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Destiny opens pre-orders and pre-loading
Looking forward to getting into Destiny when it launches on September 9th? Then go ahead and pre-order it on your PlayStation 4, and you'll be able to pre-load the game before launch. No, really; Destiny is the first title on the PS4 to support pre-loading, allowing you to have the game installed and ready to play once the launch happens. It's in the PlayStation Store on both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 as of today. Players who pre-order the title will also have access to the game's beta once it starts up in July. Theyll need to also sign up at Bungie.net and link their PSN ID to keep informed about the beta and be eligible for participation. Keep your eyes peeled for more news as we approach the start of beta.
Samsung Galaxy S5 comes late to Verizon, but on a 2-for-1 deal
Verizon often takes its sweet time getting the latest phones, and Samsung's new alpha dog, the Galaxy S5, is no exception -- AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint all nabbed it first. However, at least Big Red's sweetening the pot on the 5.1-inch, Full HD, Snapdragon 801-equipped handset. While it's now on pre-order at $200 for a two year deal or $600 sans contract, you can get a second GS5 (or other select models) for "free." The only catch is that you'll need to sign up for another two-year plan, so the phone is essentially half-price with two contracts. Still, you'd be able to chuckle at your Windows Phone-using pals, who'd pay the same price for essentially last year's model.
The Nexus Telegraph: What it means that you can buy Wildstar
On March 10th, I opined that we were close to seeing a release date for Wildstar, along with the end of the NDA and a real change to beta structures. On March 12th, Carbine Studios announced all of that. Prescient? Possibly. All right, no; I just made an educated guess that turned out to be educated completely right. Astute readers will remember that I also made an educated guess about Medic and Engineer that turned out to be more or less completely accurate, as well, so I am apparently on the same wavelength as the people over at the studio. I didn't find out I was right on the money until you all did. That having been said... do I need to stress that this is a huge deal? Here's a game that fell under the "most anticipated" header for this site two years in a row, and now it's finally going to be a thing. We're finally moving out of beta testing and into launch. So let's talk about the impending launch, the pre-ordering, and all that comes along with both.
Having trouble pre-ordering Reaper of Souls? You're not alone
If you're trying to pick up your own copy of Diablo 3's soon-to-be-released Reaper of Souls expansion from Blizzard, you may have run head-first into a "500: Internal Server Error" message. The big downside to this error -- beyond your inability to buy the expansion -- is that though you don't get anything, you may still see the charge pending on your credit card. According to Blizzard support, because the charge didn't successfully go through, it should vanish within a few days. However, it doesn't leave us inclined to, as the error suggests, try again later. Fortunately, Blizzard is on the case: We're experiencing difficulties with pre-orders for Reaper of Souls. These issues will be resolved ASAP. Thanks very much for your patience! - BlizzardCS (@BlizzardCS) March 21, 2014 Hopefully we'll see a resolution sooner rather than later -- with Reaper of Souls due out on the 25th, there's not much time left to buy for release-day gameplay. In the meantime, we're holding off on clicking "buy" until @BlizzardCS gives us the all clear.
Sprint gets the Galaxy S5 and Gear smartwatches April 11th, pre-orders go live today
Sprint's getting the Galaxy S5, too. And like fellow underdog T-Mobile, the carrier plans to offer Samsung's flagship handset for no dinero upfront on its Easy Pay plan. Which means, you still have to pay, but just in 24 monthly increments. Those pre-orders begin today for folks visiting Sprint's retail stores -- that is if you can still find one that isn't shuttered -- and begin shipping on April 11th. And to sweeten the pot a little for those that aren't entirely sold on the GS5, Sprint's even tossing in zippy 4G LTE for subs that live in Spark markets, as well as a "free" Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 for qualifying Framily (ugh, that word!) members. Though note you'll have to open a separate two-year agreement to get it. But there's even more Samsung gadgetry on the way. On the same day the GS5 becomes available, Sprint will also add Samsung's new line of Gear smartwatches -- the Gear 2/Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit -- to its portfolio. As a relatively low-end impulse buy, you'll be able to get the Neo and Fit for $200, while the more "luxe" Gear 2 will go for $300.
WildStar announces June 3rd launch date, preorder bonuses
It's official: WildStar is launching worldwide on June 3rd, and as of right this very moment, the NDA has lifted. Preorders for Carbine's sub-based sci-fantasy MMORPG will be available next Wednesday, March 19th. The $59.99 preorder provides beta events, early access on May 31st, housing deco that grants a rest XP bonus, character and guild name reservations, a 10-slot storage bag, and the exclusive rocket house shown above, in addition to the Standard Edition's 30 days of play time, buddy passes, and more deco. Another $15 gets you a Digital Deluxe version with a hoverboard, costume, title, and dye set. Stay tuned today for Massively's coverage from the recent press event, and enjoy the newly released images and launch announcement trailer. [Source: Carbine press release]
Tamriel Infinium: Fleecing Elder Scrolls Online fans with preorders
Are you as excited as I am about the Imperial Edition of the Elder Scrolls Online? When I introduced the announcement to my friends, I said something closer to, "Welp, this is a thing." Don't get me wrong; I am looking forward to the launch, and I will likely get the Imperial Edition because I want to play an Imperial. I played one in Skyrim and Oblivion; I want to play one in ESO, too. Some players are upset that if you get this collector's edition, the Imperial race is open to any faction. Even some of my friends are annoyed. Another issue that struck them hard -- probably harder than the Imperial race addition -- was the preorder bonuses. And I'm not talking about the five-day early access. No, the hate swelled over the preorder ability to play any race in any faction. I'm sure that some of them would say that I am being obtuse, but I really can't wrap my head around why they seemed more upset about this bonus more than previous bonuses given for MMORPG preorders.
Amazon opens pre-orders for Kindle Fire HD and Fire HDX in the UK and Canada
Amazon just announced its latest tablets are available for pre-order in the UK and Canada. While the updated Kindle Fire HD will begin shipping in both countries on October 24th, Canadian customers will have to wait until November 26th, almost two weeks later than their UK counterparts, to get their hands on Amazon's newest tablet flagship: the Kindle Fire HDX. The 16GB version HDX, will cost $254 CDN/£199 (with Special Offers). The 7-inch HD however is $254 CDN/£199. Both the HD and HDX come in 8.9-inch variants with more storage too, starting at $284 CDN/£229 for the HD. The only question now is if the super-glossy display, upgraded CPU and Fire OS 3.0 are worth the extra scratch.
Amazon: Watch Dogs PS4 bundle pre-orders will get the system on time [Update: GameStop responds]
Update: GameStop has sent out an email to customers who pre-ordered the Watch Dogs PS4 bundle, which Pixel Enemy has posted online. These customers may either elect to receive their console on time and get the game separately, when it ships later, or exchange the bundle entirely for another. Those that pre-ordered a PS4 launch bundle packaged that was slated to include Watch Dogs will still receive their consoles on time, Amazon reassured buyers. The news follows Watch Dogs' delay to spring 2014, along with a delay for Ubisoft's racer The Crew. In an update on the bundle's product page, Amazon noted that "all orders for the Watch Dogs PlayStation 4 bundle will keep their place in line and we will fulfill the PlayStation 4 (without the Watch Dogs game) in accordance with your current delivery estimate." Amazon added that it is "working on adjusting these orders and will update you as soon as we know more." Stock for the launch-day bundles have come and gone, and include Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack and Battlefield 4. [Thanks, Eric!]
Sprint opens LG G2 pre-orders ahead of November 8th release
Already on sale for more than a month at AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, Sprint has finally revealed when you'll be able to get your hands on LG's G2 flagship. The operator today opened pre-orders for the $99 Android phone but doesn't expect deliveries to hit your doorstep until November 8th. To sweeten the deal, Sprint will also provide lazy notification cases (which are actually pretty convenient) to everyone who pre-orders a G2 through its website. [Thanks, Metayoshi]
Bungie to offer Destiny beta access as early pre-order perk
We've all seen the demo, but none of us have actually played Destiny, Bungie and publisher Activision's forthcoming first-person-shooter / MMO-like effort. But starting today, Destiny's persistent open world will begin opening up... to gamers that buy in early, that is. A limited amount of pre-orders placed now at select retailers will garner gamers beta access to Destiny, which is scheduled to launch early next year on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. If you happened to jump the gun and plunk down for a copy before today, don't worry, as your order automatically reserves you a spot for the beta. Depending on your method of purchase, redemption codes will either be emailed directly or printed out at the time of purchase, so hold off on trashing those receipts. You can find the full details of the program and a new trailer just after the break.
Infamous: Second Son pre-orders get some pretty vests
Sony has teamed up with select artists to offer some exclusive vests for Infamous: Second Son protagonist Delsin Rowe. All those who pre-order the game through select retailers will get four vests in total, each designed by Penny Arcade, iam8bit, San Diego street artist Exist 1981 and artist and designer, Jos. Watch the video above for a closer look at each vest. Infamous: Second Son, set seven years after the events of Infamous 2, takes place in Seattle, Washington. The open-world superhero game from Sucker Punch launches for PS4 early next year.
Sony reveals blue 250GB PS3 for $250, exclusive to GameStop
Sony is hoping that by now you either don't already own a PlayStation 3, or direly need a game console to match your primary colored living room decor before November 15th. To that end, the tech giant is releasing the previously Japan-only "azurite blue" PS3 Superslim exclusively to GameStop. The console sports a 250GB hard drive, one matching DualShock 3 controller and a $249.99 price tag -- kinda makes that $200 12GB model look a bit silly now, doesn't it? Pre-orders open up tomorrow and you'll be able to pick one up from your favorite GameStop or Canadian EB Games starting October 8th.
Xbox One Wireless Controller, Play and Charge Kit and Chat Headset available for pre-order
Already locked down your Xbox One Day One Edition order? Now's your chance to also reserve its initial batch of accessories (including that mono Chat Headset, which isn't included with the console). The Wireless Controller ($60), Play and Charge Kit ($25) and Chat Headset ($25) for the Xbox One have all popped up for pre-order at the Microsoft Store. The One's gamepad rings up at five bones more than the 360 variant, but it's also available as a $75 bundle with the Play and Charge Kit (roughly 10 dollars in savings). Joystiq notes that Gamestop and Amazon are also options, albeit only for the controller itself. If you plan to reserve any of the accessories, we'd suggest taking Microsoft's Dec 31st arrival date as a loose estimate -- the One releases in November and Amazon is pegging the controller for November 27th.
New Nexus 7 'Razor' prices, specs, benchmarks revealed (update: Best Buy pre-order page still up)
It seems like new Nexus 7s are everywhere, so we're not surprised one of the tablets floating around has finally been subjected to a quick round of benchmarking. Android Police has dug deep into the specs, confirming this slate -- device codenamed "Razor" -- has internals nearly identical to the Nexus 4, with a Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU running at 1.5GHz and 2GB of RAM behind its 1920x1200 7-inch screen. Running the 3DMark and AnTuTu benchmarks revealed scores slightly higher than the Nexus 4, but we'll probably have to wait just a little longer to find out exactly what its Android 4.3 OS is bringing to the table. Update: Droid-Life points out that Best Buy has kicked off pre-orders early for the 16GB and 32GB variants. The pricing ($229 and $269, respectively), release date (July 30th) and specs are all well-known by now, but if you're willing to be the next person to buy one, you can get in line at the link below. Update deux: Best Buy has pulled the pre-order pages. Sadface. [Thanks, Charlie] Correction: OK, so the pre-order pages haven't been taken down, as such. You will no longer find them by searching Best Buy's site, but the direct URLs are still live and they confirm the key specs (see the source links).
Best Buy re-opens Xbox One Day One pre-orders, Gamestop officially out
Best Buy pre-orders for the Xbox One Day One Edition are now live (again), while many other retailers are quickly selling out of their stocks. The Xbox One Day One Edition is no longer up for pre-order at Gamestop "due to high demand," a spokesperson tells us. Those interested in learning when more consoles are available at Gamestop can sign up for the mailing list. Gamestop halted PS4 pre-orders for the same reason on July 9, so if an intense feeling of déjà vu just assaulted anyone, it's totally normal. Or you're in the Matrix. Here's the latest next-gen retailer run-down: Amazon is out of Xbox One Day One consoles, but it has the standard edition, and it also has standard PS4 bundles. Wal Mart has Day One editions and a variety of PS4 launch bundles for pre-order. Best Buy, of course, now has Xbox One Day One for pre-order, along with the PS4.
gdgt's best deals for July 15: Samsung 24-inch 1080p HDTV, ASUS Nexus 7
Ready to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our sister site gdgt tracks price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. Today's hottest deals include a dirt-cheap, dorm-ready 24-inch Samsung HDTV and a low price on an ASUS Nexus 7. It's also worth noting that the Kindle Fire HD, which we've featured before, has hit a new low at $159.99 at Best Buy, where it's available for in-store purchase only. Want the latest deals delivered to your inbox? Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list. Every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
Xbox One not available at Gamestop, retailers run short on next-gen
The Xbox One Day One Edition at Gamestop is currently unavailable, after the retailer re-opened pre-orders this weekend. All of the Xbox One Day One bundles – including Battlefield 4, Forza 5, Dead Rising 3, Watch Dogs and Call of Duty: Ghosts – are unavailable for purchase. As of July 12, Gamestop still had Xbox One bundles in stock and open to pre-order, but these retailer stockpiles are dwindling fast. Amazon is out of Day One editions, but the Standard edition is still up for pre-order. Xbox One Day One pre-orders will hit Best Buy "soon," while Wal Mart pre-orders are still live. Wal Mart, Amazon and Best Buy both have the PS4 available for pre-order, though the launch-day bundles are MIA. We've contacted Gamestop for clarification on Xbox One availability. [Thanks, Jpzocool!]
ASUS' 31.5-inch 4K monitor is up for pre-order for an introductory $3,500
A mere month after ASUS unveiled its 31.5-inch 4K monitor to the world, and the humbly-named PQ321 is already available for pre-order on Amazon, Newegg and TigerDirect. As a reminder, the Ultra HD display boasts a jaw-dropping 3840 x 2160-pixel 10-bit RGB (a billion colors) IGZO panel with LED backlight, 176-degree viewing angles, a maximum of 350 cd/m2 in brightness and 8ms GTG response time. Built-in stereo speakers sweeten the package, as does a 3.5mm audio jack, DisplayPort connectivity and dual HDMI inputs. Oh, and did we mention it's also apparently the thinnest 4K monitor on the market at only 35mm thick? However, you'll have to pay a pretty penny for all that awesomeness: it has an introductory price of $3,499.99. That's about $300 less than what was announced a month ago, but it's still not exactly cheap. The PQ321 is set for a July 16th release date, so you still have a couple weeks to bribe relatives, rob a bank or sell off any unwanted organs.
Target offering magic cards with Skylanders Swap Force pre-order
Activision has announced that Target will be passing out magic cards with pre-orders for the upcoming Skylanders Swap Force. Portalmasters who pre-order the game at Target will get an exclusive physical trading card that grants upgrades in the game when placed on the new Portal of Power. Swap Force's marquee feature is that it uses characters with two parts that can be mixed and matched, but these specially branded trading cards will work as well. There's also an ongoing deal (at all retailers) that grants a free "Lightcore Hex" Skylanders Giants character when you pre-order a starter pack. This Giants character, like all of the other characters in the series so far, can also be used to play through Swap Force content. If you're a parent of younger children, it's also something else for you to trip over.
