The new Xbox One, unveiled today, will run three operating systems. Yes, three. Microsoft, obviously not content with just a standard gaming OS, has seen fit to included a diluted version of its Windows desktop OS, alongside the standard Xbox OS for gaming and a third OS that allows the two systems to communicate with each other. Overwhelmed? The Xbox ... [Read]

With today's unveiling of the Xbox One, Microsoft detailed the power of their new console. They also shed some light on the console's peripherals, specifically the second generation of the Kinect sensor, and the Xbox's ubiquitous controller. Starting with the Kinect, a lot has changed the second time around. Featuring a design language as bold and angular as the ... [Read]

Microsoft unveils new Xbox One

By Rhuaridh Marr
May 21, 2013 6:01 PM |
As expected, Microsoft today unveiled the latest iteration of its Xbox gaming console -- and with it dropped the previous codenames floating around the internet. No more Durango or Xbox 720. Instead meet the Xbox One. If you're unsure of where Microsoft is coming from with the new name, fear not as it makes perfect sense. The One isn't a ... [Read]

Things aren't going well for Nintendo. After announcing less-than-stellar sales of their Wii U console, the follow-up to the massively successful Wii, they were dealt another blow by gaming giant EA, with spokesperson Jeff Brown telling Kotaku that the company has "no games in development for the Wii U currently." Ouch. It's a crippling blow to the fledgling console, with EA ... [Read]

Here's one for you Android-purists -- and I know there are more than a few of you out there. In a rather surprise announcement, Google, at their I/O conference, stated that they would soon be selling a version of Samsung's Galaxy S 4 flagship that runs stock Jelly Bean Android. No Touchwiz, no carrier "enhancements," nothing. Just clean, unadulterated ... [Read]

At last year's I/O conference, Google touted 400 million Android devices as having been activated around the globe -- a number which has now more than doubled. That's 1.5 million devices per day. Since last June, 18 people every second have activated an Android device. It's growth that even Apple can only marvel at, and goes a long way to explaining Android's ... [Read]

Oft rumored to be in the works, Google confirmed today at its I/O conference that it would be launching its own music-streaming service. Officially known as Google Play Music All Access, it will cost $9.99 per month for unlimited streaming -- though every user will get the first 30 days for free to try it out. As an added ... [Read]

26 incredible gaming worlds

Posted by Rhuaridh Marr
May 5, 2013 1:24 PM |
Here's something for a lazy afternoon -- Dutch artist Tim Hijlkema has created a brilliant, beautiful video inspired by his 26 favorite gaming worlds. The compilation features a unique art style, but the eagle-eyed and avid gamers among you will easily identify the games he's drawn inspiration from. Sit back, relax, and see if you can spot all 26. Did ... [Read]

While you should be working, it’s Friday. And hasn't the working class been toiling hard enough the past few years? All that is but our favorite lazy guy, Homer Simpson! You can, however, turn the tables and instruct Homer to get busy. It’s quite likely someone you know has already been doing it for months, having downloaded EA Mobile’s free ... [Read]

Press play, try not to drool, and start wishing it was September 17th already. Follow @metroweekly Join our e-mail list. ... [Read]

I still remember the first time I played Wolfenstein 3D. "What fresh hell is this?" I exclaimed as I gleefully mowed down marauding, bitmapped Nazis and various mutants, inevitably coming face-to-face with Hitler himself, wearing some type of tunic and hurtling deadly fireballs. Widely acknowledged as the initial first-person shooter (FPS), Wolfenstein 3D was developed in the early '90s ... [Read]

What you see in the above image is Boeing's latest design study, a concept for an airliner that can travel at speeds greater than sound. In the teasing image, the plane can be seen in its wind tunnel, where Boeing is currently working through its design to achieve something many have been clamoring for -- a new Concorde. Concorde (right) ... [Read]

New Xbox to be announced on May 21st

Posted by Rhuaridh Marr
April 24, 2013 5:42 PM |
"On Tuesday May 21st, we'll mark the beginning of a new generation of games"So says Xbox's Major Nelson, who announced the news today on his blog. Microsoft will show the new console at its campus in Washington, with a live stream available for those keen to see what the new Xbox, codenamed "Durango", will offer -- especially in light ... [Read]

Twitter today announced the launch of their new #music service, which aims to change the way we interact with music and artists. Using activity on its site, #music aggregates, through tweets, trends and active engagement, a list of the most popular artists and tracks currently available. Pulling in music data from Rdio, Spotify and iTunes, it presents each artist, a ... [Read]

If the Financial Times is to be believed, Nokia, the Finnish cellphone powerhouse that remains relatively unknown in the U.S., is planning a deluge of new devices to saturate the market. Chief amongst these is the expected follow-up to the Lumia 920 flagship, which will hopefully shed some weight and gain some extra camera oomph over last year's model. More interestingly, ... [Read]

"We are very aware of the fact we are standing on the shoulders of giants. We are playing in the space of some of the most critically acclaimed games of all time." Warner Bros. Montreal's Ben Mattes, a senior producer for the game Batman: Arkham Origins, on his company's being awarded the Batman series over Rocksteady, which had created ... [Read]

The tech sites are abuzz with news that Microsoft might just release -- or at least seriously preview -- the new XBox, code-named Durango, at a just-announced special event on May 21, 2013. Of course, Microsoft could pull a Sony and be a big flirt, not actually show us the device, as its rival did with the PS4 -- ... [Read]

Review: Samsung Chromebook -- solid machine, perfect price

By Brandon Harrison
April 2, 2013 11:32 PM |
I have now had two weeks of continuous use on my new Samsung Chromebook, and it's been everything I’ve been looking for. I do not intend this review to be a technical breakdown and the pros and cons of the technology, but rather a real life analysis of what the Chromebook has to offer. I am writing this document ... [Read]

After a period of radio silence, Rockstar have dropped a number of new in-game screenshots of their upcoming GTA sequel, detailing the dynamic weather system that awaits players, as well as showcasing a number of new locales and settings in and around the fictional city of Los Santos, GTA's take on modern-day Los Angeles. Most intriguing is an image showing ... [Read]

SimCity's gorgeous urban landscapes

Posted by Randy Shulman
March 25, 2013 5:39 PM |
Reviewing the new SimCity in last week's issue, Metro Weekly video game critic (and regular Technocrat contributor) Rhuaridh Marr raves about the look of the game -- and for good reason: Its detail, as he notes, is "astonishing," as is its general visual aesthetic. He writes: SimCity is gorgeous. Skyscrapers gleam in the morning sun, casting dark shadows over their ... [Read]

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