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PSA: iPhone 5 pre-orders kick off on September 14th at 3:01AM ET
Ready to hop on the iPhone 5 bandwagon after tuning into yesterday's unveiling? Keep an eye on the clock and pull out a credit card, because Apple, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will kick off online pre-orders tomorrow at 3:01AM (or at 12:01AM PT for folks on the West Coast). Sixth generation iPhones begin shipping on September 21st and start at $199.99 for 16GB models bound to two-year contracts. Those who relish a healthy dose of suspense can always test the hand of fate -- and retail availability -- by visiting Apple's brick-and-mortar establishments at 8AM on launch day.
Wii U now up for pre-order at GameStop, trade credits outlined for your current gaming arsenal
Eager to get your mitts on one of the Wii U consoles? Well, you can pre-order both the basic and premium bundles from the folks at GameStop starting today in order to be well-prepared for the November 18th release. The gaming retailer is also offering a variety of trade-in credits for those aging kits that you're itchin' to get rid of. You can expect to snag $50 for your old Wii and the numbers continue to head north from there for the Xbox 360, PS3 and more. You can pre-order a number of the launch titles as well, should you feel inclined to do so. Dive in to the particulars in the full PR that follows and hit the source link to commit your funds to the cause.
Best Buy takes 2012 Amazon Kindle pre-orders for those that hate online shopping, appreciate irony
There's a certain amount of self-contradiction going on if you're visiting a brick-and-mortar store to pre-order a device that's all about e-commerce. If you relish the irony, Best Buy will gladly let you reserve Amazon's $69 Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, upgraded Kindle Fire and both sizes of the Kindle Fire HD (including the LTE model) at both regular locations and Best Buy Mobile. The retailer isn't as specific with its in-stock dates as Amazon: beyond the $69 Kindle's September 14th date, we're only promised a generic October release for the Paperwhite and 7-inch Kindle Fires, while the 8.9-inch tablets will be available "before Christmas." Not the quickest path to getting a new Kindle in your hands, then, but it may be the best way to get a hands-on before clinching the deal.
TiVo Stream DVR-to-iOS transcoder box pops up for $129 pre-orders early
We haven't heard a lot about TiVo's Stream transcoder since it was officially unveiled in May, but today emails went out to winners of a Facebook contest informing them they can pre-order one for $129 (plus shipping) and receive it on September 5th. In case you've forgotten what its capabilities are, the notice shown above from Zatz Not Funny also includes a description of its capabilities which include streaming shows to up to three different mobile devices (iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch) in the home at once, streaming a show to your mobile as it's recorded, or wirelessly transferring shows to the device to view them on the move, TiVoToGo-style. Those interested will of course need a Premiere series DVR that's hard-wired to a router, but with that it's just a one time fee to easily cut the tether on TV content. Interestingly, a few TiVo Community posters report being able to preorder from the listed number without being in the contest, so if you're already intending to jump just pick up the phone and give it a shot. [Thanks, @BrennokBob, Joe]
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 20th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week was a bit slow, but we've managed to dig up a couple interesting MeeGo tidbits, along with an excellent utility for Nexus 7 / OS X users -- something to help you in the pursuit of slack. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of August 20th, 2012.
Hisense building budget-friendly Google TV set-top box, will put Android in your living room for under $100
Looks like consumers are about to get another option in their search for an affordable connected TV solution: Hisense is building its own Google TV set-top box. The product doesn't have a price -- let alone a name -- but will sell for under $100 when it hits shelves later this year. "Hisense adds even more innovation to the growing list of Google TV-powered devices available around the world." Says Google TV partner manager Mickey Kim. "We're working closely with partners like Hisense to bring services from Google and multiple other providers to your TV with an experience tailored for the living room." Details are scarce, but the outfit promises to reveal more at IFA next week. Can't wait? Check out Vizio's Co-Star.
Acer CloudMobile now available for pre-order in the UK, expected to be released on September 5th
Acer took the gadget world by surprise with its award-winning CloudMobile handset, and now it looks like the company's finally ready to let consumers get their eager palms on that 4.3-inch, 720p slab. Per online retailer Expansys, Acer's CloudMobile will be released in the United Kingdom on September 5th, with the site already taking pre-orders for the SIM-free smartphone at £285 -- or about $447 in Yankee currency. Speaking of which, Expansys' also taking early orders for the unlocked device on its US site, though it's not listing a specific release date or even pricing info on that front. At any rate, parties interested can check out our hands-on, and see if it's enough to get you to shell out some cash.
Ears-on with Klipsch's latest intra-aural headphone lineup: Image S4 (II) series, X7i
Been fancying a new set of in-ear headphones as of late? If you'll recall, it was last week when Klipsch quietly revealed its new $200 Image X7i and a trio of Image S4 (II) series in-ears. Today, after getting our mitts on the new Image One on-ear models at its NYC event, we were able check out the in-ears for the first time. To refresh your memory, the X7i is the company's first set crafted from ceramic materials, featuring balanced-armature drivers and intended as a step-down option from its $350 X10i. The S4 (II) models, on the other hand, are unsurprisingly refreshes of its tried and true S4 line. So if you're interested in finding out more, join us past the break for our detailed impressions.
OUYA console pre-order now available for non-backers starting at $109, slated to ship in April
Miss out on your chance to snag the Android-based gaming console during OUYA's Kickstarter tour-de-force? Worry not, friends. The outfit has opened up pre-orders it promised for those who didn't take the plunge initially via on its website. While you will have to wait another month to get your mitts on a kit of your very own, the second round of advance purchasing will set you back $109 for US customers and $119 for those abroad. Included in the aforementioned price tag is the console, a single controller and the requisite shipping costs. Hit up the source link below to part with your funds and begin the waiting period.
Klipsch quietly teases new in-ear headphone lineup: S4 (II) series, X7i set to arrive this month
Leave it to Klipsch to surprise us with new gear for our ears when we least expect it. Within the last day or so, the company quietly pushed a "coming soon" page live on its website chock full of new in-ear headphones. To start, the S4 series is getting a complete refresh across the lineup and taking up the (II) moniker -- namely, the $80 S4 (II), and the $100 S4i (II) and S4a (II), which respectively feature an inline remote / mic for iOS and Android devices. While the trio of intra-aurals look largely similar to their ear-pleasing predecessors, Klipsch has graced them with flat cables to kill the tangled-cord issues we've experienced. Better yet, it's also showcasing the $200 X7i (seen middle), a curvaceous set of balanced armature-loaded ceramic 'bubs, equipped with an iOS-compatible remote / mic. The S7i essentially fills the "mid-range" gap in price from the S4i to the $350 X10i. Detailed specs for all the sets aren't anywhere to be seen currently We'll be sure to get some impressions at Klipsch's NYC event next week, but for now, you can rest assured knowing that you'll have a choice of black or white for everything except the S4a (II) -- and that it's all already up for pre-order at the source link below.
Preorder Dishonored during QuakeCon, get Arx Fatalis for free
Dishonored is being shown off this weekend at QuakeCon 2012, and if you can't make it down to Texas, here's the next best thing: Load up the gallery below, and flick through the pictures really quickly. All right, that won't work, but at least you'll get to see some brand-new (and creepy) screens from the much-anticipated game.QuakeCon's also brought a pre-order bonus for Arkane Studios' latest - if you pre-purchase the game on Steam between now and the end of QuakeCon on August 5, you'll get access to Arkane's previous first-person RPG, Arx Fatalis, for no extra charge. Just take your time with that one: Dishonored won't be out until October 8.%Gallery-161677%
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron demo available next week, now for GameStop preorders
If you've been waiting to get your hands on the latest Transformers title, the wait is nearly over. Activision has announced that the Transformers: Fall of Cybertron demo should be arriving on Xbox Live and PSN on July 31. Players who download it will be able to play through two single-player missions (High Moon Studios has been showing off two missions starring Bumblebee and Grimlock at various events recently, so odds are it's those two), as well as dip into multiplayer and the in-depth customization system.And if that's even too long for you, you can preorder the game at GameStop. Customers who preorder the game there are getting access to the demo as soon as, well, now. Imagine this one in your best Peter Cullen voice: Autobots, roll out!
Project Glass pre-orderers welcomed as 'Explorers', promised super secret updates on progress
Google's Project Glass had a surprisingly large presence (skydivers) during its I/O event earlier this year, and now company co-founder Sergey Brin has checked in with the attendees who promised $1,500 for a set of the augmented reality eyepiece. In his message he shared a photo he took while cruising through Montana thanks to a mode it's testing that snaps a picture every 10 seconds, no intervention needed. Unfortunately, if you're not in that exclusive pre-ordering group you'll have to wait for details like these to leak out secondhand since private updates, special events, Google+ Hangouts, secret handshakes and Little Orphan Annie decoder rings (perhaps not the last two) are reserved for a "unique, trusted community." Hey, it's not like the rest of us wanted some silly visor or etched glass blocks anyway.
Vizio Co-Star Google TV set-top box is up for pre-order, $100 brings it your way in August
As promised, Vizio has starting taking pre-orders for its Co-Star Google TV box. For a penny less than a Benjamin, it adds the new Google TV experience to your existing setup, and brings along its remote with QWERTY keyboard on the underside and integrated IR blaster. Based on one of Marvell's ARM processors it's ready for apps like OnLive, and now that the price is competitive with the hockey puck streamers like Roku, Western Digital or Apple, we'll see which one consumers choose. August 14th is the current estimated shipping date, if you'd like to be the first with one (and take advantage of a "limited time" free shipping offer) before the box hits retailers hit the source link to get in line, or check out the press release and quick video preview embedded after the break.
Nexus 7 pre-orders start shipping in UK and Canada (Update: model specific US details)
The Nexus 7 machine is in full swing. According to Google, all pre-orders placed by Friday the 13th in the US and Australia have been filled as of today (though some may still be en route), and our friends in the UK and Canada should be receiving theirs soon enough. Deliveries are currently heading out in waves, putting 7-inches of Jelly Bean in the hands of eager "footie" fans and beneficiaries of socialized medicine. Have you gotten your shipment notification yet? Let us know in the comments. Update: Google has since changed the wording on its site and, unfortunately, not "all" US and Australian have shipped. Now it's just "many." Update 2: Google has changed the wording yet again, now providing more detail broken down by model. As of 7:50~ ET, it indicates all standalone 8GB versions ordered on or before July 13th have been shipped, while standalone 16GB orders placed on or before July 11th will all be shipped by the 19th, and have also been upgraded to overnight shipping. Ordered with accessories like a case, charger or Nexus Q? Your slate will ship, overnight, this week although the extra bits may be following "soon." Got it? Hit the source link to get it all straight from the horse's mouth and to check whether it's (inevitably) been updated once again. [Thanks, Andrew]
Funcom extends grace period for pre-order customers
There's nothing quite like the real world for gumming up the operations of the fantastical one. Some players of The Secret World pre-ordered the game and haven't yet received their retail copy, which is important because the grace period for playing without entering a retail key isn't a very big window of time and players were beginning to get antsy. In response to those concerns, Funcom announced that the grace period for pre-order key entry has been extended by 24 hours, allowing more people to slide in under the deadline. It's not an unusual step to take because launch-time distribution is known to be totally sucky. In a similar vein, some of the pre-order benefits -- the Egyptian Cat in-game pet, an exclusive in-game t-shirt, and an in-game ring -- are also extended to customers who enter their retail or digital game keys up until the end of today, July 6th. While that may not thrill true pre-order customers who liked being special snowflakes, that cat is darn adorable and everyone should get one.
Google TV goes international, Sony NSZ-GS7 set-top box up for preorder in the US and UK
Sony mentioned during CES 2012 that its Google TV-powered hardware would come to Europe this summer, and now it's official. Along with Google, it's announced preorders are available for the $200/£200/$199 NSZ-GS7 internet streaming set-top box in the US and UK (showing a ship date of July 9th, Sony says it should hit stores July 22nd), with plans to launch in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico and Netherlands later this year. The NSZ-GP9 with integrated Blu-ray player will arrive in October, priced at £280/€300/$299. UK users can expect localized content from The Guardian among other sources, and more reveals are promised at Google I/O this week. There's an internationally-aimed trailer (embedded after the break) and more information from Sony and Google at their respective sites, we'll see if the mix of reworked hardware and updated software makes this venture more successful than the last round. Update: It looks like buyers in other countries may not have to wait long, Sony Australia has already announced a "limited time" pack-in offer of the boxes with the purchase of a new TV starting this week. The box will be available solo at some unspecified time in the future.
Darksiders 2 gets pre-order bonuses and a live-action trailer
THQ sent us this Darksiders 2 live-action trailer, which does indeed feature Scottish actor James "Lord Mormont, Commander of the Night's Watch" Cosmo. He also plays a role in the game as Death's guide. The pre-order bonuses for Darksiders 2 have also been laid out: Putting down money ahead of time for the Limited Edition will earn you a Season Pass, with two pieces of DLC content for free, as well as a new set of in-game armor. The first piece of DLC is called "Argul's Tomb" and is scheduled to hit a month after the game's release on August 14, and both bits of DLC will include "significant new single player content" to play through. Anyone who preorders the game on THQ's official website will get one more armor and weapon set called the Maker's Armor.
Nokia 808 PureView announced for US, available soon through Amazon at $699 (update)
Color us surprised -- or whatever the antonym of that word may be -- but Nokia has announced the availability of its 41-megapixel 808 PureView smartphone for the United States, which will be distributed through Amazon. If you've been patiently waiting for your opportunity to wield this highly competent cameraphone for yourself, just know that you can soon stake your claim in line: pre-orders are set to begin later this week, and you can sign up on Nokia's website to receive that all-important notification. As for price, expect to pay $699 outright for this bulbous beauty, which offers support for AT&T's 3G network here in the US. Update: Nokia has revised its spec sheet to clarify that the 808 PureView destined for US shores will include a pentaband 3G radio. This is significant for T-Mobile customers, who will also be able to access HSPA networks at 14.4Mbps.
Motrr Galileo nets $700k in Kickstarter pledges, available to pre-order now for $117
Perhaps you were discouraged by the uncertainty that comes along with a Kickstarter pledge, or you simply missed your chance to give Motrr's Galileo an $85 kick before the deadline hit. Whatever the reason, you're still in luck -- the iOS-controlled iPhone platform is now available for a proper pre-order, with a 10-percent discount and free shipping in tow. Galileo, which netted a whopping $702,427 in Kickstarter funding, could soon be on its way to a nursery or conference room near you, for the slightly increased sum of $116.99. That Benjamin and change will buy you one 360-degree rotating platform, complete with a rechargeable battery, USB cable, tripod screw and user manual. There's no word on when this latest round of pre-orders will be filled, but the company did confirm that it plans to ship the first batch this summer. Full deets (and pre-order option) are at the source link after the break.
