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Daily Roundup: Xbox at Gamescom, Project Spark, Hot Watch hands-on, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The Daily Roundup for 07.26.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
2014 Spark EV test drive: affordable green fun (video)
We've driven a number of EV's over the years -- from the Ford Focus Electric to the Tesla Model S -- but none have been as affordable as the 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV. It costs $19,995, including the $7,500 federal tax credit, and just $17,495 in California, thanks to an additional $2,500 credit. The Spark EV is GM's first pure electric car since the company scrapped the EV1 program in 2002. It's a five-door supermini designed to carry four people plus luggage in comfort. While it's primarily a city car, it's perfectly at ease on the highway. We recently got the chance to take one for a spin in lovely Portland, Oregon, so hit the break for our impressions and hands-on video. %Gallery-194735%
Lost Planet 3 trailer is a survivor's monologue
Here we see another missed opportunity to use Destiny's Child's 2001 hit, "Survivor," in a video game trailer. When will those marketing departments ever learn?
JBL Spark Bluetooth speaker uncovered at the FCC with wall mounting, retro looks
JBL is known for its love of exotic speaker designs, but a new FCC approval suggests it's about to turn back the clock for its next look. An unannounced Spark Bluetooth speaker appearing at the US agency wouldn't look out of place at the top of a gramophone -- albeit one draped in red plastic. It could also be part of the decor, as a manual in the filing suggests there's support for mounting brackets. While the FCC filing doesn't give away any launch details for the Spark, the 13W of total power hints that we won't be paying a lot for our semi-retro audio.
2014 Chevy Spark EV will retail for $27,495 before incentives, hits West Coast freeways in mid-June
Chevy just announced pricing for its 2014 Spark EV. The all-electric compact will retail for $27,495 before incentives, such as a $7,500 federal tax credit and up to $2,500 in state and local credits. All told, you could drive the car home for less than 18 grand, and California residents will net HOV (carpool lane) access to boot. The four-door vehicle ships with a 21kWh battery pack, giving you an estimated range of 82 miles on a full charge. You can also add on DC Fast Charging capability, letting you recharge up to 80 percent in about 20 minutes at select stations. Alternatively, you can charge up using a 240-volt system in about seven hours. The car also includes Chevy's MyLink infotainment platform, the RemoteLink smartphone app and three years of OnStar service. It'll be available at select dealers in California and Oregon by mid-June. Update: In the original version of this post, we incorrectly reported that the Spark is a two-door compact. There are four doors, however -- the rear handles are hidden from view.
Lost Planet 3 pre-order bonuses include Hunk, robo-accessories
Pre-ordering Lost Planet 3 at GameStop will grant five "unique" multiplayer characters, a squad which includes gas mask-wearing soldier "Hunk" from any number of Resident Evil games. The player also receives some Rig (read: giant robot) upgrades, specifically a "tungsten carbide drill" hand and a big ol' "pressurized claw" for squeezing space bugs and (we assume) other, less interesting applications.Lost Planet 3 arrives on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on Tuesday, August 27.%Gallery-186786% %Gallery-186787%
Lost Planet 3 multiplayer trailer mechs its way online
Grappling hooks, glowing bugs, turrets, mechs and snow? Must be a Lost Planet 3 multiplayer trailer. The game launches this August.
Chevrolet Sonic, Spark first cars to get Siri Eyes Free integration
GM has announced that the Chevrolet Sonic and Spark will offer Siri Eyes Free integration in March of 2013. This makes good on a promise GM made in June 2012 to deliver the service to the cars within "the next 12 months." Eyes Free will be distributed via an upgrade to existing MyLink radios in the Sonic and Spark. Once the cars have the upgrade, GM says drivers will be able to: Make voice-activated, hands-free calls to Contacts on their iPhone. Play songs in their iTunes libraries, and even switch music sources automatically from AM/FM/XM radio to iPod mode. Listen to, compose and send an iMessage or text message to a phone number or anyone in saved Contacts. Access Calendar and add appointments. Minimize distraction even more by keeping the screen of the iPhone from lighting up even when Siri answers simple questions such as game scores or the dates of national holidays. The Siri Eyes Free feature of iOS 6 was first announced at WWDC last year. It allows drivers to safely interact with features of their iPhones via voice control without taking your eyes off the road. Besides GM, both Honda and Hyundai have promised to add Siri Eyes Free integration to their cars in 2013.
Chevy Spark EV guts revealed, we go eyes-on
Details of Chevy's first all-electric car, the Spark EV, hit the web yesterday, and today the diminutive car got its official unveiling at the LA Auto Show. Since we're here in SoCal, we figured we'd bring you some shots of GM's latest electrical offering, and Chevrolet was kind enough to cut apart a Spark for us to see its innards. Head on down to our gallery below, where you'll find the 130hp electron-powered motor, 20kWH battery pack, and MyLink-equipped infotainment system displayed in all their glory. Mark Hearn contributed to this post.
Chevy launches iPhone Siri support for Spark, Sonic vehicles, aims to keep your Eyes Free
If you're looking at getting a 2013 Chevrolet Spark or Sonic LTZ / RS, you'll be able to drag Siri along for the ride, provided that you have an iPhone 4S or later running iOS 6, according to GM. It'll pair with Chevy's MyLink entertainment system using Bluetooth, ensuring you avoid distractions via Apple's new Eyes Free mode that lets you disable the smartphone's screen via a steering wheel button. Using voice-activated commands, you'll be able to prompt the system to make hands-free calls, play songs from your iTunes library, listen to and compose text messages and access calendar appointments. If you ask a question that requires a web page to be displayed, however, Siri will decline to answer -- ensuring your eyes stay where they should. The automaker also announced an upcoming version of MyLink for the Chevrolet Impala that will let buyers "skin" the instrument panel with four different themes: Edge and Velocity for the younger set, and Contemporary or Main Street aimed at "busy moms" or business types. It'll also have an optional 8-inch touchscreen and let you link up to ten devices via Blutetooth or USB. Check the sources for info on all the new vehicles or the video after the break.
Why it's called Lost Planet 3 despite being a prequel
It must be hard to maximize your reach to gamers when there's a "3" in the title of your game. What if I've never played the first two games? How am I expected to understand all of the references and deep, established lore? It's quite the pickle for those looking to come into any established franchise without prior experience.In the case of Lost Planet 3, it's a pretty interesting prospect. It's the third installment in a fairly polarizing series – either you love Lost Planet or you don't – from a relatively unknown developer who hasn't shipped that many games.%Gallery-156930%
Devil May Cry, Lost Planet 3 media come into view
While Resident Evil 6 took center stage during Microsoft's E3 presser, Capcom was quick to send out some new media for two of its other big titles here at E3, lest you forget them: Devil May Cry and Lost Planet 3.
Lost Planet 3 coming in 2013 from Spark Unlimited
The proverbial lid on Capcom's annual Captivate news has lifted over the past 12 hours, with trailers for Devil May Cry, Resident Evil 6, and now, Lost Planet 3 surfacing. Wait, that last one's not an announced game! Hot dog! Spark Unlimited (Legendary, Call of Duty: Finest Hour) is putting together a third Lost Planet for Capcom, heading to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in "early 2013." It seems Spark is ditching the sultry locales of Lost Planet 2 for the frozen wastelands of the first game, at least as far as this trailer is concerned. It also seems there'll be some sort of a giant storm to deal with during your return trip to Capcom's misplaced orb. Expect a full, "official" announcement from sooner rather than later.%Gallery-152818%
Chevrolet set to debut GogoLink navigation on Spark and Sonic rides (video)
Cruising around town in a gas-saving Chevrolet Sonic? Or perhaps you've got your name written all over the 2013 Spark's waiting list? Well, GM has some good news to share. Starting in the fall, those of you with a MyLink system on either of these rides will be able to add GogoLink navigation for around $50. The service's features include live traffic, emergency info, 3D maps, Google local search and native maps storage on smartphones to use for turn-by-turn directions when you can't get a signal. GM's saying that since GogoLink won't be out until the Spark's electrifying release, you'll have to make a quick pit stop by the dealer to get the app installed on your 7-inch infotainment slab. What's a few extra bucks to save you from getting lost, right?
Spark tablet available for pre-order, still aiming for 200 euro price tag
We're sure some Linux fans broke into a cold sweat over the open source Spark tab. Fortunately it's taken the next step towards their eager paws: the seven inch slab is now up for pre-order. Sign up for one and you'll net a priority order code to ensure you get one of the first units off the production line, alongside 500 points to use at the manufacturer's add-on store. The site still expects to launch the Spark for around €200 ($262), which is a fair chunk of change less than those top-drawer tablets -- and what price can you put on freedom?[Thanks Jose]
Spark pre-orders delayed, but here's a video instead (video)
We had hoped that the Linux-based open-source Spark tablet would be up for pre-order already, but the logistics gods have decreed it not to be. Order registrations are now simply said to go online "ASAP". In the meantime, the developers hope to whet your appetite with this video of the 7-inch budget-slab in action. So it looks a little bit laggy right now, but the team behind it says there's plenty of performance to be squeezed out of it yet. Likewise the UI you see above is optimized for a larger screen, meaning thumbnails and margins should be sharper once those kinks have been ironed out. Hit the source below to get the full update on the pre-order setbacks.
Spark Linux tablet specs updated, going up for pre-order next week
We already got a brief introduction to the Spark Linux-based tablet, but details were a little sparse. Since then, a few more key bits of info have been added to its Q&A page, which might help sway your purchasing decision. That KDE Plasma Active UI we knew it'd be sporting will stare out at you via a modest 800 x 480 screen, and there's a 1.3 megapixel snapper tucked in alongside for video calling. The 1GHz / 512 MB internals we initially reported remain unchanged and the two USB ports and 3.5mm audio jack we saw in the pre-release picture above also get the official seal. There's talk of GPS making it into the next iteration, but for now you'll have to find your own way. The main news, however, is that pre-orders are pegged for next week, and shipping set for May. The initial focus is on Europe, but plans for it to arrive in US retailers are apparently underway. If that's suitably tickled your fancy, head on over the break and tap the source for more info.
Meet Spark, the 200 euro slate packing Linux-based Plasma Active UX
As we all know, the Kindle Fire's hot, Apple's selling bushels of iPads, and there's plenty of Honeycomb slates out there for you to choose from, but what if you want a tablet free from corporate influence? Enter Spark, a seven-inch slate that comes running the Plasma Active UX, an open-source OS based on Linux kernel, KDE's multi-platform Plasma environment and a dash of Qt for good measure. Now, this isn't just a consumer tablet -- Spark's aimed at "those who love writing great software... using the typical Linux tools" -- but it will offer access to ebooks from Project Gutenberg, plus Qt and QML apps, too. It's powered by a 1GHz AMLogic ARM processor, has a Mali-400 GPU and comes with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, plus an SD card slot for future expansion. Modest underpinnings, to be sure, but for €200 ($262), you can't expect quad core silicon, right? Naturally, order and delivery dates remain a mystery, but plenty of other info about the open-source slate can be found at the source below.
GM puts Spark EV all-electric vehicle into production, begins development of next-gen EN-V concept
GM has already done a fair bit of talking about electric vehicles this year, but it's not done just yet. The company announced this week that it will be producing an all-electric version of its Spark mini-car -- to be dubbed the Spark EV -- into production, with the first vehicles set to roll out sometime in 2013 (including "limited quantities" in the US). Complete details on the vehicle are otherwise still a bit light, but GM says it will use nanophosphate lithium-ion battery provided by A123 Systems. What's more, while there's no word on it going into production, GM has also confirmed that it's begun development of its next-generation EN-V concept vehicle, and that it will sport a Chevrolet badge this time around. As you may recall from our test ride, the existing EN-V is already plenty futuristic, so it'll be interesting to see what the automaker comes up with next. Head on past the break for a video of the Spark.
