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CE-Oh no he didn't!: Sony's Jack Tretton says Nintendo makes 'babysitting tools'
Sony does what Nintendon't? That's the general sentiment from a brief interview that PlayStation chief Jack Tretton gave to Fortune this week, in which he talked up Sony's strengths and played down (some may even say belittled) its competitors, and Nintendo in particular. That began with the relatively tame assertion that Sony's decision to go high-end with PlayStation 3 is just now beginning to pay off while the other consoles are "starting to run out of steam," before he took aim at Nintendo's handheld business. According to Tretton, Nintendo's handhelds all offer what he calls a "Game Boy experience," something that's great as a "babysitting tool," but that "no self-respecting twenty-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those." Yow. Any self-respecting twenty-somethings beg to differ? Let us know in the comments below. [Thanks, Robert C]
Refactr turns whiteboard into giant 3DS AR card, proves bigger is better (video)
If you haven't already seen our demo of the 3DS' rather impressive bag of augmented reality tricks, then let us take this opportunity to show you -- once again -- why we're excited about the thing's AR capabilities. The folks over at software development firm Refactr have done some tinkering and found that all you need to make your very own 3DS AR card is a white board, some dry erase markers, and a projector. By tracing the outlines of that mysterious question mark card on to a shiny white surface, they found that conjuring the device's AR interface is actually quite simple, and mostly a matter of contrast. Going big, in this case anyway, not only makes for a good time -- as evidenced by the video below -- but it should also put to rest any questions about whether or not these things are sprinkled with pixie dust, Juju powder, or some other magical substance.
Nintendo says 3DS sets day-one handheld sales record, doesn't quantify it
How many Nintendo 3DS handhelds got sold stateside after Triforce Johnson got one? Enough for Nintendo to boast: "U.S. day-one sales numbers for Nintendo 3DS were the highest of any Nintendo hand-held system in our history," the company claimed today, adding that the volume of tech support calls it received was also "well below the rate experienced during past hardware launches," and that there are no widespread issues with the handheld. That may sound a bit premature, considering Nintendo won't provide actual sales figures until April 14th, but we're willing to consider the possibility that the Virtual Boy's legacy is done: perhaps this time, the only major headaches Nintendo's handheld will create are for the likes of Sony and Microsoft.
Load up your 3DS AR cards on your internet-equipped phone
Last week, Android users got their hands on an app which let them load up images of the 3DS AR cards on their smartphones -- but the rest of the world had to go without. Today, a more accessible mobile site has launched, opening up the doors to anyone with an internet-enabled portable device.
The Engadget Show - 019: HP's Jon Rubinstein, Palm TouchPad demo, Nintendo 3DS, Samsung 9 Series
Get ready humans, because we have an all new episode of The Engadget Show that you absolutely don't want to miss. First, Josh sits down with HP's Jon Rubinstein for a long chat about the future of webOS, the latest Palm devices, and an exclusive demo of the TouchPad. Then, Josh and Joanna welcome Paul Miller and Nilay Patel to the roundtable for a raucous breakdown of the latest gadget news including demos of Samsung's new 9 Series laptop and the Nintendo 3DS. Rounding things out is some incredible music from Minusbaby with visuals from The C-Men. It's everything you love and more! What are you waiting for? Hit up the video stream after the break or download the full show in HD below! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Joanna Stern Special guests: Jon Rubinstein, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Edited by: Chad Mumm Music by: Minusbaby Visuals by: The C-Men Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Animation by: Nick Criscuolo Taped live at The Times Center Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 019 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 019 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 019 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4). [RSS MP4] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. [HD RSS] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD. [iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format.
Triforce Johnson gets his Nintendo 3DS first, the legend continues
There are fans, and then there are fans, if you know what we mean, and Isaiah Triforce Johnson has secured his spot in column number two with a Power Gloved fist -- here he is accepting the very first Nintendo 3DS on the east coast from Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America. Johnson camped out all week in front of Best Buy's Union Square location to be first in line at the launch event, replicating his feat of five years prior when he was first to purchase the Wii. Of course, Japanese gamers have had the autostereocopic handheld for over a month now, but we have to give credit where it's due -- we're already imagining Greg Packer and Triforce Johnson duking it out in a little Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition duel. By the way, we snapped a few shots of the 3DS launch event this morning -- check them out below. %Gallery-119822%
The Engadget Show with HP's Jon Rubinstein tonight!
Attention humans, just a friendly reminder that the Engadget Show is taping tonight at 7:00pm with HP's Jon Rubinstein at The Times Center in New York City! Joshua Topolsky will be sitting down the former Palm CEO (current HP Senior VP) to get the inside scoop on everything from the TouchPad, new Pre 3, Veer, the state of WebOS, and much more! What's more, our very own Joanna Stern will be demoing the Samsung 9 Series laptop, we'll have the Nintendo 3DS on stage for a live demo, and special guests Nilay Patel and Paul Miller will be joining the roundtable! We'll also have the usual slew of insane giveaways (someone will be walking away with a brand new HP Envy 14 notebook) and rocking chiptunes music from Minusbaby with visuals from The C-Men, as well as some more surprises! Remember, giveaways happen at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person! We'll also be streaming the show right here on Engadget, so stay tuned! The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). If you want to join us tonight, tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free The event is all ages Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:00PM on Friday, March 25th, doors will open for seating at 6:15PM, and the show begins at 7:00PM We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets -- and the Sprint text-to-win winners (you'll know you've won by a text message) -- will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed -- you won't have to get back in line to get a good seat. Ticketing will continue until all tickets are given away You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break) The show length is around an hour Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
Nintendo 'moving away' from insisting on 3D to play 3DS games, wants them all playable in 2D
The Nintendo 3DS has a slider in its side. A slider that adjusts its namesake feature, three-dimensional imagery, up and down in intensity relative to the user's preference. Now, although the 3DS' screen doesn't force glasses on you, it does demand that it be held just right in order to get the most out of the 3D effect and we can imagine plenty of people might neglect its extra dimension in favor of old-fashioned 2D (not to mention those who can't tolerate the third D for health reasons). It's encouraging, therefore, to hear that Nintendo has taken the stance that no game should require 3D as part of its gameplay mechanics. That's the word from Hideki Konno, one of Nintendo's veteran producers, who says the company wants all of its 3DS games to be playable in 2D, essentially reducing the 3D aspect to an aesthetic enhancement. Some might argue that's underusing the portable's hardware potential, but Nintendo has always been in the business of pleasing the mass market -- there's nothing preventing some daring developer from making a game entirely dependent on a three-dimensional perspective.
Augmenting your 3DS reality just got a little simpler thanks to an Android app
Before we proceed any further, you owe it to yourself to check out our 3DS review or the video after the break in order to fully comprehend what Nintendo's augmented reality cards mean for 3DS gaming. We'll wait right here, take your time. Now that everyone's fully up to speed, an enterprising dev has put together an app that includes all of Ninty's add-in cards for its soon-to-be-launched handheld, allowing you to stash them on your Android smartphone and freeing up more pocket space for game cartridges and bubble gum. The descriptively titled 3DS AR Cards app costs nothing to own, though we're sure its maker will appreciate a note of thanks should you end up using it.
Kinect keeps surgeons on task, Nintendo 3DS might assist optometrists with diagnoses
The latest generation of gaming gadgets do some nifty tricks, and one of the niftiest they might perform is assisting the realm of medicine. Microsoft's Kinect sounded like a candidate for surgery, and this month real-life surgeons have actually put it to use -- Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Canada rigged the Xbox 360 depth camera to its medical imaging computer. Now, doctors don't have to scrub out to manipulate an MRI scan, or even appoint a peon to the task -- rather, they simply raise their bloodied glove, and dive into the digital imagery with a wave of a dextrous hand. Meanwhile, the American Optometric Association has expanded upon its initial praise of Nintendo's 3DS, saying the autostereoscopic 3D handheld "could be a godsend for identifying kids under 6 who need vision therapy." Though Nintendo's warning labels had originally incited a bit of fear among parents, the organization says that kids who can't experience the 3DS to its full potential may have amblyopia (or other vision disorders) that can be more easily treated the earlier it's caught, though one doctor interviewed by the Associated Press contends that kids with amblyopia may not know what they're missing to begin with -- so don't necessarily expect a panacea, folks.
The Engadget Show with HP's Jon Rubinstein, next Friday March 25th!
Attention humans, the Engadget Show is back next Friday, March 25th at 7:00pm with HP's Jon Rubinstein at The Times Center in New York City, and you can win a free trip for two to the taping! Josh will be sitting down the former Palm CEO (current HP Senior VP) to get the inside scoop on everything from the TouchPad, new Pre 3, Veer, the state of WebOS, and much more! Trust us when we say that you won't want to miss it. What's more, our very own Joanna Stern will be demoing the Samsung 9 Series laptop, we'll have the Nintendo 3DS on stage for a live demo, and special guests Nilay Patel and Paul Miller will be joining the roundtable! We'll also have the usual slew of insane giveaways and rocking chiptunes music, as well as some more surprises! Remember, giveaways happen at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person. We have a new ticketing policy, so if you're coming to the live show, be sure to read about it below. If you're geographically incapable of joining us in New York City, just tune into the stream right here on Engadget and/or read below to find out how to win and free trip to NYC for the taping! The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know: There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free The event is all ages Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:00PM on Friday, March 25th, doors will open for seating at 6:15PM, and the show begins at 7:00PM We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets -- and the Sprint text-to-win winners (see below) -- will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed -- you won't have to get back in line to get a good seat. Ticketing will continue until all tickets are given away You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break) The show length is around an hour If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. Sprint is also offering 50 guaranteed tickets to The Engadget Show taping to the first 50 entrants who text "ENGADGET" to 467467 or enter online! Standard text messaging rates apply. Click for the Official Rules and see how to enter online. If you live outside of the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT), you can enter online for a chance to win a trip for two to New York City to attend The Engadget Show. Standard text messaging rates apply. Click here to enter. Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
Nintendo posts first 3DS advert for the US, whets growing appetites (video)
For the last few remaining souls in North America not aware that the Nintendo 3DS is coming later this month, the Japanese company has rolled out its first US commercial. Shockingly enough, it doesn't display anything not already announced, but now would be kind of late to be springing surprises on us anyhow, right? It's a portable console with glasses-free 3D -- that works reasonably well -- and it's made by Nintendo, which means half the people on your street will probably own one by this time next month. Jump past the break to see the American commercial and its earlier-released UK sibling -- you'll find a fun juxtaposition of presentation styles when comparing the two.
Nintendo rolls a 3DS Demo Pod across US, gets gamers salivating for March 27th launch
The perks of living in a big city, eh? Citizens of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco are being treated to some three-dimensional March madness from the guys and gals at Nintendo. For the remainder of this month, Ninty's 3DS handheld will be available to try and play in so-called Demo Pods (see above) at strategic locations in each marquee city. The Mii Maker app, nintendogs + cats, Madden NFL Football, Aslphalt 3D, and a selection of other games will be preloaded and waiting for you, letting you have a taste of what's to come on March 27th. See Nintendo's PR after the break for the full details.
Nintendo can remotely brick your 3DS after flash card use?
Bad news for those that plan on using a flash card with their 3DS -- if Nintendo detects that you've been dabbing with one, the company might send a firmware update that could possibly brick your system. According to GoNintendo, Japanese retailer Enterking posted a warning message on their site, suggesting that your system might be unbootable after a software update if Nintendo detects you've been using an R4. Enterking is not buying used 3DSs that have a history of using an illegal cartridge -- a transparent indication that it's not taking any chances here. We can't know for sure if Nintendo will dish out said update or how Enterking might tell -- however, Nintendo did issue this statement to Eurogamer in response to their story on the topic: "We do not discuss product security details (for obvious reasons), nor can we discuss the details of countermeasures available in the Nintendo 3DS system. Nintendo 3DS has the most up-to-date technology. The security has been designed to protect both the creative works in the software and to protect the Nintendo 3DS hardware system itself. Nintendo, like most companies, takes a palpable stance against piracy. We recommend that those fortunate enough to own a 3DS stay away from the flash cards altogether, just in case. Update: Flash cards aren't illegal to use per se -- homebrew, anyone? -- although certain countries have banned them from import and sale, and their widespread use for illegal activity makes them a dubious proposition quite often.
Gallery: Say hello to the Nintendo 3DS
A beautiful aqua blue Nintendo 3DS arrived from Japan while we were away GDC-ing the sights. For those of you who haven't obsessively inspected every angle of the upcoming device yet, we set to work taking Glamour Shots of the handheld and its included accessories. We'll be bringing you additional coverage of the Japanese 3DS as we stop taking pictures of it and actually turn the thing on. The European and North American 3DS systems will be out on March 25 and 27, respectively (and will look identical to this one).%Gallery-118518%
CE-Oh no he didn't!: NGP will be 'dead on arrival,' says ngmoco boss
In all honesty, you would expect the leader of a team concerned exclusively with producing games for smartphone platforms like iOS and Android to be dismissive of a new dedicated handheld console's chances, but it's still jarring to hear such a strident dismissal of the Sony NGP's chances. In an interview at GDC this year -- yes, the same place where we were treated to some very impressive demos of the NGP's performance -- ngmoco CEO Neil Young has expressed his belief that Sony's next PSP will be "dead on arrival." Claiming that the new portable will be incapable of competing with the rich ecosystems and affordable pricing models that smartphones now offer, Young says not even the crazy specs or PS3-like gaming will help the NGP survive. This echoes comments from Satoru Iwata last year saying that Apple, not Sony, is the "enemy of the future" for handheld consoles, though Young does close off on a positive note, saying that he sees brighter prospects for the 3DS thanks to Nintendo's rich collection of own-brand franchises and reserves of fan loyalty. So that's it, folks, better start selling those Sony shares while they're still worth something! Or not, it's up to you. [Thanks, Dominick]
Nintendo 3DS gets torn apart and hacked a day after Japanese launch
So you just got a Nintendo 3DS following its launch in Japan -- what do you do? While most would be content to simply pass the time with Pilotwings for at least a few days, others are a bit more... curious. In that group you'll find the folks from Tech-On!, who have already torn the handheld apart and even gone the extra mile to examine its 3D display under a microscope -- they assume it's a Sharp parallax barrier display, but weren't able to confirm it as such. As if that wasn't enough for a day-old system, YouTube user ayasuke2 has already hacked the system to use R4 cards and run unauthorized Nintendo DS games. Head on past the break for some video evidence of that, and hit up the source link below for the complete teardown.
Nintendo 3DS launches in Japan, populace tears through initial 400,000 unit shipment
You won't be able to snap one up at your local GameStop for a full month, but the Nintendo 3DS had a solid launch in Japan today, reportedly liquidating nearly its entire initial shipment of 400,000 spiffy stereoscopic gaming handhelds by the end of the day. Some of those sales were to customers waiting in a few lines up to 2,000 persons long, but those lines were exceptions to the norm -- several publications note that very few stores actually had any lines to speak of, as most Japanese electronics retailers sold out when the 3DS went on pre-order over a month ago. Get a refresher on what to expect from the system here (and here) or read all about the surprisingly orderly Japanese launch at our source links. Update: Our friends at Engadget Japanese were on hand for the 3DS launch, and picked up a pair of systems themselves -- get a closer look at one of the first retail 3DS units in the gallery below! %Gallery-117673%
Engadget Podcast 230 - 01.24.2011
This week in consumer electronics was full of culture. Or maybe it was full of color -- we're not quite sure what the difference might be, but there was a lot of weird / cool news in the CEO, handheld gaming, and tablet worlds. The point is, we've got another weird / cool podcast on our hands that you haven't listened to yet and you need to take care of that, like, five minutes ago.Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, #1 Digitimes bestselling author Paul MillerProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Superstition00:04:15 - Steve Jobs takes medical leave from Apple, Tim Cook taking over daily operations in his absence00:10:22 - Apple turns in record Q1: $6b profit on $26.7b revenue, 16.2m iPhones sold00:23:20 - Apple's invested in a 'very strategic' $3.9b component supply agreement, but what is it?00:25:10 - Asahi Glass introduces Dragontrail for consumer electronics, puts the Gorilla on notice (video)00:25:48 - Larry Page taking over as Google CEO, Eric Schmidt will remain as Executive Chairman00:35:30 - Google Voice now lets you port your own phone number, maybe (update)00:44:53 - Exclusive: HP / Palm's webOS tablets -- pictures, plans, and more00:45:42 - HP / Palm tablet to feature Touchstone dock, cloud storage, Beats audio and Tap-to-Share smartphone integration00:49:30 - HP calls us out, implies it's got even better scoops at February webOS event00:53:20 - HP's first webOS tablet may start shipping in March, fulfill longstanding promise01:06:00 - Motorola Xoom launching February 17th at Best Buy (update: priced at $700)01:06:22 - Motorola Xoom priced at $800 at a minimum, according to Verizon leak01:14:52 - Nintendo 3DS coming to US March 27th for $249.99, Europe first on March 25th (video)01:19:10 - Live from Nintendo's 3DS preview with Reggie Fils-Aime01:23:22 - Bloomberg: Sony PSP2 to debut next week, PlayStation Phone at MWC01:23:47 - This fan-made PSP redesign is sexy01:25:15 - PSP2 to be based on iPhone-esque PowerVR GPU, rival original Xbox in power?01:27:52 - The Engadget Show returns next Sunday with Steve Wozniak!Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @engadget @reckless
Switched On: When gadgets talk in their sleep
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. The Nintendo 3DS stands to democratize stereoscopy in a way society hasn't experienced since the View-Master craze, by offering 3D hardware more affordable than the current crop of televisions and PCs, and without requiring special glasses to see images pop out of the handheld's screen. But when it comes to innovation, the 3DS could represent a two-way street, for even as its 3D screen is focused on enhancing the handheld gaming experience, its "Pass" network technologies -- SpotPass and particularly StreetPass -- could have broader implications for the way we discover the world around us.
