If you've seen Ice Cream Sandwich and the GalaxyNexus in action, then it should be clear that the menu button has no future in the Android ecosystem. In order to drive that point home, Google has posted over at the Android Developer blog urging app creators to "say goodbye to the menu button." With the until now standard key getting the boot, big G wants devs to start designing interfaces that focus on the ActionBar introduced with Honeycomb. Of course, there's only so much room on the screen, and that's where the "action overflow" button comes in handy. Those vertical elipsis hide useful, but perhaps secondary options, that don't fit in the action bar. It also pops up on the far right of the navigation bar as a replacement to the menu button... basically because it behaves the same as menu, just in a different location. If nothing else at least Google is pushing Android and its apps towards a more uniform design. Check out the source for more details.
Okay, so we're not up to USS Pegasus levels yet, but for the first time researchers have been able to cloak a three dimensional object. Don't start planning your first trip to the Hogwarts library restricted section just yet though, the breakthrough is only in the microwave region of the EM spectrum. Using a shell of plasmonic materials, it's possible to create a "photo negative" of the object being cloaked in order to make it disappear. The technique is different to the use of metamaterials, which try to bounce light around the object. Instead, plasmonics try to deceive the light as to what's actually there at the time -- but because it has to be tailored to create a "negative image" of the object you're hiding, it's not as flexible, but it could be an important step on the road to that bank heist we've been planning.
The fresh trend of Micro Four Thirds shooters is on the rise, thus it shouldn't come as a surprise that more glass-makers are jumping on the MFT bandwagon. Joining the likes of Panasonic, Olympus and Kodak as part of the Micro Four Thirds Group, is a trifecta of third-party lens manufacturers: Tamron, Kenko Tokina and ASTRODESIGN. Following closely behind rival Sigma, the newcomers are looking to make a dent in the four-thirds universe. Better late than never, right? There's still no sign of these optics being available for you to stack in your camera bag, but the news just came in, so it shouldn't be too long before you can get some extra glass for your shiny new GX1.
It's not the smallest transistor out there, but the boffins at IBM have constructed the tiniest carbon nanotube transistor to date. It's nine nanometers in size, making it one nanometer smaller than the presumed physical limit of silicon transistors. Plus, it consumes less power and is able to carry more current than present-day technology. The researchers accomplished the trick by laying a nanotube on a thin layer of insulation, and using a two-step process -- involving some sort of black magic, no doubt -- to add the electrical gates inside. The catch? (There's always a catch) Manufacturing pure batches of semiconducting nanotubes is difficult, as is aligning them in such a way that the transistors can function. So, it'll be some time before the technology can compete with Intel's 3D silicon, but at least we're one step closer to carbon-based computing.
Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.
All of new RIM CEO Thorsten Heins' fresh ideas will apparently still be revealed to the company's board in a couple of weeks, but he's already dropped some gems in interviews with the Wall Street Journal and Reuters (update: and Bloomberg). First item on the agenda? Getting current users upgraded to the latest and greatest BlackBerry hardware. Citing internal statistics that indicate 80- to 90- percent of the company's customer base aren't running BlackBerry 7 hardware yet, it will work closely with US carriers to promote upgrades until the new BB10 devices hit later this year. There's no word on what the carrier deals include, but he hinted at device or preloaded app bundles. He also promised an LTE version of the PlayBook would arrive this spring, with LTE connected handsets also planned for the BlackBerry 10 lineup. Is that enough to turn around RIM's fortunes in the US, where he acknowledged the company is "a turnaround candidate"? We'll find out, but as obvious as the need to placate the already BBM-addicted may be, execution of the plan is everything.
Diablo 3 has already seen sweeping changes throughout its life in beta, but Blizzard isn't shy about making more changes in its quest to perfect the next game in its famed series.
New changes coming to the current version of the game were announced earlier today, which cut companion scrolls and scrolls of reforging. The companion scrolls would summon an adorable minion that would run around and loot gold in your name. According to Blizzard community manager Nethaera, the creature's 'adorableness' was only part of the problem: "The companion pets felt like they were mandatory to maximize play efficiency and some of the pets were too cutesy for the gritty, dark world of Sanctuary."
Citing the Scrolls of Reforging as "underdeveloped," Blizzard also decided to kill the parchment, which allowed players to change the properties of an item.
"Neither of those are issues we felt like we could solve without a lot of additional work, and weâre trying to close in on a solid release date for the game, not move further away," Nathaera said.
While these elements were removed because they didn't mesh with the quality level Blizzard was looking to hit, they could return later. Blizzard says that they think companion pets could be, both mechanically and visually, turned into a "much cooler system" while making the intention of the reforging more "meaningful."
MasterCard is all over the map when it comes to mobile payments. The credit company will partner with anyone, anywhere, anytime if it means getting new customers and making a buck on the deal. Its latest offering is called QkR, an Australian effort with support from the Hoyts chain of movie theaters and Commonwealth Bank. The initial trial run will be at La Premiere cinemas, where customers will be able to order and pay for food and beverages right from their seat with the QkR app. To initiate the transaction a you scan the QR code or tap the NFC tag attached to the arm rest, and a staff member delivers the trough of popcorn and kiddie pool of coke right to your seat. Now all we need is this sort of high-end treatment in American movie theaters. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.
This weekend, the canny PC gamer can pick up big digital savings on the Warhammer 40,000 games, Sonic Generations, Serious Sam 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Might & Magic Heroes VI, and other tasty treats. Come on, tuck in.
Downright delightful squad-based arcade shooter Pineapple Smash Crew is coming to PC via Steam on February 2, smacking of games such as Alien Breed, Cannon Fodder, and other top-down treats.
Pineapple Smash Crew sends your four-person squad off to loot randomly-generated derelict spaceships, first cleansing them of any robotic defenses, aliens, monsters, or other 'orrible things which might hinder your delicate salvage operation. Naturally, this involves big guns and heaps of explosives. I got to play an early version for a bit last year, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The price is still being finalised. While you sit in suspense waiting for that to happen, here, check out the new trailer:
Israel is home to a burgeoning tech industry, but the country's broadband infrastructure hasn't really been able to keep pace. In terms of broadband penetration, in fact, Israel ranks just 21st out of 34 developed nations, according to statistics gathered by the OECD. All this may be changing, however, now that the country's state-run electric company has announced plans to create a new national broadband network. According to the AP, the forthcoming network will use so-called fiber to the home (FTTH) technology, which is capable of providing connections at speeds of between 100Mbps and 1Gbps. That would be about ten to 100 times faster than the connections most Israelis have today, and could offer obvious benefits to a wide array of businesses and industries. The electric company is aiming to have 10 percent of the country connected to its new network by next year, and to have two-thirds covered within the next seven years.
MLB 12: The Show's March release is only about a month from release, but still details on the game's 'cross-platform save' feature have been scant. Today, questions were answered as Sony Computer Entertainment has finally detailed how the feature, which allows folks to share savegames between the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, will function. More details about some of the improvements to the game's Franchise Mode were also shared.
With regard to cloud saving, the official PlayStation Blog reveals that Franchise, Season, and 'Road to The Show' save files can be uploaded to the cloud via a PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita where it will then be accessible by either platform. Only one save file for each game mode per PSN account will be available, but players can overwrite that file as many times as they please.
MLB 12: The Show allows cloud saving.
When it comes to MLB 12's Franchise mode, a number of other improvements will also be included. More realistic trades based on things like individual teams' strategic needs, and more detailed information will be presented via the trade interface. Player lineups will also reportedly be easier to adjust.
CPU player generation has been upgraded as well, resulting in things like "more authentic pitch repertoires," and fewer players with stats that are a bit too balanced. In other words, the CPU will generate players that have more defined strengths and weaknesses, much like in real life. Player cards have also been enhanced a bit, and will now be accessible from any game screen on which the player can be highlighted.
Rounding out the list of noted improvements are some upgrades to the Franchise menu, which include "adding in your next game information, displaying the current standings, and showing you the current league leaders for batting and pitching."
MLB 12: The Show comes out on March 6 for both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.
Resident Evil: Revelations is one of the prettiest "console-like" experiences on the 3DS. But does it warrant a "console-like" price tag? Capcom thought so, having originally priced the game at $50. Their explanation? "To handle all of that data Resident Evil Revelations requires a 4GB cartridge, resulting in a higher price point."
Fans didn't take too kindly to that announcement, pointing out that the price difference between a 2GB memory stick and 4GB memory stick is negligible. "I have no idea why Capcom has any fans left," Shacker peepooppooppee commented. "They're probably the most hostile and least consumer-friendly company."
Undoubtedly, many others shared that sentiment. Likely succumbing to fan demand, the publisher has announced a new price point for the upcoming 3DS game: a standard $39.99.
"After weeks of effort, we've been able to lower the price to $39.99," Capcom announced on its blog. "We've spent weeks looking for a way to bring your cost down to standard 3DS pricing. Today we can finally confirm we were successful in this, and hope the reduced price encourages even more people to check out this strong entry in the Resident Evil canon."
We're not entirely sure what "effort" was placed into making the game more affordable to manufacture. While this sounds like a poorly contrived PR message, we can't complain about the end result: saving ten bucks.
We here at Engadget tend to spenda lot ofway too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!
On the fence about the PlayStation Vita? The 3G version's $300 sticker tag does seem rather steep. However, Sony's making it a bit more enticing by offering a "launch day bundle" for early adopters. Included for free with the 3G system is a bonus "worth $55": an 8GB Vita memory card (a $30 value), one month of 3G access (a $15 value), and a free PlayStation Network game.
"This SKU is part of a promotional offer and will sell out immediately so we strongly recommend that you purchase your PS Vita early to make sure you get the extra value," Sony's John Koller wrote on the PlayStation.Blog.
The bonus only applies to the vanilla 3G system. The wi-fi only system and the "First Edition" bundle are not eligible for the offer. The PlayStation Vita will be available on February 22nd.
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