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The next-gen Xbox gets unveiled in a few days time, here's a few things we should expect
The day is nearly here, where we see the next-generation Xbox unveiled by Microsoft. We still don't know what to refer to it as: Xbox, Xbox 720, Xbox Infinity or Durango. Up until this point, no one knows what it is going to be called, and we don't have pesky insiders to tell us.
From what I've seen of Microsoft's strategy over the past twelve or so months, I'd like to see them flatly call it "Xbox" with no numbers near it. Then, two years from now, they could update it and release another next-gen console, making this Xbox the "2013 Xbox", just how the iPad naming goes. I expect it to pump out nothing less than 1920x1080 (1080p) at 60 FPS (frames per second). We should see Microsoft steer more toward an 'entertainment unit' rather than a pure gaming console, too.
What else should we see? Let's discuss that:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 specs arrive, launches on May 23
Details of the next-gen GeForce GPU from NVIDIA are here, as well as a release date: May 23. Fudzilla were privvy to some leaked slides, which points to the GTX 780 featuring 2304 CUDA cores and an 863MHz base GPU clock. The GeForce GTX 780 will feature NVIDIA's GPU Boost 2.0 that will ramp the GPU clock speed up to 900MHz.
We should expect the GTX 780 to come with 3GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 6000MHz coupled with a 384-bit memory bus. Power wise, the GTX 780 is going to require both 6- and 8-pin PCI-Express power connections and has TDP of 250W. Connectivity options include two dual-link DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs.
The GeForce GTX 780 reference card will use the same cooler that is featured on the GTX Titan, and should keep noise levels down to around 40-45 dBA. This means the reference GTX 780 will be much quieter than the GTX 680. We should expect the GeForce GTX 780 to be around 25% to 50% faster than the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, except for Tomb Raider, where the AMD will excel against most GeForce GPU's.
Continue reading: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 specs arrive, launches on May 23 (full post)
Nintendo to let consumers play unreleased Wii U games at 100 Best Buys during E3
Nintendo has decided to take a different approach to this year's E3. Instead of doing something massive at E3 for the journalists, Nintendo will be allowing consumers to play various unreleased Wii U games at 100 Best Buys around the United States. We think this is a rather interesting approach that could work out for the company.
Instead of relying on journalists, Nintendo is going directly to the customers to let them check out whats coming next. Word of mouth often works the best, so if Nintendo can convince people that the upcoming games are great, it could really work well for Nintendo.
If your local Best Buy is one with Nintendo's offering, you'll be able to get a first-hand experience of what TweakTown will be doing at E3: waiting in lines to try out the latest games. Details for the event are still slim, so we can't tell you which Best Buy ocations are participating, what games will be shown off, or when exactly it will be taking place.
Samsung will sell its 10 millionth Galaxy S4 next week
After just one month of being on the market, Samsung has announced that it will sell its 10 millionth Galaxy S4 sometime next week. While that may not sound very impressive, consider that it took Samsung almost double that time to sell 10 million Galaxy S3 devices after launch.
Going even further back, five months passed before 10 million Galaxy S2 smartphones were sold. Like it or not, Samsung is the new Apple, albeit with less overpriced hardware and more feature rich smartphones. Industry analysts say that Samsung managed to capture 95 percent of the $5.3 billion in profit that Android generated market wide in the first quarter of 2013.
Samsung earns more off of Android than Google does, and while you may think that would shake Google to the core, it has done quite the opposite. Google could not be more happy, and to prove this point, we saw the search giant unveil its own version of the Galaxy S4 during the Google I/O keynote earlier this week.
Continue reading: Samsung will sell its 10 millionth Galaxy S4 next week (full post)
NVIDIA opens up Shield pre-orders to the public, $349 will secure yours today
While Google I/O may have been in the news a lot this week, NVIDIA's Shield handheld console has taken the prize as most talked about. First, the company opened up pre-orders to its newsletter subscribers, and then the device was spotted on ABC's Modern Family sitcom.
This morning NVIDIA announced that it has opened up Shield pre-orders to the general public three days ahead of its previously scheduled date of May 20. For $349 early adopters can secure their all-in-one Android gaming console at Gamestop, Newegg, Canada Computer, or NVIDIA's own pre-order site.
Shield sports a 5-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1,280x720 resolution, NVIDIA's Tegra 4 CPU which supports a maximum resolution of 3200 x 2000 pixels so games can be played at full HD on a TV. Other specs include 16GB of storage, mini-HDMI, micro-USB 2.0, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, a microSD card slot for storage expansion, 802.11n Wi-Fi, integrated speakers, and a headphone jack.
SlimPort Summit 2013 Coverage - What is SlimPort?
The folks over at Analogix were kind enough to send me over to Shanghai, China to attend its SlimPort Summit 2013 here at the lovely Marriott City Center hotel. You've got the brief introduction, now let's dig in deep for a bit and talk about SlimPort.
If you don't like reading, hit play on the embedded video above. What is SlimPort? Today at the event I heard a few different variations to the definition of SlimPort. I'd like to explain it in my own words. SlimPort is a technology standard that is use to easily get more out of your smart device and connect it up with one simple cable to a larger, secondary display via VGA, HDMI or DisplayPort.
Analogix is the company responsible for creating SlimPort and the company is one that is a semiconductor and has its roots in display and digital media. One of its biggest projects right now is SlimPort, a relatively new standard that has already had quite a lot of success in the market. You can already find SlimPort technology in popular devices including the Google Nexus 4 smartphone, LG Optimus G Pro smartphone, Fujitsu Stylistic QH582 Windows 8 tablet and the ASUS PadFone Infinity Android tablet. Analogix is working hard currently on securing more design wins, and while I didn't hear any specific brands or models, I'm told to expect more in the next 2 or 3 weeks, and more throughout the year. Analogix are working hard to cement SlimPort as a standard, cable and connector for many years to come.
Continue reading: SlimPort Summit 2013 Coverage - What is SlimPort? (full post)
Dell releases Q1 financial report, falls short of estimates
This morning Dell released what could be its final public earnings report. In Q1 of Dell's 2014 fiscal year, the company managed to earn a revenue of $14.4 billion while managing to grow it's Enterprise Solutions, Services and Software department by 8 percent with year-over-year earnings up 12 percent to $5.5 billion. While the numbers are on par for what we thought we would see, the company still failed to meet Wall Street estimates.
In a statement, Dell chief financial officer, Brian Gladden, had the following to say:
Continue reading: Dell releases Q1 financial report, falls short of estimates (full post)
Lulzbot launches TAZ 3D printer, touted as largest build volume in hobby market 3D printers
This week, Lulzbot launched its latest 3D printer, the TAZ 3D. The truly 100 percent open source design is capable of printing objects with a volume up to 11.7" x 10.8" x 9.8" and can print in ABS, PLA, Nylon, Laywood, and poly-carbonate plastics.
The TAZ takes up a footprint of 26.8" x 20.5" x 20.3" and runs off of normal mains power. A simple USB connection to a PC or Mac is all that is needed to control the printer which uses open source control software. Unlike other 3D printers, the TAZ comes pre-calibrated which saves hours of time in setup and tweaking.
Capable of resolutions of 75-300 microns, the TAZ can print at speeds up to 200mm per second while the Budasch nozzle hot end provides reliable and consistent performance. In the interest of full disclosure, I own Lulzbot's first 3D printer, the AO-100, and could not be happier with it. We have reached out to Lulzbot and hopefully we can provide you with a hands on review in the coming months. The TAZ is on sale now and retails for $2,195
SpaceTT: Serious malfunction shuts down NASA's Kepler Space Telescope
This morning we are waking up to the news that NASA's Kepler Space Telescope may have just came to an early end of mission due to a faulty piece of orientation hardware. The fault falls within one of the wheels that stabilize and help keep the spacecraft pointed in the right direction.
When Kepler needs to be repositioned or stabilized for image capturing, three wheels are spun up to take advantage of centripetal force. Kepler needs three of its wheels running at all times to ensure a stable orientation. On Wednesday NASA officials announced that one of those three wheels had stopped functioning, which put the telescope into "safe mode."
Unfortunately, unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, Kepler is far away from our reach and was not designed to be serviceable. Plus, with the shuttle program long gone, it's not like we would have a way to get to it anyway. "Kepler's not in a place where I can go up and rescue it, or any other astronaut," said John Grunsfeld, the head of science at NASA, and the man who is famous for repairing the Hubble.
Continue reading: SpaceTT: Serious malfunction shuts down NASA's Kepler Space Telescope (full post)
Mt. Gox bank account seized by US Department of Homeland Security
For the most part, the recent success of the Bitcoin can be attributed to Mt. Gox, the largest and most popular Bitcoin exchange on the internet. Earlier this week the Department of Homeland Security seized the Mutum Sigilum account Mt. Gox held at Wells Fargo bank.
The Mutum Sigilum account was the lifeblood of Dwolla, the PayPal like Bitcoin to US currency processor. The account was seized based on several discrepancies in the paperwork Mt. Gox owner Mark Karpeles filled when opening the account with Wells Fargo. When the application asked if Mutum Sigilum LLC was a business engaged in monetary services, Karpeles stated "No." Below is an excerpt from the actual warrant used to seize the account.
Continue reading: Mt. Gox bank account seized by US Department of Homeland Security (full post)
ReportTT: iPhone 5S to feature fingerprint scanner, says chief information security officer for PayPal
According to PayPal's chief information security officer, the upcoming iPhone 5S will feature an integrated fingerprint scanner. This isn't the first time we've heard this rumor, but it's the first time it has come from a decently credible source.
While it remains to be seen if this will come true, Apple recently purchased AuthenTec, a company that specializes in mobile and network security. Combine that with various other pieces of data and it starts looking like the iPhone 5S will come with a scanner. However, it's a decent idea to remain somewhat skeptical for at least a while longer.
Check out the latest Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag trailer
Ubisoft continues to tease the upcoming Assassin's Creed game. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag will take place across islands and boats and will be launching on the next-generation PlayStation 4. Ubisoft has actually commented publicly about how happy they are with the PlayStation 4 and what it is allowing them to do.
Assassin's Creed 4 will also be available on current-generation consoles, which means you won't be forced to upgrade to experience the game. However, the experience will likely be much better on one of the new consoles. Let us know what you think of the trailer and if you're excited for Assassin's Creed 4 to come out.
Continue reading: Check out the latest Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag trailer (full post)
Rovio partners with Sony Pictures for distribution of Angry Birds movie coming in 2016
Rovio announced that they have partnered with Sony Pictures for their upcoming Angry Birds movie. We've previously covered details of the Angry Birds movie that was originally announced back in December 2012. At that time, I asked what the movie would consist of. That question still needs to be answered.
The Angry Birds movie will be a 3-D animated comedy coming out sometime in 2016. It will be produced by John Cohen, the producer for Despicable Me. The partnership between Rovio and Sony Pictures was announced via tweet earlier today. Rovio CEO Mikael Hed said the following in a press release:
Survey says that only 1 out of 10 Americans would wear Google Glass
Google is going to have a fight on its hands to make Glass a popular product. According to a survey conducted by BiTE interactive of 1,000 US adults, 45 percent of respondents said they wouldn't wear the glasses due to their aesthetics or because they thought the device would be irritating.
44 percent of those who responded saying they would wear Glass said they are most interested in the camera capabilities. 44 percent said they would wear it to take pictures, 37 percent said they'd wear Glass to take video, and a total of 39 percent said they'd want to be able to make calls with the device.
Joseph Farrell, EVP of operations at BiTE interactive:
Continue reading: Survey says that only 1 out of 10 Americans would wear Google Glass (full post)
Rovio brings Angry Birds Rio to Windows Phone, mark down another classic iOS game for Windows Phone
Microsoft announced today that Rovio has brought the classic Angry Birds Rio to the Windows Phone platform. The app has been available on iOS and Android for a long time, but it has finally jumped over to the fledgling Windows Phone platform. Microsoft needs popular iOS apps to continue coming to Windows Phone to encourage users to jump on the platform.
The price remains unchanged at $0.99, which seems to be the ultimate price point for apps and games. One bonus about the Windows Phone app: Xbox Live achievements and leaderboards. The app is available for both Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 7.5.
Google updates Wallet, now allows you to send money via Gmail
Time to report on another Google update announced today at Google I/O. Google has integrated its Wallet product into Gmail to allow people to send money with an e-mail. This makes the product competitive with PayPal, which also allows you to send money to other people. However, PayPal doesn't allow you to attach money to an e-mail.
The new attach money feature will allow you to send money to everyone, including people who don't have a Gmail account. According to Google, all transactions are stored on secure servers in encrypted form. Google monitors transactions for fraud and Wallet Purchase Protection covers 100 percent of "eligible unauthorized transactions."
It's pretty cool to be able to attach money to an e-mail just as you would attach an image or other attachment.
Continue reading: Google updates Wallet, now allows you to send money via Gmail (full post)
Google sends cease and desist letter to Microsoft over new Windows Phone YouTube app
Google isn't happy with Microsoft over its recently released YouTube app. The app, which was released by Microsoft just over a week ago, is a much-improved YouTube app that Google apparently didn't know was coming. According to a copy of the cease and desist letter sent to Microsoft, Google is demanding Microsoft "immediately withdraw this application from the Windows Phone Store and disable existing downloads of the application by Wednesday, May 22, 2013."
The main issue with the app, which makes use of Google's API for YouTube, is it's blocking of ads. Both YouTube and the content creators rely on Google's AdSense for revenue. Without these ads, Google can't pay for the hosting and serving of videos and content creators can't monetize their content.
New Google+ Cloud based photo editing features announced at Google I/O
Earlier this week Google announced that it was increasing Drive storage to 15GB and today we are finding out why. At today's Google I/O keynote the company showed off several new and exciting features on how its Google+ social network handles image storage, manipulation and sharing.
In the past, if you uploaded full size images, you had just 5GB of storage, but now with 15GB you can upload all of your images to Google+. Google pointed out that it is the only social network that allows true full resolution image uploads and included a graphic showing the relative resolution of various social networks.
Google also unveiled a sort of intelligent image sorting process that is aimed at reducing the time it takes for a photographer or individual to sort through large image albums. Google can now take your entire vacation photo album and automatically highlight the best. Say there is 600 photos total, it will filter out duplicates, analyze for bad exposure and automatically identify major landmarks. Then it will look for people, and for photos of people smiling.
Continue reading: New Google+ Cloud based photo editing features announced at Google I/O (full post)
Is NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 770 just a GTX 680 in disguise? GTX 680 can be BIOS flashed to a GTX 770
NVIDIA is set to release their next-generation GPUs in the form of the 700-series next month, with some sources stating that you can flash your GeForce GTX 680 to a GeForce GTX 770 with a BIOS flash.
If this is true, this means that the GTX 770 is going to be a simple rebrand of the current GTX 680, but we should be used to this by now. There's a post on Reddit with someone saying that they've uploaded a BIOS (.bin) file and the required driver information (.inf) file which will have a GTX 680 owner get a GTX 770 card, all for nothing. The post states: "The upcoming GTX 770 is a GTX 680 in disguise. NVIDIA has gently revised the GK104 architecture, mostly with process improvements, but the 770 is basically the same beast! Which is good for us enthusiasts".
But, don't get your hopes up just yet, as a post on TechPowerUp has said that the BIOS supplied to the Reddit user isn't a GTX 770 BIOS, but a "modified GTX 680 BIOS" that has increased clock speeds and the .inf file has been edited to change the card's descriptor string to 'GTX 770'.
Microsoft pushes out update for both lines of Surface tablets
Microsoft has issued patches for both of its existing Surface tablet lines as part of its monthly Patch Tuesday. The patches aim to boost wireless performance, enable PXE boot, and various other stability concerns. The updates continue Microsoft's current trend of releasing monthly updates for the Surface tablets.
The Surface Pro is receiving the following updates and fixes:
The Surface RT is receiving the following updates and fixes:
Continue reading: Microsoft pushes out update for both lines of Surface tablets (full post)


