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Dolby demos new imaging tech that pushes more light to your television (eyes-on)
You may think your current HDTV is bright enough, but Dolby disagrees. The company, which is known more for its audio tech than its imaging capabilities, has been putting a lot of effort into developing a new type of imaging technology that offers up to 4,000 nits of backlight out of an LED panel. Compared to the TV standard of 100 nits, this is certainly a hefty improvement. Why is such a thing helpful? The 100-nit limit makes life difficult for filmmakers in post-production because they're not able to represent their masterpiece with perfectly accurate colors; there's only so much you can do to accurately portray the real world on such a limited budget of light. Bumping the display up to 4,000, however, allows the viewer to enjoy a much better experience. Dolby showed us a prototype of this experimental tech, which we're told will likely be exhibited at CES next month (either in prototype or in a consumer product, though this will be up to individual manufacturers). The 2K panel sat next to a production monitor that many filmmakers use as their current reference -- in other words, what they use for viewing their footage before it goes through the process of compression and other tweaks -- and the difference was night and day. Despite the fact that both monitors have the same resolution, the prototype (on the left in the above image) offered far more realistic colors, higher dynamic range and more contrast sensitivity, all of which were factors that created a fantastic viewing experience. As an example, the skies were bluer on the new monitor, and clouds that were barely noticeable on the production model actually popped out far more accurately on the prototype. We're told that the new imaging technology has already been shown off to key filmmakers in the industry, and that we'll likely see a lot more (including, we hope, an official name) on display at CES. Where it goes from there, Dolby tells us, is all up to manufacturers. And while we may see a lot more of this tech in the near future, there's no guarantee that other companies will build their monitors to the same spec (manufacturers aren't forced to go all the way up to 4,000 nits, for instance). Regardless, we'll happily take one when they start making their way into production.
Ever, Jane meets Kickstarter goal
Good news, Austenites: Your shared dream of a backstabbing dinner party MMO is one step closer to coming true today as Ever, Jane has met its Kickstarter goal. "Thank you all so, so much!" Lead Developer Annabel Smyth gushed. "I can't quite put into words what I feel right now -- overjoyed, overwhelmed, over... over the moon, if you'll forgive the cliché. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The Jane Austen-themed title passed its $100,000 funding goalpost just before its campaign month was finished. The team said that while it will continue to run the free prototype, the weeks ahead will be concentrated on setting up an account system, establishing funding stretch goals, and hosting in-game end-of-year parties.
Steam Box prototype from iBuyPower [Update]
Wow. This is a prototype Steam Machines box from iBuyPower, courtesy of our friends at Engadget. The box comes in two flavors (codenamed "Gordon" and "Freeman," of course), as the center strip is either clear or black when not illuminated with varying colors. Much glow. While iBuyPower wasn't willing to share the specs of its version of the Steam-powered hardware, it said the system will run Steam games at 60 frames per second in 1080p. The system is expected to be ready for a 2014 launch, and the two prototype models currently run an early build of SteamOS, the operating system Valve announced would be on its own Steam Machines hardware. Both were announced alongside a Steam Controller in September. Very Steam Box. Much update: The Verge reports that the system will include a "multicore AMD CPU and a discrete AMD Radeon R9 270 graphics card" and comes with a 500 GB hard drive, bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities. That CPU is very core.
Here's the first non-Valve Steam Machine prototype, care of iBuyPower (update: specs)
That game console headlining this text? It isn't a white PS4: it's a commercial Steam Machines box, or at least a prototype of one. iBuyPower tells us that it's building the box for a 2014 launch, but says it's still early. The company says the prototypes are running an early build of Steam OS, but it's not quite a finished product. That rings true of our impressions of Valve's own reference model, which hosted a version of that same OS devoid of media playback and streaming options and had a very limited selection of games. iBuyPower tells us that it actually has two models, codenamed Gordon and Freeman, in the works. The two consoles are identical, save for the light bar round the middle -- one model's is clear, while the other's is black when not illuminated. And, while the company wouldn't tell us about the boxes' internals, it did confirm that the hardware will run all Steam titles in 1080p resolution at 60fps. Not as much info as we'd like to know, but still, it's good to see hints of what we'll see from Steam Machines when they hit the market -- though we'll likely have to wait until CES to see them in action. Update: The Verge reports that the Steam Machine will pack a multi-core AMD CPU, AMD Radeon R9 270 graphics card and be bundled with one of Valve's Steam Controllers for $499 when it arrives. It's not clear which model that list of specs and price tag apply to, but we've reached out to iBuyPower for clarification and will update once more as soon as we find out.
Pivothead's new video capture glasses let you mix and match power, storage and wireless add-ons
Pivothead's video-recording specs have undergone only a slight evolution since they launched early last year, gaining live broadcast abilities through the Air Sync add-on. Here at Expand NY, however, we've seen what's next, as the company's been kind enough to bring along a prototype of its next-gen model: the Pivothead SMART. Nothing's changed on the camera front, so the SMART carries the same 8-megapixel sensor as its predecessor and records up to 1080p footage at 30 fps. What's different about this new pair, though, is the addition of ports at the end of each arm into which you can plug one of three modular accessories, called Fuel, Air and Live Mods. Essentially, these Mods split the three functions of the bulkier Air Sync peripheral -- streaming, storage and power -- into individual parts. Each Fuel Mod contains a 800mAh battery to supplement the 250mAh internal pack; the Air Mod adds Bluetooth, WiFi, Android for app development and a microSD card slot for bolstering the 16GB of built-in space; and the Live Mod contains a WiFi module for livestreaming your POV. The Pivothead SMART glasses we got to try out weren't quite the finished product -- the company's going to shorten the arms, for example, as they're a bit too long when paired with Mods. It's worth noting that the accessories didn't add much extra weight, so sore ears shouldn't be an issue. For early adopters and eager developers, Pivothead's releasing an SDK and starting an Indiegogo campaign for the SMART specs next Tuesday (November 12th), prior to a true consumer launch in March. Check out the gallery for snaps of the prototype pair and Mods, as well as some obligatory modeling shots, of course.
Valve showcases a handful of prototype Steam Controllers
Valve recently showed off a few of its Steam Machines and Steam Controller hardware precursors to our friends at Engadget. Among the group of hacked-together gadgets was a motion controller that used pieces from the Razer Hydra controller described by designer Greg Coomer as "a Frankenstein" game pad. That particular prototype controller broke apart with "gyroscopes or magnetic sensors in either path, to sense orientation and position." As seen in Engadget's photos, other prototype controllers featured touch pads similar to the official Steam Controller unveiled in late September, and others still even had large trackballs. We'd like to think that Valve was developing its own Golden Tee machine at one point with those controllers at the forefront. Coomer also discussed a prototype device that acted as a "communication and input core," which hasn't been completely shelved by the company just yet. Resembling a phone, the gadget wound up being "more abstract and farther removed from anything people were familiar with," and ultimately introduced "noise to the experience of playing your games."
This is Valve's Steam Machine prototype and SteamOS (hands-on)
Take a good hard look at Valve's Steam Machine, because it's the last time you'll see it. Er, something like that. Only 300 of the metal beast above will ship to beta testers, and then Valve says it's cutting off its own supply of Steam Machines. "We're really building this as a test platform, and there are many machines that are gonna be made by third-parties. They're the ones that will be available commercially in 2014," Valve designer Greg Coomer told Engadget. Those machines will be revealed at next January's CES, as well as partners and more information (fingers crossed for pricing!). Coomer expects a "good array of options, optimized for different features" in the Steam Machines lineup -- everything from a low-end, inexpensive streaming box to an Intel i7/GeForce Titan GPU-powered supercomputer. The machine above was somewhere in between, with an Intel i7 CPU and a GTX 780 GPU housed in its snug chassis. All the parts in the prototype were swappable, and the only standard it's missing internally is an optical drive (presumably unnecessary if you're running SteamOS and downloading all your games digitally, right?). Valve's Steam Machine prototype is a reference design, essentially. "We think it's the right test platform for us," Coomer said. Of course, putting all that work into a reference design and not creating the box seems mighty wasteful.
Gone Home began as an Amnesia mod, and you can play it
Amnesia: The Dark Descent developer Frictional Games revealed that The Fullbright Company's indie hit Gone Home began life as an Amnesia mod, but switched to the Unity engine after plans to license Frictional's HPL2 engine fell through. As a standard practice, Frictional Games co-founder Thomas Grip declines all HPL2 licensing requests, due to the engine's lack of documentation and support. After inquiring about licensing, Fullbright's Steve Gaynor received the same response from Grip, who advised the team to begin building Gone Home with Unity instead. After following up with Gaynor in the months after Gone Home's release, Grip received a copy of Gone Home's original prototype version, which is now available for download as a mod for Amnesia. While it's still in an early state, the prototype retains many of Gone Home's distinct themes and mechanics. "The prototype is quite short and very basic; it is really more of a proof of concept," Grip explains. "But it still gives a very good sense of the game, and having played the full version, I could recognize quite a bit. It does feel a bit awkward to play an early test like this though. Gone Home is a very personal game, and playing this prototype felt like a meta version of the game's voyeuristic thematics."
Valve's Steam Machine prototype is tiny, potentially powerful
When Valve ships its own prototype version of a Steam Machine later this year to 300 beta users, those folks are getting relatively tiny and powerful gaming consoles. At very least, it'll have an NVIDIA GTX 660 (all the way through Titan), and anywhere from an Intel i3 CPU to an i7-4770. All prototypes come with 3GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB/8GB Hybrid SSHD for storage. A 450w battery powers the 12 x 12.4 x 2.9in. boxes, which is internal (no external power supply! alright!). Valve says it isn't ready to show off the box just yet, but offers more details than the prototype's initial announcement: the prototype is built entirely from "off-the-shelf PC parts," and is "fully upgradeable." In fact, aside from the prototype's custom housing, Valve says, "anyone can go and build exactly the same machine." The company even plans on sharing the CAD files for the housing, should you wish to directly replicate Valve's efforts. The forum post also says we'll see the box soon, before the beta units head out to 300 lucky folks. Head below for the full range of specs. Of course, the worry here is pricing. We still don't know how much any of this will cost, and it certainly smells like it won't be cheap. For example, Xi3's modestly powerful Piston gaming PC carries a $1,000 price tag. On the low end, just Valve's prototype's NVIDIA GPU costs around $200 (with the high-end Titan coming in around $1,000), which is to say nothing of the custom work required to fit said NVIDIA GPUs and Intel CPUs and everything inside a custom 12 x 12.4 x 2.9in. enclosure. If nothing else, beta users are getting a relatively pricey piece of tech for free -- an endeavor that no doubt engenders a lot of love from Valve's loyal community. What we'll see available for sale some time next year, however, may look a lot different than what we're seeing in this prototype.
Rohm showcases colorful solid hydrogen-source fuel cell chargers at CEATEC
You know what makes a fuel cell charger in your pocket a little less frightening? Colors! CEATEC mainstay Rohm has arrived back in Japan with a new set of hydrogen-source fuel cell chargers, with the latest prototype lot boasting a litany of new hues that may very well match up with that iPhone 5c you're (presumably) picking up soon. The actual technology used within hasn't changed from last year, but the company is evidently considering the release of such portable chargers for those who'd prefer something a bit less drab. We're told that a fully-fueled pack can keep the average smartphone alive for twice as long as it would otherwise last, but as has become the norm at this show, there's nary a hint of a price / release date. Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Toshiba's concept REGZA 40V and 50V 4K HDTVs double as pro-grade reference monitors
Toshiba's overall TV division may be ailing, but it's innovations like this that'll keep it from completely decaying. Displayed at the company's CEATEC booth here in Japan are two new 4K HDTV displays -- the 40-inch 40V and 50-inch 50V. Outside of devilishly-thin bezels and native 4K resolutions, the company's not talking specifications. What it's focusing on instead is the concept: it's dreaming of an Ultra HD range of displays that can operate as televisions and as pro-grade reference monitors. After all, budding editors who are being tasked with cutting together 4K footage certainly deserve a monitor that won't cut corners, right? A company representative informed us that while the displays weren't perfectly color accurate, they were far superior to rivals. Plus, the ability to easily toggle between reference mode and various other living room-accepted modes will enable a level of A/B testing that's pretty tough to get right now. Naturally, both monitors looked stunning up close, and if we're being candid, we're fallen in love with Photoshop all over again after seeing it displayed on these guys. Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Elliptic Labs releases ultrasound gesturing SDK for Android, will soon integrate into smartphones
Elliptic Labs has already spruced up a number of tablets by adding the ability to gesture instead of make contact with a touchpanel, and starting this week, it'll bring a similar source of wizardry to Android. The 20-member team is demoing a prototype here at CEATEC in Japan, showcasing the benefits of its ultrasound gesturing technology over the conventional camera-based magic that already ships in smartphones far and wide. In a nutshell, you need one or two inexpensive (under $1 a pop) chips from Murata baked into the phone; from there, Elliptic Labs' software handles the rest. It allows users to gesture in various directions with multiple hands without having to keep their hands in front of the camera... or atop the phone at all, actually. (To be clear, that box around the phone is only there for the demo; consumer-friendly versions will have the hardware bolted right onto the PCB within.) The goal here is to make it easy for consumers to flip through slideshows and craft a new high score in Fruit Ninja without having to grease up their display. Company representatives told us that existing prototypes were already operating at sub-100ms latency, and for a bit of perspective, most touchscreens can only claim ~120ms response times. It's hoping to get its tech integrated into future phones from the major Android players (you can bet that Samsung, LG, HTC and the whole lot have at least heard the pitch), and while it won't ever be added to existing phones, devs with games that could benefit from a newfangled kind of gesturing can look for an Android SDK to land in the very near future. Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Embers of Caerus September update details explorable demo and team changes
Forsaken Studios has released its September development update video this weekend for Embers of Caerus, and in it, we get details on a new community manager, some issues the team is having with funding, and the upcoming exploration demo that's in the works with a new engine. As technical director Dave Belcher explains in the video, the investment hurdle merely means that the team will need to step it up a bit to show off more of what the game is at this point, with the possibility of more crowd funding in the future. Belcher explains that the game will be moving from Havok's Vision engine to the Unity engine (temporarily) for new prototypes, which should help show potential investors (both large and small) what the game is all about. Check out the entire 18-minute video just after the jump for more on what the team has been up to in the last few busy months.
Steam weekend deals: Tomb Raider, Rogue Legacy, Activision games
This weekend's frugalfest on Steam is quite tempting. Tomb Raider is down to $12.49 for the standard edition and $14.49 for the Survival edition, which includes select DLC such as ten ditties from the soundtrack, a digital comic, a map, a digital mini art book, an in-game "Guerrilla Skin" outfit for Lara and three weapons plucked from Hitman: Absolution. Punishing retro-inspired roguelike platformer Rogue Legacy is also on the discount block this weekend, down 40% to a mere $9. Finally, there's the Activision publisher sale, which sees discounts for just about every Activision game on Steam: Singularity, Prototype 2, numerous Call of Duty games and Deadpool are all vying for your weekend dollar, so feel free to hop on over and peruse the list. As always, the Steam weekend deals expire on Monday morning at 10am PT.
Acer Extend concept is a smartphone workstation, we go hands-on (video)
In addition to letting us get our hands on all its IFA announcements today, Acer pulled back the curtain on a concept device. The Acer Extend prototype works similarly to the ASUS Padfone, letting you connect your smartphone to a clamshell-style dock with a display, keyboard and a 6,000mAh battery to recharge your handset. For the purposes of the demo, a modified version of Acer's Liquid E2 smartphone was connected to the Extend dock via an MHL cable, though company reps said a market-ready version could include a retractable cord. Even more compelling, though, would be a wireless, Bluetooth-based solution. In addition to offering much more screen real estate than a phone, the dock solution nets you a full-size, tactile keyboard, and Acer's optimized island-style layout to work with a smartphone's operating system. To that end, there are buttons for Mail, WiFi, Bluetooth and more -- more or less the options you'll find in an Android phone's Settings menu. Though the keyboard is tailored to a smartphone interface, the Extend lets you view apps such as Gmail in tablet format, meaning you'll reap the full benefits of the larger display. There's also a full-size touchpad on board.
EVE Evolved: Is DUST 514 a pay-to-win game?
I've been following DUST 514's development with a cautious optimism for the past few years and have been trying to convince my console gamer friends to give it a try since it launched back in May. Last week I finally sat down to play the game myself and was thoroughly disappointed with both its 2005-era graphics and fundamentally broken gameplay. DUST 514 will likely stay in development for the forseeable future and may end up becoming a polished and integral part of the EVE Online universe, but right now it's a buggy and mediocre FPS that has very little impact on New Eden. DUST 514 launched to mixed impressions from the gaming media, catching a lot of flack from reviewers for its microtransactions options. Some have argued that selling skill point boosters and destructible Aurum tanks and equipment directly for cash makes it a pay-to-win game, while others maintain that it doesn't give you an advantage that free players can't buy for ISK. The definition of pay-to-win isn't always clear, and the console FPS audience may not be as tolerant of microtransactions PC users have long since accepted. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the arguments for and against it being a pay-to-win game and ask what went wrong with the game's launch.
World of Tanks update introduces post-war prototypes
Will World of Tanks ever run out of new hardware and locations to add? It doesn't seem likely at the pace that Wargaming.net keeps introducing them to the game. The Russian studio is preparing yet another update that will contain a new map, new vehicles, and even a few post-war prototypes. Update 8.7 is bringing out the artillery -- the British artillery, to be exact. Several new self-propelled guns will be shipped from England with love, including the Sexton, Bishop, and Crusader. The team also put in a few SPGs that never made it to actual production following the war, such as the top-tier Conqueror gun carriage. Players will have a new map to explore and ravage: Russia's Belogorsk-19. Just rolls off the tongue, does it not? [Source: Wargaming.net]
Volvo demos smartphone-enabled self-parking car prototype (video)
Volvo's no stranger to autonomous vehicles -- it's been working on SARTRE for several years now -- but yesterday the company shared some info about a new self-parking concept it plans to demo next week. The prototype car (a V40) is able to find a space and park in it without a driver on board, all while avoiding pedestrians, vehicles and other obstacles. What's most interesting is the level of integration Volvo is showcasing here -- sensors, electronics and controls are seamlessly built into the car, making the tech look production-ready. Vehicle to infrastructure communication is used to alert the driver when the service is available, and the car is smartphone-enabled for easy drop-off and pickup. You'll recall that Audi showed a similar self-parking concept at CES, so it certainly looks like the space is heating up. Hit the break for Volvo's video and PR.
Warrior Web from DARPA aims to boost muscles, reduce fatigue and injury (video)
The US military's dabbled with full-on robotic suits in the past, but it's now looking at a less convoluted, more energy-efficient approach. A project called Warrior Web from DARPA aims to enhance soldier carrying capacity and minimize injuries by distributing loads better, providing better joint support and "reapply(ing) energy to enhance motion." Such a suit would be equipped with sensors to detect forces, and be able to fit beneath existing uniforms while consuming only 100W of juice. The US Army has nearly completed five months of prototype testing using a multi-camera motion capture system (see the video after the break) to develop critical tech. The next step will be to design and fabricate a suit ready for real-world testing, which should happen in the fall -- assuming the program keeps its footing.
LG's 5-inch HD Oxide mobile display has a 1mm-slim bezel, we go eyes-on at SID
LG's flexible OLED display is just one of the company's many panels on show here at SID. Our next stop in the booth tour is a 5-inch HD prototype, which uses TFT Oxide technology for low power consumption and a super-slim profile. Like the 5-inch flexible panel, this guy sports a 1mm bezel, and a rep told us it utilizes IPS technology to offer wide viewing angles. The model you see here is rated at 250 nits, though LG expects a significantly higher brightness count by the time the panel makes it to market. As for when that will happen, "ASAP" is the only answer we received. Hit up our photo gallery below for a closer look.%Gallery-189112% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
