially limited -- LittleBits uses a proprietary magnetic connector for each of its snap-on components, without any ability to add objects to your project that fall outside of the company's offered modules. Today that changes: Today LittleBits announced a new program that allows customers to prototype, design, manufacture and sell their own LittleBit components. It's called Bitlab, and the company hopes that it will become an "App Store for hardware."
Report: PSP users in Europe, Asia lose PSN access on September 15
Sony is closing off PlayStation Network access for its PlayStation Portable console in multiple regions starting this week, IGN reports. A Sony representative told IGN that the shutdown affects PSP owners in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and select regions in Africa. North American PSPs will still be able to access the PlayStation Network while Sony "evaluates market trends" to determine if it should expand its service shutdown plans. While affected regions will be unable to directly access the PlayStation Network from PSP hardware starting on September 15, Sony notes that users will still be able to buy PSN marketplace content and redownload previous purchases via the Sony Entertainment Network Online Store. Sony halted PSP production in Japan in June, and discontinued North American hardware shipments in January. [Image: Sony]
Here's what to do if your PS4 ejects discs unexpectedly
Is your PlayStation 4 ejecting discs without your input, or attempting to eject a non-existent disc when the drive is empty? First off, relax -- your PS4 isn't possessed by a Blu-ray-hating phantom. This is a common issue, and Sony has issued a tutorial video demonstrating a quick fix for affected users. The process involves holding down the PlayStation 4's power button until you hear two beeps, waiting thirty seconds, and then unplugging the console from its power source for three minutes. Afterward, your PS4 should resume normal operation. If it doesn't, Sony advises visiting its Online Service Request page for a repair order. How's your PS4 holding up? Here's hoping the classic "turn it off and turn it on again" approach fixes whatever problems you may be experiencing. Even at its worst, though, the PS4's ejecting issue seems downright tame compared to the disc-launching PSP-1000. That thing could put someone's eye out. [Video: Sony]
Apple Watch to include built-in Messaging, Navigation, Photos and third-party apps
Apple today announced the new Apple Watch with a sapphire display and a UI that combines both a physical dial and a touchscreen for control. The new Watch will ship with a handful of built-in applications including a Messaging app with emoji support and a photos app for viewing your iCloud photos. A communications app with a dedicated physical allows you to share quick drawings or even a recording of your heartbeat with other users. There's also a Maps app with turn-by-turn directions navigation that include a haptic feedback function. The haptic feedback of the Watch will provide you with different vibrations based on whether you should turn left or right. Besides Apple apps, the company also introduced Watchkit, which will allow for the development of third-party apps. These other apps will allow you to Tweet or Facebook from your watch, browse Pinterest, check flight information, and even unlock your hotel room by waving your watch at the door supported hotels.
Apple Watch revolutionizes emojis with live edited expressions
Apple Watch is already a groundbreaking device, but for those of you who text, there is obviously one feature that's even more important than biometrics or interactivity. We're speaking, of course, of the real-time emoji editor. With Apple Watch you'll be able to edit your emoji's expressions in real time using your finger to match exactly what your mood is. Maybe you want an emoji that's half furious anger, half explosive with joy? Just swipe your finger a few times to create the perfect mashup of your emotions. There's no word yet on if you'll be able to manipulate more than just the traditional yellow smily face emoji, but considering the breadth of emoji options Apple offers, we can't wait until the day every emoji can be manipulated. Yes. Even this one.
Xbox One promotion offers free game with console purchase
A new promotion from Microsoft will offer prospective Xbox One owners a free game with the purchase of the next-gen console. Starting on Sunday, September 7, those that buy the system from a participating retailer in the U.S. will receive a free game of their choice, priced up to $60. The offer is applicable to Xbox One bundles as well, so those buying in to Microsoft's latest console can score two games with the Madden NFL 15 and Forza 5 bundles, for example, or opt to buy the console-plus-Kinect bundle instead. The free games must be disc-based as well, so digital-only games like Ubisoft's Valiant Hearts are off the table. Microsoft's Xbox One promotion runs through Saturday, September 13. [Image: Microsoft]
PS3 hardware price drop announced for Japan
The PlayStation 3 will have its price slashed in Japan later this month, dropping the 500GB "Charcoal Black" model to ¥25,980 (approximately $253), Sony revealed this week. The discounted CECH-4300C model replaces the PS3's current CECH-4000C "super slim" edition in Japan, Siliconera reports. The current 500GB model retails for ¥33,900 at Amazon.co.jp. Following the price drop, Sony will discontinue Japan's current 500 GB (CECH-4200C), 250 GB (CECH-4200B), and 250 GB "Classic White" (CECH-4200BLW) PS3 hardware bundles. The discounted hardware goes on sale in Japan on August 28. Sony has issued no word regarding a PS3 hardware price drop elsewhere in the world. [Image: Sony]
Get all the flash storage you could ever want with the new Drobo Mini
If you're a creative type who needs a ridiculous amount of storage, there's a good chance you're already familiar with Drobo storage arrays. With today's launch of the Drobo Mini with SSD, the company is upping the speed of its compact storage offering in a big way, with a price to match it. The new SSD-equipped Drobo Mini boasts a performance increase of up to 80%, according to the company, and comes in three sizes, starting at 1TB. 2TB and 4TB options are also available, and prices come in at US$1,199, $1,799, and $2,999, respectively. For Mac users, a big draw for the new Mini is its dual Thunderbolt ports -- along with one USB 3.0 -- which would seem to make it the perfect companion for something like a new Mac Pro. Of course, if you happen to be a MacBook devotee, the Mini's portable nature would also make it a fine option.
Microsoft's Xbox revenue up 14% thanks to console sales
Microsoft reported an increase in revenue for the Xbox platform to the tune of $104 million, or 14 percent, in its fourth quarter results (ending June 30). Xbox One and Xbox 360 sales teamed with the company's Surface sales to boost its Computing and Gaming Hardware category by 23 percent for the quarter to $1.44 billion (an increase of $274 million). In total, Microsoft reported a 17.7 percent leap in revenue, from $19.9 billion to $23.4 billion in the past quarter. Microsoft says it shipped 1.1 million consoles during the quarter, which compares to one million in the same period of time one year ago. Just last week, the company said sales of its Kinect-less packages doubled Xbox One sales in June. As of April, Microsoft shipped 5 million Xbox One systems to date. Meanwhile, NPD reported a substantial lift in video game hardware sales across the board last week, an increase of 106 percent in June compared to the previous month. [Image: Microsoft]
iPod touch price cut, new 16GB model now in UK
Apple's newest 16 GB iPod touch is finally making its way around the world, complete with a reduced price and fancy new colors. Hitting U.S. stores in late June, the new touch is now available for sale in the UK for £159. It previously cost £199. Beyond the new color selections the new iPod touch also features the same 5 megapixel iSight camera found in its higher storage capacity siblings. Of course if you're looking for more storage you're still in luck; the 32 GB and 64 GB models have also seen a price drop in the UK. A 32 GB model will now set you back £199, down from its original cost of £249, while the 64 GB now runs £249, a considerable discount from its old price of £329. You can find the specs, colors, and price information for yourself right now over in the UK Apple Store.
Google's Android One program will set minimum standards for bargain-basement smartphones
For every HTC and Samsung, there are tens of Android hardware makers who have to redesign their smartphones to hit a certain low price. This is especially true in the developing world, where keeping the cost down means a lot of effort is spent tweaking devices -- something that Google feels is a waste of time. That's why it's launching Android One, a program where Mountain View's engineers will design cost-conscious hardware, and other companies will simply manufacture it. There are plenty of fringe benefits, but the biggest one is that Google will be able to dictate a minimum set of standards for forthcoming Android handsets.
