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Total PS3 Sales Close to Xbox 360 But Gap May Widen

Michael Futter — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:00:04 +0000

While it’s probably unfair to assume that no one wants the next generation of consoles right now, it’s undeniable that the majority of gamers are still quite content with their Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Recently, Sony hinted that they would be the last to reveal their plans for the next generation system (presumably named the PlayStation 4), with Microsoft being demure about what they would be bringing to E3 in early June.

The first Thursday of the month is typically “earnings call day,” and Sony revealed that their total PlayStation 3 sales have now reached 47.9 million units, compared to the Xbox 360′s 50 million units (as disclosed during Microsoft’s final CES keynote). While the numbers seem fairly close, it’s important to look at the trends.

In the quarter ending December 31, 2011, Sony moved 6.3 million PlayStation 3 units. This is down .2 million from the same period last year. In contrast, Microsoft is boasting 2.7 million Xbox 360s sold in the same period which is up a monster 70% over last year. The Kinect, which has disappointed core gamers but, clearly, found a place with the younger and casual markets, saw sales of 2.4 million and throttled past the overall 10 million unit mark. Microsoft continues to see growth, where Sony’s sales of gaming hardware has stagnated and shrunk.

There are some factors that might help explain away a portion of the sales figures, but nothing terribly significant. Microsoft is likely seeing a portion of sales from users replacing out-of-warranty, red ringed 360 consoles. On the flip side, Sony is experiencing very weak PSP sales as the Vita launched, though too softly, in Asia and will be in other major territories in a matter of weeks. Sony can turn the ship around with some clever marketing and bundles that tie a complete Vita experience to owning a PS3 (and vice versa).

Put up alongside Microsoft likely showing something about the next Xbox at E3 and Sony vehemently denying that they will match, one has to wonder if the positions should be reversed. Clearly, Microsoft knows that there is a lot of life left in the 360 whereas Sony might have too much faith in the PS3. With E3 quickly coming upon us, we’ll have all the news you can handle soon.

CES 2012: Samsung Rolls Out Gamer Notebook Series 7

Drake Hess — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:22:28 +0000

Are you interested in hearing the details of Gaming Mode when it comes to the on-the go gaming marketed Samsung Gamer Notebook Series 7, which the company revealed at CES 2012? Of course you are.

The laptop itself comes with a handful of preset modes that you change via a dial positioned on the side. As a quick overview, Balanced and Eco Mode focus on battery life and general computing needs, and the Library Mode makes sure the Barnes & Noble Reading Club won’t interrupted by your fan or even your speakers. Unfortunately, you’ll have to noise proof your mouth on your own.

That brings us to Gaming Mode. Setting your Samsung Series 7 to this mode will optimize the CPU for gaming and jack up the fan speeds to keep it as cool as a cucumber on the other side of the pillow. My favorite perks are the auto deactivating of the trackpad area and the backlighting color shift of the WASD keys that turn from blue to a distinctly different red. The CES unit contained a 17.3″ SuperBright 400nit FHD 3D LED Display, 2nd generation Core i7 processor, 2GB Radeon graphics card, 2.0 megapixel Webcam, Blu-ray support, and a kick-ass 4 watts Stereo Speaker subWoofer.

Performance was impressive, especially for the early estimated starting price point of $1,800. You can expect to see this in a store near you (and eventually on a desk near me) later this year.

CES 2012: Gaikai Cloud-Based Gaming to be Integrated in LG 3D TVs

Catherine Cai — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:45:51 +0000

2012 is shaping up to be the year that cloud-based gaming really gets a foothold into the market. OnLive and Google TV recently announced at CES that OnLive was being fully integrated into Google TV.

In a move that parallels OnLive, Gaikai is bringing its service to LG TVs, specifically the 2012 line of Cinema 3DTVs.

Gaikai hasn’t provided further details about how its service is going to function on LG TVs, and whether or not some sort of controller is going to be provided.

[Via Joystiq]

Razer Introduces New Gaming Tablet Fiona

Catherine Cai — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:30:49 +0000

Amidst the slew of CES tech announcements, Razer introduced its new concept for a gaming tablet, so dubbed Fiona. Now make no mistake, this isn’t your usual run-of-the-mill-play-Angry-Birds tablet. What Razer has in mind is a tablet that will have the capability of playing whole blown games. The hardware that it’s equipped with absolutely reflects this.

Not only does Fiona boast the i7 processor, it also comes equipped with dual analog sticks and accelerometers, as to avoid the usual frustrations that come with tablet gaming.

Any pricing details are still scant, but the Fiona is slated for release come late 2012.

Sony Has No Plans for Unveiling New Console at E3

Catherine Cai — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:00:12 +0000

Lately, rumors have been abound that Sony and Microsoft are going to make announcements for their new consoles at E3 2012. However, when posed this question at CES, Sony’s Kaz Hirai gave a negative response,

“Andy [House, president of Sony Computer Entertainment] is absolutely right in that we are not making any announcements at E3. I’ve always said a 10-year life cycle for PS3, and there is no reason to go away from that.”

It definitely seems a little early for Sony to announce anything new at this year’s E3. I expected that even if Sony was able to, it’d show nothing more than a few pictures of their new box and some gameplay footage. Even if Nintendo’s leapfrogged both Sony and Microsoft with their Wii U announcement at last year’s E3, there’s no reason for Sony and Microsoft to rush their own consoles in order to compete. The 360 and PS3 still have some life in their cycle yet.

[Via Destructoid]

Be Your Own DJ Hero With Gear4 Pocket Loops

Dave Oshry — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:56:17 +0000

Ever wanted to be your own iPhone DJ? Well, now you can! Gear4 is getting set to release Pocket Loops – an app and keyboard combo that will have anyone making block rockin’ beats in no time.

When Gear4 invited me up to their posh suite at the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas during the CES – I was pretty much there to check out some Angry Birds iPhone cases and have some free cocktails. I was certainly not expecting to find and fall in love with their latest creation – Pocket Loops.

Pocket Loops is an app based music creation kit that comes with a detachable keyboard which holds any size iDevice sans an iPad. Once it’s plugged in – you use the app to que up an endless array of musical instruments and drum kits and with them record loops and tracks to your heart’s content. What you can create is only limited by your creativity.

Check out what I managed to crank out with Pocket Loops in just five minutes:

Now, I know what you’re thinking – because I was thinking it too. “I could play with this thing for hours!” Hell, I could play with this thing for days. Better yet – because it’s app based – you can bet people will be creating new kits and sounds to use with Pocket Loops for a long time to come.

Sure, there are more professional and more expensive portable DJ and music creation toolkits out there – but this isn’t about being a pro – this is about making music and having fun.

And you know what? For just $69.99 – Gear4‘s Pocket Loops is a fun time almost anyone can afford.

Epic Citadel Runs Flawlessly on a 50″ HDTV off the LG Optimus 2x (Android)

Dave Oshry — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 23:49:58 +0000

Let me start by saying that Nvidia did not want to let me do this. They didn’t think it would look right – they didn’t think it would run smoothly. They were wrong.

Powered by Nvidia’s new Tegra 2 processor – the LG Optimus 2x is capable of direct HD input to any television. Now, while being able to play regular Android games and flash games smoothly on both your superphone and big screen TV can be a ton of fun – What serious gamers want to know is, how will games that truly push mobile tech look and run when powered by Nvidia and LG’s new “Superphone?” The answer is – amazing and smooth. If there was ever a gaming tech demo for mobile devices, it’s the Epic Citadel – built on Unreal 3. The same tech that powers Infinity Blade – the best looking mobile game to date and also our RipTen mobile game of the year.

First check out the Epic Citadel running on the LG Optimus 2x alone:

Very impressive, very smooth, very sexy.

Now watch as Nvidia reluctantly lets me plug the LG Optimus 2x into a 50″ Samsung HDTV and run the Epic Citadel:

I think it goes without saying that the Android platform now has more serious gaming potential than ever. If the Epic Citadel runs like this – you can bet Infinity Blade and other Unreal 3 games (such as Dungeon Defenders) are not far behind. Only time will tell if developers will harness the power of Tegra 2 “Superphones” and use it to create the next generation of great mobile games. However, one thing is certain – the LG Optimus 2x can handle it.

LG and Nvidia have yet to announce what mobile providers will carry the Optimus 2x – just cross your fingers and hope that it’s yours.

Swagtastic New Angry Birds iPhone Cases Coming Soon

Dave Oshry — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:46:01 +0000

Who doesn’t love Angry Birds? Exactly, everyone loves Angry Birds. In fact, Gear4 has been so overwhelmed with requests for more Angry Birds iPhone cases – that they rolled them out just in time for the CES.

Behold the new cases!!

GEAR4 continues to dominate the Angry Birds accessories market with the addition of new GEAR4 Angry Birds hard cases for iPhone4 and iPod Touch. New designs featuring the Black (Bomb) Bird, Blue (Cluster Bomb) Bird, White (Bomb Drop) Bird and Boomerang Bird will be introduced for the iPhone 4 and iPod touch.

RipTen got to check out the new cases at Gear4′s posh Mandarin Oriental suite at the CES – and even got to throw around some Angry Birds plushies. A good time was had by all – just like with Angry Birds.

The cases will be available soon from Gear4 – be sure to head on over to Gear4.com to check them out.

Viva la Angry birds!!

Medal of Honor Tier 1 and Taliban Toys Coming Soon To A Toys R Us Near You

Dave Oshry — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:26:49 +0000

Hi kids, do you like Violence!? Tired of only being able to kill the Taliban on your console or PC? Well, good news everyone – This new line of RC toys will fulfill your appetite for destruction!!

These officially licensed RC toys are actually pretty friggin cool. They are pretty well detailed (for prototypes) and use infared technology to interact with each other. Not only that, but when you press the fire button for the tank cannon? It recoils. Cooooool.

Say for instance, you shoot the Taliban truck with your tank and the infared sensor scores it as a hit – the little gunner in the back will pop out of the back. (The same goes for the tank gunner) Victory for America!! There are even RC turrets and helicopters that will actually fly.

All in all, these are some pretty damn cool toys – ones I wish we had when I was a kid. I mean, they may not be as bad ass as GI Joe – but GI Joe didnt have infared interactivity and real time recoil. :-p

Check out some more pics below – sorry for the quality . . . I’d been drinking during most of the CES:

Apparently the Taliban toys will be named the Opposing Force as they were in the game – ya know – because of the whole snafu about it.

These toys will be available at major retailers later this year – be sure to check out InteractiveToy.com for more info.

Intel to Pay Nvidia $1.5 Billion To License Their Tech

Dave Oshry — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:30:24 +0000

You read that right – looks as if Intel is seriously interested in what Nvidia has got up their sleeves. Not only that, but this agreement means an end to any ongoing legal disputes between the two companies. Hooray for happy endings!!

This deal will last at least six years and will be made in five annual installments starting on January 18th.

Think this has anything to do with Nvidia’s new Project Denver CPU and Tegra 2 Processor tech? You can bank on that.

Here’s the full press release:

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Jan. 10, 2011— NVIDIA announced today that it has signed a new six-year cross-licensing agreement with Intel.

For the future use of NVIDIA’s technology, Intel will pay NVIDIA an aggregate of $1.5 billion in licensing fees payable in five annual installments, beginning Jan. 18, 2011.

NVIDIA and Intel have also agreed to drop all outstanding legal disputes between them.

“This agreement signals a new era for NVIDIA,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA’s president and chief executive officer. “Our cross license with Intel reflects the substantial value of our visual and parallel computing technologies. It also underscores the importance of our inventions to the future of personal computing, as well as the expanding markets for mobile and cloud computing.”

Under the new agreement, Intel will have continued access to NVIDIA’s full range of patents. In return, NVIDIA will receive an aggregate of $1.5 billion in licensing fees, to be paid in annual installments, and retain use of Intel’s patents, consistent with its existing six-year agreement with Intel. This excludes Intel’s proprietary processors, flash memory and certain chipsets for the Intel platform.

The existing agreement is to expire March 31, 2011.

Pursuant to U.S. GAAP, a portion of the proceeds will be accounted for and attributed to the settlement of prior legal claims. This amount, which NVIDIA anticipates to be less than $100 million, will be included in the company’s fourth-quarter results.

The balance of the licensing fees will be accounted for on a straight-line basis over the six-year term of the agreement. Accordingly it is anticipated that this would amount annually to approximately $233 million of operating income and an increase in net income of $0.29 per diluted share, on a full year basis.

RipTen Owns Capcom at MvC 3 Thanks To New “Simple Mode”

Dave Oshry — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 23:45:16 +0000

Do you suck at fighting games? So do we. However, thanks to Marvel vs. Capcom 3′s new simple mode – now you too can beat the crap out of Capcom at their own press events!!

When I arrived at Capcom’s suite at the Aria hotel/casino is Las Vegas yesterday, I had one thing on my mind – Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Mayor Haggar and Phoenix had just been revealed as members of the cast – but sadly they were not available to play. :-(

However, some new characters that I hadn’t yet played with were available for me to try out such as Wesker and Tron Bonne. For the record, Wesker felt totally overpowered (But what the hell do I know?) Yet, that’s not what this story is about.

Capcom Unity Was in Full Effect in Las Vegas

I’ve played MvC3 many many times this year. Every time, Capcom has kicked my ass. It’s not surprising – I suck at fighting games. Ok, well I don’t totally suck – I’m half decent … but Capcom doesn’t take it easy on the gaming press and they certainly don’t let us win. In fact, I’ve even had Capcom CM Seth Killian let me take out two of his fighters and get his last one near death, only to sadistically own all three of mine seconds later.

It’s worth noting that I did not play Seth yesterday, (he wasn’t there) but another member of the Capcom PR team who shall remain nameless to avoid shame!!

So Easy, A Caveman (Or I) Could Do It

Today, I decided to try out simple mode. For those of you who don’t know – Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will feature a new “Simple” control mode that makes performing combos and supers so easy a caveman (or a reporter) can do it.

The light attack button will auto chain your attacks for you. Medium attack will work your special moves, and hard attack will perform your supers. The bottom row of buttons, launch, assist 1, and assist 2, do not change in simple mode. So you pretty much need to mash three buttons in order to play decently. Word.

Now, while this may sound a bit cheap (and it is) what it allows noobish players like me to do is concentrate on the flow of the game without having to struggle to learn the moves. Simple mode is extremely effective in teaching you the ins and outs of a fighting game as complex as MvC3 while taking away the learning curve and making it fun for players new to the series. For guys like me – It is an extremely welcome addition.

Not So Intimidating Anymore

So, with simple mode underway – I took down Capcom – not one, not two, not three, but FOUR times in a row. Booyah!! But I digress . . . the wins felt good. Even though I was in simple mode and Capcom was in normal mode, we were both still playing hard. I quickly learned my fighter’s moves and how to use them, even if I didn’t know how to execute them in normal mode. So it was all about strategy for me. Once I learned how and when to use my moves – it was all about execution and kicking ass. If you ask me, simple mode does exactly what it’s supposed to do.

Now, when it comes to tournament and online play – I’m willing to bet simple mode will not be allowed. If it is allowed in online play – I get the feeling it will only be against other players who are using simple mode.

*Our readers (as well as the pros over at Shoryuken.com) seem to disagree about whether or not Simple Mode will be allowed in tournament play. It will definitely be interesting to see the final verdict.*

That being said, it’s obvious that we’re excited about Marvel vs. Capcom 3 finally being released. It is one of the most seriously fun fighting franchises of all time – and this iteration is clearly the best yet.

RipTen is looking for a reporter to cover fighting games and the fighting game scene. Think you’ve got what it takes? Send an email to Editors@RipTen.com or find me @DaveOshry on Twitter (Tournament experience is preferred – but not necessary)

Nvidia Brings a Keg to the CES That Plays Starcraft II (And Pours Beer)

Dave Oshry — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 22:00:16 +0000

The CES is all about innovation. Las Vegas is all about having fun. Nvidia seems to understand this better than anyone. It’s a keg – it’s a computer – it’s the KegPuter!!

First off – yes, it actually serves beer. (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale to be exact) But this is also a beast of a PC.

This is MY Kind of Technology

Here are the specs of the KegPuter:

2 x EVGA GeForce GTX 580 Hydrocopper 2 graphics cards in 2-Way SLI
ASUS P67 Sandybridge motherboard
Intel i7 2600 3.4 Ghz Sandybridge CPU
8 gigs of DDR3 Crucial Ballistix at 1600 Mhz
Crucial 160 Gig SSD
Danger Den Extreme liquid cooling system
Antec 1200 watt TruePower Quattro PSU

Here’s what Nvidia had to say about it:

This mod is a blissful marriage of a 15.5 gallon keg and a liquid cooled GeForce GTX gaming PC. Did I mention that it has a fully functional beer dispensing system? Thanks to Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. we were able to develop a solution to install a 2.5 gallon mini keg with an integrated refrigeration system and in-line Co2 pump into the KEGputer. With it, you can pour ice-cold beer without the need of pesky beer pumps or giant tubs of ice.

So not only is this a beastly PC – but it’s also an innovation in Keg technology. It keeps the beer cold all by itself!!

I played some Starcraft II with the KP then took some pictures and proudly shook Nvidia’s hand.

Geeked-Out Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog Walkie Talkies

Dave Oshry — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 05:30:57 +0000

Sometimes it’s the little things you come across at the CES that will make your day. These Sonic and Shadow walkies did just that.

Made by Jazwares, these are purely toys and definitely are not suited for a long hike through the wilderness. However, they are perfect for kids running around on the playground or in the backyard. They’ll soon be available at Toys R Us and other fine retailers.

I’d hate to be the kid who gets stuck using the Shadow walkie . . . nobody likes Shadow.

Jazwares also makes all sorts of other Sonic nonsense – including headphones, cameras and boomboxes. Yes, Sonic Boom(boxes) Check em out:

Nyko’s Ram Air Intercooler Cools Your 360 – Makes It Look Bad Ass

Dave Oshry — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 05:17:10 +0000

Ever looked at your Xbox 360 and said, “Man, I wish that thing had a bad ass muscle car scoop on it?” Well, wish no longer. Nyko’s new intercooler STS will solve your 360′s heat issues while also making it look like a ’68 Mustang.

Now, I’m well aware that this intercooler in no way works like a hood scoop or ram air induction – but that’s sure what it looks like. What it does do it get all that nasty heat out of your 360, and look damn good doing it.

Here’s what it actually does besides look cool:

• Reduces ambient air temperature by moving hot air away from the console
• TempSmart™ technology automatically controls Intercooler operation to ensure optimal console environment
• USB powered; no batteries or AC cables to the console necessar y
• Scoop design directs the hot air away from the console and confined spaces
• Easy clip-on installation

Did we mention it looks bad ass? Ok, just checking. You know what else is bad ass? It’s only going to cost $20!!

Hell, for $20 – I might just get one for show.

RipTen hung out with Nyko at the CES today and got up close and personal with the Intercooler STS. Not only did it look awesome but it was surprisingly quiet. It will be available this spring. We also snapped a bunch of pictures – enjoy:

The Turtle Beach PX5 Headset Will Let You Take Phone Calls While Playing Black Ops

Dave Oshry — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 04:39:33 +0000

How many times have you missed a call because you were busy kicking ass in Black Ops, Halo or Killzone? Well, with Turtle Beach’s new gaming headset – that won’t be an issue.

RipTen wandered over to the Turtle Beach booth at CES today to get a better look at their new flagship headset and find out what all the fuss was about.

As it turns out, there’s plenty of reason for all the fuss.

Not only is this new wireless 7.1 dolby surround headset awesome for gaming on both the PS3 and 360 – but it has features that no other headset has ever dreamed of. The most interesting of which is the ability to pair the headset with devices like your phone and Mp3 player. Once the devices are paired they will integrate seamlessly with the sound. Your in game sound will fade out as your phone/mp3 audio fades in just as it would in a Bluetooth enabled car stereo system. When you hang up the call – you’re in game sound comes right back and you’re back in the action. Yah – it’s pretty cool.

Another cool feature is the ability to widen or narrow the sound field to focus on difficult to hear sounds like in-game footsteps or someone reloading in the distance. That sounds kind of cheap – but hell, if you’ve got a $250 headset you should have an edge.

The PX5 will also allow you to change (Morph) your voice. This will come in handy during hot in-game cyborz for sure.

Here’s the rest of the goods on the Ear Force PX5 from Turtle Beach:

Although optimized for PS3 and Xbox 360 gaming, the PX5 is also perfect for watching movies with its large, deep, fabric cushions, soft headband, and twist cups designed for resting the headset on your shoulders. Key features and user benefits of the Turtle Beach Ear Force PX5 include:

·         Customizable Presets: Configure up to 18 personalized presets to optimize game, chat, and microphone audio for different gaming situations.

·         Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound: Immersive 360 degree audio lets you hear the direction of every sound as if you were playing with speakers all around you.

·         Digital RF Wireless Game Sound: Uncompressed wireless digital audio signal delivers CD-quality game sound that rivals professional grade wired headphones.

·         Voice morphing: Disguise your voice by changing the sound from deep lows to screeching highs.

·         Dual-pairing Bluetooth for Wireless Chat: Chat wirelessly on the Playstation Network, answer mobile phone calls or listen to streaming music from a digital music player while gaming.

·         Dynamic Chat Boost: Chat level increases automatically as the game volume gets louder, so you can always hear the voices of other players.

·         Microphone Monitoring: Lets you hear your voice in the headset, so you won’t need to shout to hear yourself.

·         Sonic Silencers: Enjoy total silence by eliminating ambient noise pickup on your mic and cutting background noise from PSN or XBOX LIVE chat sound.

·         Sonic Lens™ with Sound Field Expander: Widen or narrow the sound field to focus on difficult to hear audio cues like footsteps sneaking up on you or the clicks of someone reloading in the distance.

·         Intuitive Voice Prompts: A real voice announces critical headset status conditions, such a low battery, preset numbers and more.

·         Ear Guard with Blast Limiter: Limit the intensity of deafening games sounds such as explosions and gunfire to reduce ear fatigue during long gaming sessions.

·         PS3 and XBOX 360 Compatible: Delivers the ultimate gaming experience with PS3 and XBOX 360 consoles.

Of course all this awesome will come with a price. The Turtle Beach Ear Force PX5 Gaming Headset will be available in Spring 2011 (TB says probably April) for $249.95 – Is it worth that much? I’d say so.

Here’s a picture of the PX5 at TB’s CES booth:

Like Most Sexy and Expensive Things - The PX5 Is In a Glass Case

One we get our ears on this baby – we’ll tell you all about how awesome it is. Now back to the BlackJack table!! #CES

Microsoft Officially Announces Avatar Kinect

Garrett Hartman — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:42:29 +0000

During their CES keynote, Microsoft officially announced Avatar Kinect. With Avatar Kinect, the Kinect unit will scan and recognize your facial features which your Avatar will mimic as it interacts with other Avatars.

Avatar Kinect also seems to be a sort of chatroom interactive experience not too different than PlayStation Home.

Displayed were Avatars interacting in a tailgating setting.

The good news about Avatar Kinect? It’s free for Xbox 360 Gold Members who also have Kinect.

It will be coming this spring.

We will have video from the keynote right here later today.

Nintendo 3DS Behind Closed Doors At CES

Justin Berube — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 02:00:59 +0000

A Twitter conversation between a Fox News anchor and a Nintendo PR representative has revealed that the Nintendo 3DS is at CES but behind closed doors. Rich Gallagher, who works at the PR agency which Nintendo uses, sent the following tweet to the Fox News anchor:

“@ClaytonMorris happy to show you the Nintendo 3DS at #CES tomorrow. DM me for deets“

Months ago RipTen readers learned that Nintendo would not have a booth at CES, but instead have a few small private rooms. It sounds like these rooms are definitely being used to show of the Nintendo 3DS to select members of the press.

Want to stay up to date on the latest Nintendo and Nintendo 3DS news and information? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Be sure to tell me which Nintendo 3DS titles you’re looking forward to most!

Nvidia and LG Unveil Optimus 2X Superphone – Show Off Console Quality Multiplayer Gaming on Android

Dave Oshry — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:59:09 +0000

Today at CES, Nvidia and LG unveiled what they are touting as a true “super-phone” and it’s looking pretty damn super indeed.

Powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 2 chip – this phone is lightning fast – and is set to finally provide Android users with a truly world class gaming experience.

First, a little bit about the Tegra 2 from Nvidia:

The Tegra 2 super chip turbocharges the super phone category and brings a new wave of devices to life with never-before-seen experiences.
Dual-co ore ARM Cortex-A9 CPU – The world’s first mobile dual-core CPU for faster Web browsing, snappier response time and better overall performance.
Ultra-lo ow powered (ULP) NVIDIA® GeForce® GPU – the ULPP GeForce GPU de elivers outstanding mobile 3D game playability and aa visually engaging, highly responsive 3D user interface
1080p Video Playback Processor – Watch 1080p HD movies stored on your mobile device on your HDTV, without compromising battery life.

Super Chip For A Super Phone

That’s all well and good – but what about gaming? Can the Tegra 2 really provide Android users with a console quality gaming experience? Yes. Not only that, but you’ll be able to play multiplayer games against console and PC users, right on your phone.

Yes, you read that right. You can play multiplayer games against someone on a PS3 – from your Droid.

To illustrate this, Nvidia brought out Trendy entertianment to show off their new action-RPG Dungeon Defenders – which runs on Unreal 3. First, they showed it being played on PC – then they showed it being played with PSMove and then they showed it being played on the LG Optimus 2X. What was even more impressive however, was the fact that all three players were in the same game. The PC, PS3 and Droid players were all in the same multiplayer game of Dungeon Defenders at the same time – playing with each other. Now, I don’t know about you – but I think that’s pretty damn cool.

Yes, All Three Of These Guys Are In The Same Game

Now, you may be saying to yourself – “Holy hell, that must be one bad ass motherf**king cell phone!!” Well, it is – and here’s the specs on it:

4-inch WVGA screen
8GB memory (up to 32GB via microSD)
1,500 mAh battery
8 megapixel rear camera and 1.3 megapixel front camera
True HDMI mirroring
1080p MPEG-4/H.264 playback and recording

It's Also Rather Easy On The Eyes

So, there you have it. Nvidia has teamed up with LG to unleash a new wave of Android superphones upon the world. They promise to deliver console quality multiplayer gaming to droid users – while at the same time vastly improving upon the speed and quality of the games you already play.

If that doesn’t do it for you, you can always hook the Optimus up to your big screen and play Angry Birds in full 1080p.

This article will be updated with more information, pictures and video (Yes, I have video of the game being played on all three platforms) from the conference – just as soon as I get some decent internet. #INeedADrink #PressDaySucks #CES

Glasses Free 3D Gaming Coming From Toshiba in 2011

Dave Oshry — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:37:44 +0000

When I walked into Toshiba’s party at CES 2011, the last thing I expected was to see Final Fantasy XIII in full 3D on a 56” HD TV without glasses – however, that’s just what I got.

In fact, all I’d expected was the same old 3D TV technology, a few swanky tablet devices and some free booze. Yet, instead I got a full diaper-load of holy shit when I stepped into Toshiba’s party at TAO at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

There was no denying it – I was looking at Final Fantasy XIII, in 3D, with no glasses, on a 56″ Toshiba HD TV.

Better yet, I recorded it, albeit for no reason other than to show you, our readers, that glasses-free HD TV gaming is a thing that exists, and is a thing that is coming this year.

Obviously, the following video will not look 3D to you – but trust me, it is:

Note: This is a prototype television and not a production model.

Now, like you, I had a ton of questions for Toshiba when I saw this:

Is this the standard version of Final Fantasy XIII? Yes.

So, I don’t have to buy a whole new version of Final Fantasy XIII to play it in 3D? No.

Will other games be up-converted to 3D like this automatically by this TV? Yes.

How long before I can have this technology? Late 2011.

You sure? Yes, late 2011.

Positive? That’s the official word.

Will game developers start to develop games specifically for this technology? Probably.

The fuck does probably mean? I don’t care.

Hell, we all know Final Fantasy XIII kind of sucks – but for a brief moment in time, I was mesmerized by Square’s latest installment of their beloved franchise.

This was no small screen demo – this was a serious business 56″ HD TV – and the 3D was eye-scorchingly real.

It looked brilliant, and required no headgear in doing so. The future is here, the future is now, and I’ve seen it at CES.

Wish you were there? Yeah, I bet you do.

Be sure to check back in with RipTen all week as we check out all sorts of cool tech at CES – It’s why we’re here.

:-)

Nintendo Not Attending CES

Justin Berube — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 04:05:03 +0000

The Consumer Electronics Association, which plans the Consumer Electronics Show, has announced that Nintendo will NOT be attending CES after all. RipTen reported yesterday that Nintendo would be attending CES as an exhibitor, but this was all a misunderstanding because Nintendo was mistakenly on a list of companies attending the show.

Nintendo will have some meeting rooms at CES, but this surely won’t be nearly as exciting as Nintendo fans were originally hoping for.

Source