| Acer Introduces K137 Portable Projector to the U.S. Market Posted: 06 Feb 2014 12:37 PM PST  A home theater that fits in the palm of your hand
Bigger isn't always better, especially when you're talking about mobility. For example, have you ever wanted to take your home theater with you? That's a tough task, though Acer's new palm-sized K137 projector makes it easy to bring a big screen experience to a friend's house. It weighs just 1.1 pounds and measures 7.4 inches (W) by 4.6 inches (D) by 1.6 inches (H). "It's easily moved to the den for a gaming match with friends or toted in a backpack for taking to the family cabin for movie night," Acer says. The tiny projector puts out 700 ANSI lumens in standard mode (560 lumens in Eco mode) and has a 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. It has a native 1280x800 HD WXGA resolution and maximum UXGA 1080p Full HD resolution. According to Acer, the K137 can beam a 62-inch image from less than 6.5 feet away while maintaining up to 95 percent NTSC color gamut. Other features include a pair of built-in 3W speakers with SRS Wow HD stereo enhancement, a microSD slot, USB port, HDMI port input (for connecting to PCs, game consoles, and Blu-ray/DVD players), and a bulb that lasts up to 20,000 hours in standard mode and 30,000 hours in ExtremeEco mode. It's also Microsoft Office compatible, Acer says. The Acer K137 LED portable projector will be available this month for $599. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Amazon Reportedly Buys Double Helix Games, Makers of Killer Instinct Posted: 06 Feb 2014 12:09 PM PST  Mega e-tailer went and scooped up a gaming studio
Details are a little sparse at the moment, but Amazon has reportedly acquired Double Helix Games, the gaming studio that developed Killer Instinct (which was published by Microsoft Studios). The acquisition is said to include the whole shebang -- talent and intellectual property (IP). One of the things that isn't known at this time is how much Amazon paid for the development. That's because there hasn't been an official announcement, though TechCrunch claims to have confirmed the report with the e-tailer. "Amazon has acquired Double Helix as part of our ongoing commitment to build innovative games for customers," TechCrunch quotes Amazon as saying. The acquisition adds fuel to rumors that Amazon is planning to launch its own gaming console. It's been an ongoing rumor, and more recently gaming site VG247.com said Amazon was working on a Android-powered console priced below $300 designed to compete with Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. It should be noted that Amazon has its own game studio, which has been focused on mobile games like Air Patriots and Airport Mania HD Free. As for the future of Killer Instinct, a Microsoft spokesperson told Polygon that Microsoft Studios will continue work with a "new development partner" on Killer Instinct for the Xbox One, adding that "the franchise will remain with Microsoft Studios." Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| DisplaySearch Predicts Tablet PC Shipments to Reach 455 Million by 2017 Posted: 06 Feb 2014 11:30 AM PST  The tablet PC craze is in full swing
If you thought the tablet market was on the verge of being saturated, think again. According to DisplaySearch, tablet PC shipments will reach 455 million units by 2017, at which time slates will account for nearly 75 percent of the mobile PC market as a whole. DisplaySearch says falling prices and continued advances in display technology will be key in the upcoming growth of tablets. "Momentum for the tablet PC market is in full swing as it has become the dominant mobile PC form factor," said Richard Shim, senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch. "Competition is expected to increase as traditional notebook PC brands, including Lenovo, HP, and Dell update their product portfolios to emphasize tablet PCs. Increased competition will mean more attention on, and development of, various segments of the market, which will ultimately lead to greater choice and devices that better fit the needs of consumers." The rise in tablet sales will come at the expense of notebooks, the research firm says. Coming off weaker than expected back-to-school and holiday sales, notebook PC makers have reduced their estimates for 2014 and collectively are bracing themselves for a 7 percent year-on-year decline. Touch panel integration hasn't helped the way OEMs hoped, resulting in notebook PC shipments dropping from 155 million units in 2013 to 105 million units in 2017. A silver lining in the notebook segment is the ultra-think category. While standard notebooks sales are expected to decline, DisplaySearch expects ultra-slim PCs to rise from 26 million shipments in 2013 to 57 million units in 2017. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Frustratingly Addictive Flappy Bird Game Makes $50,000 Per Day Posted: 06 Feb 2014 09:44 AM PST  Flappy Bird developer profits handsomely from your frustration
The current craze in mobile gaming isn't Candy Crush or anything else you've been invited to play a few dozen times on Facebook. It's Flappy Bird, a simple game that will drive you absolutely bonkers almost from the get-go. Those of you who have played it know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't downloaded it yet, well, just remember that everything's going to be all right. While you're cursing how something so simple can be so difficult yet maddeningly addicting, Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen is laughing all the way to the bank as his game averages $50,000 in ad revenue per day. Nguyen revealed the obscene figure during an interview with The Verge. I say "obscene" because the app is so incredibly basic. For those of you who haven't played it yet, your task is to tap the screen to keep a pixelated bird airborne while avoiding pipes that look borrowed from Super Mario Bros. That's it. Tap, tap, tap -- curse like a sailor. Rinse and repeat. I spent the better part of last evening ignoring the basketball game I meant to watch and intead trying to earn a respectible score in Flappy Bird -- I ended up with a high of 20 points. Over time, you'll get better at it and perhaps navigate your way to a double digit score (you get 1 point for ever set of pipes you successfully navigate through). Here's the catch -- you might post a high score, but the next time you play, you're more likely to score 1 point than you are to match or beat your score. It's absolutely maddening. And addictive. That's all it is, and probably all it will ever be, assuming humanity survives. "Flappy Bird has reached a state where anything added to the game will ruin it somehow, so I'd like to leave it as is," Nguyen says. "I will think about a sequel but I"m not sure about the timeline." Fortune didn't come immediately, however. Flappy Birds actually launched back in May 2013 and is available on iOS, Android, and PC (via Facebook), though only recently became popular. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Sony Waves Goodbye to VAIO PC, Will Now Focus on Mobile Posted: 06 Feb 2014 08:55 AM PST  VAIO PCs didn't fit in with Sony's reform strategy
There's a good chance you may never see a new Vaio PC sold in the United States ever again. We're not necessarily jumping to that conclusion, though it's a strong possibility since Sony just agreed to sell its Vaio PC business to Japan Industrial Partners Inc., a Japanese investment firm. By getting rid of its Vaio division, Sony frees itself up to focus on mobile, and specifically smartphones and tablets. Terms and conditions of the deal are still being worked out with both sides aiming to have all the paperwork filled out next month. Once the Vaio name officially changes hands, Sony says it expects the new owners to concentrate on sales of consumer and corporate PCs in the Japanese market "while evaluating possible further geographic expansion." Saying goodbye to its Vaio PC business is just one part of Sony's aggressive "reform strategy," which extends across all of its electronic businesses. There will be some layoffs associated with the transfer, along with Sony's TV business being turned into a wholly owned subsidiary by July 2014. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
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