What's new on SlashGear.com

Temple Run Android gets yet another delay
HTC One X full specs and dual-shutter camera details leak
Sony to offer Killzone 3 online multiplayer as free-to-play
Samsung Galaxy S III 4.8″ display and ceramic chassis tipped
New York scientists prove robotic fish can fit in
Lemon receipt tracking app reaches 1 million users
Sony acknowledges obscure “PlayStation mini” problem on PS Vita
Google cuts back e-book affiliate program
Sprint’s possible MetroPCS buyout is off the table
Microsoft plans to ditch Live, Zune branding in Windows 8
Redbox offers free game rentals next week
EA fans clamor to retrieve first “Space Edition” copies of Mass Effect 3
Viddy app pulled from App Store over adult content
SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: February 24, 2012

Temple Run Android gets yet another delay

Posted: 25 Feb 2012 02:23 PM PST

Bad news, would be archaeologists-slash-aerobics enthusiasts: those of you with Android phones and tablets will be waiting a while longer to play iOS smash hit Temple Run. While previously indicating that the game would be available sometime this month, developer Imangi posted on their Facebook page that they’re still in the final stages of development. The game is in beta at the moment, but it’ll be another week – possibly more – before it hits the Android Market. Bummer.

We hope to announce a release date soon, but want to be 100% sure first. We promise that as soon as we know, we’ll post here and give you at least a week’s notice before it comes out.

The developers also took the opportunity to warn fans of fake and possibly malicious apps claiming to be Temple Run. Since even basic users can download Android apps outside of the official Market (albeit by disabling a security check) there’s a real danger of downloading malware masquerading as the extremely popular game. According to Imangi, the only way to get the game will be their official Android Market listing, and they’ll post about it at least a week in advance.

So, iPhone users, feel free to gloat over your Android friends for the time being – of course, gadget hounds will have a lot more than games to talk about starting tomorrow. In about twelve hours the pre-show conferences will begin for Mobile World Congress, and by all accounts, it’ll be Android’s time to shine. Nvidia in particular seems to have at least one smartphone from every major manufacturer running on its Tegra 3 platform. Android fans, make sure to keep an eye on out Mobile World Congress portal; it’ll help make the wait go faster, we promise.

[via Android Community]

Temple Run Android gets yet another delay is written by Michael Crider & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

HTC One X full specs and dual-shutter camera details leak

Posted: 25 Feb 2012 12:43 PM PST

We are merely days away from finding out everything HTC has to offer from Mobile World Congress and the leaks are coming in full steam. Thanks to the online retailer FullGSM we now can basically confirm many of the rumors that have previously been heard. Talks of a special dual-shutter camera, confirmation of the quad-core Tegra 3 and more. Read on for the full rundown.

The new flagship HTC One X, that has leaked plenty in the past with names such as the Edge or Endeavor has just been leaked with a full out, complete specification sheet. Many remain the same as earlier specs but not all. According to FullGSM the One X will be complete with a 4.7″ 1280 x 720p HD S-LCD2 display, a 1.5 GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (26GB usable) and a beefy 8 megapixel dual-shutter camera that can take full 8 megapixel shots simultaneously while recording video.

Other specs include MHL, NFC capabilities, obviously Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and Sense UI 4.0. But we are also seeing gorilla glass, and full size specs confirming its thin and sleek 9.29mm size. Oh and it appears to also come with 25GB of free Dropbox storage rather than the usual 5GB agreement we’ve previously mentioned.

Check the gallery below for additional pics and the full specification sheet provided. Stay tuned right here at SlashGear for the latest news throughout Mobile World Congress.

[via The Verge]

HTC One X full specs and dual-shutter camera details leak is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Sony to offer Killzone 3 online multiplayer as free-to-play

Posted: 25 Feb 2012 12:17 PM PST

If you like the idea of the spectacle of Killzone 3 but can’t justify plopping down $60 for the game, there will soon be a solution for you. A free download will be showing up on the PlayStation Network next week that will allow players to jump into the online multiplayer version of the game. Of course, all the limits that typically come with a free-to-play MMO will be in place.

That is, there will be a level cap (specifically, the level of “Sergeant” will be the highest rank possible). However, for a one-time charge of $14.99, players can max out their character with no limit. That’s still a pretty small price to pay considering it opens up access to not only the base game map but all the additional maps that have been released through DLC packs as well.

The freemium model has become the de facto way to monetize online games these days. In fact, in the world of apps, the freemium model has exploded among games that are mainly played offline as well. Because of the ubiquitous nature of broadband connectivity, the hard part is no longer getting a game into someone’s hands. That’s easy. So by pulling players into the experience and getting them hooked, the lifetime value of a game is increased significantly.

[via Escapist]

Sony to offer Killzone 3 online multiplayer as free-to-play is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Samsung Galaxy S III 4.8″ display and ceramic chassis tipped

Posted: 25 Feb 2012 08:13 AM PST

Samsung’s much-anticipated Galaxy S III smartphone will pack a whopping 4.8-inch display, according to the latest rumors, along with the unusual choice of ceramic rather than plastic for the back panel. The oversized display hasn’t been detailed by BGR‘s insiders as to technology or resolution, though a Super AMOLED Plus likely offering at least 720p HD is probably on the cards. Meanwhile, Samsung’s publicly-stated intention of not revealing the Galaxy S III at Mobile World Congress next week is apparently so that it can prepare for a huge, simultaneous multi-location release.

In fact, the Korean company is tipped to be hoping to launch the Galaxy S III in more than 50 “markets or cities” at the same time, according to the tipsters. Previous high-profile Galaxy releases have been more staggered – some US carriers are only now getting the year-old Galaxy S II, for instance – but a release of this scale could be a serious feather in Samsung’s cap in its PR campaign against Apple.

As for the ceramic, it’s a relatively unique choice of material for a smartphone, though the Galaxy S III wouldn’t be the first to sport it. Luxury phone brand Vertu has used ceramics before, though the company’s handsets certainly aren’t as advanced as the GSIII is expected to be. The key benefit would be in avoiding plastic – which makes the current Galaxy S II feel somewhat cheap in comparison to rivals – but not switching to metal, which usually requires more complex (and sometimes bulky) antenna designs to counterbalance the material’s radio blocking potential.

That reduction in bulk is essential if Samsung’s other rumored ambition with the Galaxy S III – that it just be 7mm thick - is to come true. The company supposedly set its engineers the challenge of trimming down the already slimline GSII with the next-gen variant, and apparently only the 8-megapixel camera will present a bulge in the otherwise waifish profile.

Other rumored specifications are HSPA+ connectivity, along with WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC, together with a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and Full HD video recording. HDMI output is also expected, likely through a microUSB port supporting MHL-HDMI. Ice Cream Sandwich seems almost a given, though we imagine Samsung will find it tough to resist adding a few TouchWiz-style tweaks to the UI.

[Thanks Kote!]

Samsung Galaxy S III 4.8″ display and ceramic chassis tipped is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

New York scientists prove robotic fish can fit in

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 08:25 PM PST

One of the most widely known but not fully understood processes in the animal kingdom is when fish swim together in a pack, or as it’s more commonly referred to, a “school.” A pair of researchers at New York’s Polytechnic Institute decided that building a robotic fish and manipulating the way it moves would allow them to create controlled experiments to figure out why seeing a school of fish is so common.

Previously, the assumptions were what you might expect – by traveling in large numbers, fish can more easily ward off predators and keep one another moving in the right direction. But there are inherent problems as well, including the fact that if you’re part of a large group, it’s harder for each member of the group to get enough food and sustenance. Also, if anyone in the group gets a disease, everyone else is at risk. So what did the engineers discover?

They noticed, first off, that the fish actually accepted the robot as one of their own. There were a few exceptions; some fish kept their distance from the foreign object, but for the most part it fit in. In addition, they noticed that if they made the robot fish swim, and other fish joined behind it, the other fish slightly lowered the force with which they swam. In other words, swimming in a group eases the pressure on everyone and gives the entire group an energy advantage. It’s the same priciple as birds flying in a V formation. The results of this research were published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

[via PhysOrg]

New York scientists prove robotic fish can fit in is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Lemon receipt tracking app reaches 1 million users

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 07:11 PM PST

Lemon is starting to become the new default way for consumers to keep track of their receipts. There are many other apps fighting for your attention when it comes to tracking your finances, but Lemon is unique in its specific focus on allowing users to snap pictures of their physical paper receipts so they have a permanent record of them. If you think this is only a niche market, think again. The app has just reached 1 million users and it’s expanding its functionality.

Now that Lemon is definitely not a lemon in the app marketplace, it has decided to add a bunch of features that let users track the categories on which they’re spending the most money. The app already had the ability to extract information like store name and transaction total, but now it will categorize that information and provide a much more detailed list of statistics and analysis.

Essentially, it wants to do the same kind of stuff that Mint.com does now. Mint has gained a very strong following by allowing users to link their bank account and credit cards, centralizing all of their activity into one place. It also does things most mobile banking apps don’t, like the ability to break down purchases into categories and letting users sign up for highly customized alerts. Lemon is available for the iPhone and iPad, as well as Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, and even Symbian.

[via GigaOM]

Lemon receipt tracking app reaches 1 million users is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Sony acknowledges obscure “PlayStation mini” problem on PS Vita

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 07:01 PM PST

When Sony’s new PlayStation Vita handheld launched in Japan late last year, you could say it suffered from some pretty major problems. Now that it’s launched in other territories, it seems there’s a mini problem, both figuratively and literally. Apparently there’s an issue with players trying to launch their Playstation mini games that were received through a Playstation Plus subscription.

To be clear, this is not an issue with Playstation mini titles not being compatible with the Vita. Gamers who purchased a mini for their PSP should be able to download it to their Vita and play it with no problem. But for some reason, if that mini was received for free through the Playstation Plus program, the game can still be downloaded but if users try to open it, they’re greeted with an error.

Playstation minis are small, casual games that first launched back in 2009. They were among the first downloadable games that could be purchased once and then played on either the PS3 or PSP. Now the Vita is added to that list, with this small exception. The issue came to light on Sony’s official forums, and a Sony spokesperson was quoted as saying, “We are aware of the issue, and will resolve it as quickly as possible.”

[via Edge]

Sony acknowledges obscure “PlayStation mini” problem on PS Vita is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google cuts back e-book affiliate program

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 06:42 PM PST

Google has closed off its online affiliate program for digital books to the public, saying it just didn’t pan out the way the company expected. The program attracted a lot of users but very few who actually sent through worthwhile sales. The initiative was only launched about eight months ago, in June, and now Google says it will work better if it operates as a private program with select partners.

In an official forum post, Google wrote, “Google eBooks is narrowing the scope of the program to a smaller number of partners. While the program will continue privately, Google eBooks will no longer appear in Google Affiliate Network as an available advertiser.” Under the program, anyone who signed up – bloggers, site owners, etc – and led customers to buy a book from Google’s platform would receive a 6% to 10% commission.

The search giant has axed the majority of users who signed up for the program. Affiliate marketing has become increasingly difficult to manage due to the way online commerce is regulated state-by-state, and laws have created a confusing process that has caused some affiliates to move to another state, while some merchants have decided to cancel their affiliate programs altogether. That wasn’t necessarily a major factor in Google’s decision, but it certainly didn’t help.

[via paidContent]

Google cuts back e-book affiliate program is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Sprint’s possible MetroPCS buyout is off the table

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 06:15 PM PST

Sprint had been discussing the possibility of buying out rival low-cost carrier MetroPCS for a whopping $8 billion, but those talks have come to an end and no deal will be made, according to a Business Week report. The deal was shut down not by MetroPCS, but internally by Sprint. The company’s board of directors reportedly rejected it before any serious back-and-forth between the carriers began.

Sprint has the ambition and the desire to be at or near the top of the mobile market in the US, but try as it might it just can’t get there. AT&T and Verizon are behemoth competitors, leaving Sprint in a comfortable position but not one of overarching power. The company has reportedly been trying to ink an acquisition deal since last year.

MetroPCS has nearly 10 million customers and a lot of mobile spectrum, both of which are very attractive. MetroPCS has increased in popularity, especially among consumers who want a smartphone but don’t have a lot of money or are unable to get a contract with one of the major carriers. The buyout discussion was never publicly announced, but numerous media outlets reported on it. It would not have come under anywhere near the level of regulatory scrutiny that the AT&T-T-Mobile deal did, though perhaps that episode has left a bad taste in the mouth of the entire industry for the time being.

[via Business Week]

Sprint’s possible MetroPCS buyout is off the table is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Microsoft plans to ditch Live, Zune branding in Windows 8

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 05:52 PM PST

In the next generation of Microsoft’s Windows operating system, you won’t be signing into your Windows Live Mail account or your Windows Live Photo Gallery Account, or your Windows Live Messenger account. You’ll be signing in, simply, to your Microsoft account. The “Live” branding is going away in an attempt to make all of Microsoft’s products and services more tightly integrated. Ironically, that was the goal of the Live moniker in the first place, but it just isn’t working. Windows Live Photo Gallery is just too long of a title.

Instead, that service will be called “Photos.” Much simpler. Windows Live Mail will become Mail. Windows Live Messenger will become Messenger. And instead of a “Windows Live” account, it’ll be referred to as a Microsoft Account. Of course, this all only applies to the PC side of things. Microsoft would never dare kill the Xbox Live brand, which is one of the most powerful platforms in the entire company’s repertoire.

The problem Microsoft has had is in creating that same level of uniformity in its Windows products. As should come as no surprise, the Zune moniker will also be officially dead in Windows 8. There will be deep integration between Xbox Live and Windows 8, the extent of which hasn’t been fully described just yet, but we do know Windows 8 will be one of the most fundamental changes to the Windows brand to date. One key ingredient in that process is making things simple and integrated.

[via TechCrunch]

Redbox offers free game rentals next week

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 05:28 PM PST

In an effort to draw attention away from all the digital streaming and distribution news that has been populating the Web lately, kiosk giant Redbox has announced a promotion where customers can get a free one-day video game rental next week. The promotion runs from Sunday to Thursday, and users must book their reservation online in advance. If they return the game by the next day, there will be no charge.

Of course, customers still need to secure their rental with a debit or credit card, and each day after the first day will be an additional $2. And we all know that playing a video game is not like watching a DVD or Blu-ray Disc; you don’t just pop it in for a couple hours and then set it aside. Video games are multi-day affairs, so this promotion makes a lot of sense.

Of course, it also comes at a time when Netflix has been adding new content partnerships, Blockbuster has scored better than expected results with its streaming initiative, and game streaming company OnLive makes a splash on the iPad. Redbox of course lives for the brick-and-mortar customers, but it does have an expansive presence online and in mobile apps, which allow users to find the nearest kiosk and make reservations so the actual time spent retrieving a movie or game is minimal.

[via Time]

EA fans clamor to retrieve first “Space Edition” copies of Mass Effect 3

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 05:01 PM PST

In case you haven’t heard, Electronic Arts has create a rather unique promotion to generate buzz about its latest title in the Mass Effect franchise. The company has attached weather balloons to a bundle of special editions of the game, and is sending them up into the atmosphere with sophisticated GPS tracking. Gamers are invited to track where they go so they can track them down and grab one of the alluring “Space Edition” copies.

The first balloon was sent into the sky from San Francisco, and it wasn’t long before fans saw that it has landed near Santa Cruz, California. Developer Bioware said that 10 ardent Mass Effect fans happened to be in the area to claim their treasure. The only problem is that it was 150 feet off the ground, stuck in a tree. The fans used everything from a baseball attached to a rope, to marbles and slingshots to try to get the games down.

EA is moving to other major cities in the US to launch more weather balloons packed with the alluring prize. Other locations on EA’s radar are Las Vegas, London, and Berlin over the next five days. If you live in or are planning to visit any of these destinations, and you have nothing better to do, then head over to the official Mass Effect 3 Space Edition website and start tracking. Heck, even if you have no interest in the game at all it’s still pretty interesting to watch.

[via Wired]

Viddy app pulled from App Store over adult content

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 04:34 PM PST

A video-sharing app called Viddy, which has been around for some time but has been surging recently and came into the ranks of the top five, has been pulled from the App Store. While the reason behind apps becoming disabled are never publicly announced, it’s being reported that the reason is due to an increase in adult content and a lack of regulation on Viddy’s part. The app’s developer has denied that and said it’s working with Apple to resolve the issue.

Viddy has a vested interest in making sure it is released back to the iPhone and iPad platforms. After all, it recently received $6 million in Series A funding from venture capital groups in Qualcomm, Greycroft Ventures, and Battery Ventures. The company also managed to strike major content partnership, including a deal with Disney during the release of the theatrical Muppets movie.

In other words, this isn’t a sleazy app that went up overnight. But Apple might have had some questions over the fact that the most recent popular videos that were being shared were of a salacious nature. There was no pornographic material, per se, but the increased user attention in the app might have been due to somewhat of a lack of regulating content. Viddy emphasizes that it has filtering measures in place and users can flag any videos they find inappropriate. But of course we’re talking about Apple here, and you never know what reason it might have for quashing a startup company’s hopes and dreams.

[via GigaOM]

SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: February 24, 2012

Posted: 24 Feb 2012 03:59 PM PST

Happy Friday, everyone. We made it to the end of yet another work week, and now it’s time to check back on what made news on this day in tech. For starters, Google made a big splash when it announced it will bring “Do Not Track” functionality to Chrome. On a less surprising note, HP has confirmed it will be bringing a Windows 8 tablet to market this year, after the highly bungled webOS platform was officially chopped from the company’s tablet portfolio.

Featured: It’s official – our review of the PlayStation Vita is in. Check it out for our final verdict. Also, our Chris Burns reflects on the fact that Nokia has been crowned the #1 manufacturer of Windows Phone phones, and it only took one device and a couple months, in his column Nokia’s position perfect for a Windows Phone win. And if that’s not enough of Chris Burns opinion goodness for you, check out his other column – Control your web browser privacy in five easy steps.

Miscellaneous Friday Stuff: In the hodgepodge of other stuff that made news today, we have the fact that Netflix has snubbed Blackberry and says there’s no app for the fledgling RIM platform in the works. Also, here’s a PSA for you Android owners – new Android malware spreads via Facebook, bypasses Google Bouncer. And in other mobile news, this is pretty interesting: NVIDIA Icera Modem detailed with voice-over-LTE and gaming. Of course, mobile news will be everywhere next week when the Mobile World Congress kicks off next week. As a last-minute teaser, check this out – Google will have a massive showing at MWC. Well that’s all for today’s wrap-up, but the news never stops so keep checking SlashGear all day, every day.