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Tales From The Borderlands first details emerge from SXSW vault
A panel at the SXSW festival has shed new light on Tales From The Borderlands, the story-driven adventure game collaboration between Telltale and Gearbox. Polygon reports that the two main characters, Rhys and Fiona, will narrate the story from a future perspective - in other words, what you play is what the characters say happened. Telltale President Kevin Bruner told the panel's audience, "You never really play what actually happened, you're playing this Big Fish version of what happened." Given that Rhys works for megacorporation Hyperion (which is led by Borderlands 2 villain Handsome Jack) and that Fiona is a con artist, that's shaky ground to stand on. The characters' backgrounds also means that they won't be world-saving heroes; these are people motivated primarily by greed. Unlike Telltale's The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us, which often force players to choose between bad and worse, Tales From The Borderlands will present players with two extremely desirable options. The game's tone will also set it apart, as it will be a lighter, more humorous affair than Clementine or Bigby's misadventures. Tales From The Borderlands is due later this year. [Image: Telltale Games/Gearbox Software]
S. Prell03.09.2014
Aereo's not for sale ... not now, anyway
It's a bittersweet day in Austin, Texas, for Aereo. The company's remote DVR service, which allows users to stream or record over-the-air broadcasts, just launched in the city this week against the backdrop of SXSW, making it Aereo's fourth market in the state. But there's a storm cloud hanging over this celebration; a recent legal hiccup with the state of Utah that saw it shut down service in Denver, Colo., and Salt Lake City, Utah. Aereo, however, is no stranger to this courtroom drama. The company's been engaged in a copyright battle with broadcasters that'll either cement it as a content licensee (along the lines of a Netflix), and potentially cripple its business growth, or as a provider of cloud DVR storage. It's a fight Aereo's waging all the way to the Supreme Court and has so far been winning, except for today.
Joseph Volpe03.08.2014
NYT Now is a mobile news platform with a dedicated staff curating stories
SXSW is a veritable playground for journalists, with panels catering to media professionals and -- most importantly -- no shortage of free food. We're not surprised, then, that The New York Times chose Austin as the venue for an announcement this week. Perhaps "tease" is more apt than announcement, though, since we aren't allowed to capture any pictures of the upcoming NYT Now app at this time (the bar menu above was the only documentation we're permitted to publish).
Sarah Silbert03.08.2014
IBM puts Watson in charge of its SXSW food truck, we taste-test (video)
We know Watson has some Jeopardy skills, but putting IBM's supercomputer in the kitchen? That's a little different. Here at SXSW, the company's set up a "Cognitive Cooking" food truck in partnership with the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE). Using Watson's recipe system, which combines three elements (ingredient, cuisine and type of dish) to create unconventional new fare, chefs here in Austin are churning out delicacies such as ceviche fish and chips and Vietnamese apple kebabs.
Sarah Silbert03.08.2014
Pennzoil and Nintendo bring Mario Kart to life at SXSW
Our friends at Engadget report that Pennzoil and Nintendo have partnered up for what the 8-year old inside us could only describe as "the coolest commercial ever, next to those Stretch Armstrong guys." The two companies have brought the Mario Kart franchise into the real world with modified karts on a specially-designed track at the SXSW festival. Icons representing familiar in-game weapons like the banana peel and red shell (as well as a Pennzoil icon) are spread throughout a 1,000-foot long track, and grant bonuses when activated. The Pennzoil icon, for example, will speed up a driver's kart. The karts are representative of Mario, Luigi, Peach and Bowser who - hey, imagine that! - will be appearing in Mario Kart 8, due this May. This might seem like a strange partnership, but hey, it's not the first time Nintendo has spread to the real world to cross-promote products. Besides, the Big N couldn't have found a more appropriate partner - Pennzoil is owned by Shell. Shell. Get it? Cuz it's Mario Kart. *drops mic* [Image: Nintendo]
S. Prell03.08.2014
We kick off SXSW 2014 with some real-life Mario Karting (video)
The first few days of SXSW have brought quite a bit of excitement for our team on the ground. After starting the show with a stun-copter demo, we stopped by the Palmer Events Center to play a little a live-action Mario Kart. Pennzoil has set up a go-kart track here in Austin to promote its new Platinum line of natural gas-based motor oils, though -- let's face it -- we were really only here to be Mario (and Luigi, Bowser and Princess Peach) for a day.
Sarah Silbert03.08.2014
We're live from SXSW Interactive 2014!
We're live on the ground at South By Southwest (#SXSW for short), the annual event that brings together everyone and anyone who's invested in the interactive arts. Those artists include the minds behind emerging startups (like Twitter was here in 2007), as well as established innovators like Mark Cuban and even Grumpy Cat. We're already off to a great start: we've seen a man get stunned by the Chaotic Unmanned Personal Intercept Drone and had a chance to punch virtual sharks with the Oculus Rift and Leap Motion. But, there's more to come over the next few days, including riding MarioKart in real life, separate virtual conversations with Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, Shaq and much more. Here's how to keep up with us at SXSW, after the break.
John Colucci03.07.2014
We carved a custom bottle opener with the free Easel web app
Inventables' Shapeoko 2 desktop computer controlled (CNC) milling machine just got a whole lot more attractive. The company's new Easel tool is a free design and fabrication web app designed for the $650 open-source kit, which launched last October. The new duo will enable you to design objects in 2D with a real-time 3D preview, then "print" your creation using a USB-equipped CNC milling machine (such as the Shapeoko) with wood, plastic or soft metal. Best of all, Inventables has whipped up an interface so straightforward even an Engadget editor could figure it out. Creating designs, such as the bottle opener we tossed together is a simple drag and drop affair, and requires no prior experience. While you should be able to design basic objects in less than five minutes, assembling a Shapeoko can take considerably more time. Fortunately, Zach Kaplan happened to have one ready to go, so we caught up with the Inventables CEO to try out the new cloud-based design tool here at SXSW.
Engadget03.07.2014
Watch a man get stunned by the Chaotic Unmanned Personal Intercept Drone (stun copter!)
You're gonna want to steer clear of this CUPID. The Chaotic Unmanned Personal Intercept Drone, or "stun copter," can deliver 80,000 volts of pure projectile terror directly into the skin of an ill-intentioned hoodlum. This is serious business for Chaotic Moon, the folks behind SharkPunch and the Pizza Hut touch table. The Austin-based design studio created the flying machine as a tech demo, but CUPID could be quickly brought to production whenever a personal security or law enforcement client sees fit. This prototype unit is based on a Tarot Hexacopter, originally designed to carry a digital SLR for video and aerial photo shoots. With a Phazzer Dragon on board, however, a few modifications made this an entirely different beast.
Zach Honig03.07.2014
Punching virtual sharks for points with the Oculus Rift and Leap Motion
"This could be a science lesson on the innards of sharks." Chance Ivey, game design lead for Chaotic Moon's whimsical Oculus Rift demo SharkPunch, was only half-joking when he made that comment to me as I exploded a megalodon with my fist in virtual space. That's because the minigame, which incorporates a visor-mounted Leap Motion controller to let users punch sharks in 3D, actually has firm roots in an educational simulator the Austin, Texas-based company's been developing for prospective clients. Yes, that connection may be hard to swallow at first -- after all, how does a frenzied, and fun, game of shark carnage assist players with learning? The simple answer is that it doesn't, but by no means does that lessen SharkPunch's educational origins in the slightest.
Joseph Volpe03.07.2014
NASA taps Kerbal Space Program to replicate real space mission
The actual rocket scientists at NASA have joined forces with the virtual rocket scientists of the Kerbal Space Program to update the indie space simulation with legitimate technology and an actual, real-world, ongoing mission. Kerbal Space Program: Asteroid Redirect Mission shares its name with NASA's ongoing attempt to land astronauts on an asteroid orbiting beyond our moon. Details on how this crucial effort will translate to the video game are currently scant, but representatives from NASA and Kerbal Space Program developer Squad will be on hand at the upcoming SXSW culture festival to offer the first public look at the update. "Kerbal Space Program is about giving gamers the chance to dream big, even if they're not astrophysicists," wrote lead developer Felipe Falanghe. "This relationship with NASA, the very beacon of big dreams and imagination, is going to give players a real opportunity to learn about the universe we're living in." Full details on when and where SXSW attendees can witness the demonstration can be found at the festival's website. [Image: Squad]
Earnest Cavalli03.06.2014
'From Dusk Till Dawn' TV series is a Netflix original -- but only outside the US
Director Robert Rodriguez is expanding on the story and characters first seen in his cult classic From Dusk Till Dawn with a new TV series, but that's not all there is to it. Here it's the debut original series on Rodriguez's new El Rey Network on cable, but outside the US Miramax has cut a deal with Netflix giving the streamer exclusive rights to all ten episodes. That means this time around Netflix will follow the weekly episode release schedule (like it did with Breaking Bad) instead of bingeing House of Cards-style, bringing new episodes within 24 hours of the US broadcast everywhere except Latin America. The US premiere is March 11th, while in Latin America it will premiere March 19th, with weekly releases after that -- in an unrelated note, Canada's Trailer Park Boys are returning with a whole new season on Netflix later this year. A renewed Miramax has been a big player in streaming, making an initial US deal with Netflix in early 2011, followed by another one for international streaming rights in the same year. Since then, it's also opened its vaults to Hulu, Amazon Prime and Lovefilm / Amazon Prime Instant Video UK. The new series is debuting this week at SXSW, and according to Rodriguez "the film was the short story, this series is the novel." We'll once again follow the Gecko Bros. as they try to escape across the border after a bank heist and make a detour to a strip club filled with vampires. It's a familiar tale, but this time shoving 10 episodes full of grindhouse-style mayhem instead of a relatively brief two hour movie -- check out the official trailer after the break for a taste.
Richard Lawler03.06.2014
Titanfall launch party at SXSW includes devs, Childish Gambino
Microsoft is hosting a launch party for Titanfall at SXSW in Austin, Texas, from 9PM CT on March 10 to 2AM CT on March 11, the moment that shall forever on be known as The Day The Titans Fell. Festivities will be held at Microsoft Studio on Congress Avenue and it's all first come, first served. Developers from Respawn, including founder Vince Zampella and Community Manager Abbie Heppe, will be hanging out, along with Xbox Corporate VP Yusuf Mehdi. Childish Gambino, the musical persona of Community writer and actor Donald Glover, will perform at the party. Get a taste of his style here (Warning: NSFW, witty lyrics). Twitch will stream the celebration live on the Xbox channel or through the Twitch app on Xbox from 10PM CT to 2AM CT, with scheduled appearances from Twitch's Jon Carnage, the Rooster Teeth team and Geoff Keighley, plus the Respawn and Microsoft folks.
Jessica Conditt02.28.2014
Tales from the Borderlands SXSW panel presents first details in March
Telltale Games will share its first Tales from the Borderlands details at an upcoming SXSW 2014 panel, the studio announced this week. Attending Telltale Games representatives include president Kevin Bruner and designer Harrison Pink. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford, Borderlands series director Matthew Armstrong, and Borderlands 2 writer Anthony Burch will also attend, presenting new insight into the game's creation and fielding audience queries in a Q&A session afterward. The panel runs from 5:30 through 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, at the Palmer Events Center in Austin, Texas. [Image: Telltale Games]
Danny Cowan02.21.2014
The iTunes festival is coming to America, running alongside SXSW in March
As we originally reported earlier today, 2014 will mark the first time Apple's iTunes Festival will be held in America, after seven years of being hosted in the UK. The festival will run alongside the annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX from March 11 through March 15. Artists slated to perform include ZEDD, Coldplay, Willie Nelson and Keith Urban, with more being announced soon. As with last year's UK festival, the complete iTunes Festival will be streamed online for free through the iTunes Store, iOS devices, and your desktop. Apple TV will also be hosting an HD stream. Founded in 1987, SXSW has become one of the biggest music and film trade shows in the country. The festival has launched the careers of bands like Hanson, The Polyphonic Spree, and James Blunt among others. Even bands and film makers who aren't officially on the festival schedule show up looking to fill spots and get noticed -- it's a madhouse. With the addition of the iTunes Festival, SXSW is going to be even crazier this year.
John-Michael Bond02.20.2014
Apple's iTunes Festival is coming to the US, and you can stream it live
After seven years of hosting the iTunes Festival in the UK, Apple is at last bringing the concert series to the US for 2014. The music extravaganza will be held in Austin from March 11th through the 15th, running alongside South by Southwest (SXSW). It's a much shorter run than in the past, but it will include a mix of well-known American and European artists, ranging from Willie Nelson to London Grammar. As you'd imagine, Apple is using the event as a technological showcase; you'll get to stream live and on-demand performances from both iTunes on the desktop as well as any iOS device. This will all sound familiar to Brits, but it's big news for Americans that no longer have to skip work just to watch the live shows -- even if they can't make it out to Texas.
Jon Fingas02.19.2014
Stick and Rudder: Why Star Citizen's development model matters
Chris Roberts' Star Citizen crowdfunding colossus exploded onto the gaming scene late in 2012 with a chip on its shoulder and a certain can-do attitude that resonated with gamers because of its conspicuous absence over the past decade. "I am a PC game, and I am a space sim," the game's trailer defiantly proclaimed. PC games and space sims, of course, were long past the prime of their 1990s golden years, according to most industry pundits, so how and why did Star Citizen make such a successful splash (over $8.5 million in crowdfunding as of press time, with an additional $5,000 to $10,000 gained on a daily basis)? More importantly why is the title's development model so integral to the future of gaming?
Jef Reahard04.21.2013
Google Glass developer presentation from SXSW finally available to stream in full
If you're still thirsting over details about life with Google Glass, you can now sit back and experience the presentation (though not filmed in first person with one of the units -- opportunity missed) from SXSW last month. We covered it in our liveblog and dug up news on various apps already working with Google's Mirror API to present their information in ways that are designed for the wearable units, don't get in the way, and don't pop up at bad times. These are relatively new and unique issues to deal with since the information is being presented on a device that's in your face, so it will be interesting to see if developers are up to the challenge. Check after the break for 50 minutes of Googler Timothy Jordan showing the people what the Glass team has learned and implemented so far.
Richard Lawler04.04.2013
Distro Issue 82: A closer look at the inaugural Insert Coin: New Challengers competition
This weekend at Expand in San Francisco, a handful of emerging startups will compete for $25,000 and the proper Engadget review treatment. In the latest installment of our e-publication, we have a peek at the finalists of the first-ever Insert Coin: New Challengers crowdfunded battle royal. In addition to those gadget hopefuls, we put both the TiVo Mini and HTC One through their respective paces while we relive the week that was SXSW Interactive in a collection of snapshots. All of the usual features and columns are here as well, filled to the brim with goodness that awaits via your favorite weekly download link. Distro Issue 82 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro in the Windows Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Billy Steele03.15.2013
Gravidi wants to put clickable hotspots on videos for iOS
At SXSW I found a kiosk showing off a beta of the app Gravidi. It allows producers to add a layer of interactivity to videos by embedding hotspots in the video, and adding other activity around it. For users, it provides a way to learn more about moments in a video, or people or objects in that video as it plays. The app is currently in beta, but they are showing it off around SXSW featuring a number of bands and their music videos. While clickable video has been tried before (I remember adding hotspots to QuickTime video a decade ago), Gravidi is offering a nicely designed experience for users and tools for producers on the back end. The app for consumers will be free, the back end for producers will cost, but no details on price were available when I spoke to them. The question, to me, will be whether viewers will want to interact with video they would normally "veg out" to. Steve Jobs once described watching movies as a "lean back" experience, versus the more interactive clicking around we do when on a computer. But since the iPad is a sort of intermediate device, I can see a point at which users are more accustomed to interacting with a video as it is playing. As with the plethora of "second screen" apps that have been appearing, time will tell whether consumers want to divide their attention. While some of this will depend on negotiations with media folks (studios who wish to add these hotspots), there are applications beyond mere entertainment. A professor could overlay hotspots at key scenes in a film for a class, or a training video could provide more information at critical points. If the tools for producers are easy enough to use, that is. Meanwhile, Gravidi has a good approach, and partnering with SXSW to work with bands is a good start. In the demo I saw, a band played through a music video, and you could learn more about the band, the director and specific moments throughout the video. Little icons designating hotspots would periodically float down from the top (to draw your eye), and land on a spot where you can click to see a pop-up screen with more info. At that point you can jump to the content or go back to the video. The experience was fast and fluid. What I felt was even more important for bands was a button up top which looked like a ticket and will bring you to a window showing a band's next performances (and presumably buy tickets). Since the production tools weren't on display, there's a question of whether producers will go through the effort needed to populate all this data. In fact, that's a huge question for educational producers. That said, what users will see is a clean interface. It's a question of changing habits for users (something a wave of second-screen apps may be changing anyway), and Gravidi is banking on them wanting to click around in a video as it plays. If Gravidi can convince content creators to add the interactivity in ways which appeal to users, they may have a winner on their hands.
Victor Agreda Jr03.14.2013