PC News
07/07/2010
Well, it's official. Steve Jobs has uttered the "magic" words. Today at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference, the iPhone 4 was announced, putting all prior forms of speculation to rest. The new phone will run iPhone OS 4, which has now been renamed iOS 4. Apple is also releasing over 100 new features as part of their development SDK. Included in these features are multitasking, folders, a unified inbox, and deeper enterprise support.
Microsoft's Bing has been added as an alternative search engine option in iOS 4 (Google remains the default). iBooks for the iPhone will also be available and will allow you to access the content that you've already purchased for your iPad.
Previously thought to be called iChat, FaceTime, was shown off as Steve Jobs' famous "one more thing." FaceTime is real-time video chat, available between two iPhone 4 devices. For the remainder of 2010, it will be only usable over Wi-Fi, as carriers are not yet ready for the extra traffic. Apple plans to make FaceTime an open industry standard.
iPhone 4 will be available from AT&T on June 24th for $199 (16 GB) and $299 (32 GB), assuming you sign a two-year contract. If your contact was set to expire at any point in 2010, you will be elligible for an upgrade immediately. Pre-orders begin on June 15th. The phone will initially be available in the US, France, Germany, UK, and Japan, with many more countries to follow (88 planned for 2010). At launch, a case will be available in six colors for $29. iOS 4 will be available as a free update for iPod Touch (2nd gen and above) and iPhone 3G and 3GS users on June 21st.
Here's what the iPhone 4 will sport:
New design made of glass and steel (24% thinner than iPhone 3GS)
Apple A4 processor
3.5" Retina Display - 326 pixels per inch (960 x 640)
Bigger battery (7 hr. 3G talk, 6 hr. 3G browsing, 10 hr. Wi-Fi browsing, 300 hr. standby)
Front-facing camera
5 MP camera with LED flash and illuminated sensor (tap to focus)
720p HD video recording with built-in iMovie video editing (iMovie available in App Store for $4.99)
microSIM
Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, UMTS, GSM (quad-band)
2 microphones
Available in 16 GB or 32 GB models
802.11n Wi-Fi
3-axis gyroscope (6-axis motion sensing for gaming)
| 05/28/10
Blizzard extends our pleasure.
Today on the Battle.net forums Blizzard poster Nethaera announced that the Star Craft II Beta would not be closing on May 31st.
In order to "prepare for the final phase of beta testing," they would extend the current beta test in all regions until Monday, June 7. At that point the beta will go offline for "several weeks," for hardware and software configuration.
Blizzard also reports that the beta will return for a couple of weeks before the game's launch on July 27th.
| 05/03/10
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that its highly anticipated real-time strategy game, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, will arrive in stores throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Mexico, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau starting on July 27, 2010. Players will also be able to purchase StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty directly from Blizzard Entertainment shortly after the retail launch.
"We've been looking forward to revisiting the StarCraft universe for many years, and we're excited that the time for that is almost here," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "Thanks to our beta testers, we're making great progress on the final stages of development, and we'll be ready to welcome players all over the world to StarCraft II and the new Battle.net in just a few months."
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment's 1998 hit StarCraft, which has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy games of all time. Sporting a vibrant 3D-graphics engine, StarCraft II will once again center on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying legions of veteran, upgraded, and new unit types. Unparalleled online play for StarCraft II will be available through a new version of Battle.net, Blizzard Entertainment's world-renowned gaming service. Battle.net has been redesigned from the ground up to be the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard gamers, with several enhancements and new features, such as voice communication, cloud file storage, leagues and ladders, achievements, stat-tracking, and more.
The solo campaign for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty will continue the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War. The story line chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players will be able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-mode mini-games will also be included, with focused goals designed to ease players into the basics of multiplayer strategies.
For more information on StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, visit the official website at http://www.starcraft2.com. Further details about the game, including the alternative pricing options previously mentioned for certain regions, will be announced in the coming weeks. With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available - visit http://www.blizzard.com/jobs for more information and to learn how to apply.
| 04/30/10
CALL OF DUTY®: BLACK OPS™ GOES HOT ON NOVEMBER 9, 2010
Fans to See Sneak Peak Tonight of the Most-Anticipated Entertainment Title of the Year
Santa Monica, CA – April 30, 2010 – DECLASSIFIED: Prepare for the follow-up to the biggest entertainment launch in history: on November 9th Call of Duty®: Black Ops™ will introduce fans to the elite world of Black Ops. Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) and award-winning developer Treyarch will take players behind enemy lines in an entirely new chapter in the groundbreaking and record-setting, No. 1 first-person action series of all-time.
“We can’t wait for our community to experience Call of Duty: Black Ops,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head for Treyarch. “We have focused our entire studio on this game, with dedicated multiplayer, single-player and co-op teams creating the most intense, gripping and riveting experience possible for our fans on all fronts.”
For more information, visit www.callofduty.com/blackops immediately following the game’s appearance on GameTrailers Television this Friday and also, via Twitter at JD_2020.
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