AMD launches Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, demands rematch with NVIDIA Jun 22nd 2012, 04:01 If you've been missing out on the graphics card wars of late, then here's a quick rundown. AMD launched its high-end $549 Radeon HD 7970 at the end of last year, and it reigned comfortably for a few months until NVIDIA came out with the masterful GeForce GTX 680. That would have been the end of the matter, at least for this product cycle, except for one crucial factor: time. Having reached the market so much earlier, AMD has now had six months to not only tweak its drivers but also its 28nm silicon. That process has already culminated in 1GHz cards at the low- and mid-ranges, and today it leads to the (slightly predictable) announcement of a Radeon HD 7970 'GHz Edition' -- priced at $499 and expected to be available from a range of board makers from next week. To keep you amused in the meantime, there's plenty of detail in the gallery below and after the break. Continue reading AMD launches Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, demands rematch with NVIDIA AMD launches Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, demands rematch with NVIDIA originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | Flipboard officially launches on Android, in multiple app stores and for more countries Jun 22nd 2012, 04:01 Popular newsreader Flipboard is finally officially available on Android, coming out of beta and Galaxy S III exclusivity. As seen in the latest test version, it now supports integration of shared articles from your Google+ feed alongside Twitter and Facebook feeds, and has also added support for YouTube video feeds (all of these are now available on iOS as well). Beyond the Google Play app market, it's also available in the Amazon Appstore, Nook Store and Samsung Apps, so slinging the APK to your Android device of choice should be too difficult. We gave the final release edition a quick run through ourselves and found it just as smooth on a Samsung Galaxy S II as it has been on any iPhone or iPad, and being ICS-ready out of the gate is a nice touch, although we couldn't force it to switch to landscape viewing. Another handy toggle is the option to go full screen with no menu bar up top, if you need a few extra pixels on your display (optimized for screens up to 7-inches in size). Article sharing is also here and like other Android apps, shares to any services you have installed, not just Twitter or Facebook. The final update is news that Flipboard is launching fully localized editions for Germany, Korea, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, in addition to the existing localizations for Japan, France, China, United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. All of the details are in the press release after the break, or you can check out pretty much any app store to give it a try yourself. Update: It's out! As of 1AM or so. Hit the source link to grab it from the Play Store. Flipboard officially launches on Android, in multiple app stores and for more countries originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google Play | Email this | Comments | Nintendo announces $199 3DS XL with 4.88-inch top screen, available August 19th Jun 22nd 2012, 03:54 Folks holding their breath for a "3DS Lite" might want to exhale -- Nintendo has decided to go a different route. Company head honcho Satoru Iwata revealed the 3DS LL these evening on Nintendo Direct, featuring a 4.88-inch and 4.18-inch top and bottom screens, respectively. The new hardware adds over an inch to the current 3DS' display, and ships with a 4GB SD card, to boot. The oversized handheld doesn't adopt the Circle Pad Pro's second analog input, however, retaining just a single thumbpad on the console's port side. Japanese gamers will be able to pick up a 3DS LL in white, as well as in two-tone red / black or silver / white on July 28th for ¥18,900 (about $235). In the US, of course, the handheld will be rebranded as the 3DS XL, just like its predecessor's supersized variant, hitting Yankee shores (in red and blue, no less) on August 19th for $200. Nintendo announces $199 3DS XL with 4.88-inch top screen, available August 19th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 23:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Joystiq | Nintendo Direct | Email this | Comments | Nike+ Running comes to Android with Facebook Open Graph, iOS lands a big update to match Jun 22nd 2012, 03:27 Android fans have been largely cut out of the Nike+ ecosystem, but that changes tonight: the shoemaker has kicked off a major redesign by giving the Google faithful their own version of its GPS-based run tracking app, now called Nike+ Running. Both it and an ample version 4.0 remake for iOS make starting a run that much quicker, and the whole experience has been tuned to compare runs and set goals without having to squint too closely at a phone that should be far from your mind. Facebook's Open Graph steps into the arena to share run data and track friends; even if you're not a social networking maven, you can tag your shoes to find out if that worn out pair of cross-trainers is holding you back. Both app versions are free to grab, so you've got an easy avenue to loading up your Galaxy S III (or iPhone) and shedding a few pounds. Continue reading Nike+ Running comes to Android with Facebook Open Graph, iOS lands a big update to match Nike+ Running comes to Android with Facebook Open Graph, iOS lands a big update to match originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 23:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google Play, Nike+ Experience, App Store | Email this | Comments | |