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Punch Quest now costs a dollar, Bastion is universal
Here are two big updates to really great games on iOS. First, Punch Quest (which is one of my favorite iOS games this year so far) started out as a freemium title, given away for free with a number of in-app purchases to support it financially. But developers Rocketcat Games have said in the past that the in-app purchases just aren't making enough money to continue development, so they've taken the hazardous step of raising the app's price to US$0.99. Punch Quest is a terrific title that's well worth a buck or more, so hopefully it'll do better for the devs at the higher price. Second, Bastion, the XBLA hit that made its way to the iPad a little while ago, has released an update that makes the game universal. In fact, not only does the game now work on both iPhone and iPad, but it's also been updated to work with the iPhone 5's wider screen. iCloud syncing has been included as well, so all of your progress from the iPad should move over. Bastion is another terrific title, and it's available on the App Store right now for $4.99.
Amazon Prime flaunts a monthly price tag, now offers streaming and two day shipping for $7.99 per month
Amazon Prime's trifecta of two-day shipping, instant media streaming and monthly Kindle book rentals just became a little more consumer friendly at a slightly higher price. As a Hacking Netflix reader recently noticed, Amazon is now inviting users to buy into Prime for $7.99 a month, bringing the service in line with Hulu and Netflix's monthly pricing schemes. The price of skipping the yearly fee is its own cost, however -- subscribers who stick with Prime for a full year will pay $16.88 over the annual plan. Paying for all 12-months ahead of time is still an option, of course, scoring long-term buyers a 20 percent discount at checkout. Good deal? Sure. Even better if you're trying to save on shipping this holiday season.
Office Depot and GameStop drops Nexus 7 16GB price to $199
Google's incoming 32GB Nexus 7 may be one of its worst kept secrets, with most estimates (and those leaks) pointing to a $249 price tag and a launch date later this week. However, it also appears that the 16GB model will drop its price down to $199, according to leaked images from both Office Depot and GameStop -- great news for anyone who's so far held off from grabbing the first Nexus tablet. While an official announcement's been delayed by the forces of nature, we expect to hear more from Google sooner rather than later.
Apple adds Rubles and other currencies to App Store, bumps minimum price to €0.89 in Europe
After announcing slightly under par financials, Apple has added more ways it can be paid for apps, though it also bumped the minimum freight to get one across Europe. The new lowest price users in France, Germany, Italy and other nations "over there" can pay for an app is now €0.89, a euro-dime bump from before -- apparently due to the weak euro and local tax hikes. On the other hand, Cupertino also added more currencies accepted at its store: South African Rand, Turkish Lira, Russian Rubles, Indian Rupees, Isreali New Shekel's, Saudi Arabian Riyal, Indonesian Rupish and UAE Dirham can all now be used to pay. Apple has tinkered with its prices before in varying amounts overseas depending on the nation, so you may want to check your own country's App Store for the news -- bad or good.
Sony Xperia TL comes to AT&T on November 2 for $99 with a two-year contract
We've already gotten our collective mitts on Sony's Xperia TL, and come November 2nd, you'll be able to do the same by plunking down $99.99 and inking a two-year contract with AT&T. In case you need a refresher, the LTE handset runs a skinned build of Ice Cream Sandwich, packs a 1.5GHz dual-core S4 processor, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, NFC and a 4.6-inch 720p display powered by the firm's Mobile BRAVIA Engine. Since Sony's smartphone flagship is lucky enough to call itself the official James Bond phone, it'll come stuffed with behind the scenes footage of the upcoming film Skyfall and Bond-themed ringtones, wallpapers and more. For the full lowdown on the Xperia TL's arrival on Big Blue, hit the jump for the press release.
Microsoft's 'Surface for Windows RT' tablet launches Oct. 26 for $500/$600
Microsoft's "Surface for Windows RT" tablet (the ARM-powered one, not the one with full Windows 8) will cost $499 for the 32-gig model and $599 for the 64-gig version when the device launches on Friday, October 26. Pre-orders are now open at Microsoft's official store.Its worth noting the Surface's trademark fancy keyboard covers aren't included in the purchase price -- the Touch Cover carries a $120 premium, and the Type Cover rings up at $130. There is a bundle, however, that packages the 64-gig model and a Touch Cover for $700. %Gallery-168482%
Microsoft puts a price on Surface RT: starts at $499, or $599 with Touch Cover
With a stamp from the FCC on its passport, and some fancy new TV ads, the smell of Microsoft's Surface tablet is thick in the air. Until now, however, price has been a mystery. Microsoft has just revealed, via its own store, that if you want a slice for yourself, you can do so starting from $499. That price will get you the 32GB version, without the touch cover, with pre-orders available now, penciled in for a 26th of October delivery date. If you must have that cover, it'll set you back another $100, and the same amount again if you want to hop up to 64GB of memory. With the current status of the larger-memory version showing as out of stock though, those with a thirst for storage still might have to wait a little longer. Update: It looks like Microsoft might have pulled the listing for now. Perhaps the pages weren't meant for prime-time just yet.
ASUS PadFone 2 to hit European and Asian markets before end of December (update: European prices)
At the PadFone 2 launch event in Taipei, ASUS let out some details on worldwide availability for its latest phone-and-tablet combo. A handful of countries in Europe and Asia will actually get to buy it before the end of December this year, including these: Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan (which we already know), Thailand and U.A.E. Don't worry if you're not on the list, as ASUS says more will be announced at a later date, so stay tuned. Update: Jonney Shih just announced in Milan that for Europe, the PadFone 2 tablet bundle will be priced at €799 ($1,040) for the 32GB model, and €899 ($1,170) for the 64GB model. Without the tax, these figures aren't too far off from their Taiwanese counterparts, but the subsidized prices, if any, will obviously be a lot more attractive than these.
Ooma HD2 handset and Linx adapter available on Oct.17 for $60 and $50, respectively
Ooma's Telo telephony device is pretty wonderful all by itself, but pairing it with the company's soon-to-be-released HD2 handset and Linx peripheral presents a whole new opportunity to the VoIP crowd. The HD2 -- the second generation Telo handset first introduced at CES 2012 -- offers some smartphone-esque functionality to your home phone: syncing with contacts across various social media services, for one, and profile photos popping up in the 2-inch color screen as identification on incoming calls. It launches very soon -- October 17 -- at US and Canadian retailers with an asking price of $60, despite previously being given a March 2012 launch window. The Linx -- which was outed in an FCC filing earlier this year -- adds a much more quaint ability to the Telo: the ability to plug in any normal landline phone (yes, even that free football phone you got with your Sports Illustrated subscription in the mid-'90s). The Telo can handle up to four connected phones, in the HD2 handset or Linx-connected devices (including fax machines, also from the mid-'90s). Linx connectors are also available as of October 17 at US and Canadian retailers with an asking price of $50.
Nintendo Wii console drops to $130 in two-game bundle
With both the holidays and the Wii U fast approaching, Nintendo has decided to drop the price of its older Wii console to $130 when sold with Wii Sports Resort and Wii Sports. The cheaper package should arrive in the States by October 28th and will ship in black (alongside black Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers), thereby replacing the current New Super Mario Bros. bundle that sells for around $150.
Apple iPad mini appears in Media Markt inventory in cellular and WiFi flavors, €250-650 price range (update: part numbers)
Still waiting for all those alleged iPad mini leaks to culminate into something official? Why not take one more while you wait: according to a proven source of Mobile Geeks, German electronics retailer Media Markt has the iPad mini in 16 flavors in its inventory system. The company's internal documentation shows the rumored tablet at 8, 16, 32 and 64GB configurations, with each offering a choice of black or white, as well as a choice of 3G or just WiFi. The retailer is listing sticker prices, too: for the WiFi-only flavor, €249 buys an 8GB model, €349 snags 16GB, €449 for 32GB and €549 scores 64GB of storage. Looking for a slab with cellular connectivity? Stack an extra €100 on each of those prices. The listing doesn't have anything official to say about US greenbacks, but the included 19% tax evens up the dollar and euro quite nicely, giving us a reasonable idea what kind of pricing we can expect to see in the states. To put things into perspective, this would be a $150 savings on the 16GB WiFi model when compared to the full sized $499 slate Apple currently offers. Of course, this is all counting on Cupertino making the device official. We'll let you know if we hear anything. Update: While nothing's official yet, AppleInsider has obtained part numbers that largely match up with what Media Markt has shown -- two dozen variants that imply four different capacities, two different colors and both WiFi as well as cellular editions.
Windows 8 packaging and pricing revealed: standard OEM $99, Pro Pack $139, pre-order from today
We're almost there. Just a few more days until the big reveal. But that doesn't mean there aren't still a few final Windows 8 secrets to be disclosed. Two of those are the price and the packaging, which online retailer Newegg has just let slip. There are four packages listed: Windows 8 Professional Upgrade ($69), Windows 8 Pro Pack ($69, product key card only), Windows 8 OEM ($99) and Windows 8 Professional ($139), with the latter two being available in both 32- and 64-bit versions (for the same price). If you go into the product page, however, we can see that the original price for the upgrade and product key card only versions is listed as "$199" suggesting that this might either be a launch offer, or subject to change. Don't forget though, there's still the chance to upgrade for an even lower price, for those who qualify. You can officially reserve your copy of Pro from today for $69.99 at all the main retailers, but if you can hold back on that impulse purchase for just a little longer, you'll be able to upgrade to Pro online for $39 (until January 31st). Follow the source for details.
Sony reveals Japan prices for Windows 8 devices, adds touchscreen to VAIO L, E14P and T13
With Windows 8 finally launching in less than four weeks, it's only a matter of time before the web is flooded with prices of upcoming PCs, the first among which this month hail from Sony VAIO's Japan branch. Starting with the Duo 11 slider PC, it's expected to go for about ¥150,000 ($1,930) when it launches in Japan on October 26th (alongside Windows 8), and it'll come with a 1080p display, 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U, 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM and WiMAX. Then we have three flavors of the Tap 20 portable all-in-one which will range from about ¥140,000 ($1,800) up to about ¥180,000 ($2,310) come November 3rd, with the main differences being the CPU (1.8GHz Core i3-3217U, 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U or 1.9GHz Core i7-3517U) and the RAM (4GB or 8GB), but all three will feature the same 20-inch 1,600 x 900 display and 1TB hard drive. Also announced at the Tokyo event are Japan prices for three more existing VAIO models that now feature a touchscreen: ¥130,000 ($1,670) for the T Series 13 Ultrabook with Core i5-3317U, ¥150,000 ($1,920) for the VAIO E Series 14P laptop with Core i5-3210M, and from ¥210,000 ($2,700) to ¥240,000 ($3,080) for the VAIO L Series 24-inch all-in-one with Core i7-3630QM and 1080p display. The two laptops will be available in Japan from October 26th, whereas the all-in-one will join in from November 3rd. There's no indication as to whether the US prices will match their Japanese counterparts (the former are usually a lot cheaper), but hey, stay tuned here and you'll know as soon as we do.
B&N makes the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight's $20 price drop official
The Nook's $20 price drop is more than the whim of a few major retailers -- it's Barnes & Noble's new MSRP. Following Walmart and Target's recent discounts, the company's own website is now listing the glowing e-reader at its new $119 price. The reduction is almost assuredly in preparation for Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite, as B&N's announcement makes a point of bragging about the Simple Touch with Glowlight's included AC adapter and aversion to built-in ads. See the punchy press release for yourself after the break.
Target, Walmart list price drop for B&N's Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight to $119
Check those calendars. It's September 29th, which means, for those who follow the world of e-readers, that we're two days from Kindle Paperwhite day. According to Target and Walmart, it also means that Barnes & Noble's own illuminated e-reader, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, is getting a $20 price cut, down to $119. That price puts the reader on par with the entry-level Paperwhite (no 3G, with ads). Let the battle of the front lit e-readers commence! Update: Check out some official pricing update info from B&N after the break.
Lenovo ThinkPad 2 pegged for October 26th release, with a $799 price tag
In the land of tweets and tell-alls, keeping privileged information on the down-low is next to impossible. Oddly enough, pricing and release details for the ThinkPad 2 didn't require much espionage. At last night's PepCom event, Lenovo reps told WP Central that the Windows 8-powered slab will be available on October 26th for $799. This price point might be a tad on the high side for some, but it does include the tablet's optional keyboard. As a refresher, the ThinkPad 2 sports a 10.1-inch IPS display, an Intel Atom processor and NFC, all powered by an alleged 10 hour battery. For the data gluttons out there, AT&T's LTE is on the menu stateside. Whether or not this pricing and release information holds true, we'll still have to see what else surfaces before making a final decision this holiday season.
AMD Piledriver CPU pre-order pricing leaks out
It's always just been a matter of "when" and "how much," but it looks as if PC gamers looking to score a powerplant upgrade can start planning on specific amounts. AMD's impending FX Piledriver CPUs are now up for pre-order at ShopBLT, an outlet that has proven reliable in the past when it comes to nailing down processor pricing. For those in need of a refresher, these are built using the Vishera design, with the range including between four and eight CPU cores. We're expecting 'em to best the Bulldozer family, and if all goes well, they could be available to the earliest of adopters in October. Presently, the FX-4300 ($131.62), FX-6300 ($175.77), FX-8320 ($242.05) and FX-8350 ($253.06) are listed, but CPU World seems to think launch day quotes will actually be a bit lower. Only one way to find out, right?
PowerA's MOGA Bluetooth Android controller launching on October 21 for $50
Like playing Sonic CD on your Android device but sick of those pesky virtual buttons? How will you ever keep ahold of all those rings?! PowerA has one potential solution for you in its MOGA (mobile gaming system) Bluetooth controller, which arrives at "key retailers and carriers" on October 21 for $49.99. The MOGA comes with two analog sticks, four diamond-style face buttons, two shoulder buttons, and a Bluetooth transmitter for connection with any Android-powered device (Gingerbread or newer OS required). A companion app, available free on the Google Play store, enables the MOGA to work with select titles -- not all Android games support the controller, but PowerA promises more are being added all the time; deals with the likes of Gameloft, Atari, Namco, Sega, and Remedy Entertainment are already in place. Should you decide to pick one up this October, the MOGA comes with free copies of Sonic CD (!) and Pac-Man.
Roku Streaming Stick launches in October for $99, Vudu comes to the Roku platform today
We've been waiting for Roku to release its miniaturized dongle since CES, and now we finally know the flash drive-sized Streaming Stick will be available next month for $99. Priced the same as as the Roku 2 XS set-top box, it brings the same feature set but in a smaller package designed to work directly with your HDTV, thanks to power, remote control and data signals fed through an MHL-compatible HDMI port. While it will work with other MHL-ready host devices, manufacturers with Roku Ready stamped and certified HDTVs on shelves this fall will include Apex, Insignia and Hitachi -- Onkyo plans to ship receivers early next year. If you pick up an otherwise dumb flat-panel with the stick bundled along with it the price is set by that manufacturer, but the standalone plan means buyers savings are focused on the two cables they won't be needing, and simplified remote capability since their TV remote can talk to the Stick directly. Like the Roku 2 XS, the Streaming Stick also includes the motion control capable game remote. A separate move will benefit many existing Roku owners, as it is also announcing that Walmart-owned Vudu is launching on the platform today. You will need a Roku HD (2500), LT or Roku 2 box (or the Streaming Stick, once it launches) to take advantage of the Vudu app and its streams that bring quality of up to 1080p and 7.1 surround sound. That also means access to Vudu-compatible UltraViolet movie titles on yet another set-top box, if that's a consideration, and users score a $5.99 credit with Vudu just for linking the account to their boxes. All the details are in the press release after the break, and on the Roku blog.
Purported ASUS holiday roadmap pegs Windows 8 tablets at $599 and above
Windows 8 tablets have had their specs bandied about for months, but their prices have continued to remain off the radar. Now, however, a purported ASUS holiday roadmap sent to ZDNet may give us a glimpse as to how badly bank accounts could be affected this fall. According to the slide, the ASUS Vivo Tab will carry a $799 price tag and its Windows RT counterpart will come in at $599, which matches the previously reported price difference between slates running Redmond's latest OS with Intel and AMD processors. The ASUS Taichi dual-screen notebook / tablet hybrid is said to ring up at a heftier $1,299. As for the firm's Transformer Book, it will supposedly set purchasers back $1,399. If these prices are any indication of what we can expect from other OEMs, Microsoft's Surface might be pricier than hoped.
