Today, we're seening evidence that Microsoft has plans to build its own version of so-called SmartGlasses similar to that of Google Glass. A recent patent application from the software giant shows off what appears to be augmented reality glasses for multiplayer gaming.

The patent shows off what appears to be a pair of normal sunglasses with a camera and microphone mounted in the nose bridge. Sensors would be located at different positions around the frame as well as speakers mounted near the ears. The patent claims device could receive voice commands, track your eyes, calculate depth, and recognize the faces of fellow players.

This patent falls in line with a similar patent by Microsoft recently that details how to augment live events with augmented reality displays. At the moment, it is still unclear if Microsoft has produced any prototypes or if this patent is simply IP.

Today, Microsoft announced plans on how Xbox Live will be policed in the future. Dubbed Enforcement United, the new policing system allows community members like you to volunteer to the enforcement team. Those volunteers will have the opportunity to earn rewards such as new avatar clothing, forum badges, and even Xbox Live Arcade games.

In the beginning, the only powers the enforcement team members will have will be the ability to force a user to change their gamer tag if it uses inappropriate terms, names, or words. Eventually Microsoft plans on adding the ability of enforcement volunteers to report players for illegal activity, hate speech, profanity, and insensitive treatment for the vocalization of controversial of topics.

"The Enforcement United program puts part of the enforcement process in the hands of our valued Xbox Live Gold subscribers," said a Microsoft spokesperson. "It's our way of directly involving the Xbox Live community in our efforts to foster and maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for all our members. Eligible volunteers are given the ability to judge whether certain types of content violate our Code of Conduct. If there is sufficient agreement within the community that the content breaks the rules, we'll take enforcement action on behalf of the community!"

We're not far from the launch of the NSA's Microsoft's Xbox One console, with Major Nelson announcing today that the GPU in the Xbox One having its clock speed increased.

Major Nelson announced the news during his talk with Xbox's Marc Whitten, saying that the changes will allow the next-gen console from Microsoft push out better graphics. Nelson noted that Microsoft have been listening to fans who have been saying that the Xbox One is less powerful than the PlayStation 4, so they've done something about it.

The first of these improvements is something Microsoft call a "mono driver", which is just a graphics driver that is optimized for the Xbox One. Most developers are already using this, according to Microsoft: "You start with the base DX driver and you take out all parts that don't look like Xbox One and you add in everything that really, really optimises that experience. Almost all of our content partners have picked it up now."

With all the recent revelations and allegations about the NSA and other foreign agencies been able to spy on you through backdoors in your computers and through the microphones on your smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices, it should come as no surprise that your Smart TV may be spying on you as well.

It's not pleasant all the stories are popping up at the same time, as this week the world's largest security conference known as Black Hat took place in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yesterday, two researchers named Aaron Grattafiori and Josh Yavor demonstrated several vulnerabilities found in the 2012 models of Samsung's Smart TV line. The demonstration took place as Black Hat was wrapping up and it showed how hackers could turn on the built-in camera, take control of social media apps, and access files that were stored on the television.

"Because the TV only has a single user," Grattafiori explained in an interview with Mashable, "any type of compromise into an application or into Smart Hub, which is the operating system--the smarts of the TV--has the same permission as every user, which is, you can do everything and anything."

Today, Samsung has admitted to allegations that developers were paid to mention its developer competition in the forums of the giant developer community Stack Overflow. Samsung says that a PR firm hired to promote the competition was offering the bloggers and developers "cash for content." In a statement to The Verge, Samsung condemned this behavior and says that it is "clearly against Samsung corporate policy."

Samsung says that as soon as it learned of the bribery taking place, it canceled the plans for the developer competition and parted ways with the firm. Samsung said, "We remain committed to engaging in transparent and honest communications with consumers." PR firm Fllu, the culprit behind the content buying tactics, apologized and claimed that they were a third party firm hired by another firm to handle some of the PR duties for the competition. Fllu's COO said in a statement that the tactics his company used were "misguided, unethical, and wrong."

This whole practice of seeding forums, blogs, and comments with paid content is known in the industry as "Astroturfing" and it is common for third, fourth, or fifth party shady ad agencies to do this without the main PR firm or client ever knowing about it. Not every client is innocent, though, because as the inception grows deeper, it makes it very hard to trace it all the way back up to the top and catch a major corporation red-handed.

It looks like Sony are starting to make some money from their smartphone business - and so they should - they've been releasing some great smartphones lately, such as the Xperia Z, and the new Xperia Z Ultra.

Sony's latest earnings report showed that the Japanese company sold 9.6 million smartphones in the last quarter, a huge improvement year-over-year for the same quarter in 2012 of just 7.4 million units. As for the business side of things, Sony made a $60 million profit in their smartphone division, which is a stark contrast to the same quarter of last year, which saw them gobble up a $28.1 million loss.

This might not sound like much, but this is big for Sony considering the strong competition in Apple and Samsung. These two companies secure most of the profits in the smartphone market, and Sony are making waves pretty quickly if you ask me.

It looks like conspiracy theorists aren't so crazy after all, with the last couple of weeks proving them more and more right. Well, now we're getting told about yet another NSA spy program: XKeyscore.

What is XKeyscore? Well, we'll let the NSA tell you: XKeyscore is their "widest reaching" system for developing intelligence from the Internet. XKeyscore gives NSA analysts the ability to search through the entire database of your information, without any authorization whatsoever. This means they don't require a warrant, court clearance, or any signature from anyone above their pay grade.

All an NSA analyst must do is complete a simple on-screen form, and just mere seconds later your online history appears before their eyes. The NSA claims that XKeyscore covers "nearly everything a typical user does on the Internet."

Micron have just closed a deal to purchase Elpida for an estimated $2 billion. Micron have been working on the deal to acquire the Japan-based company since mid last year.

Included in the deal are the entirety of Elpida's assets, which include a DRAM fabrication facility located in Hiroshima, Japan and a 65% stake in Rexchip, who are another memory company with a DRAM fabrication facility in Taiwan. Micron also scored Elpida's 100% stake in Akita Elpida Memory, who owns an assembly and test facility in Akita, Japan.

During a statement, Micron said that Elpida had built themselves a strong presence in the mobile DRAM market using advanced technologies to target mobile phones and tablets. Considering Elpida is one of Apple's biggest clients, this is a huge opportunity for Micron.

I haven't updated my Nexus 4 to Android 4.3 just yet, but it looks like those that have are finding issues with the latest update. Some users are reporting overheating, rapid battery drain, frequent crashing while in use and a perpetual loop during boot which renders their Nexus 4 unusable.

Other users are reporting that their Nexus 4 has become too slow to be usable. There are other reports from users that state passwords not being requested, which prevents their Nexus 4 from being unlocked. Whereas some users are reporting that there is no multitouch capability, reception issues, data disappearing, and applications that have gone missing.

The bad news for Android 4.3 on the Nexus 4 doesn't end there, with other users reporting that a device erase and factory reset fix the issues, but users shouldn't have to resort to formatting their phone to resolve an OS update problem.

If you still thought you had privacy after all of the news you've been reading about the NSA PRISM system, or the GCHQ, then you'd be wrong. Very wrong. The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the FBI has the power to remotely activate microphones in Android smartphones and laptops to record conversations.

This is all coming from a single anonymous former US official, who says that remotely forcing a cellular microphone to listen in on a conversation isn't something new. The FBI used something they called "roving bugs" to spy on alleged mobsters back in 2004, and further back in 2002 they used the roving bugs to keep tabs on supposed criminals using the microphone in a vehicle's emergency call system.

The anonymous US official said that there is a dedicated FBI group that regularly hacks into computers, where they use a mix of custom and off-the-shelf surveillance software which they purchase from private companies. One of the Journal's sources said that the "Remote Operations Unit" will sometimes install software by physically plugging in a USB device, but they can also do it through the Internet by "using a document or link that loads software when the person clicks or views it."

I was one of those people that didn't really enjoy Avatar that much, but we all know it was one of the most successful movies of all times at the box office. James Cameron and 20th Century Fox have now confirmed that Avatar 2, 3 and 4 will be released one year apart starting from 2016.

Cameron has been spending some time in New Zealand working on the story for Avatar, with the famous director now coming out with 20th Century Fox and announcing the three sequels to Avatar. Cameron has called in some help for the script, with Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes co-writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver stepping on, as well as Black Dahlia screenwriter Josh Friedman and Savages writer Shane Salerno.

Cameron says: "Building upon the world we created with Avatar has been a rare and incredibly rewarding experience. In writing the new films, I've come to realize that Avatar's world, story and characters have become even richer than I anticipated, and it became apparent that two films would not be enough to capture everything I wanted to put on screen. And to help me continue to expand this universe, I'm pleased to bring aboard Amanda, Rick, Shane and Josh - all writers I've long admired - to join me in completing the films' screenplays."

Yesterday, I covered a story about the big chip manufacturers allegedly installing hardware level backdoors into the processors used in all of our PCs. The allegations came from two security industry experts who both claim to have proof of concept demonstrations already. Earlier today, AMD's Michael Silverman contacted me with an official statement on the matter in which he called the allegations "unfounded."

With the Black Hat conference wrapping up today, we will be keeping our eyes open for any whitepapers or proof of concept demos that prove the backdoors exist. I have reached out to both of the security experts for statements as well, but have yet to receive a response. If and when that response comes in, I will be sure to post an update.

Today, Phanteks launched a new legacy with the announcement of a new addition to their line of custom PC hardware. The Enthoo Primo is Phanteks' first foray into the PC chassis market, and boy did they make one heck of a first impression. Phanteks says that the Enthoo Primo combines innovative design and rich styling that appeals to enthusiast of any caliber.

The case features a uniquely located PSU mounting point that is thermally isolated from the rest of the case. Additionally, a multifunctional cable/ reservoir cover and other features give the case massive cooling potential. The PSU is now isolated in the back of the case away from all of the other thermally sensitive components. The case is designed with exclusive mounting brackets that hide cables as well as provide perfect mounting locations for liquid cooling reservoirs.

The Enthoo Primo features mounting locations for up to 16 fans, a built in PWM hub that allows PWM control of all fans in the system, including 3-pin units. The case has provisions for five 5.25-inch ODDs, six 3.5-inch HDDs, or twelve 2.5-inch HDDs / SSDs. The top of the case is also able to accommodate a 480mm radiator up top, a single 140mm out back, a 240mm in the front, and another 480mm on the bottom. Graphic cards up to 515mm in length are also able to squeeze in to the Enthoo Primo.

BlackBerry's launch of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) for Android and iOS is quickly approaching and today, the company's CEO confirmed that they have began pushing out beta invitations to both Android and iOS users in an attempt to thwart off any major bugs on launch day. While we have no definitive date on when the messaging platform will debut on either of the mobile operating systems, we do know that it will happen sometime this summer. With the beta launching today, the official public launch can not be very far away.

An image of the BBM app running on a Samsung Galaxy SIII has popped up on BGR recently that gives us a glimpse of how the app will look on the Android platform. The report also says that users of Android 4.0 or higher will be getting the invitations before iOS users but as to why, we are still unsure. It is also unclear as to why BlackBerry is pushing out its proprietary messaging service to the rival OS' in the first place as BBM has widely been thought of a BlackBerry's final ace-in-the-hole. Our only guess is that the company is looking for other sources of revenue as its hardware business continues to sink out of popularity.

During its launch event, Microsoft spent a good amount of time talking up the benefits of the new cloud computing aspect the Xbox One will feature. While we expected the company to boast about high performance gains, we reserved judgement until we saw some numbers come from the developer side of things. Today, we got just what we were waiting for and honestly, the news was a lot better than we expected.

In a recent interview with OXM, Dan Greenawalt, the creative director for Forza 5, said that the new cloud computing aspect of the Xbox one created a "tremendous opportunity" for the game's AI to become better than ever. The game uses the cloud-based processing power to handle the game's "Drivatar" AI, something that saves 10 to 20 percent of the processing load that the actual Xbox One hardware sees.

Greenawalt says that by letting the cloud handle the AI side, the performance of Drivatar can be boosted by as much as 600 percent, letting the Xbox One hardware use that freed 20 percent of processing power on something else. 600 percent sounds like an almost too good to be true gain, but when you really think about it, it is actually very feasible. If the Xbox One's hardware has to handle the Drivatar AI, it must juggle it within the 10 billion other lines of code that it must process every second. When offloaded to the cloud, the Drivatar AI can be focused on exclusively and performance numbers could in theory rise exponentially.

Today, V-MODA announced two new high-end accessories for use with its award winning Crossfade M-100 headphones. The BoomPro and CoilPro are aimed at enhancing the audio experience for even the most hardcore gamers as well as the Podcaster and Skype user. The BoomPro is a universal, hi-fi boom mic that instantly enhances voice clarity while greatly reducing background noise. It plugs directly into the audio jack of the CrossFade M-100 and a built-in on-cable Control Clip allows for quick adjustment of volume controls.

The CoilPro is a professional grade coiled extension cable that allows users to move up to 12 feet away from their battle station. The company says that this extension cable is perfect for the DJ booth, production studio, or for use while on a Skype call or other times when you may need to stay connected but move freely around your room or office. The cable is reinforced with an inner reinforcement strand of kevlar, which should prevent any stress breakage from occurring. Both of these new accessories are available from V-MODA and Amazon for $30.

"With the launch of these new accessories, V-MODA is raising the bar for headphone versatility. Up until now, there hasn't been a professional quality boom mic for high-end headphone enthusiasts and gamers," states Val Kolton, Chief Visionary Officer at V-MODA. "BoomPro opens up a world of opportunity, converting headphones like M-100 into an incredibly versatile headset for gamers, business professionals, podcasters and anybody who wants extreme clarity for their phone or conference calls. CoilPro bolsters M-100's appeal within the professional audio, music instrument and DJ community. As a musician, I can attest that the last thing you want to worry about is not having enough slack on your headphone cable while playing guitar or drums at home or spinning in the DJ booth. This gives you additional reach so you can focus on creating boundless music."

Today, a new user manual has surfaced for what appears to be a new flip style phone from Samsung. Engadget is reporting that the device will be part of the company's Galaxy line of smartphones. Dubbed the Galaxy Folder, this new phone will feature what appear to be 3.7-inch AMOLED displays on each side of the top half.

A dual-core QUALCOMM Snapdragon 400 processor, 2GB of RAM, and full LTE support will also be onboard. The phone resembles the now old-school Motorola Razr, which was in its day was the king of the flip phone form-factor. We can see a rear-facing camera with what appears to be an LED-based flash along with a front shooter of unknown spec. The design is similar to a phone the company released last year in China, and for all intents and purposes, it is safe to assume that this is where the Galaxy Folder will end up as well.

There is no mention (that I can find) of what operating system the device will run, but it could theoretically feature Tizen or Android, but my bet is on Tizen. The company has been working long and hard on developing the new OS and this would be the perfect platform to show it off. If you are interested in checking out the user manual, head over to Source #2 below.

Edward Snowden, the former NSA employee who blew the whistle on PRISM, has been sitting in a isolated room at the Moscow Airport since June 23 and has not been allowed to leave or fly to another country. Today, he met with his lawyer in hopes of seeing his temporary request for asylum granted.

Today around 2:18 BST, Snowden met with his Russian Lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, and shortly there after, the lawyer addressed the press saying that Snowden would be staying in the airport's transit zone for now. He said that the immigration officials are still looking at the request for asylum and are drawing the process out. Snowden withdrew the permanent request and filled a temporary one which would allow him up to one year, but comments from Kucherena seem to sound like Snowden might stay in Russia permanently.

Reports are coming in that a new over-the-air update to BlackBerry's BB10 OS includes a major bug that is randomly deleting SMS messages on some devices. The update is meant to improve operational functionality of BB10 devices such as the Z10 and Q10, but no one expected it to begin deleting text messages at random.

Some reports are coming in that says the update has even blocked SMS messaging entirely on their device. The issue appears to be widespread, but the bug appears to affect each device differently. Some users just experience the message deletion, while some only delete random messages from a message chain, while still other devices are seeing the messaging blocked entirely. BlackBerry has yet to confirm the issue, and we would recommend that you do not install the update until a fix has been released.

Too many times has a video been uploaded to YouTube of a person talking into their smartphone with it in portrait orientation, and way too many selfie videos have been ruined by a propped up smartphone falling to the floor. Canon noticed these issues and decided to take a stand and help bring forth a new era of selfie video production to the world. This morning, the camera making giant announced a new video camera dubbed the Vixia mini.

The Vixia mini features an f/2.8 fisheye lens which offers excellent low-light wide-angle coverage out of the box. This equates to a 160-degree field of view for video, but it can also capture still images at up to 170 degrees, which is said to be close to the 35mm format. The Vixia's 12.8-megapixel CMOS sensor is backed up by Canon's Digic DV4 image processor for lightning fast recording. Capable of full 1080p HD footage at 30 frames per second, the camera is also design to capture full HD stereo sound thanks to a pair of built-in mics. The Vixia mini is available now at major electronic retailers at an MSRP of $300.