General Gaming Article

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• Google Reportedly Building Android-based Game Console
• This Week's Hottest Reviews on TechRadar
• Zotac's Little H87-ITX Wi-Fi Motherboard Supports Haswell
• Distributors, Analysts Agree Windows 8.1 Won't Perform Miracles in the PC Space
• Interncast Episode #2: RPG/Tech Edition
• Asus Launches Quad-Core Memo Pad HD 7 Android Tablet for $149 MSRP
• Sorry Windows Modders, Xbox One's Kinect Sensor Won't Plug Into PCs
• Newegg Daily Deals: Seagate 600 Series 240GB SSD, HIS IceQ Radeon HD 7850, and More!

Google Reportedly Building Android-based Game Console Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:43 PM PDT A smartwatch and a Nexus Q successor also said to be in the works While most regular companies have to be mindful of the perils of spreading themselves too thin, the colossal likes of Google, Apple and Microsoft can seemingly do whatever they want, whenever they want without any such worries. For instance, Google, best known for its search algorithms, operating systems, smartphones, tablets and mostly decent April Fool's jokes, is now said to be building an Android-based game console. According to a Wall Street Journal report citing sources "familiar" with Google's plans, the company is working on an Android-based game console. Its not the Ouyas and the Shields that it has in its sights, but the rumored console is allegedly an attempt to preempt a similar device that Apple may bring to the market in the future. But the game console is not the only new Android-powered device that Google is said to be developing at the moment. The company is, per the paper's sources, also working on a smartwatch — apparently also an attempt at preempting Apple — and the successor to its ill-fated media streaming device the Nexus Q. Although this is nothing more than a rumor, one thing is for sure: if Google is indeed building such an Android-based gaming machine, its chances of attracting triple A exclusive titles, for long considered the lifeblood of any videogame platform, are much better than that of Ouya, Inc. or Bluestacks. Follow Pulkit on Google+

This Week's Hottest Reviews on TechRadar Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:09 PM PDT TechRadar brings you an early appraisal of the next generation of console gaming. We've collected our E3 coverage, as well as reviews of the latest in cameras, components, ultrabooks and tablets. Check out the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix; for the money, we wish it had Haswell, but it's not a bad machine otherwise. TechRadar's hottest reviews Hey business travelers, if you found a magic lamp in the overhead compartment on your next flight, what would you wish for? Unlimited frequent flyer miles? Free first class upgrades for life? Leg room the length of a bowling lane? Or maybe you'd dream big and try to lighten the load in your carry on? Lenovo is no genie, but that's one wish it's looking to grant. Its ThinkPad Helix is a convertible Ultrabook, a Windows 8 tablet that hooks into a custom dock for laptop style productivity. Lenovo has owned the ThinkPad name since acquiring it from IBM in 2005. Its maintained the brand's reputation with excellent laptops like the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, but its forays into hybrid machines have been more mixed. While the ThinkPad Helix improves on the design of devices like the ThinkPad Tablet 2, it's not a Windows 8 dream machine. Lenovo has made some questionable design choices with the Helix, including an overhaul of the ThinkPad's signature trackpad that could dismay its most dedicated fans. Lenovo ThinkPad Helix review This generation's console war is still in the arms race phase, but the PlayStation 4 has found its big guns. At Sony's PS4 press conference on June 10th, the crowd roared with approval when SCEA President Jack Tretton announced that the new console would allow used games, disc sharing and not require any sort of online check-in. It's all excellent counter-programming to Microsoft's Xbox One, which has presented a confusing message as to its daily internet check-ins, used games policy and loaning out of discs (which Microsoft has been changed since this review was originally posted). The PlayStation 4 also launched one more potentially devastating strike: a $399/£349 price tag that makes it $100 cheaper than the Xbox One, thanks to selling its non-integral PlayStation Eye separately. On the show floor at E3 2013, we had the chance to scope out the PlayStation 4's angular design, put our hands on the redesigned DualShock 4 controller and play some of the titles for Sony's new system. With its cheaper price point and less restrictive DRM policies, the PS4 already seems to have the Xbox One on the run. We still think it would be naive to consider Microsoft's system down for the count, though.   Hands On: PS4 Review Microsoft is touting the size and scalability of its next-generation games as proof that cloud and internet connected gaming isn't just a requirement, it's a necessary evolution. Offloading the system's processing power to Microsoft's server gives developers the ability to create better, more complex games. Xbox One doesn't have that Halo 5 launch title as a killer app, but what it does boast is horsepower to make its game and entertainment experiences that much better. Even the company's first-party titles look as if they're able to compete with Sony's in-house software without having to be named Halo of Gears of War. With Microsoft having already sold out of pre-orders on Amazon, early adopters of technology and its Xbox Live-loving diehards are already going to pony up the $499 on day one. The question remains whether or not the company can convince everyone else that these benefits outweigh some of the negative spin that's been thrown its way.   Hands On: XBox One Review Here it is, then - our first taste of Asus's new Z87 generation, replete with fancy gold medallion accessories. Actually that's a bit unfair, because this board is pretty low-key if you look past the gaudy detailing. There's decent clearance around the socket for your cooling solution of choice and Asus has provided some pretty chunky hunks of metal to cool the MOSFETs, though there's no facility for hooking up water cooling for the board and chipset itself. In reality, the stock specs are only of academic interest, since the really big differences come with overclocking. Here again the Asus is level pegging with Gigabyte, and Intel's frankly a bit off the pace. That makes the Asus Z87-Pro one of two excellent options, which is the kind of dilemma we're happy to have. Asus Z87-Pro Review Other Reviews on TechRadar This Week Cameras Sony RX100 II Review  Canon IXUS 140 Review Hands On: Fuji X-M1 Review Panasonic G6 Review Panasonic LF1 Review Samsung Galaxy NX Review Hands On: Sony RX1-R Review Gaming Consoles Hands On: Mad Catz Mojo Android Console Review Hands On: Ouya Review Laptops Gigabyte P2742G Review HP Pavilion TouchSmart Sleekbook 15 Review Lenovo IdeaPad Z500 Touch Review 11-inch MacBook Air 2013 Review Hands On: Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus Review Hands On: Samsung Ativ Q Review Sony Vaio Duo 13 Review Hands On: Toshiba Excite Write Review Hands On: Toshiba Satellite C50 Review Hands On: Toshiba Satellite P50 Review Hands On: Toshiba Satellite S50 Review Motherboards Intel DZ87KLT-75K Review PCs Samsung ATIV One 5 Style Review Phones Huawei Ascend P2 Review Hands On: Huawei Ascend P6 Review LG Escape Review Nokia Lumia 925 Review Samsung Galaxy Fame Review Hands On: Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Review Hands On: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Review Hands On: Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom Review Hands On: Sony Xperia Z Ultra Review Operating Systems Hands On: Windows 8.1 Review Processors AMD FX-6450 Review Intel Core i5-4570 Review Intel Core i5-4670K Review Tablets Hands On: Samsung Ativ Tab 3 review TVs Sony KD-65X9005A Misc. GolfSense 3D Golf Swing Analyzer Review

Zotac's Little H87-ITX Wi-Fi Motherboard Supports Haswell Posted: 28 Jun 2013 12:22 PM PDT A mini-ITX board with major upside If you subscribe to the philosophy that big things come in little packages, you'll love hearing about Zotac's new H87-ITX Wi-Fi motherboard, a tiny slice of silicon designed for Intel's 4th Generation Core processor family (Haswell). It's a mini-ITX board for small form factor (SFF) builds, yet is capable of running Intel's newest processors and up to four SATA 6Gbps drives, plus a spot for an mSATA drive. It has two DDR3 DIMM slots that support up to 16GB of RAM; RAID 0, 1, 0+1, and 5 support; six each of USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports; dual GbE LAN ports; HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, and VGA (with included adapter) output; onboard 802.11n Wi-Fi + Bluetooth connectivity; and a single PCI Express x16 slot. Granted, you're not going to take down a dream machine configuration with a system built around this board, but there are plenty of input options to build a highly respectable rig, and even a high-end gamer if you want to go that route. You could, for example, run a pair of 256GB SSDs in RAID 0, flank them with a 4TB hard drive for storage chores, slap in an Intel Core i7 4770K processor, add 16GB of RAM, and shove a high-end GPU into the mix. No mention of price or when it will be available to purchase. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Distributors, Analysts Agree Windows 8.1 Won't Perform Miracles in the PC Space Posted: 28 Jun 2013 11:20 AM PDT Don't expect Windows 8.1 to stop PC sales from slumping In some respects, Microsoft is about to take a mulligan with Windows 8.1. The free update will address many of the complaints users have with Windows 8, including the lack of a Start button (but not a Start menu), the inability to boot directly to the desktop, and more. It will also introduce in a much improved browsing experience (Internet Explorer 11), two new tile size options, and a bunch of other tweaks we recently outlined. Windows 8.1 will not, however, save traditional PCs from whatever fate awaits. Desktop and notebook PC sales are slumping as consumers turn to their smartphones and tablet devices to post on Facebook and check email, tasks that were previously performed on full fledged computers. And though it was with good intentions that Microsoft re-imagined Windows, the latest version hasn't done much to boost PC sales, and analysts don't think Windows 8.1 will help. "An OS launch no longer creates a wave of new purchases. Windows 8.1 may staunch the wound, correct past mistakes, but it will not wipe out the impact of the economy or the fact that people want tablets and smartphones," Jeremy Davies, CEO at Context, told The Register. The site goes on to quote several other industry players and analysts, According to The Register, several distributors fessed up to getting carried away with Windows 8 and that the situation is worse than the figures suggest. "It is a consumer-focused product and so far consumers haven't like it," a wholesaler said. "Businesses ar buying Windows 8 machines but downgrading it to Windows 7." What do you think -- will Windows 8.1 be enough to renew interest in traditional PCs, or are OEMs right to be skeptical? Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Interncast Episode #2: RPG/Tech Edition Posted: 28 Jun 2013 11:18 AM PDT The crew teaches the Canadian intern how to play an RPG The interns have re-assembled for the second episode of the Interncast, and this time around the crew discusses Windows 8.1 and the new features it brings, Sony's gigantic 6.4" Xperia Z Ultra phone and whether or not that's too big for a phone, and also argued over the proper way to play role-playing games. Manning the podcast this time around are returning interns Chris Zele (@chriszele), Parker Willhelm (@parkerwillhelm), and Jake Godin(@jakegodin). Joining the podcast for the first time are Maximum PC intern Julian Reiche (@julianreiche) and PC Gamer intern T.J. Hafer (@asatj). The Interncast newbies talk about how they scored their summer gigs at their respective publications.  Take a listen, follow us on twitter @interncast, and please leave us a review on iTunes if you like it. You can also send questions, complaints, and death threats to futureinterncast@gmail.com, and subscribe to the podcast's RSS feed for upcoming episodes!

Asus Launches Quad-Core Memo Pad HD 7 Android Tablet for $149 MSRP Posted: 28 Jun 2013 08:16 AM PDT A cheap Android tablet from a name brand manufacturer Asus just threw the gauntlet down by launching its low-price Memo Pad HD 7, a 7-inch Android tablet that's surprisingly feature-rich for the money. The MSRP is listed as $149, the same as the original Memo Pad 7, but this time around you get quite a bit more for the money, not the least of which is an upgrade from a 1GHz single-core chip to a quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz. The 7-inch display sports an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel with a 1280x800 resolution, up from 1024x600. Other specs include 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage + 16GB of Asus WebStorage for a year, microSD card slot, stereo speakers, 1.2MP front-facing camera, 5MP rear-facing camera (optional -- costs more), and a battery rated for up to 10 hours of run time. It's a light and slim slate measuring just 10.8mm thick and weighing 302g. You'll find it in a variety of colors, including blue, white, pink, green, and grey. As of this writing, we haven't found one for sale online, though in the meantime, check out the review our sister site TechRadar posted earlier this month. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Sorry Windows Modders, Xbox One's Kinect Sensor Won't Plug Into PCs Posted: 28 Jun 2013 07:33 AM PDT Microsoft confirms the bad news It's tough to understand what Microsoft is thinking sometimes, isn't it? Take for example the decision to bring back the Start button in Windows 8.1, but not the Start menu. Decisions like that border on being belligerent, and now we've learned that you won't be able to plug the second generation Kinect sensor that ships with the Xbox One into your PC because it's packing a proprietary connector. No big deal, because like Apple, Microsoft has plans to cash in on adapters, right? Wrong. "The Kinect for Xbox One sensor will not have an adapter that allows it to plug into a computer," a Microsoft spokesperson told ArsTechnica in an email. "The new generation Kinect for Windows sensor will connect to computers using a standard USB 3 port." So, if you're totally geeked about getting your hands on a next generation Kinect sensor and seeing what you can do with it in Windows, you'll have to wait until Microsoft launches a Windows-specific model with the appropriate connector (USB 3.0). That's too bad because the original Kinect for Xbox 360 could be plugged into a PC via an included adapter and modded to work in Windows, and even though Microsoft is essentially forcing the purchase of a Kinect with every Xbox One (it comes standard with the $499 console), there will be no adapter this time around. And if you planned to both purchase an Xbox One and tinker in Windows with Kinect, without an adapter, you'll end up purchasing two Kinect sensors (the one that's bundled with the Xbox One and a separate one designed specifically for Windows -- boo!). Unofficially, don't be surprised if modders concoct their own home brewed adapter once the system ships later this year. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Seagate 600 Series 240GB SSD, HIS IceQ Radeon HD 7850, and More! Posted: 28 Jun 2013 07:02 AM PDT Top Deal: Does your system lack a spring in its step? A solid state drive (SSD) could help, and it just so happens today's top deal is for a Seagate 600 Series ST240HM000 240GB SATA III MLC Internal SSD for $189 with free shipping (nromally $210 - use coupon code SSDJUNPR). It offers up to 530MB/s sequential read and up to 440MB/s sequential write speeds and features on-the-fly error-correction algorithsm. Other Deals: Seagate GoFlex Satellite 500GB Mobile Wireless Storage for $80 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code:[EMCXPVR242]) Corsair Builder Series CX600 600W 80 Plus Bronze Certified Active PFC Power Supply for $58 with free shipping (normally $80 - use coupon code:[EMCXPVR69]; additional $20 mail-in rebate) Cooler Master GX Series 650W 80 Plus Bronze Certified Active PFC Power Supply for $76 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code:[EMCXPVN25]) HIS IceQ Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 Video Card for $190 with free shipping (normally $200)

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