| PDP Afterglow 2.0 controllers and stereo wireless headset hands-on Jun 8th 2012, 01:02  Here at E3, PDP is showing off a handful of new gaming accessories for those looking to jump on the third-party bandwagon. The company has refreshed its line of Afterglow controllers that now sport a second edition label. Much like the previous models, the family will include accessories for PS3, Xbox 360 and two for Wii. The major difference that you'll notice is a portion of the peripherals is now black -- a bit of a departure from the clear interior-lit controllers that we've seen previously. In addition to the recharged versions of the Afterglow add-ons, the outfit also allowed us to go ears-on with a wireless stereo gaming headset that will sport the same illuminated moniker. Here, you'll have your choice for either white or black (and then red, blue or green interiors) for the set of cans that provide a quite cozy fit -- thanks in part to the extra padding around the earcups. We gave them a spin with latest Call of Duty offering and were quite pleased with the sound quality, too. Three sound modes provide a bit of customization, allowing you to choose between pure audio, bass boost and 3D expander listening pre-sets. An LED on the tip of the unit's mic will keep you informed as to which selection you've made. Speaking of controls, all of the in-game adjustments that you'll need to make can be easily done from the left side. You can expect around 10 hours of gameplay on a single charge, an auxiliary jack for your mobile devices and connection to your console via USB dongle. When the headset arrives in September, it will set you back $89.95 and play nice with PS3, Xbox, Wii and PC. If you're still curious about further visual details, head for the gallery below and take a closer look.
PDP Afterglow 2.0 controllers and stereo wireless headset hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | DICE+ wants to team with screens and usher in an era of powered board games (hands-on) Jun 8th 2012, 00:46  We learned about DICE+, the digital chance cube, just before E3, and today we finally got to give it a few rolls and find out a bit more about DICE+ from the folks who made it. It's an inch-sized cube with a soft-touch rubbery finish that's packed with a Bluetooth radio and a rechargeable battery. For now, it juiced up via microUSB, but an induction charging version is also in the works. Its power cell grants up to 20 hours of continuous rolling, or a little over a week for non-gambling degenerates. Speaking of, the cube's maker, GIC, said a major point of emphasis in the cube's design was getting the balance of the thing just right to ensure the randomness of DICE + results -- and it's even spoken with casino companies about their tolerance requirements in that area. While DICE + may find its way onto craps tables eventually, for now, its maker's focused on what it calls "powered board games." You see, while we're all familiar with board game mechanics -- roll a die/spin a wheel and move your game piece accordingly -- they don't translate well to the digital realm. People don't trust a computer to give truly random results, and tapping a screen to "roll" dice gets boring quickly. That's the beauty of DICE+, players get all the advantages of a digital board game, like animations and greater interactivity, without the aforementioned downside because it engages them in a satisfying, familiar fashion. Join us after the break for our impressions, and a bit more info about this throwback gadget. Continue reading DICE+ wants to team with screens and usher in an era of powered board games (hands-on) DICE+ wants to team with screens and usher in an era of powered board games (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  DICE+ | Email this | Comments | | Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi / Bluetooth cards in Alienware gaming laptops eyes-on Jun 8th 2012, 00:34  Last month, Dell announced that its Alienware gaming laptops would be outfitted with Qualcomm Atheros' Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi cards. Aside from sporting low-latency capabilities, the add-on also sports some Bluetooth connectivity. Here at E3, we were able to spend some time with the tech to see just how the component and its accompanying software prioritizes your bandwidth and keeps your Call of Duty multi-player sessions in the #1 slot. The Killer application allows you to set different priority levels for anything that would claim a chunk of your internet connection. For example, if you keep your title of choice in the top spot, the tech will only download files or access websites whenever Skyrim isn't trying to send hi-pri info across the interwebs. By default the rankings are as follows from high to low: games, real-time chat (Skype), buffer-tolerant programs (Netflix and iTunes) and file transfer or low-level systems utilities. Until the end of June, you'll only be able to snag the tech in Dell's gaming laptops. We laid our peepers on the interface at the Alienware booth, so hit up the gallery below to take a look at what you can expect with the UI.
Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi / Bluetooth cards in Alienware gaming laptops eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Facebook App Center launches tonight on Android and iOS with access to over 600 apps Jun 7th 2012, 23:59  The next big thing for Facebook? Apparently, acting as a guide to which apps users may want to check out on their Android or iOS devices. Its App Center is launching tonight with a listing of over 600 curated apps and just as the leaks indicated, puts your friends recommendations of what to use front and center. The app center itself is available on the mobile device's Facebook apps or the desktop website, where users can send apps to their phone and then get redirected to the App Store / Google Play to download it if necessary. Facebook also has guidelines for developers on how they can get their software in front of a few more eyeballs (we haven't read them, but we're guessing a tie-in with the Book of Face won't be frowned upon). While Google has gotten a bit of a head start on this functionality by showing what people in your circles have +'d on Google Play, the crossplatform nature of the Center and Facebook's massive reach make this a pretty easy fit. Of course, with rumors of deeper integration between Facebook and iOS 6, it will be interesting to see if today's developments are referenced at WWDC next week. Check after the break for a couple more pictures and a press release, or the source links for info from Facebook's PR and developer blog. Update: Now the App Center page is live as shown above, check it out now to see how many of your friends have been ignoring your requests in Draw Something. Continue reading Facebook App Center launches tonight on Android and iOS with access to over 600 apps Facebook App Center launches tonight on Android and iOS with access to over 600 apps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Facebook, Facebook Developer blog, App Center | Email this | Comments | | HTC Desire V makes its European debut with dual-SIM capabilities, keeps your affairs in order Jun 7th 2012, 23:44  Whether you travel a lot, have to deal with spotty coverage or straight up lead a double life, HTC has a new dual-SIM smartphone for you with the Desire V. The handset is a first of its kind from the company for its European audience, which is said to debut first in Ukraine at a cost of 3,800 грн (approx. $470). The Desire V is an Android 4.0 smartphone with Sense 4 and is based on the Qualcomm MSM7227A SoC. Its spec sheet is quite decent, which includes a 1GHz CPU, a 4-inch WVGA display and a 5-megapixel camera. You'll also find 512MB of RAM, and while the phone offers just 4GB of internal storage, it also includes a microSD card slot and 25GB of storage through Dropbox. Only one SIM will support data connections, however, as the latter is limited to GSM/GPRS connections -- still fine for voice, but keep that in mind. You'll see the Desire V hit the streets next month, which'll give you enough time to get your affairs in order (or disorder, as the case may be). HTC Desire V makes its European debut with dual-SIM capabilities, keeps your affairs in order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Electronista, Unwired View | Mobile-Review (translated) | Email this | Comments | | Google rolls out Trusted Stores verification program for online retailers Jun 7th 2012, 23:18  Along with talking up 3D images and other new features for Maps, Google is pushing its new Trusted Stores program this week. The service, which has been in testing for the last nine months, monitors online retailers and awards those with good shipping and service records a "trusted" badge. In addition to giving online shoppers some reassurance that a vendor is, well, trustworthy, Trusted Stores will offer users assistance in resolving issues with sellers, plus up to $1,000 of purchase protection. For the retailers, the company says the value proposition is an increase in sales "by showing you're a great place to shop." Google will be rolling out badges for approved stores in the US starting today, and clicking on those little seals of approval will let you view a merchant's "report card" for shipping and customer service reliability. Google rolls out Trusted Stores verification program for online retailers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google Trusted Stores | Email this | Comments | |
