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Nintendo DSi drops to $100, DSi XL drops to $130 on May 20th
Three-dimensional gaming not your thing? Then Nintendo's latest price drop might just grab you. It's cast an eye over the rest of its portable gaming family and decided to cut the cost on both the DSi (down to $100) and the hulking DSi XL (dropped to $130). These new prices will kick off on May 20th -- exactly the same day as this purple mess.
Samsung shows off production 55-inch OLED HDTVs at the 2012 World's Fair
We got a first hand look at Samsung's stunning 55-inch OLED HDTV prototypes earlier this year during CES, but now it's surprising the world by showing off the first mass produced ES9500 models at the 2012 World's Fair (which is apparently still a thing?) in Korea. Beyond the Smart Interaction voice and gesture control, Smart Content and Smart Evolution upgradeable dual-core CPU features found in its other high-end HDTVs, Samsung has also built in Smart Dual View technology. This lets users watch two different programs (2D) on one screen at the same time using the set's 3D glasses and sound fed through headphones. Since each pixel is individually lit, Samsung says its OLED tech has 20 percent better color reproduction than existing LED-backlit LCD HDTVs. There's still no word on exactly when these will ship and for how much, however with competition on the way from LG, these fresh-off-the-factory-line flat panels are a sign we won't be waiting long. Other than new display tech, Samsung also took the opportunity to officially announce bigger LCD models on the way in sizes from 60- to 75-inches. Check the galleries below for a few pictures straight from the expo, as well as our shots of the CES display. Update: According to the Associated Press, company officials expect it to go on sale in the second half of the year for over 10 million won, around $9,000 US. %Gallery-155121%
Apple, Microsoft asked to explain pricing to Australian government
Apple and Microsoft are among a few tech companies going before the Australian Parliament this week, asked to explain what many are seeing as price gouging in the Australian market. Here in the US, for example, Apple's Mac OS X Server 10.6 sells for $499, but in Australia, the same software sells for $699. Similarly, iTunes albums that sell for $9.99 in the US often sell for more than $20 overseas, despite the Australian and US dollar being less than a few cents different. In the past, electronics companies have claimed that Australia is a smaller market to deal with, and that setting up support structures and other delivery systems there raise costs. But Parliamentary representatives are saying those excuses aren't good enough, and are inviting Apple, Microsoft, and others to represent themselves in Australia this week. [via TechCrunch]
TERA ramps up for launch with a video, an offer, and an address
TERA's launch is just around the corner, and if you're not excited yet, En Masse Entertainment is going to throw as much new stuff at you as possible to get you psyched up. That starts with a developer journal by Senior Producer Brian Knox, who talks about the road to launch and the growth of the studio. As you'd expect of a producer bringing a game to market, he's quite excited to see what players will do with the game once it's live. Not interested? Perhaps you'll be more interested to know that the studio has extended the inaugural subscription rate deal; have an active subscription to the game by May 31st and you'll wind up with long-term discounts on the subscription price. Or perhaps you'd rather kick back and watch the final installment of the race videos, this one highlighting the familiar human race. It's a variety of updates to keep your energy up for the launch next Tuesday, assuming it wasn't up already.
Binding of Isaac's Wrath of the Lamb expansion is huge, due in late May
The Binding of Isaac expansion we heard about back in January, titled The Wrath of the Lamb, is almost here. Creator Edmund McMillen announced in a series of tweets that the expansion will arrive in late May, and that it is jam-packed with content: new challenges and achievements, over ten new bosses, over 100 new items, a new character, a new ending, and tons of other new material. "What I'm getting at is there is a lot of extra shit in this damn thing," tweeted McMillen. "We have been working on it longer than the actual game."The latest screens of The Wrath of the Lamb are in the gallery below. For all of that content, the expansion will only cost three bucks. McMillen also said there's a trailer on the way, but he's busy right now, working with Steam on release details and testing and polishing the game itself.%Gallery-154164%
Google Drive vs. the competition: pricing plans and perks, compared
Sometimes a table says a thousand words. Now that Google has finally announced its cloud service, Google Drive, we're sure more than a few of you are crunching the numbers in your head in an attempt to figure which is the best deal. Far be it for us to tell you which service to use when we've barely had a chance to poke around Drive, but for now, better if we lay out those gigabytes and dollars in number form, rather than squeeze them into a crowded paragraph, don'tcha think? Follow past the break for a brief breakdown of what you'll get from Google, along with Dropbox, Microsoft SkyDrive and iCloud.
Report: HP's South Korean offices raided over alleged price fixing
Korea Times is a publication that isn't shy of the odd bold statement and today it's claiming that HP's South Korean offices were raided on suspicion of price-fixing deals made with IBM and Oracle. The country's Fair Trade Commission seized documents, computer records and questioned employees over alleged price-rigging on public-sector contracts. A company spokesperson said that the visit was routine, while FTC officers refused to comment about ongoing matters, but what is clear is that if any wrong-doing is found, the case will be turned over to prosecutors with the aim of commencing criminal proceedings for those responsible.
Cowon Plenue Z2: US pricing, availability and hands-on impressions
Just mention the company's name, and a pair of things come to mind: world-beating sound quality, and above-average prices. Such is life when you're Cowon, which has informed us that its Plenue Z2 portable media player will be shipping to the US of A in May. Based on details shared to us from a Cowon spokesperson, "early May" is the targeted release window, which makes sense given the unit's FCC debut back in December of 2011. We've learned that it'll ship in 16GB (white only) and 32GB (black only) sizes, with prices set for $279.99 and $319.99 in order of mention. As for specs? Glad you asked. Rather than relying on one of Cowon's proprietary operating systems, the Z2 will ship with Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread), while measuring 62.8- x 116.5- x 11.8-millimeters, weighing 116 grams and boasting a 3.7-inch (800 x 480) capacitive touchpanel. On the audio side, you'll get a typical 20Hz to 20,000Hz frequency range, 29mW + 29mW maximum outlet and a 95dB signal-to-noise ratio. There's also an HDMI output, a microSD expansion slot, built-in FM radio tuner, 802.11b/g/n WiFi module, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and an internal microphone. The outfit claims that this guy can last some 22 hours when playing back music alone, while video junkies will see 8.5 hours of their favorite Family Guy clips before needing a rejuvenation session. Not surprisingly, the Z2 also supports a smorgasbord of file formats, including AVI, WMV, ASF, MP4, MKV, MPG, DAT, 3GP -- tired yet? -- DivX, XviD, H.264, WMA, OGG, PMC and FLAC. We managed to grab hold of a unit prior to its launch here in the States; head on past the break to hear our take.
Lenovo prices IdeaPad Yoga in the UK, reveals a few more laptops on the side
Lenovo has revealed the pricing for its very flexible Ultrabook -- and it's about as pricey as you might suspect for a Windows 8 tablet-laptop. Lenovo UK has the basic IdeaPad Yoga pegged at £1,200 ($1,900) -- a nudge above previous estimates -- while a meatier Core i7 model will set you back £1,500 ($2,380). Neither device has been gifted a release date just yet, but it does cement the likelihood of the 0.67-inch hybrid launching beyond Beijing relatively soon. Alongside the IdeaPad Yoga, Lenovo's U series has pulled itself together following its recent disassembly at the FCC's hands, with both the U310 and U410 also UK-bound. Prices will start from £600 but Lenovo remains similarly mute on other launch details. We'd advise working on your bank balance's flexibility now.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1-inch) priced at $399, still unavailable for purchase
Office Depot probably isn't the first place you'd think to look for Samsung's incoming Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1), but it looks to be the first legitimate retailer to throw a price tag on the aforementioned slate. Just weeks after cruising through the FCC, the Tab 2 is now being shown with a $399.99 price. Granted, that's for the lowly 8GB model, but it's still a step in the right direction -- you know, towards folks who would like to pay less than $499 for a 10-inch tablet. As of now, it's still impossible to actually check out with one, but those feeling lucky can hit the source link and get 'er a go.[Thanks, Dube]
ASUS PadFone priced and ready for pre-order in Taiwan tomorrow, launches mid-April
We were promised that the phone-that-goes-tablet would ship in April, and it looks like ASUS is keeping its word. The PadFone and its corresponding tablet shell and keyboard dock, will be up for pre-order in Taiwan starting tomorrow, going on sale April 20th. On its own, the Snapdragon S4-powered 1.5GHz dual-core phone is priced at NT$17,990 (US$610), while the tablet set -- including that curious Bluetooth headset / stylus -- will set you back NT$24,980 (around US$850). If you're thinking keyboard add-ons are all the rage, expect to pay around NT$28,901 (US$980). Need more of an excuse to step into pre-order territory? Well, ASUS is offering up an extra battery for those that do. While we wait for some global roll-out details, you can remind yourself of what to expect in our hands-on from MWC.
Adobe releases Flash Player 11.2, AIR 3.2, still very much into gaming
Adobe has already hinted at its plans for Flash Player 11.2, but today, those plans finally became official. The company formally announced both 11.2 and AIR 3.2 this morning, reaffirming its commitment to browser-based gaming. With 11.2, Adobe is bringing support for mouse-lock, right and middle click events, and multi-threaded video decoding. The software also supports 2D and 3D graphics at speeds of up to 60 frames per second, and, when running on Windows machines, will automatically update itself in the background. As for AIR 3.2, it now supports Stage3D graphics on both iOS and Android, promising "jaw-dropping visuals" with monstrously fast GPU rendering. A new partnership with Unity, meanwhile, will allow developers to easily upload 3D games to Flash Player, as part of its premium features package. Devs will be able to use these higher-tiered features for free until their apps accrue $50,000 in revenue. Once they do, they'll have to siphon off 9 percent of their earnings to Adobe, though these conditions only go into effect as of August 1st. (AIR 3.2 apps are exempt from this charge.) For more details on the new releases, check out the source links below, or the explanatory video after the break.
PSA: HTC One X priced up to £330 in the UK, also available for free (update: $800 in Canada)
Chances are you're still melting over the impressive HTC One X benchmarks, and that's just the dual-core Snapdragon S4 taking care of business. As you may know, those of you in the Old Continent will see a quad-core flavor hit the shelves, and it's looking like that version is getting priced a wee bit earlier. So, just how much will you have to shell out to snag one of HTC's latest? Phones4U and Carphone Warehouse both have the One X listed as high as £329.99 (about $527) on contract, though you can also grab a free one if you take on a longer, more expensive plan on Orange, O2 and Vodafone. Carphone's site shows you can expect the device to land at your doorstep in the week of April 2nd. In the meantime, take a look at our hands-on to remind you how badly you need it. Update: It looks like Canadians can now also pre-order the HSPA+ version of the phone courtesy of NCIX, although they'll have to part with a hefty $800 (off-contract, of course).
Samsung's WiFi-laced DV300F camera now available, priced at $200
After having launched in January, Samsung's WiFi-enabled DV300F camera officially hit the market today, according to a fresh announcement from the Korean manufacturer. As the latest addition to the DualView line, this 16 megapixel shooter features a 25mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, and boasts a three-inch main LCD, along with that 1.5-inch front-facing display. The latter is specifically designed to make self-shots a bit easier to manipulate, but it also features some extra kids games in "Children Mode," to help keep the little ones at bay. And of course, there's onboard WiFi connectivity, allowing users to instantly upload shots to Picasa and Facebook, and an extra "Smart Face Recognition" function. According to Samsung, the device is now available on a "global basis," for a price of ₩299,000, or about $266. For more details, check out the full, but choppily translated PR, after the break. Update: We've received word that U.S. pricing has been announced as well, with the DV300F hitting stateside shelves for $199.99. That model, along with the $229.99 WB150F, are shipping now.
AAPL flirts with $600 today
Apple's stock soared on Wednesday and now it is poised to cross the US$600 mark. As noted by CNN Money, the stock hit $600 once and has fallen back down to $598 at the writing of this post. As The Wall Street Journal points out it took Apple 34 trading days to jump from $400 to $500 and a mere 23 days from $500 to $600. With strong iPad sales expected tomorrow, it's highly likely the price will go over $600 and stay there sometime today. This threshold will push Apple's market value even higher. It's currently sitting at the $556 billion mark which, according to a report in Wall Street Pit, is just below the 2011 GDP for Saudi Arabia. [Via CNN Money]
Google updates Flight Search for Android, iOS
Remember when Google launched its desktop-only Flight Search service back in the fall? Well, now it's made the travel checking tool both Android and iOS friendly. All the key flight-finding features of the desktop version are present: search, discover by location, filter by price, airline and calendar view, and have been optimized for the small screen. Bear in mind that this isn't a native app, El Goog has just tweaked the web-service for the respective mobile browsers, hoping to make those spur of the moment travel plans less taxing. Hit the source link below for further info.
Samsung's 2012 HDTV family prices leaked?
In the market for a HDTV upgrade? Then you may be interested in hearing how much you'll need to pony up for Samsung's new screens. HDGuru's got its hands on a whole list of purported MAPs (minimum advertised prices) for its 2012 range and, sadly, they're slightly pricier than last year's models. You will, however, be getting some extra bang for your buck; its latest top-end sets include built-in cameras, speech recognition and gesture-sensing remotes. The LED LCD 8000 series of Smart TVs maxes out at 75 inches ($7,299), "shrinking" down to a 46 inch model ($2,699). These all pack a 3D screen alongside dual-core processors for TV-based apps. Meanwhile, if you're in the market for a plasma, expect to pay around $2,249 for the 51 inch model with the same specifications outlined above, while a 64 inch vista will necessitate 3,399 notes. Prices aren't set in stone just yet and could change depending on competitor's pricing ahead of hitting the shelves. We're hoping any potential price adjustments will be in the downward direction. Also of note: in 2012 you may not be able to find deep discounts at online shops like Amazon vs. big box retailers like Best Buy, as HDGuru mentions Samsung is reportedly looking to enforce Apple-style uniform pricing on its high-end products. Check the full -- and pretty darn comprehensive -- list at the source below.
Lots of apps on sale for Valentine's Day: Dungeon Defenders, Quarrel, more
Yes, it's Valentine's Day, but even if you're lonely and forlorn without love, there's good news: A bunch of iOS developers have put their apps on sale! The great Quarrel Deluxe is available for only 99 cents. Don't pass this one up if you haven't grabbed it yet -- it's a really quality word game with a lot of polish and great design. Dungeon Defenders: Second Wave is on sale for just a buck as well. Return7 is having a sale on the App Store, with both Debt Minder and Bill Minder on sale for up to 50% off. High end shooter Warm Gun is just $1.99 today. Hypership Out of Control is completely free today. Race of Champions is just a buck. Psychoban HD is also on sale for a dollar. The great 2D pirating adventure Plunderland is free for download. Dungeon Hunter Alliance for Mac is just 99 cents on the Mac App Store. Trainz for iPad is still on sale for 99 cents. BattleLand has gone free. iPad zombie shooter End Night has gone on sale for 99 cents. Interesting music title Frederic: Resurrection of Music is also just a buck. So there's quite a few apps to keep you busy this evening, even if you don't happen to have a date to go out with.
Valentine's Day app sales underway: Treasures of Montezuma, Hanging with Friends, Order and Chaos Online
Romance is almost in the air (even, if you're as single as I am, though you might not care), and that means what every holiday seems to mean around the App Store: More sales! With all these great deals on apps, you can either enjoy one with your sweetie, or use them to distract you from your lonely, solo existence. Match-3-alike Ablazed is free right now, as the recently re-released Hand of Greed (which has been re-released a few times now right?). Sega has quite a few of its titles on sale for just 99 cents, including most of the Sonic titles, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Altered Beast and Gunstar Heroes. EA (surprised? Us either) has lots of titles on sale too, including Scrabble, Risk, Spy Mouse, and The Sims. Telltale has Back to the Future Episode 1 up for free, and the rest of them up for just $2.99. Crescent Moon also has a solid sale on, including the beautiful Gears puzzle platformer, Pocket RPG for iPhone (no HD sale, unfortunately), and Evertales. Match 3 title Treasures of Montezuma 3 is on sale for iPhone for 99 cents, and the iPad version is $2.99. Vito Technology's "Walk" apps are all on sale for the holiday. Fantasy Sky HD is free. The ad-free version of Zynga's Hanging with Friends is just a buck. Careful with playing it on an airplane, though. WoW-alike Order and Chaos Online is also just a buck. Comes with a free three month subscription, but you'll have to pay after that. TanZen for iPhone is free -- but the iPad version is not. Loud Crow Interactive is putting one of its apps on sale every day up and through Valentine's Day -- you have to follow them on Twitter to know which one, however. We might see even more as the holiday gets closer, so stay tuned.
Samsung's NP700 gaming laptop goes up for pre-order with Ivy Bridge pride
Jonesing for some more of Samsung's 17-inchers? Jones no more, because the Korean manufacturer has just put its NP700G7C gaming laptop up for pre-order. Packing 16GB of memory, this new Series 7 lappy made a brief appearance on Best Buy's website last month, but was quickly pulled. This time, though, it looks like it's for real, with Samsung touting its new "Gaming PC" on its very own website, alongside a $1,700 price tag. For that money, you'll get a 17.3-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and, most compelling, a taste of Ivy Bridge, courtesy of the laptop's third-generation Intel Core i7-3610QM quad-core processor, which clocks in at 2.3GHz. It's available now, at the source link below.
