Let's say you're excited about the Xbox One... so excited, in fact, that you're okay with spending $499 on it before you've even touched the gamepad. Microsoft wants to accommodate you: buy a system quickly enough and you'll get the limited Day One Edition. While the core system won't change, you'll get to flaunt your early adopter status through both a slightly customized controller and a special Xbox Live achievement. Microsoft is also offering a matching (though separate) Xbox Live 12-month Gold pass that bundles an exclusive Killer Instinct character. If those rarities are enough to encourage an early purchase, you can reserve one through Microsoft and other retailers. Let's just hope that there aren't too many launch day quirks.
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
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Source: Xbox.com
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Sony's feeling pretty unstoppable right now, and it's adding to the momentum by announcing that the PlayStation Plus edition of Driveclub will be free for the first year to Plus members. The game, which was announced alongside a litany of other PS4 titles in February, is a team-based driving game that features realistic vehicles modeled after their real-life counterparts. Alongside Driveclub you'll find Don't Starve, Outlast and Secret Ponchos as part of the PS Plus instant game collection as well.
Follow our liveblog for all of the latest news from E3 2013.
Filed under: Gaming, Sony
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Samsung will be releasing developer editions of the Galaxy S 4 for AT&T and Verizon, according to the company's site. At least for now, the phone will only be offered in Black Mist, and internal storage is listed as 16GB. It's not clear exactly when the devices will come to their respective carriers, but they likely won't be offered with a subsidy when they do. For those considering purchasing Sammy's latest flagship handset, this offers an alternative to the several variants across service providers, not to mention the stock Jelly Bean version announced at Google I/O. Hit up the source link for more info.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
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Via: Phandroid
Source: Samsung
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Stand in a line of people in just about any major metropolitan area in the world and you'll see the same thing: slouched shoulders and down-turned faces staring glumly at smartphone screens. Some people never look away, completely immersed in whatever is happening in the palm of their hands, while others get stuck in a loop of pulling phones from pockets or purses and popping on the screens for just a moment before putting them away again for just a minute or two.
Smartphones are amazing things, but for those who have become addicted to messaging instant gratification, they are a bit unwieldy. This annoyance gets even worse as these devices grow larger and larger. One approach would be to relax a little and stop feeling so compelled to check for Facebook notifications every 30 seconds. Those fully immersed in the information age, however, will be more inclined to fix the physical inconveniences presented by the problem. A heads-up display seems like a natural fit, and thus we have Google Glass. It's a headset with a projected display, a camera and a data connection that could revolutionize the mobile device industry. It could also cause a public uproar over privacy concerns. Is the potential worth the risk? Join us after the break to see.
Gallery: Wearing Google Glass
Filed under: Wearables
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Much like bears, tablet designers are coming out of hibernation: there have been a handful of noteworthy models reaching the wild after a few months of silence. Most of these are the Windows 8- and RT-based tablets that didn't quite make the cut for the holidays, and we're launching our 2013 spring tablet buyer's guide with a dedicated Windows section to accommodate a distinct and rapidly filling category. Just be careful before you commit to a purchase, wherever your allegiances lie: Mobile World Congress brought us tablets that haven't quite shipped yet, like the FonePad and Galaxy Note 8.0. (We've included a heads-up in those situations where waiting a few weeks, or months, may be wisest.) As chaotic as spring can be, our guide might just provide some kind of stability if you're shopping for your next slate.
Filed under: Tablets, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, ASUS, Amazon, Verizon, AT&T, Lenovo
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Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this round-up, we'll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You'll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won't stick around long.
The first installment of this week's tech deals has arrived, folks. A GoPro Hero3 Silver Edition gets quite the handsome discount, but other enticing gadgetry resides on the other side of the jump as well. Head there for all the details and the essential purchase links.
Filed under: Cameras, Misc, Household, Portable Audio/Video
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Source: Slickdeals
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There must be some kind of unstated rule that Nintendo can never give the US a special edition handheld without releasing some Japan-focused models. While the company was busy promising Americans an Animal Crossing 3DS XL of their very own, it was also introducing a Luigi edition 3DS LL for its home country as part of its "Year of Luigi" theme -- not fair, Nintendo. The system is decked out in a camouflage-like pattern that pays tribute to Mario's oft-neglected sibling, and it should ship with a preloaded copy of Mario and Luigi: Dream Team just to drive the point home. Local gamers will get the distinctly-patterned 3DS LL on June 18th, but there's no word on an XL equivalent for the US so far. We'll just have to make do with Mario-colored devices instead.
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Nintendo
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Via: Destructoid
Source: Nintendo
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We already know what Page and Co. will be packing along with Glass, but now that participants of the Explorer program have begun picking up the wearable hardware, we're getting a second-hand unboxing experience. For those in need of a refresher, the glasses will be accompanied by a microUSB cable and charger, a pouch and attachable shades. Though there isn't much to glean from the stream of images, one of Mountain View's adventurers noticed that users will be able to send navigation directions straight from a smartphone to the eyewear. Click the source links below to take a gander at the photos, or hit the jump to watch a video shot with Glass by a Googler.
Filed under: Wearables, Google
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Source: Brian Allgood (Google+), Cecilia Abadie (Google+), Matt Abdou (Google+)
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HEach week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
Facebook's management doesn't see any dichotomy in the phrase, "Go big or go home," at least as far as it might pertain to Facebook Home. After being dogged for years with questions about whether the Land o' Likes would create its own smartphone despite consistent denials, the company explained that its own phone wouldn't give it the reach it would need for its more than 1 billion members. With the exceptions of the iPhone and the Galaxy S series, a successful handset today might sell 20 million units. That's a number that many services would dream of reaching, but it's just one-fiftieth of Facebook's user base.
And yet, Facebook Home will start out factory-installed on only one device: the HTC First, a mid-range Android device available exclusively from AT&T. Home is also available as a download from Google Play for a handful of other popular Android handsets, including the Galaxy S III.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Apple, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry, Facebook
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