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What's new on SlashGear.com |
- Why Microsoft Should Acquire A Major Game Publisher
- XMBC Windows Media Center alternative launches on Android
- RIM ordered to pay $147 million in lawsuit
- SlashGear Weekly Wrap-Up: July 14, 2012
- Apple’s Green Turnaround Makes Me Blue
- Square threatens legal action against mPowa
- Hulu’s first non-English show announced
- Crunchyroll, Neon Alley heading to PSN
- Gears of War: Judgment gets a March 2013 release date
- MIT scientists work on 3D TV via stacked LCDs
- More investment opportunities brought David Jaffe to mobile and social games
- Amazing Alex tops the mobile charts
- SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: July 13, 2012
- Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 Review
- New PS3 model possibly on the way as images surface
| Why Microsoft Should Acquire A Major Game Publisher Posted: 14 Jul 2012 03:02 PM PDT Microsoft's success in the gaming market has been nothing short of astounding. From starting out as a company with little knowledge about how the market works to becoming the leading console maker for over a year, Microsoft has cemented itself as a major player. However, the one thing the company is missing right now is a deep first-party game lineup. 343 Industries will undoubtedly help with the Halo 4 launch, and every now and then, something good comes out of Microsoft Game Studios, but I think it's about time the software giant acquires a major publisher.
Of course, acquiring a major publisher won't be cheap. Microsoft will need to once again dig down into its massive cash coffers and dole out billions just to get its hands on a major company. But in so doing, it can go a long way in finally establishing itself as a credible threat in software. Don't think that doesn't matter. Part of Nintendo's success, even during its current downturn, is due to its ability to deliver compelling first-party games. Although the third-party lineup hasn't always been up to par on Nintendo's consoles, franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda have kept it propped up. Microsoft right now really doesn't have that. As noted, it has Halo, but it needs more. And acquiring all or at least part of a major game publisher could help it become more like Nintendo in all of the right ways. Luckily for Microsoft, it might have an opening. According to a recent Bloomberg report, Vivendi is considering dumping its equity stake in Activision for $8.1 billion. What's more, the company has reportedly already talked to Microsoft about it. "There’s a market out there to invest heavily in gaming and get some real value"Whether Microsoft should take the deal is decidedly up for debate. But it underscores a broader point: there is a market out there for major companies, like Microsoft, to invest heavily in gaming and get some real value for its cash outlay. Of course, Microsoft has been spending a serious amount of cash as of late. The company acquired Skype for $8.5 billion and offered up $1.2 billion for Yammer. Add that to the cash it's spending on patents, and Microsoft appears to be willing and ready to write checks. Unfortunately, the company really hasn't done enough in the gaming space. It's about time for the software giant to find a suitable target and start spending some money. The issue is, which company should Microsoft consider acquiring? It's not as easy as one might think. Electronic Arts is probably off the table and Activision Blizzard can't be bought outright. Ubisoft might be a suitable choice, but who knows if it's willing to be let go. Perhaps Take-Two Interactive, which would come in more cheaply, could be a fine option. Exactly which major publisher Microsoft should acquire is up to the software company. But it's time for Microsoft to make a choice. Why Microsoft Should Acquire A Major Game Publisher is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| XMBC Windows Media Center alternative launches on Android Posted: 14 Jul 2012 02:36 PM PDT XMBC, a leading open-source platform for Internet-enabled media playback, has just announced that it is now available for Android. As the consortium makes clear in its blog post describing the launch, this is not a remote player; it’s isn’t a dumbed-down mobile version of the client. It is in fact the exact same XMBC experience that you would get on a computer, TV set-top box, etc.
XMBC said it was primarily because of the latter category, set-top boxes, that it pushed to create an Android version of its cross-platform media software. There are numerous Android-based set-tops coming down the pipeline and being able to have a presence on those devices could vastly expand the reach of XMBC, which stands for “Xbox Media Center” since it was originally designed for exclusive use with the original Xbox. It has long surpassed those days. “There are still many details left to iron out, mainly related to the wide variety of Android devices in the wild. We have not yet decided what minimum requirements will be set, due simply to the lack of extensive testing on exotic devices. As for taking advantage of Android itself, we haven't even scratched the surface. There are so many interesting features that we could take advantage of: launching apps, location awareness, speech recognition, on and on. Once the core port is finished up, you can bet we'll be exploring many new avenues,” XBMC wrote on its blog. [via XBMC] XMBC Windows Media Center alternative launches on Android is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| RIM ordered to pay $147 million in lawsuit Posted: 14 Jul 2012 01:01 PM PDT Talk about hitting a man while he’s down. Research in Motion has just lost a lawsuit brought forward by a company called Mformation Technologies. It alleged that the Blackberry maker violated its patents with its enterprise server software. The verdict orders RIM to pay $8 in royalties for every Blackberry device connected to that software.
That brings the total judgment to $147.2 million. RIM spokesperson Crystal Roberts was quoted as saying, “Research In Motion has worked hard to develop its leading-edge BlackBerry technology” in a statement. The company will not take the ruling sitting down, and it plans to take further legal action to overturn the verdict. This lawsuit dates back to 2008 The case went before a jury, which took a full four days to come to a unanimous consensus. Of course, this comes at a time when RIM really can’t afford to lose a big sum of money, but no doubt this will still be tied up in appeal litigation so it’ll no doubt be a while before Mformation collects the full award. Nevertheless, this is the perfect definition of adding insult to injury. In the last couple years, RIM has lost more market share in the smartphone business than most companies ever make in the first place. [via Chicago Tribune] RIM ordered to pay $147 million in lawsuit is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| SlashGear Weekly Wrap-Up: July 14, 2012 Posted: 14 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT Happy Saturday, everyone. If you’re in a place where the summer heat is bearing down, hopefully you’re in an air-conditioned building just relaxing and catching up on this week’s tech news. To start, get this, there's actually some good Blackberry news – RIM Blackberry 10 developer support on the rise. And as Nintendo's new console approaches, so do the third-party comments – Wii U more powerful than 360 and PS3 claims 5th Cell. Also, here's a look at the final details of Digg's sale – Digg sale splits the company three ways for $16m.
Featured: Here are some of this week’s featured stories: Other Stuff: There were plenty of other stories that made news this week. We'll start with this – Retina MacBook Pro 13-inch appears in Geekbench. But if you're more an Android guy than an Apple guy, this will be more up your alley – Ouya Android console breaks $1m Kickstarter in hours. And finally, whenever possible we like to round up the wrap-up with something more quirky or unusual, like this – Science baffled by Frankenstein monster mummies. SlashGear Weekly Wrap-Up: July 14, 2012 is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| Apple’s Green Turnaround Makes Me Blue Posted: 14 Jul 2012 09:47 AM PDT “This was a mistake.” It’s not something we’re used to hearing from Apple, but the company’s abrupt turnaround on EPEAT green certification hasn’t exactly been textbook. The decision, first to opt out of having its Mac, iPad and other ranges rated, and then – in the face of consumer outcry – to push them back onto the scoreboard has been portrayed as a headstrong firm learning some humility, but it’s not enough. Apple‘s green 180 isn’t a chance to crow that a big company was forced to change its mind, it’s a hugely wasted opportunity to change how the environmental impact of our tech addiction is discussed.
I’ve not doubt that Apple made its original decision to withdraw its products from EPEAT certification for reasons that were as self-serving as they were moral. That could well have been, as has been speculated, that the environmental agency wasn’t looking as approvingly on the display-gluing involved in recent iPad and MacBook Pro construction as customers were, and Apple faced less-than-glowing grades on recycling potential. That a company – even one that plays so much on its “think different” ethos – should be primarily concerned with how well external agencies rank their products in comparison to rivals doesn’t exactly surprise me. What comes as a disappointment is that, for many, Apple’s backtracking will be a close to the discussion. The period at the end of the earth-friendly debate; life goes back to normal, Apple’s computers, tablets and phones are “Green And Good” once more. No need to worry your pretty head about what “green” actually means. Quick, without looking at the organization’s site, what exactly does EPEAT certification mean? What, exactly, does it test? Do you get a cover-all certificate or a scoring grade? Can one EPEAT-approved product be fundamentally better than another? If you can answer any of those questions – and, in all honesty, I had to go look up the answers myself – then I’d wager you’re in the minority of people. "We pay lip-service to “environmentally friendly” but most of us don’t know what it means"We pay lip-service to “environmentally friendly” but most of us don’t care enough to actually understand what that means. Apple, like probably most companies, knows that. I’ve a suspicion – though Apple is unlikely to either confirm or deny it – that the decision to opt-out of EPEAT ratings was because the current standard of certification wouldn’t portray Macs and other Apple hardware in the most positive of lights. A PR move, then, and one reversed when the extent of the fall-out from that decision became apparent. I’ll say it again, I don’t really blame them for that. Apple always slots a brief section on eco-credentials into each hardware keynote, usually to talk about how there’s no arsenic involved and such, but how many people would even notice if that part was missing? How many listen and think “hang on, why isn’t Lenovo, and Dell, and HP, and Acer, and ASUS, and Sony, and all the other PC manufacturers telling me the green-cred of their products when they launch?” We hardly hold companies to account for their environmental responsibilities; is it any surprise when they take a more pragmatic approach to them themselves? The missed opportunity is ours – and Apple’s, and EPEAT’s, and the government’s – to ask what, exactly, is being tested here and why it’s important. It’s a missed chance for education into something with more long-term importance than DDR2 versus DDR3 RAM or which Intel processor to go for. Apple could have led the conversation on the eco-impact of our hunger for technology, but it backed off and gave us what the majority was asking for, and no more. In the end, though, we’ve only got ourselves to blame for that. Apple’s Green Turnaround Makes Me Blue is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| Square threatens legal action against mPowa Posted: 13 Jul 2012 08:38 PM PDT Mobile payment leader Square has issued a cease and desist letter to mPowa, one of the newest players in the emerging market of turning smartphones and tablets into portable credit card terminals. But the details aren’t exactly what you’d expect. Square doesn’t care about mPowa’s technology; it cares about the picture mPowa is using in its promotional messaging.
As you can see in the image, as posted on TechCrunch, there are some pretty distinct similarities. “The copying of Square's image is clear and obvious. Indeed, it appears that mPowa's infringement is intentional and deliberate, and that mPowa's attempt at imitation may extend to other key Square intellectual property, including the Square Website and Square's trademarks and trade dress,” the company said. However, mPowa doesn’t agree. The company’s CEO Dan Wagner said, “We think this is a petty attempt to divert our focus from trying to capture a meaningful share of the mobile POS market. It won't deter us from our focus, and everything contained in the legal missive is completely unfounded.” We’ll see what happens. The mobile payment landscape is certainly interesting these days. [via TechCrunch] Square threatens legal action against mPowa is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| Hulu’s first non-English show announced Posted: 13 Jul 2012 07:46 PM PDT Hulu is expanding. Literally. For the first time, the streaming video service is bringing a television series that is targeted at an audience other than English speakers. For years, Hulu has been a place for Americans to watch their favorite American TV content, but now it’s time for the tastes to expand.
The show in question is Prisoners of War, an Israeli drama that is one of the most heralded series in the region. It was the highest-rated TV drama in Israel, and won nine Israeli Emmy Awards. The story follows two soldiers after they emerge from an enemy prison in which they were captured for 17 years during war. Hulu has the exclusive rights to air it in the US. “we are looking forward for this great opportunity to bring the unique voice of 'Prisoners of War' to a worldwide audience. We are happy and proud to partner with a market leader such as Hulu in this U.S. debut,” said Keshet Broadcast CEO Avi Nir. The show will debut on Hulu tomorrow, July 14. [via Shockya] Hulu’s first non-English show announced is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| Crunchyroll, Neon Alley heading to PSN Posted: 13 Jul 2012 07:04 PM PDT If you aren’t getting your share of streaming video content on your PS3 through Netflix, Hulu Plus, CinemaNow, YouTube, Crackle, etc, then maybe some news out of Comic-Con will be music to your ears. That is, assuming you’re a fan of anime. Two of the biggest anime streaming services are making their way to the PlayStation Network.
First up is Neon Alley, a brand new but already-noteworthy service powered by Viz Media. It’s a 24-hour anime channel that gives users access to unlimited hours of crazy exaggerated antics and zany battles between good and evil for a monthly fee of $6.99, about on par with Netflix but only for anime content. Yeah, anime fans are that devoted. Naruto Shippuden, Inuyasha: The Final Act, and Death Note, as well as new titles such as Tiger & Bunny, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc, Zetman, and Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan are among the shows available on Neon Alley, which will launch in the fall. Also announced was Crunchyroll, which also offers streaming anime content on two tiered levels of either $6.95 per month or $11.95 per month. PS3 users are eligible for a 30-day trial. [via PlayStation Blog] Crunchyroll, Neon Alley heading to PSN is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| Gears of War: Judgment gets a March 2013 release date Posted: 13 Jul 2012 06:45 PM PDT You may have finished the story of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad with Gears of War 3, but the Gears franchise isn’t finished with you yet. Today, Epic announced a March 19, 2013 release date for Gears of War: Judgment, a prequel to the main series that follows Damon Baird, Augustus Cole, and the rest of Kilo Squad as they recount the events leading up to their trial for treason. Epic also shared a video introduction to Gears of War: Judgment‘s new multiplayer mode, Overrun, which you can catch after the jump.
In the video below, we get a five minute preview of Judgment‘s Overrun mode. The video mainly serves as a means of introducing us to the classes that are available for the COG defenders and the Locust attackers. If you’re playing COG, you’ll get to pick from the Engineer, Soldier, Medic, and Scout; those playing Locusts get their pick of the Ticker, Wretch, Grenadier, Kantus, Bloodmount, Corpser, Serapede, and Mauler. COGs are tasked with defending a generator from being destroyed, while it’s the Locust’s job to destroy it. Sounds simple enough, no? Gears of War: Judgment is the first game in the series that Epic is getting some help on. Bulletstorm developer and Epic subsidiary People Can Fly is giving Epic a hand with the development duties on Judgment, and strangely enough, this is the first Gears game that will be launching outside of autumn. Historically, all of the Gears games have launched just in time for the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, but Judgment is forgoing the typical autumn release date in favor of an early 2013 one instead. Perhaps Epic has something else planned for Gears‘ now-vacant autumn release slot? Probably not, but a man can dream, can’t he? [via Eurogamer] Gears of War: Judgment gets a March 2013 release date is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| MIT scientists work on 3D TV via stacked LCDs Posted: 13 Jul 2012 06:15 PM PDT You know, it’s funny. Back in the day when Samsung launched the first consumer 3D TV, in 2010, I thought it would actually catch on for one principle reason. That reason is that unlike Betamax vs. VHS or Blu-ray vs. HD DVD, this was a universal format. It was like the transition from standard definition to high definition. No one questioned it. Boy, was I wrong, and MIT is the latest organization to prove it.
University researchers are developing a new standard for glasses-free 3D TV that actually works by stacking three LCD layers on top of one another. The technology incorporates an algorithm in which patterns on the different displays circulate to create the illusion of depth. Admittedly, this is similar to the kind of tech used in Nintendo’s 3DS and the very few glasses-free 3D TVs that have been released, but it is a much more effective use of the technology. So with the glasses-free 3D movement on the rise, there is yet another competing standard in this battle to advance the TV market. The other standards are passive 3D, which is what movie theaters use and has a lower cost of entry, and active 3D which requires battery-operated glasses and more expensive hardware but creates the most realistic 3D experience in the consumer electronics market. [via MIT] MIT scientists work on 3D TV via stacked LCDs is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| More investment opportunities brought David Jaffe to mobile and social games Posted: 13 Jul 2012 05:33 PM PDT When David Jaffe announced earlier this year that he would be leaving Eat, Sleep, Play – a company which he co-founded – in order to pursue opportunities in the casual games market, it took a lot of people by surprise. After all, he made the announcement about about week before Twisted Metal even hit shelves, when it seemed like Eat, Sleep, Play was gearing up to create a new line of Twisted Metal games for the current generation. Now, in a new interview with Gamasutra, we’re finally finding out why Jaffe left the world of console game development behind in order to focus on mobile and social games.
According to Jaffe, there are more companies that are willing to invest in mobile and social games at the moment, meaning that it will be easier to secure funding for the games he wants to make. “The pool [of investors] is bigger and more varied,” he says. “You have a lot of traditional publishers who want to be in these new spaces, as they should. You have a number of companies that would never have thought of being video game publishers who are now trying to get into the space, whether it’s mobile or social or tablets.” Of course, easier access to funding also comes with a trade-off, as Jaffe says that now he must look for funding on a more frequent basis. Console games can take years to complete, whereas it’s possible for a skilled team of people to get a new mobile or social game out the door every six or eight months. Because of that, Jaffe says that he will still be under pressure as he attempts to make a name for himself in the realm of mobile gaming. Lately we’ve been seeing a lot of publishers and developers try their hand at developing games for mobile and social platforms. It’s easy to see why too – as the budgets for triple-A console titles climb higher and higher, so do the stakes, and these days one big-budget flop is enough to kill a formerly healthy studio very quickly. On mobile and social platforms, the risks aren’t always as great but the competition is fierce, so it will be interesting to see where these industries go in the coming months and years. More investment opportunities brought David Jaffe to mobile and social games is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| Amazing Alex tops the mobile charts Posted: 13 Jul 2012 05:32 PM PDT Did we really expect anything else? The next game from Angry Birds creator Rovio has managed to climb to the top of the mobile gaming charts after just one day. Already a global phenomenon, the 99-cent iPhone game is the best-selling iPhone app in no fewer than 35 countries. Meanwhile, the $2.99 high-def version is the best-selling iPad app in 50 countries.
The game actually started its life outside of the walls of Rovio headquarters. It was created by an independent developer who launched the title – under a different name – in 2011. Rovio acquired the rights and decided to tweak it a bit, because it saw the potential for it to become the next big thing. And when it comes to next big things, Rovio knows a thing or two. The company has understandably been completely focused on Angry Birds for the last three years, which has made its way to traditional game consoles as a downloadable title, been introduced to stores with a whole line of retail merchandise, got a tie-in with the theatrical animated film Rio, and is accessible via download codes in the Blu-ray version of the 20th Century Fox flick. So will Amazing Alex be the next big thing? It seems like it’s on the way. [via VentureBeat] Amazing Alex tops the mobile charts is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: July 13, 2012 Posted: 13 Jul 2012 04:45 PM PDT Happy Friday the 13th, everyone. Hopefully you’re not superstitious and haven’t been exposed to any bad luck today. But even if you have, now’s the time to chill and catch up on the tech news that hit the airwaves today. To start, get this, there’s actually some good Blackberry news – RIM Blackberry 10 developer support on the rise. And as Nintendo’s new console approaches, so do the third-party comments – Wii U more powerful than 360 and PS3 claims 5th Cell. Also, here’s a look at the final details of Digg’s sale – Digg sale splits the company three ways for $16m.
Featured: So we have a couple of featured stories that popped up on the site today. Of course you can always rely on us for the most comprehensive and consumer-centric reviews and this one is no exception – Acer Aspire S5 review. And we also deliver beaucoup insightful commentary on the latest trends, like this – Video games drag us kicking and screaming into the mobile future. Windows 8, Nexus 7, and Boeing 787: We’ll finish this wrap-up with a trio of stories about the numbers 7 and 8. Actually, that was just a coincidence. Anyway, check this out – Microsoft Windows 8 retail may be axed entirely. And moving right along – Nexus 7 popping up in stores and mailboxes. And finally, in our usual fashion, this final evening wrap-up of the week ends with a crazy but awesome story – Boeing unveils Dreamliner 787 with Android-based entertainment systems. SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: July 13, 2012 is written by Mark Raby & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| Posted: 13 Jul 2012 04:23 PM PDT If you’re one of the few that is looking for a decent mid-range well rounded Android tablet that also manages to come in the same shape as the iPad, we might have something just for you. Today on the SlashGear test bench is the new Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. Running on a standard build of Android, but rocking an iPad-like 9.7-inch 1024 x 768 resolution display check out if this tablet is for you after the break.
What we have here is a tablet that Lenovo has designed to be well built, well priced, and budget friendly. Coming in at just $349 with 16GB of internal storage it’s an ideal offering, although the Nexus 7 severely undercuts it — while being more powerful. First you’ll need to see our hands-on and unboxing, then lets dive into the tablet and see what we think. Shall we? HardwareIn the very recent past Lenovo’s hardware and build quality has always been one of the low points of their tablets, but with the S2109 they’ve surprisingly done a much better job in that department. Offering it at a low price at the same time doesn’t hurt either. The build quality and hardware is improved, but it still isn’t up to Samsung or Apple standards.
Lenovo’s equipped this S2109 tablet with some pretty poor specs to meet that low price point though. You get an old, aging, and quite grainy 9.7-inch display rocking the same 4:3 aspect ratio and terrible 1024 x 768 resolution that the original (yes as in a few years old) iPad had. Almost all Android tablets come with at least a 1280 x 800 resolution so this is instantly looking worse once you glance into the screen. After using the Acer A700 with a 1920 x 1200 resolution, or our new iPad with Retina display this thing almost hurts my eyes. Other than that you’ll get a mid-range 1.0 Ghz dual-core TI OMAP 4 processor, 1GB of RAM, and this model comes with 16GB of internal storage — they do offer a 32GB version for those in need too. We would rather of seen the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core here, but we’ll take what we get. Overall however the S2109 both looks and feels smaller than a 9.7-inch tablet because of the curved rounded edges and the sleek unibody design. Sadly the back is a hard plastic and not aluminum and it picked up scratches extremely quick. Lenovo has shipped the tablet with a silicone case right inside the box however, so that is an added bonus.    As for ports and options you’ll quickly notice the micro-HDMI and micro-USB ports on the right side, followed by a reset pinhole, the proprietary jack for charging, and a micro-SD slot for extra storage options. The top is outfitted with a single volume up/down rocker, then the left side is the lone 3.5mm headphone jack and power/wake button. The design is pretty basic, but works great for those who might be just beginning. Sadly the hardware isn’t anything special. The best part is probably the unibody design (although it’s plastic) and the quad-stereo SRS surround sound speakers. The only camera is the 1.3 MP shooter up front, and they scraped the rear camera in favor of a low price. The speakers offer quite great sound for a little and budget tablet. While they won’t fill an entire room — most tablets don’t — they do have clear and crisp sound. We have mixed feelings on the hardware and build quality, but I guess for $349 it’s ok but we’d rather just buy an iPad 2. Software
Lenovo’s pre-loaded AccuWeather, Lenovo App Shop, Documents To Go, Evernote, Adobe Flash Player, Go Keyboard, Movie Studio, Norton Security, Lenovo PrinterShare, Skype, SugarSync, News Republic, and Zinio. More than I’d like to deal with, but a few are quite nice. First thing you’ll want to do however is disable that terrible Go Keyboard and stick with ICS stock option.
Performance and BenchmarksUnlike many recent tablets the Lenovo doesn’t run an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. Instead it runs a pretty basic and aging Cortex A9 Texas Instruments chip that lags behind most of the tablet competition, even compared to old Tegra 2 dual-core options. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich had a little lag here and there that wasn’t expected, but that could be due to the old and aging processor under the hood. For the most part performance was fluid and swift, but we had to mention those odd stutters. Operation throughout the OS wasn’t too bad, it was browsing the web, reading RSS feeds, or checking through the market that seemed to struggle more than most. Benchmarks, as expected, fall far behind most of the competition. Tablets like the Transformer Prime, or even cheaper options like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10 (2) all are a little better in this category. We see where Lenovo was aiming, but they just haven’t quite hit the mark. Scoring lower benchmark tests than all 3 mentioned above. Here’s a quick look at Quadrant and AnTuTu — which speak for themselves.   The boot time is rather long, and has a loud and slightly obnoxious animation and sound that is louder than anything else the tablet puts out, which we found a little odd. Playing your average games was decent although the slow processor and low resolution display gives you a less than stellar experience compared to the competition. Camera and Battery LifeNow first we’ll start with the camera, since it only has one. Most tablets these days offer both a front and rear camera but here we only have a 1.3 megapixel front camera. It’s capable of 720p video but you’d hardly tell. While I don’t consider it a con that there’s no rear camera, many tablets currently offer one in this same price point — so we’ll take another notch off for that. Battery life is one area that the Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 does do well though. It comes with a 6,720 mAh battery under the hood that lasted for around 7-8 hours of solid use. They claim 10 hours of video playback but we doubt you’ll make it that far. Stand-by battery was quite excellent too. Using the tablet here and there briefly during the evenings and leaving it at a table nearby we managed great battery life as you can see here. Some tablets no matter what will run out of life after a few days, but not the S2109.
Wrap-UpWhen using this tablet over the past few weeks we decided that for $349 you could probably do worse, but at the same time you could easily do better. Overall Lenovo has designed a decent mid-range tablet with ok specs, and a low price. With the iPad 2 being just $399 these days, and powerful quad-core Android tablets being similarly priced we had a hard time giving this a thumbs up of any kind. If you’d like to stay under the $400 mark we’d easily have to recommend the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T. It rocks a quad-core, higher resolution, and an optional keyboard for only $379, as well as the brand new Google Nexus 7 16GB for just $249. For those looking for a 9.7+ tablet the iPad 2 or even the new Acer Iconia Tab A510 would be a great option.
In the end the Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 is a well built tablet, it functions well and operates smoothly. The mid-range at best specs, low resolution, lack of a rear camera, and occasional stutters makes it hard to justify. For the price you could do better, but if Lenovo drops her down to $299 this might be a slightly different story.                  Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 Review is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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| New PS3 model possibly on the way as images surface Posted: 13 Jul 2012 04:14 PM PDT Here’s an interesting bit of news for you: Sony may be planning to unleash a brand new PS3 model. Images of the redesigned console were first revealed in an apparent Sony filing with Brazilian telecommunications regulator Anatel and were quickly picked up by Technoblog. Now the images are spreading across the internet like wildfire, and we have to say that they have us pretty intrigued.
This new model looks relatively similar to the PS3 Slim we all know and love, but there are a few pretty major changes. First up, the new console appears to be smaller than the PS3 Slim and looks as if it’s ditching the disc slot in favor of a top-loading disc tray. This new PS3 also comes with a ridged texture, which admittedly looks a little out of place when compared to the sleek consoles of the current generation. The database on Anatel’s website also shows that Sony Brasil is after approval for three different versions of this new PS3 model, each with a different size hard drive: 16GB, 250GB, and 500GB. Other than the difference in hard drive sizes, however, these consoles are the same. The idea that Sony is planning to offer a version with a measly 16GB hard drive suggests to us that the company is looking to market this new console to budget gamers and families, much like Microsoft has done with the 4GB Xbox 360 S. Of course, these images could all be fake, which remains a very real possibility. Remember though that we saw the first images of the PS3 Slim through a leak similar to this, and back then a lot of people thought it was a hoax as well. The low-quality images do make a us bit suspicious, so we’ll have to wait until Sony makes a comment on these new pictures before we can make the call. Perhaps if this is all real, we’ll get an official reveal at Gamescom in Germany next month? Stay tuned.      [via Joystiq] New PS3 model possibly on the way as images surface is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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