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Editorial: Windows on ARM is a big deal, but it's not enough to win at tablets
While "Windows runs on ARM now" is a really easy thing to say, it's an extremely complicated subject, fraught with industry drama, technical accomplishment, and a hint of Microsoft's vision for the future. Microsoft is saying loud and clear that x86 isn't enough (sorry, Intel and AMD), that current Windows form factors aren't sufficient (sorry, netbooks), and that it's still a nimble enough company to respond to changes in the market and consumer frustrations (sorry, Clippy). But what does that actually mean, in the long run? Let's talk things through, after the break.
Intel's been wishin' and hopin' for a Microsoft tablet OS, Windows 8 rumors recommence
We're not going to lie, Microsoft's news on the tablet front here at CES has been quite a disappointment. While it teased that it's working on "the next version of Windows" for ARM, it didn't talk about its plans for a tablet-based OS at all. It's been Windows 7 and more Windows 7. And according to CNET, we're not the only ones that want Microsoft to show some movement on the tablet UI front -- Intel has been pushing Microsoft for a long time. In addition, Intel's marketing chief Tom Kilroy seemed to imply that Microsoft's tablet solution is still a ways off. Now, of course, Microsoft seems to be moving away from Intel and starting to work on some flavor of Windows for ARM chips, and perhaps related to that, ZDNet's Microsoft maven Mary Jo Foley has heard quite a bit about a new "application model" for Windows 8 called Jupiter. Foley has heard that Microsoft is working on a new XAML user interface for Win 8, which will support "smoother animation," more media capabilities, and "immersive apps." It will also be lightweight, and thus, ideal for tablets or slates. Microsoft's Vice President of Microsoft's Developer Division Soma Somasegar actually seemed to confirm the project to Foley, but claims it has changed directions quite a bit. So, what does this all mean? In sum, Microsoft's in no better position on the tablet front than it was a few weeks or months ago. And the wait continues...
Hughes launching Jupiter satellite in 2012, may actually provide broadband internet
If you're stuck in an area that's not served by an existing broadband source, your options for hopping on the world wide web at a rate hastier than 56Kbps are limited. Severely limited. The go-to alternative for the past few years has been HughesNet, a satellite-based "broadband" service that offers users 2Mbps down / 300Kbps up for a staggering $120 per month. It's definitely a last resort, and many satellite gamers have kvetched that triple-digit ping times have all but destroyed their yearning to catch a round of Counter-Strike before hitting the sack. If all goes well, however, this entire situation could be up-ended by 2012. Hughes just landed the financing it needs to launch a $400 million Jupiter satellite into orbit, theoretically giving it over 100 gigabits per second of capacity and enabling it to seriously expand its customer base. Once launched, consumers could be offered download rates as high as 20Mbps, and while that's far from impressive, it's definitely a step-up for those positioned in bandwidth-starved locales. Until then, it looks like you'll still need to Photoshop your speed tests to convince yourself you're really on a high-speed connection.
NASA set to send Juno 'armored tank' spacecraft to Jupiter
NASA is gearing up to send an "armored tank" spacecraft called Juno to Jupiter this month, after several delays and reschedulings. The environment that Juno is to face will be one of the most treacherous any spacecraft has ever endured -- so Juno has all sorts of special features, such as a radiation vault, a protective shield to protect it from Jupiter's insanely radiation-heavy environs. An invisible force field surrounds Jupiter (a less powerful one also surrounds our own planet) which is heavy with high energy particles to shield it from highly charged particles which shoot off the sun. The mission will result in Juno orbiting Jupiter, the largest planet in the Solar System, for 15 months. Scientists have also devised a route that should shelter the craft from spending extended periods of time in the harshest zones. Juno's trip will also be the first ever solar powered mission to Jupiter.
A lava lamp and a Nexus One tested under 3 Gs of force (video)
Neil Fraser, a true pioneer of science, wasn't satisfied with just wondering whether a lava lamp will work on Jupiter. He opted instead to build a freaking centrifuge in the middle of his living room, strap an innocent lava lamp and a Nexus One to one end with counterbalancing weights on the other, and spin that monster up to find out for himself. His instrument was able to generate 3 Gs of lateral force (despite the Nexus One's G-Force reporting 2.0 Gs due to a bug, now reported to Google), which is comfortably above the 2.5 G gravitational pull that one might experience on the solar system's biggest planet. So, did the goo keep its mojo under pressure? Did the Nexus One survive the ordeal intact? Click past the break to find out.
Noby Noby Girl has stretched her way to Jupiter
They said it couldn't be done -- and for good reason, considering how difficult it must be for a creature to stretch its own body to a length of 576,682,810 miles. However, thanks to a little help from Namco Bandai, Noby Noby Boy's community-driven "Girl" has managed to extend her torso from Earth to Jupiter, unlocking a new playable planet for all of the game's inhabitants. Make sure you check out the video after the jump to get a sense of what eating your own butt whilst aimlessly traversing a gas giant feels like. We can't believe we just had a reason to write that sentence. Thank you so, so much, Noby Noby Boy.
Gaming to Go: Picross DS
Math is fun! Or something. Normal people likely don't put much stock in the words, but every now and then a complex equation or three can be a great way to get the mathy part of your brain up and going. You could also just play Picross DS, an interesting take on the puzzle genre that emphasizes numbers and clever calculations over explosions and unbridled quirkiness. That probably paints Picross in one of the least interesting ways possible, but, uh, just run with it, okay?Picross is fun. I didn't fully expect it to be the first time I fired it up, but wonders never cease when a refreshingly different kind of puzzle and the charm of Nintendo's Touch Generation series unite in nerdy, digital glory. With a ton of puzzles to conquer and numerous different modes of play, Picross certainly has a bevy of content to work with, transforming it into a title definitely worth snagging for your daily commute. Sure, some of those later puzzles might take longer than your lunch break, but Picross DS is still a supremely portable title, and one definitely suited for this week's edition of Gaming to Go. Want to hear more? Click that big button there and start believing in the power of numbers.%Gallery-4794% #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } NEXT >>
Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals offers up DLC
Disney Interactive Studios just sent us a press release all of you Spectrobes fans will get a kick out of. The latest game, Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals has six items of DLC available, should you load up the game and log on to Wi-Fi Connect. Six different creatures are up for grabs: Windalo Windino Shasharp Grispit Samuspire Sestar On top of that, there is a special Nanairo sword for Rallen. Of course, none of this is free. Well, it's free in the sense that it doesn't cost real money, but you must spend in-game points on each item (one, to be exact). You can accrue up to 10 points each week as you enjoy the Wi-Fi capabilities of the game. %Gallery-21682% [Via press release]
Gaming to Go: The World Ends with You
Ah, TWEWY. That's The World Ends with You for the lot of you, though any Japanese readers might know by it a seemingly happier name. But no matter what you call it, doesn't that acronym just rock your pretty pink socks? Seriously, stop reading and say it aloud. Do it right now. Let the letters roll off your tongue and perhaps you'll get a tantalizing taste of the title we've been raving about for the last few months. You also might sound a little silly. My bad.But what's that? You've already played The World Ends with You? Good for you! I might be treading well-worn ground with this week's edition of Gaming to Go, but Square Enix's latest epic deserves mention for one simple reason: it makes fighting fresh, fast, and -- most importantly -- fashionable. Tired of tedious turn-based battling? Tired of donning drab, colorless garments whenever you step into the war zone? TWEWY might be just what you need!What other game actively rewards you for playing in short bursts? That feature alone makes The World Ends with You an easy recommendation for a gamer on the go. Hit the jump if you need further convincing, you fashionista, you!%Gallery-11943%
The shortage ends with new copies of The World Ends With You
Thanks to our overlords at Joystiq, we may now report that those shortages of Square Enix RPG, The World Ends With You, have come to an end. If you've been sitting back and relaxing, waiting for the game to come back into stock, now is your time to pounce. For those of you who enjoy purchasing your games online, both Amazon and Gamestop are showing the game as in stock and ready to ship. If you're more for actually leaving your house and going into a store, physical copies of the game should be gracing store shelves near you soon.%Gallery-11943%
New Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals trailer shows us villain, portals
With the new demos and videos available on the Nintendo Channel, we figured we'd nab this one for you all to see (without having to turn your Wii on, if you have one). When we heard about Disney's sequel to the first Spectrobes title, Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals, we were interested in what innovations the game would bring. Of course, that "innovation" turned into only more of what the first game presented, as the game adopted the model of providing fans of the first game with more and more of what that title offered. Likely, it'll work, because in these kind of games, folks are usually looking for just that. Anywho, check out the new trailer above. It not only shows off the new bad guy you're supposed to hate, but also a good deal of CG. So, what do you all think? %Gallery-21682%
The World Ends at $29.99
The early birds may catch the worms, but the late adapters catch the sales. So, those of you who haven't yet succumbed to Square Enix's high-and-mighty game tax but still want a copy of The World Ends With You are in luck.Until Sunday (we assume, so don't quote us on that), you can grab the game at both Amazon and Circuit City (dot com or brick and mortar) for the low reasonable price of $29.99. Should you not want to leave the comfort of your own home (or, like this blogger, you just don't live near a Circuit City), then each online deal has its pros and cons. Both sites offer free shipping, but Circuit City adds tax to the order. Amazon, on the other hand, doesn't add tax but the game isn't in stock at the moment. Therefore, it will take two to four weeks (according to the website) for Amazon orders to ship.Either way, if you have your eye on this game, we recommend biting on one of these deals because Squeenix's $40 DS game standard hurts.Note: Amazon is trying to fool you into buying the copies that are in stock for $39.79 (via Hubbagames), so don't fall for it. If the link directs you to the wrong place, you should see this on the right side of your screen. Just click "Add to Cart" on the choice that says $29.99, and voilà. Gallery: The World Ends With You [Via CAG]Read: TWEWY at Circuit CityRead: TWEWY at Amazon
Inspect these Spectrobes screens
Even if our internet petition to get Bokura wa Kaseki Horidaa localized doesn't end up working (current number of signatories: four), our urge to excavate stuff and then send our discoveries into bloody battle can still be fulfilled, thanks to Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals. The sequel to the million-selling Spectrobes is out later this year, and Disney fired new screens our way earlier today (none of which feature the DGamer service, sadly) -- head to our new Beyond the Portals gallery to check them out. It all looks eerily similar to the first game, though if Brain Training taught us anything, it's that you don't mess around with million-selling formulas. %Gallery-21682% [Via press release]
DS Fanboy Review: The World Ends With You
2008 is shaping up to be an incredible year for the DS, and not because of old franchises. Zelda, we love you. Final Fantasy, we think you're great, and you'll probably dominate a good portion of our summers. But the first half of the year belongs to the new guys. After playing Professor Layton and the Curious Village, we thought we'd seen one of the most wonderful DS games to date, and that's true. But when it comes to sheer innovation, The World Ends With You blows it right out of the water. Anyone looking to create an ARPG or anything with stylus-based action controls should study The World Ends With You, because -- no exaggeration -- nearly everything here is done right. Of course, almost nothing's perfect, and that includes this game. Most of the few flaws here are visible right from the beginning; that, combined with the unusual look and the fact that it's a new IP, may turn some gamers off. Don't be one of them, because this one is worth playing.%Gallery-11943%
Metareview: The World Ends With You
Square Enix's stunning new title The World Ends With You doesn't hit U.S. and European shelves until later this month, but the reviews are already rolling in, and things are looking even better than we expected. The early reviews are kicking the action RPG up into the top tier of DS titles -- and that's good company. What's propelling the game's success? The sheer originality of the concept.Nintendo Power: 90% -- The Nintendo hub had nothing but effusive praise for Square Enix's unusual effort. "This delightfully weird action-RPG, set in modern-day Tokyo's bustling Shibuya district, is unlike anything else out there ... Kudos to Square Enix for taking a chance on something so original (and bringing it to these shores)."Thunderbolt: 90% -- In fact, this game is starting to sound like the second coming of the RPG. "In a genre where medieval themes reign supreme, setting a game in contemporary Tokyo is a fairly fresh concept. The game captures the city scene so well: the sun-blasted streets, the pulsing J-Pop, and the bustling crowds of people who care absolutely nothing about you. Neku and his little gang of urban heroes are a far cry from the super-heroic swordsmen of most RPGs; the ultra-stylish outfits and technology they use are taken directly from what you'd see in Shibuya today. Despite this, the mysticism of the plot and the magic being wielded are definitely welcome. The combination of using both screens and the stylus make for one of the most demanding gameplay formulas yet; there hasn't been a game this Touch Screen-centric since Kirby Canvas Curse. So do yourself a favor and pick up The World Ends With You. As far as handheld RPGs go, it doesn't get much more original than this."IGN UK: 89% -- Perhaps the pieces aren't as original as some think, but together, they create something fantastic. "The World Ends With You combines Square's hallmark character development and story with the collectability of Pokémon, and ties together innovative game design with the urban cool of Jet Set Radio. Indeed, the game's appropriation of real-world themes and issues are at the heart of its success. It's a celebration of modern life, and like modern life, it can be messy, complicated and confusing, and you might find yourself beset by minor disappointments. But you get out what you put in, and at its heart is an important message about making human connections in a world that can sometimes seem harsh and uncaring. Which, when you think about it, is pretty cool. And if you don't want to think about it, well then you can just sit back and enjoy the game design."%Gallery-11943%
Disney officially names Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals
Fans of the first Spectrobes title may rejoice, for the game that supported those odd little punch cards is getting the sequel treatment. The new game will be called Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals. It follows the story of Rallen and Jeena, along with portals, which will lead to more collecting. You should pretty much know how this works by now. Other new features include: a new 3D perspective a map to assist in exploration different excavation and battle features and last, but not least, Dgamer and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support for battling online Considering that last tidbit of information and having never gotten into the first game ourselves, we're thinking about checking out a sale or two and seeing what the game is all about. For more information, you can check out the official website for the game or head past the break for the press release.
Disney announces DS sequel to Spectrobes
After vowing to triple spending on game development in 2007, Disney has announced Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals, a follow up to last year's Pokemon-inspired RPG that's expected to ship for the Nintendo DS this fall. In the same breath, Disney also confirmed that the original title has shipped more than a million units globally and was the best-selling third-party DS game in North America last year, no doubt making the return trip to the well a no-brainer for the animation powerhouse.Like the original, Beyond the Portals is being handled by Japanese developer Jupiter, and will include a number of additions including a new "three-dimensional perspective" and an online battle system. As surprised as might be otherwise, some of the new game announcement's thunder was stolen by Disney CFO Tom Staggs, who last summer casually mentioned that Spectrobes "warrants a sequel in the games business." Still, be careful what you wish for, as Disney marketing guru Craig Relyea calls the game "part of our plan to expand the series in the coming years."
Square Enix dates The World Ends With You for April 22
Square Enix has finally nailed down a firm US release date for its upcoming, dare we say original action-RPG for the DS, The World Ends With You. While Nintendo listed the game among its spring releases last month, the calender jockeys at Final Fantasy proper have announced that the game will make it to North American retail outlets on April 22. Developed at the hands of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories developer Jupiter, the game has certainly been on the minds of those of us partial to Nintendo's touchable handheld, as as well as those with a thing for big feet and Japanese culture. The World Ends With You is set within Tokyo's "trendiest youth culture center," Shibuya, and takes "major influences" from the area's cultural bearings, from food and music to fashion and design. It all sounds great, but honestly you had us at original.
Diamond and gold PCs class up the floor under your desk
Most of the questionably-ostentatious gear we see is designed for use on the go -- why else spark out your kit if not to blind your frenemies at the club? -- but at some point even Diddy runs out of handhelds to ice up, which is where Japan's Zeus Computer steps in. The company is offering two different glam desktops for your wallet's delight: an ¥80,000,000 ($747,768) diamond-studded model, or (for cheapskates) a ¥60,000,000 ($560,826) gold version. Both offer a 3GHz E6850 Core 2 Duo on an Asus board with 2GB of RAM, a 256MB GeForce 8400GS, 1TB drive, Blu-ray + HD DVD combo drive, and Vista Ultimate -- but that's not at all what matters here, is it?[Via F******gaijin, warning: sitename may be NSFW]
What is the Spectrobes Collector's Edition?
Tucked away stealthily among this week's releases was Spectrobes Collector's Edition. We thought it was pretty baffling that Disney would decide to rerelease an eight-month-old DS game now, and we also wondered what exactly was in this edition to collect. Siliconera reports that it's the game plus all 38 of the Code Input punch card things. The original game came with a few, but the rest seem to have only been given away at various events and promotions. In other words, they're a total pain to acquire in any other way. If you want to play Spectrobes, you may as well pony up the extra $10 (the original package is down to $20 now, and the CE is $30) and get the cards. The official press release (after the break) mentions that the package includes two exclusive Geo cards and a mini-guide. Seems like a good deal for people who were previously on the fence about Spectrobes. Or you could just wait for the sequel!
