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Report: Wii U basic $199 at Walmart Canada next week
The basic version of Nintendo's Wii U console will be just $199 at Walmart locations in Canada starting Friday, August 2, according to a retailer ad that sprouted up online. The ad notes that the sale counts for online purchases. Walmart isn't the only Canadian retailer with discounts on Wii U systems, as The Source is currently offering the basic version for $250 and the deluxe system for $300. The basic model's standard retail price is $300, whereas the deluxe model is normally $350. Given that Nintendo moved just 160,000 Wii U consoles worldwide in Q1 2014 (April 2013 through June 2013), discounting its home console might just be a good idea. [Thanks, Kevin.]
The Game Archaeologist: GameLine
Modern MMO gamers are blessed with plenty of conveniences that we take for granted. One such convenience is the ability to simply download any online game without having to deal with the hassle of DVDs or CDs (trust me, young people, one day your children will be dubious when you tell them how you'd have to swap in discs to load a game). Game trials, downloadable content, access to a large library of titles, and simply being online are facts of life for us, not cause for us to fall on our knees in total awe. Before Steam was offering us loads of free-to-play MMOs, before Xbox Live Arcade was offering indie titles a platform for exposure, before CompuServe was making headway in online services, there was an odd artifact on the Atari 2600. Yes, that ancient console that has nary an "X" or "Play" in its name. The artifact was GameLine, and whether or not you've heard of it, it was one of the earliest pioneers of downloadable games services. When I found out about it, it just fascinated the crap out of me. I think it will impress you, too.
LG Optimus Eye: LTE smartphone renamed with a view to landing in Canada
LG's biggest, fastest phone to date, previously known as the Optimus LTE, has made its first landing outside of Korea. In a not-so-thinly-veiled reference to the retina display-beating resolution density, it's now answering to the name, Optimus Eye. The smartphone's been leaked in a preview video from The Source, a Canadian retailer which is owned by Bell -- who'll evidently be making the phone available on their network. We also get to see LG's latest AH-IPS display technology in action, alongside a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and the increasingly standard eight megapixel shooter. No whisperings just yet on pricing or a launch date, but we'd expect these top-drawer specifications to be matched with an appropriately top-drawer price tag when it does arrive. You can eye it up for yourself after the break.
White iPhone 4 starts to get Best Buy, The Source shelf space
This shelf tag was apparently spotted this weekend at a Best Buy in Houston, and it speaks for itself: white iPhone 4, AT&T, $599.99 off contract (the same price as the black). Of course, we all know this thing is coming within the next few weeks at this point -- there's just too much evidence pointing in that direction -- but the fact that we've got big box retailers printing and placing tags for it now suggests that it's coming sooner rather than later. Oh, and in case you're wondering, that QR code link is dead at the moment -- we've linked it below in case you want to give it a shot. Update: Looks like The Source (Canada's version of Radio Shack) is also making room. See for yourself after the break. Thanks, Anonymous! [Thanks, Joel P.]
Rumor: Xbox 360 Elite, Pro deals revealed by Target
Adding to the growing pile of evidence indicating an upcoming Xbox 360 Elite price drop, a reader has sent in a picture he claims is a snap of next week's Target ad, showing a new price of $299 for the system. In addition, the ad advertises Pro systems for $249.99 -- and both systems will have an extra controller thrown in. If this is real, it'll be in effect August 30. Engadget has a clearer shot of the ad. In addition, we received a tip from a Canadian game store manager who stated that because of the Halo 3 Elite bundle available there (which is no longer on The Source's website -- we guess that retailer jumped the gun), current Elite bundles have been marked down to $349.99. A quick look at The Source and Amazon verifies this claim.
