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That insanely-expensive hoverboard is now $5,000 cheaper
Did you take a look at Arca Space's honest-to-goodness actual hoverboard and think that $19,900 was a bit too much? That's excellent, because the firm has revealed that its canny business deals have lowered the price down to just $14,900. It's a fact that should please all none of its pre-order customers, which can expect the extra $5,000 to be reimbursed. For that money, buyers will get a slab that, thanks to 36 electric fans kicking out upthrust, will keep you floating, a bit, above the ground, for, uh, six minutes. Which is perfect if your morning commute takes five minutes.
BlackBerry's Priv will cost you $699
BlackBerry has opened-up pre-orders for its first ever Android smartphone, the curved-screen slider that's better known as the Priv. The move comes just a day after the spec list was leaked on the company's site, although the price that was included in the listing turned out to be a red herring. In fact, American BlackBerry fans will be able to pre-order the device for $699 starting from today, with delivery expected on November 6th. Canadians, meanwhile, can plonk down $899 CDN to get the device in their home country, while UK users are expected to stump-up £559 ($857) for the same deal.
Nextbit's 'cloud first' smartphone is up for pre-order
Want your next smartphone to stand out from the crowd? Nextbit's Robin will do just that. The boxy, mint-colored handset (it also comes in a blackish "midnight") was originally funded on Kickstarter, and now it's available for regular pre-orders via BackerKit. The device certainly looks different, but what makes it truly special is its approach to software. Nextbit is doubling down on the cloud -- the Robin has 32GB of internal storage, but that's coupled with an extra 100GB online. If you're starting to near capacity, the phone will automatically shift little-used apps and data into the cloud, ensuring you're never left furiously deleting old photos. That's the theory, anyway -- we're curious to see how it holds up in practice. Kickstarter backers were able to get the phone for as little as $299, but now you're looking at $399 for a regular pre-order. That's not extortionate for an Android flagship, but this is a new startup launching their first phone -- you've got to be brave to buy one, especially when there are similarly priced alternatives like the Nexus 5X.
Moto X Style and new Moto 360 up for pre-order in the UK
Motorola's latest and greatest are now available to pre-order in the UK. Following the Moto X Play, you can now spend your hard-earned cash on the Moto X Style, which currently has an estimated delivery date of October 6th. The bigger and more powerful brother to the X Play, it features a 5.7-inch QHD display, a 21-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor. Slapped on top is a practically stock Android experience -- save for a few Moto-exclusive apps and features -- and the option to customise your phone through Moto Maker. The phone starts from £399, although you'll pay an extra £35 for the 64GB model and another £20 if you want a leather or wood back.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus pre-orders are live
It's that magical time of year where adults sit awake at their computers in the middle of the night (or with an iDevice and the Apple Store app open) in an effort to snag the latest iPhones. Pre-orders have gone live for Cupertino's latest handsets, the 6s and 6s Plus, and if you're hoping to get one for that first-wave September 25th availability date you'd better act fast. After all, 3D Touch isn't going to wait around for everyone. So! Best to head over to Apple's website or the aforementioned mobile app and get to punching in your credit card info. The questions now are big or small; space grey, gold or rose gold and if you're going to go for Apple's Upgrade Program or not. Better make your mind up rather quick-like -- Fallout fans, at least, have one less decision to make.
Apple helps you prep to pre-order a new iPhone
Anxious to get your hands on one of those shiny new iPhones? You're not alone. And while you may be waiting a few days to have one in hand, pre-orders open up this weekend. To help prep for the rush, the company is allowing eager US customers to enter some personal info ahead of the pre-order window opening, so when the time comes, all you'll have to do is select your carrier, model and storage options before hitting submit. Entering your details will also tell you how much you'll be parting with to secure the phone you're after. Of course, Apple also has a new carrier-free upgrade plan that gets you a new iPhone every time a new one becomes available after 12 monthly payments. That option starts at $32 for the 16GB iPhone 6s. If you haven't set your reminder yet, pre-orders open up at 12:01 AM PT (3:01 AM ET) September 12th.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 pre-orders start today
We know what the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 looks like, but what about the important stuff? Namely, when we'll be able to get our paws on it and how much it'll cost? Well, boy howdy the Korean electronics juggernaut's answered both of those questions this morning. You can pre-order the slate starting today and the device hits "select" US retailers and carriers come September 3rd. A WiFi model packed with 32GB of storage and a 9.7-inch screen will set you back a cool $499.99 while the 8-inch model with the same capacity is $100 less.
Samsung's Galaxy S6 Edge+ now up for pre-order in the UK
Samsung's Galaxy Note 5 may never come to the UK, but if you're a phablet fan that doesn't mean you're out of options. The company is also pushing its monstrous 5.7-inch Galaxy S6 Edge+, which is available to pre-order today ahead of its full debut on September 4th. You can buy the 32GB model from Samsung's site for £749, or splash an extra £80 for double the storage. For comparison, the company is selling the Galaxy S6 for £499 at the moment and the regular S6 Edge from £669. If buying the device off-contract sounds absurdly expensive -- you can buy four new Moto Gs for the same price, after all -- you can always pick up a subsidised device with your preferred mobile network. Vodafone, O2 and Three, among others, have a wide array of plans for you to mull over.
Play as the Terminator if you want to live in 'WWE 2K16'
WWE 2K16, the latest installment in Take-Two's yearly wrestling franchise, will feature a familiar face stretched around a nigh-indestructible metal skeleton: the Terminator, as portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. The Terminator is a playable character in WWE 2K16, but only for those who pre-order the game on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One or Xbox 360. Pre-orders are live now and the game is due to hit shelves on October 27th, just in time to perfect your "Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator as a wrestler in a WWE video game" Halloween costume.
You can now pre-order the Pebble Time smartwatch for $200
If you missed out on nabbing a Pebble Time smartwatch through the company's Kickstarter campaign, now's your chance to order one. The wearable is available for pre-order starting today for $200 through Best Buy in the US and in Pebble's online store if you live outside of the States. While the company says exact shipping dates and in-store sales are still in the works, Best Buy product pages indicate that your Time should arrive by July 20th -- if you order today, of course. The smartchwatch is available in three colors (black, white and red), and if you're looking for a certain hue, all three options are available in both stores. Still on the fence about splurging for one? Read through our full review for all the detailed info.
Pebble Time's regular pre-orders start on June 22nd
If you missed out on Pebble Time's crowdfunding campaign and won't get one of the early units shipping today, you now have a date to mark on your calendar: Pebble has revealed that it's going to start regular pre-orders for the color smartwatch on June 22nd. That'll leave you waiting quite a while before you can even buy the $199 wearable, but you'll at least get a more polished device for your trouble. Pebble is promising an update that lets iPhone users dictate replies to Gmail messages, so you'll have one less reason to pull your handset out of your pocket.
Oculus Rift goes mainstream early 2016
Quarter one 2016. It's the answer to a question we've asked basically every time we've spoken with Oculus VR since 2012: "When does the consumer version of the Rift come out?" Aside from that revelation, we're also getting our first look at the final design of the headset, but that's it! No word on price or launch games, experiences or Facebook apps, either. Come to think of it, "no" probably fits as an answer to any other question you might have at this point. Oculus teased that it'll have more to share soon, specifically hinting at June's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), but for now we'll just have to make do with these morsels. If Sony hoped to have early 2016 to itself in terms of VR for the masses with Project Morpheus, those dreams have effectively been dashed.
Pre-orders for a 'reversible' Android phone open April 21st (updated)
Wondering when you could get your hands on the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3? You know, the Android smartphone that can take calls upside down? Well, it shouldn't be too much longer. Pre-orders start April 21st with a $249 asking price for the 5.5-inch version (pictured above, left). As Android Central notes, that's a $30 break if you lay money down now as opposed to later on down the road. The official launch date is still rather ambiguous, but a press release over on 9to5Google says that the unlocked Lollipop devices start shipping sometime in May. Update: Slight change of plan: Alcatel OneTouch is now doing a "limited time early pre-sale" ahead of the original April 21st pre-order launch. Better yet, the phone will cost just $199.99 during this period, which translates to a $50 discount.
'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided' pre-orders live now
Pre-orders for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided are live today via the game's official site, open to pure humans and transhumans alike. (The site is down at the moment, but it should be "back soon"). Mankind Divided is in development for PS4, Xbox One and PC, and it doesn't have an official release date. Yes, you can pre-order a game that was revealed, without many details, just minutes ago and that doesn't yet have a release date. Welcome to the future.
Grommash Hellscream statue now available for pre-order
If you've seen any of the photos or footage from BlizzCon this year, you have doubtless seen at least a few shots of a larger than life Grommash Hellscream statue, proudly poised atop Mannoroth's decapitated head. Although the full-scale piece is off limits, Blizzard has opened preorders for a slightly smaller version of the statue on the official Blizzard Gear Store. The statue, measuring a full foot and a half in height, was sculpted in house by Senior Sculptor Brian Fay, art directed by Nick Carpenter, and features paint work by none other than Senior Illustrator Lauren Austin -- that would be the woman also responsible for the gorgeous art in Blizzard's Lords of War animated series. If you're looking to pre-order, you can head to Blizzard's official site -- but be warned, for something this detailed and large, it's going to cost you. The Grommash Hellscream statue is $350, and is expected to be shipped by the end of August, 2015. Check out more images of this impressive piece and preorder one for yourself if you're so inclined at the Blizzard Gear Store.
Google Play lets you pre-order movies before they leave theaters
A number of internet video stores (including iTunes) have let you pre-order movies for a while, but not Google Play -- you've had to mark the release on your calendar to get a hot flick ASAP. Don't worry about being so dutiful in the future, though. Google has switched on movie pre-orders for Google Play users in the US; you now just have to find the title you want to see and click a button to reserve it. Other countries will get the feature "soon," Google says. It's a pretty straightforward addition, but it could be very helpful if you're determined to score a copy of Gone Girl while you're still in the theater parking lot.
Elite: Dangerous' pre-order incentives include a new ride
Prior to the upcoming Elite: Dangerous, the series' last space venture was in 1995. Dusting off the old ships in your hanger is always an option, but what about the wiring? Are you sure that's still up to code? Did you ever clean the remnants of your intergalactic fast food stops out from the cockpit? You could spend a weekend bringing your ship back to speed, or you could just pre-order Elite: Dangerous - Mercenary Edition for $50 and make a new Eagle fighter your primary ride. Aside from a new ship, pre-ordering grants eager pilots a pack of paint jobs, a "Day One" ship decal, a digital players' guide and concept art book, and "more digital goodies" that will be announced over the coming weeks. Mercenary Edition's listing also notes this content is exclusive to pre-orders, which could keep sightings of your model fairly uncommon in the vastness of space. Elite: Dangerous is due to make contact with PC and Mac in 2014, though anyone willing to part with $75 can get into the beta today. [Image: Frontier Developments]
GameStop promises it won't interfere with game development
It's understandable if the news of retail giant GameStop getting in on game development made you nervous. The potential of a store with vested interest in exclusive content dictating what goes into a game from its inception is more than a little frightening. It turns out those fears, however, may have been unfounded. Company CEO Paul Raines recently told Time that we won't see the outfit involved with the creative process, nor essentially mandating parts of a main game be blocked off for those who only buy it through his store. "We love to play games, and unlike our competitors all we do is gaming. But we will not be involved in the artistic or creative process. That's not really our domain."
GameStop wants to offer exclusive content with its preorder titles
We're guessing a few of you don't mind preordering the latest triple-A game to ensure you get your hands on it on release day, but (ignoring the whole digital distribution thing) it's increasingly rare for game stores to sell out of predictable hit titles. Now GameStop's looking to convolute add value to its preorder offering, according to a recent meeting with investment company RW Baird. "Software publishers [indicated that they] are more enthusiastic about partnering with [GameStop]... For example, by offering exclusive content on each major game release, and longer term, future models may include GameStop offering exclusive gameplay." In GamesBeat's report, analyst Colin Sebastian said that the retailer was musing on "getting involved at the time of game development" with the intention of adding exclusive content inside big releases. Worse case scenario: the exclusive GameStop shotgun and a load of Stan Lee skins. Best case? We're taking suggestions.
The Daily Grind: Are the days of preordering MMOs fading?
In January 2007, I stood in line at a brick-and-mortar store at midnight to pick up six preorder copies of The Burning Crusade for myself, my husband, and my overseas guildies. By that point, I'd been playing MMOs for a decade already, but somehow, driving through an ice storm to stand in that line was so totally worth it. Flash-forward to 2014 and I rarely bother with preorders anymore, and it's not because "the magic is gone" or anything nostalgia-driven like that. Between shoddy or exploitative preorder bonuses, widespread digital distribution, crowdfunded founder packs, and open betas and headstarts that go on forever and ever, it just seems as if a standard preorder is becoming a relic of the past, something that's relatively easy to pass on. I'd rather just hang onto my money and buy in when there's a product and not just a promise. What about you guys? Do you still preorder MMOs or other games? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
