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Steam lets game developers customize their homepages
Steam has put its new Creator Homepages into open beta, letting developers and publishers customize their homepages to better show off their game catalogs. There's a lot of flexibility -- publishers can divide their portfolios up however they wish, so they could split them by genre, or fan-favorites, for example. And for new creators, or those without an extensive catalog, the space can be also be used to announce new projects or showcase concept art. Fans can follow their favorite publishers directly from their homepage to get notifications when updates, announcements or new titles are released.
Adobe acquires Behance, sets sights on community-driven Creative Cloud
Well, it looks like Adobe is wrapping things up nicely before the long holiday weekend. Mere days after the most recent round of updates, the software outfit has just announced its acquisition of Behance, the online portfolio community for creatives in a number of disciplines. Founded in 2006 by CEO Scott Belsky, they NYC-based outfit will remain it's current location and retain all of its 32 current employees. Touting over 1 million active users and 90 million project views in the past month, Behance is an online repository for portfolios, feedback, inspiration and the hiring of creative pros. Adobe is planning to fully integrate the design community's wares into it's Creative Cloud arsenal "allowing members to seamlessly create content, seek feedback, showcase their work and distribute it across devices." For now, there won't be any changes for free and paid members of the Behance offerings, but Adobe is evaluating how to integrate the paid portions into Creative Cloud memberships with the free option from the community remaining as such. Head on past the break to take a gander at the full announcement.
HTC slaps Apple with two more patents from acquired HP portfolio
While it's not quite as protracted as the long, slow slug-out between Apple and Samsung, HTC's patent contentions with Cupertino have just been augmented, with two more filings tossed into the pot. The IP in question originally belonged to HP, before being scooped up by the Taiwanese phone maker and pertains to Apple Remote Desktop and Apple Profile Manager along with other embedded network features in iOS and OS X. Apple's run of luck in this area might not be the greatest just now, but then they do say things come in threes.
InterDigital sells nearly 2,000 wireless patents to Intel, pockets $375 million
InterDigital (we interviewed its CEO last week) is selling off around 1,700 wireless patents and applications to Intel for $375 million. The company is making good on its promise to monetize its vast portfolio of IP, including technologies relating to 3G, WCDMA, HSDPA, HUSPA, LTE and 802.11 WiFi connections. It's a short in the arm for Intel's burgeoning wireless arm, which recently outed its first handset, the San Diego. It'll also strengthen the hand of the company in any litigation relating to the technology should the lawyers come knocking. So far it's not clear if the company is retaining an interest in the files its sold off, but we've reached out for comment and will let you know when we do. Update: The company let us know that it's not retaining any interest in the patents that it's selling off. It also mentioned that the 1,700-strong portfolio equates to around eight percent of the company's overall IP holdings -- a number that it generates roughly every 18 months.
Portfolio Pro for iPad is a solid entry-level portfolio app
We took a look at several portfolio apps a few months ago, but I'm always on the look out for new ones to try on the iPad. Gone are the days of trying to shrink large articles and projects down to an 8x11 piece of paper for a portfolio. With the new iPad, high-definition video has become more important than ever, and there is no reason not to use an iPad to show off your work to a potential client or job prospect. We were invited to take a look at Portfolio Pro for iPad, which makes its App Store debut today, and it's a solid addition to the portfolio apps out there. The UI is easy, and creating a basic portfolio doesn't take long. You can add content from Dropbox, Flickr or media stores on the iPad. I would like to see an option to add content from a website URL, a feature that Portfolio for iPad has that I love. Portfolio Pro's best features lie in its customization options. One thing I really like is the ability to tweak fonts throughout the app. Like using an Adobe product, when you change a font, you can actually see what the font will look like. You can set up galleries, which is great if you want to show off different aspects of your work. You can use the provided themes or create your own, saving them for later use. Moving between edit and client mode is extremely easy, so you're not constantly fumbling to change settings. The learning curve is not steep at all, and if this is your first time making a portfolio, it won't take you long to get the hang of it. The one thing I would like to see is the ability to add a resume, such as what Xtrafolio has. I'd also like to see backup options as well, especially since the app can import from Dropbox, and passcoding. Portfolio Pro for iPad is US$9.99 on the App Store, which is a great value for a solid portfolio app.
Xtrafolio vs. Portfolio: iPad portfolio faceoff
Last week, I reviewed Xtrafolio and Portfolio for iPad, both excellent portfolio software for the iPad. Today, I'll compare the two with having a generic slideshow on Photos and pick a favorite. Catch up with the Portfolio for iPad review and the Xtrafolio review if you haven't done so. One thing to make clear is that by far these two aren't the only portfolio apps on the App Store. Our readers have been helpful in suggesting a few more of these apps, and we'll most likely look at some of these as future Daily iPad Apps. The Results UI: It's hard to choose between Portfolio and Xtrafolio. Both have a plethora of customization options so you can exactly how you want your portfolio to look every step of the way. Even the customization options have options. I'll give the edge to Xtrafolio though. Even though Portfolio has a few more options, Xtrafolio makes them a lot easier to access thanks to having them anchored to the side of the page, and the learning curve isn't so steep. Creating a Portfolio: Portfolio for iPad takes this category for the fact that you can import from pretty much anywhere. Both apps have the ability to bring in material from the iPad, iTunes and Dropbox, but Portfolio goes the extra step in the ability to bring in media straight from a website URL, and that's useful. It also retains the original file name, however it can choke on large files. Portfolios: This is a tie between Xtrafolio and Portfolio and is based on personal preference. If your portfolio is strongly tied to a single field, such as photography, then Xtrafolio is the best fit. If you have a portfolio that spans different genres, like I do with newspapers and comics, then Portfolio is a better fit with its galleries. Xtrafolio also does a better job in presenting a resume as part of the initial portfolio, but you do need to customize the captions to make them readable. Backups: Both Portfolio and Xtrafolio have backup options. In Portfolio, you can back up your library and import it to another iPad. Xtrafolio also can do backups, but you can do these straight to iTunes or to Dropbox in its own folder. Xtrafolio gets the win here for a better backup option. Passcodes: Both apps feature passcoding, but Xtrafolio only has it on one level while Portfolio lets you passcode all your galleries, then has a second passcode for individual galleries. The winner here is Portfolio. Cost: Xtrafolio sells for $16.95 and Portfolio is $14.95. iPhoto? No, if you want a serious portfolio, I do not suggest iPhoto at all. While it's good for a basic portfolio, these apps are heads above other ones. Based on the criteria above, I'm actually going with Portfolio, but it's only because I want completely different portfolios for newspaper design and comic writing, but have them in the same app. If I was going with just newspapers or just comics, then I'd use Xtrafolio. I'll probably wind up doing a portfolio on each program and using whichever is called for at the time. What are some other options? For wedding photographers, there's Pumtree Portfolios. Other suggested options include Folio Express, Stash Pro, iProofPro, myZenfolio, Pholio, Foliozo and more.
Portfolio for iPad offers a plethora of options, and a steep learning curve
A few weeks ago, TUAW editor-in-chief Victor Agreda asked me if I had any recommendations for an iPad portfolio app. He had a friend who wanted to be able to save his portfolio on his iPad and passcode it so his kids couldn't access it. It's a good idea, and I've seen the iPad be used for wedding photography to comic portfolios. Yes, it's fairly easy to do a basic portfolio using the built-in Photos app on the iPad, and I've done that myself. However, the current version of Photos doesn't allow album creation on the iPad, and you can't passcode that specific app. For those wanting to explore portfolio apps, TUAW is reviewing two of them this week. Today, I'm taking a look at Portfolio for iPad, and Wednesday I'll look at Xtrafolio. Then, on Thursday, we'll do a head-to-head comparison of the apps and whether the built-in Photos app is the best choice after all. Interface Portfolio makes it easy for first-time users to get started. A basic guide immediately springs up the first time the app is launched. There's a plethora of choices to make the app look slick and professional ranging from color choices to logos. If you don't have a logo to represent your work, you'll be inspired to create one. Different options are available based on whether the portfolio will be shown in portrait or landscape mode, or on an external screen. There are a lot of layers to the app, and sometimes the options get a bit overwhelming. I found myself frequently referring to the help file to remember specific gestures or to explain some of the options as I customized a portfolio. While you can just quickly upload an album and go, Portfolio's strength lies in its versatility, therefore, it's worth taking the time to read the help file to get the most out of it. %Gallery-134921% Use A portfolio is designed to show off your work. They can be anywhere from pages saved in a binder to PDFs on a thumb drive. With more people choosing to own an iPad, it makes sense to use it to display your work if you're a creative professional. Sometimes, you need to change a portfolio in a hurry or your material might be scattered on different computers. Portfolio makes it easy to bring these together and is good for those whose portfolios consist of images, video, PDFs or all these. After creating a gallery, images can be loaded from iPad media, file sharing, URLs, Dropbox or a Mac. Tapping a file automatically adds it to the gallery, which is a little off-putting at first. I prefer to see some sort of ticker box showing me the selections before I commit to adding them to the gallery. Tap away from the selection box, and the jiggling icons are automatically active in case you do change your mind right away. Selecting an image allows a degree of customization that can't be found in the vanilla Photos app. Files can be renamed, keywords and IPTC metadata edited, then you can set that metadata up to be displayed when the gallery is shown. You can rotate an image, set it as the gallery thumbnail or send via email. You can create a gallery slideshow that can be anything you want -- be it understated elegance for wedding photography or your secret gallery of LOLcats set to rock classics from the 80s. Under gallery configuration, you can set a password for each gallery. You can also set a master passcode for the entire app for additional security. When showing your portfolio, you can double-tap on the image to automatically zoom up to 2048x2048 (limited by the iPad's memory, the developer says) or double-tap the thumbnail to bring up a side-by-side comparison with another page. Tap a thumbnail or slide to change images or go into slideshow mode where it does it for you automatically. Portfolio is $14.99 in the App Store, and if you don't mind taking the time to read through the help file and getting to know the program, it's well-recommended for the number of options and the multilayered security features.
Qmadix Portfolio brings removable Bluetooth keyboard to an iPad 2 case (Updated)
I haven't been a real fan of most keyboard cases for iPad for three main reasons -- the keyboards are usually tiny, they use "chiclet" keys, and they're stuck in one place and can't be moved around. Accessory manufacturer Qmadix has just introduced the Qmadix Portfolio with Removable Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad 2 ($149.99) that promises to change all of that. How does it live up to the promise? Read on for my complete look at this new contender. Update: Note that the color of the leather is actually black, not brown as shown in the photo at the top of the page. I apologize for the bad color balance on the photo. Design Compared to most of the portfolio cases that we've tested over the years, the Qmadix Portfolio has a feel of quality around it. The leather exterior is smooth and beautiful, and the stitching is close and tight. As for the keyboard, the keys are closer together than on the $69 Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, but it's a real keyboard with a good feel to it. It's also made with Apple fans in mind -- unlike most of the iPad keyboard cases we see that are repackaged Windows BT keyboards, complete with a Windows button to bring up the Start Menu. Not with this keyboard, which actually has the Apple command key properly marked and in the correct place. The keyboard comes encased in a leather holder that attaches to the main case with magnets. The keyboard is inset a bit, so the leather acts as a nice wrist pad that is actually quite comfortable while typing.The case also has a magnetic latch to keep the cover closed for travel. There's a four-foot micro-USB to USB charging cable to keep the keyboard battery juiced up. According to Qmadix, the battery takes anywhere from four to six hours to fully charge, but will last for up to 30 days depending on usage. %Gallery-129539% Using the Portfolio Keyboard The keyboard is uniquely suited for use with the iPad. The function keys we're used to on the top row of our keyboards have been replaced with iPad-specific function keys. Here's what they do: • Take you back to the iPad Home Screen • Enable the Search function of the iPad • Copy • Paste • Take you to the photo slideshow • Display or hide the virtual keyboard • Take a screenshot • Go to the previous song or track • Play / Pause • Go to the next song or track • Mute the iPad • Raise the volume • Lower the volume • Turn off the iPad (lock screen) • Switch the font on the virtual keyboard I was able to get all of the function keys to work except one. I couldn't figure out what apps the last button was meant to work with. Remember, you'll still need to tap on your iPad screen for certain commands, but the function keys can keep you from having to do too much tapping. There is at least one other keyboard with these same function keys -- the Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2 by Zagg. How's the feel of the keyboard? I liked the tactile feedback of the keys, but found that they were a little too close together for my style of typing. That's a common issue with most portfolio keyboard cases, since they're trying to keep the size of the portfolio down to the size of the iPad. I'd frankly rather see someone make a nice case that would hold a keyboard the same size as the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard -- heck, just make a nice portfolio that would hold an iPad and an Appel Bluetooth Keyboard. That being said, I was able to get used to the Qmadix keyboard very quickly. The Bottom Line So who is the Portfolio for? With the price tag, it's most likely going to appeal to executives or those who are willing to pay a bit more for the quality and convenience. Those who are looking for a cheaper alternative can find many other Bluetooth keyboards, not the least of which would be the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. The Kensington Folio Keyboard ($100), ClamCase ($149), the CaseGoods TypeCase ($149), and Logitech Keyboard by Zagg ($100) all use a similar design, but with fixed keyboards. Heck, if you have the Apple Camera Kit, you could probably pick up a flexible Monoprice USB keyboard for $7 and use it, but I don't think you'd be happy with the chiclet keyboard. The Qmadix Portfolio feels great to type on and the iPad-specific function buttons are well-implemented. The case itself is quite stylish and looks like it would stand up to a lot of use, and it's nice to know that the keyboard can be moved to a comfortable spot for any typist. Of all the portfolio keyboard cases on the market right now, the Qmadix Portfolio is the best of the bunch.
DICE lighting artist lists Mirror's Edge 2 on portfolio
Oscar Carlén, a lighting artist at EA's DICE studio, lists two "2009-present" projects in his portfolio: Battlefield 3 and Mirror's Edge 2. Not only do those games possibly exist, you'll be able to see what's going on in them. Battlefield 3 was first mentioned in June at a conference by EA COO John Pleasants. At that time, Pleasants also revealed a Criterion-developed Need for Speed game, which was announced again during EA's latest financial conference call -- so Battlefield 3 is somewhat of an expected property, lending credence to the existence of Mirror's Edge 2 by association. The last we heard about a follow-up to Mirror's Edge was that a "small team" was working on something back in June. Carlén could be part of that small team. It's possible, given EA's recent layoffs and turn toward more surefire franchises, that Mirror's Edge 2 did exist but no longer does. We're checking with EA to verify the information found on this portfolio and to determine the current state of the franchise. [Thanks, Tim]
KOTOR MMO confirmed by Electronic Arts
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/KOTOR_MMO_confirmed_by_Electronic_Arts'; We've had plenty of speculation -- lots and lots of it -- but now we've got confirmation from Electronic Arts chief executive John Riccitiello that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is indeed getting a massively multiplayer online iteration. Portfolio.com has the story. The article quotes Riccitiello as saying, "... the one that people are dying for us to talk to them about -- in partnership with Lucas, coming out of BioWare, which is, I think, quite possibly the most anticipated game, full stop, for the industry at the point when we get closer to telling you about it." When directly asked if this was confirmation of Knights of the Old Republic Online, the executive said simply, "yes".You can commence the freaking out now.
Bobby Kotick: Activision is "considerate of the culture" at Blizzard
Portfolio has an interview with Bobby Kotick himself, warchief of the Activision Blizzard clan, and in there, they talk about the merger itself (obviously), as well as Kotick's past and what he's trying to do with Activision Blizzard.If you believe everything he's saying, then our favorite game company sounds like it may have landed on pretty good ground. Apparently Activision was originally trying to buy out Vivendi (Kotick says he'd realized that World of Warcraft wasn't so much a game as a full-fledged social network), but Vivendi made the counter-offer of a partnership instead. And while Kotick only chats briefly about Activizzard's other properties (he thinks facial and mouth movement will help videogames tell great stories -- sigh), he does say that Activision is a place where Blizzard can grow as a studio of its own, as compared to a faceless corporation like, ahem, EA.All in all, Kotick doesn't sound like too bad a guy, although I can't imagine that any CEOs being profiled in something called "Portfolio" would. It does at least sound like he'll let Blizzard do their thing, although just as we've said before, while things are great now when the money is rolling in, there's no knowing what will happen in the future.[Via WorldofWar.net]
