At Microsoft’s pre-E3 #XboxReveal event, the veil was lifted away from the company’s next-gen hardware known as Xbox One. The event focused primarily on introducing the hardware (including the black box, the enhanced wireless controller, and Kinect 2.0) and the power behind it. Xbox One and its ability to act like a TV set-top box and serve as “the ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system” was the big highlight from that event. Though a handful of titles were teased there, MSFT would save the games for its E3 media briefing. For more, jump after the break.

Before you dive into a list of new titles consisting mostly of Xbox One exclusives, Microsoft made some other relavant announcements at E3 that cannot be skipped over. First, the Xbox 360 isn’t going anywhere yet; to prove the company’s not abandoning its commitment to the aging console it updated the 360 hardware with a modern look and feel based on the Xbox One design. It’s “small, sleek, and quiet” and it’s on store shelves today. Additionally, Microsoft says hundreds of new games are coming to 360 including upcoming anticipated titles Splinter Cell: Black List, Final Fantasy XII, Batman: Arkham Origins, and Grand Theft Auto V. Previewed at the briefing were World of Tanks (Wargaming.net) [available free-to-play for XBL Gold members this summer], Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (Press Play), and Dark Souls II (From Software) [due out March 2014]. One more thing: all XBL Gold members will begin to receive two free games per month–starting with Assassin’s Creed II and Halo 3–leading up to Xbox One’s release. And in case you were wondering, yes, Gold memberships will carry over from 360 to One. In sum, Microsoft remains committed to Xbox 360 even with One on the horizon.

New enhancements to Xbox Live were also discussed at E3. First, SmartGlass is natively built into Xbox One; users with the SmartGlass app on their tablets and smartphones will be able to start a single player game, set up and launch multiplayer, view achievements, purchase add-on content, and see instant real-time stats away from the console and on their mobile devices. A new service called Upload Studio will allow gamers to curate, edit, and share gaming sessions that are automatically recorded by Game DVR; recordings can be personalized with thematic skins and voiceovers before they get shared with friends. Microsoft is teaming with Twitch to allow gamers to instantly broadcast gaming sessions live over the Internet. The interface allows you to chat with others and comment in real-time while gameplay is being viewed or controlled. Last, at long last, Microsoft Points are no longer arbitrary “points” and will be converted to your local currency on Xbox One.

Drumroll, please–we have a console launch window and price: Xbox One will hit 21 markets around the world in November 2013 for $499. The package will include the console, a wireless controller, the Kinect camera, and a handy HDMI cable. New Xbox One branded accessories include a Chat Headset, a Play & Charge Kit, and a bundled Wireless Controller with Play & Charge Kit. Xbox One is available to preorder today; early adopters have the opportunity to snag a “Day One Edition” console which comes with a commemorative controller and a special achievement.

The Games (“*” denotes Xbox One exclusive)

• Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain (Kojima Productions)
  
• Ryse: Son of Rome* (Crytek) [launch title]
• Killer Instinct* (Double Helix)
• Sunset Overdrive* (Insomniac Games)
• Forza Motorsport 5* (Turn 10 Studios)
• Minecraft: Xbox One Edition* (4J/Mojang)
• Quantum Break* (Remedy)
• D4* (Access Games)
• Project Spark* (Team Dakota, Microsoft Studios)
• Crimson Dragon* (Gounding/Land Ho!)
• Dead Rising 3* (Capcom)
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt RED)
• Battlefield 4 (DICE) [first map pack "Second Assault" coming to Xbox One first]
• Below* (Capy Games)
• Halo on Xbox One* (343 Industries)
• Titanfall* (Respawn Entertainment)

Xbox One and DRM

Leading up to E3, Microsoft outed three Xbox Wire press releases addressing Xbox One’s “connected” nature, games licensing  and privacy concerns. To put it mildy, gamers weren’t happy. Here’s the scoop.

Microsoft describes Xbox One as a “modern, connected” device; with a contant Internet connection it will allow developers to “create massive, persistent worlds that evolve even when you’re not playing;” your system, games, and apps are updated the background and will always be current when you go to launch them; when you insert a game disc into Xbox One it will automatically download to your local HDD and the cloud–this makes for less load time and your entire games collection gets tied to your XBL account and so it can be accessed from any Xbox One console. All of these factors and more led to Microsoft making a hard-hitting decision: Xbox One requires a contant Internet connection to function properly, even if you’re playing a single player local game. Every 24 hours the console will check to see if an Internet connection is live; if it’s not connected you will be booted from whatever game your playing. In MSFT’s words:

While a persistent connection is not required, Xbox One is designed to verify if system, application or game updates are needed and to see if you have acquired new games, or resold, traded in, or given your game to a friend. Games that are designed to take advantage of the cloud may require a connection. With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection, but you can still watch live TV and enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies. At Xbox, we’ve always believed in a connected world of games and entertainment.  With Xbox One, we are planning for a connected future.  We can’t wait to show you what’s to come.

Outside of the E3 briefing, Xbox’s Don Mattrick did discuss the matter with Spike TV’s Geoff Keighley. He was blunt: “Some of the advantages that you get, of having, a box that is designed to use an online state, so, that, uh, to me is the future-proof choice, and I think people, could’ve arguably gone the other way if we didn’t do it and fortunately we have a product for people who aren’t able to get some form of connectivity and it’s called Xbox 360.” He rambled on, “If you have zero access to the internet, that is an offline device, I mean, seriously, when I read the blogs, and thought about who’s really the most impacted, there was a person who said ‘hey, I’m on a nuclear sub,’ and I don’t even know what it means to be on a nuclear sub but I’ve gotta imagine it’s not easy to get an Internet connection.” Watch the 8+ minute interview here.

This brings us to the next topic of concern: games licensing. Right off the bat, Microsoft is allowing gamers to trade-in and resell disc-based games to retailers without a fee, just like they can do now. Gamers can also give disc-based games to their friends but Microsoft lists two requirements: “you can only give them to people who have been on your friends list for at least 30 days and each game can only be given once.” Digitally downloaded cloud-based games are a different story. A major reason why Xbox One checks for an established Internet connection so often is to make sure your cloud-stored games aren’t being disseminated across multiple consoles at once. Digital rights management at work. MSFT adds, “Loaning or renting games won’t be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners.”

Last, there’s a bit on Kinect and privacy. Some people are nervous that Kinect 2.0–no longer an accessory but a full-fledged system requirement–will be watching and hearing your every move and whisper. Right off the bat, Microsoft insists you are in control of what Kinect can see and hear:

By design, you will determine how responsive and personalized your Xbox One is to you and your family during setup. The system will navigate you through key privacy options, like automatic or manual sign in, privacy settings, and clear notifications about how data is used. When Xbox One is on and you’re simply having a conversation in your living room, your conversation is not being recorded or uploaded.

At any time you can pause Kinect so that it cannot track you while your playing a game that does not require Kinect or watching a movie. And that “Xbox On” voice command–you can disable that too, if you like. And when the system is off, or in standby mode, Kinect is “only listening for [that] single voice command — “Xbox On.”

With all the upheaval surrounding these Xbox One hot topics, Microsoft has clear explanations for all of it. At least they’re laying it all out and being transparent about it. Without necessarily taking sides, all gamers must understand that this next generation of video game consoles/home entertainment systems is coming at a time when digital sales and natural user interfaces are becoming excessively popular. This is the way Microsoft is handling the delicate situation and time will tell if the company’s decisions prove to be the right ones in an ever-evolving entertainment industry.

Like Microsoft, Sony held a pre-E3 event where they officially announced the next-gen PlayStation, the PS4. Without showing off the actual console, Sony filled in a lot of the blanks by talking up the advanced architecture that powers the machine, introducing the DualShock 4 wireless controller, a new PlayStation Eye camera, the system’s ability to share and stream gaming sessions, and the company even saved time to introduce some next-gen games. At last, Sony revealed the actual box behind it all and previewed many more games coming to PS4 (more than 140 of them are coming this year) at its E3 briefing. For more, jump after the break.

Sony kicked off its E3 briefing with a look at the PS Vita. The powerful handheld “is just beginning its life cycle,” the company remarked. In fact, more than 85 titles will launch for Vita by the end of this year including Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games Montreal), CounterSpy (Dynamighty), Destiny of Spirits (Q Entertainment), Doki Doki Universe (HumaNature), Killzone: Mercenary (Guerrilla Cambridge), and Tearaway (Media Molecule). A handful of remastered classics are coming to Vita, too, and they include God of War HD 1 & 2, Final Fantasy X & X-2, Flower, and Dead Nation. The next chapter in Telltale Games’ acclaimed The Walking Dead series called 400 Days is coming to Vita in a bundle this August that will include the complete first season of the series and other bonus content.

The PS3 isn’t losing steam anytime soon; Sony remains committed to the seven-year-old console and says over 300 titles are coming to it before the end of the year. Previewed at the briefing were The Last of Us (Naughty Dog), Puppeteer (SCE Japan Studio), Rain (Japan Studio), Beyond: Two Souls (Quantic Dream), Gran Turismo 6 (Polyphony Digital), Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games) [exclusive to PS3: Nightfall DLC & 1960s TV show Batman skin], and Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games) [Sony will release a new bundle including the game, a 500GB console, and a custom Pulse Elite headset for $299 this September].

And then there was the PS4 hardware reveal. “It is a design that is sleek, visually impactful wherever it is placed.” The black box features a unique design; when viewed for the side, less than one half of it is glossy while the bottom third is all matte. Dividing the two sections is a thin line with a blue hue. Inside is a 500GB HDD, in case you’re wondering, and storage is upgradable.

A section of the briefing was saved for serving up new entertainment initiatives on PS4. Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment, took the stage to announce that Sony Pictures is hard at work on a brand new original programming plan that will bring unique access to content that will be available exclusively on PSN and PS4. It will “deliver new, cutting edge programming developed with gamers in mind.” Sounds like Sony is taking a page out of Xbox One and its plan to develop console-exclusive programming such as Steven Spielberg’s live-action Halo series. Also mentioned was that Music and Video Unlimited services are coming to PS4 at launch, and the Redbox Instant by Verizon, Flixter, and a Live Events Viewer by Sony are coming to PS platforms later this year.

Next Sony spent some time discussing the future of PlayStation Plus. Existing memberships will carry over to the PS4, and members will have access to all Plus benefits across the company’s central devices including the PS3, PS Vita, and PS4 for one price (the annual subscription rate remains at $49.99). As you should already know, PS Plus gets you discounted games, cloud saves, automatic game updates, early access to beta programs, and an instant game collection. When the PS4 arrives, however, gamers must subscribe to the service if they want to play games online and enable multiplayer sessions. Note that single player sessions and access to all media services on the PS4 won’t require Plus. Plus members will get immediate access to Driveclub: PS Plus Edition when PS4 launches, and they’ll receive one new title every month including indie games like Don’t Starve, Outlast, and The Secret Ponchos.

Also briefly touched upon was the future of Sony’s cloud gaming initiative. The Gaikai-powered cloud service is coming in 2014 beginning in the US. The service will provide PS4 and PS3 customers, followed by Vita owners, with immediate access to a catalog of critically acclaimed PS3 games streamed over the Internet at lightning fast speeds.

Sony responded directly to Xbox One’s DRM woes by addressing the hot issue head-on at E3. PS4 supports used games and it won’t impose any new restrictions on the use of used games. Gamers will be free to trade in disc-based games at retail, sell them to another person, lend them to friends, or decide to keep them forever. Disc-based games do not have to be connected to the Internet to play, and single player sessions won’t require periodic check-ins for an Internet connection. Essentially Sony is moving in the opposite direction of Microsoft when it comes to DRM in video games; theoretically, things will remain the same when it comes to playing used and borrowed games on PS4. However, after the briefing, Sony clarified their stance by saying it won’t impose any restrictions on their games but the company is leaving it up to third party publishers’ discretion to make such decisions. In Sony’s words:

There’s gonna be free-to-play, there’s gonna be every potential business model on there, and again, that’s up to their relationship with the consumer, what do they think is going to put them in the best fit. We’re not going to dictate that, we’re gonna give them a platform to publish on. The DRM decision is going to have to be answered by the third parties, it’s not something we’re going to control, or dictate, or mandate, or implement.

And that brings us to the final major announcement from Sony’s briefing. The PS4 will release “this holiday season” at $399. True, this is one Benjamin less than what the Xbox One will cost when it launches in November, but keep in mind that the One ships with a mandatory Kinect while the enhanced PlayStation Eye remains an accessory sold separately at $59. PS4 is available to preorder today; at Amazon the Launch Day Edition is currently sold out, but if you opt to get one of three game bundles you can still snag the system on day one.

The Games (“*” denotes PS4 exclusive)

• The Order: 1886 (Ready at Dawn Studios)
• Killzone: Shadow Fall* (Guerrilla Games)
• Driveclub* (Evolution Studios)
• Infamous: Second Son* (Sucker Punch)
• Knack* (SCE Studio Japan)
• The Dark Sorcerer* (Quantic Dream) [technical demo showcasing the PS4's graphical prowess]
• Transistor (Supergiant Games)
• Final Fantasy XV* (Square Enix)
• Kingdom Hearts III (Square Enix)
• Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft)
• Watch_Dogs (Ubisoft)
• NBA 2K14 (2K Games)
• The Elder Scrolls Online (Bethesda Softworks)
• Mad Max (Avalanche Studios)
• Destiny (Bungie)

Sony highlighted many independent developers and their upcoming games that will make their console debut on the PS4:

• Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment)
• Mercenary Kings (Tribute Games)
• Octodad: Dadliest Catch (Young Horses)
• Secret Ponchos (SwitchBlade Monkeys)
• Ray’s The Dead (Ragtag Studios)
• Outlast (Red Barrels)
• Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty (Oddworld Inhabitants)
• Galak-Z (17-bit Games)
  

One more thing: this clip leaked onto the ‘Net this week; it sheds even more light on the PS4 UI, specifically the console’s ability to quickly multitask and share gaming sessions.

This year Nintendo opted out of the E3 press conference circuit and instead released a pre-recorded Nintendo Direct video hosted by the company’s Global President Satoru Iwata. Ninty’s Wii successor the Wii U has been on the market since November and due to a lack of must-have titles and drooping third-party support the console hasn’t gained much traction in the gaming community. The house that made Mario is looking to turn things around this year with the introduction of many first-party games featuring some of the company’s most prized characters like Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong. And yes, there are even some third-party titles coming that should stir some excitement Ninty’s way. Iwata previewed many titles coming to Wii U, as well as some for the 3DS handheld, and you can check ‘em all out after the break.

Wii U first-party games

Super Mario 3D World: This marks the first four-player Mario game set in a 3D world. Gamers can jump in as Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach–each of them have their own unique characteristics not unlike their SNES counterparts from Super Mario Bros. 2. There’s a new power-up called the cat suit; in it Mario and his friends can perform new actions like climbing up walls and scratching enemies with claws. This Mario title, made by team behind Super Mario 3D Land for 3DS and the Super Mario Galaxy games for Wii, is out this December.

Mario Kart 8: The next iteration in the Mario Kart racing series introduces an anti-gravity feature that has karts racing up walls and clinging to inverted tracks (in other words, upside-down racing!). Borrowed from previous Kart games, you can glide through the sky, race underwater, and ride motorcycles. Online multiplayer modes will be available with deep integration with Wii U’s social service Miiverse. It’s out Spring 2014.

Super Smash Bros for Wii U: Nintendo’s classic fighter starring many of the company’s most popular game characters is making its way to Wii U in 2014. New playable entries include the Villager from Animal Crossing, Megaman, and the female Trainer from Wii Fit.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD: Zelda is back in an HD remake of the well-regarded Gamecube game of the same name. The title sees a couple tweaks, in addition to the 1080p treatment. First, the Tingle Tuner from the original has been replaced by the Tingle Bottle, which uses the Wii U GamePad to post comments about the game to Miiverse. Comments from players wash up on the shores of beaches in the game. Also, players have the option to sail faster than they did in the original version. Cell-shaded Zelda comes to Wii U this October.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: DK gets the HD treatment for the very first time in the next installment in the Country franchise dubbed Tropical Freeze. Retro Studios, the developers who made Donkey Kong Country Returns for Wii, are behind this new side-scrolling platformer with a twist: the camera changes perspective on certain levels to enhance the sense of motion and to deliver new gameplay experiences. Diddy and Dixie Kong are in for the ride as playable characters. It’s out this November.

The Wonderful 101: Platinum Games is developing this cartoon-y actioner that places gamers in the role of Wonder-Red, leader of a group of superheroes. Individually they are overpowered by invaders from space. But by working together, they can transform into a fist or blade and unleash massive attacks on their enemy. Out September 15.

Bayonetta 2: Here’s another title from Platinum Games. The sequel to 2010′s Bayonetta, which released exclusively for Xbox 360 and PS3, is making its debut on Wii U. The hack-and-slash actioner comes out in 2014.

Monolif Soft: Iwata introduced a new game from Monolif Software Inc., the creative team behind The Xenoblade Chronicles. It’s an open world game that gives players control over massive and destructive robots that can soar through the sky. More details will be shared as we get closer to the still-untitled game’s release in 2014.

Wii Party U: The party game features 80 brand-new minigames, many of which will take advantage of the Wii U GamePad. It releases this October.

Wii Fit U: Iwata only brought up this fitness title to say its release has been delayed from a spring or summer launch to one this November.

Art Academy: Though this painting and drawing title is still in development for Wii U, some of its features are being plucked from the game and implemented in Miiverse to give console owners more tools to create their own masterpieces. It’s coming to the eShop this summer.

Other first party games not discussed during in the Nintendo Direct clip but coming soon include Pikmin 3 (8/4) and New Super Luigi U (6/20). The latter title can be downloaded on that date via the eShop as an add-on to Super Mario Bros. U; on August 25 you can buy it as a standalone package that doesn’t require the original game.

3DS first-party games

Pokémon X and Pokémon Y: The latest games in the Pokémon franchise introduce an 18th Pokémon type: Fairy-type. A new feature called Pokémon-Amie lets players create a deeper connection with their Pokémon by training them and playing mini-games with them. Both titles release October 12.

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS: The fighter comes to the handheld in 2014.

Other first party games not discussed during in the Nintendo Direct clip but coming soon include The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (November 2013), Yoshi’s New Island (2014), and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (8/11).

Wii U third-party games (video preview here)

• Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft) – 10/29/13
• Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games) – 10/25/13
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut (Square Enix) – 2013
• Disney Infinity (Disney Interactive) – 8/18/13
• Just Dance 2014 (Ubisoft) – 10/8/13
• Rayman Legends (Ubisoft) – 9/3/13
• Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure (WB Games) – Fall 2013
• Disney’s Planes (Disney Interactive) – 8/6/13
• Skylanders SWAP Force (Activision Publishing) – 10/13/13
• Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Ubisoft) – 8/20/13
• Sonic Lost World (SEGA) – Holiday 2013
• Watch_Dogs (Ubisoft) – 11/19/13

3DS third-party games (video preview here)

• Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (WB Games) – 10//25/13 3DS
• Shin Megami Tensei IV (Atlus) – 7/16/13
• Skylanders SWAP Force (Activision Publishing) – 10/13/13
• Sonic Lost World (SEGA) – Holiday 2013

Wii U eShop titles (video preview here)

• Ballpoint Universe (Arachnid Games)
• Cloudberry Kingdom (Ubisoft)
• Coaster Crazy Deluxe (Frontier Developments)
• Ducktales: Remastered (Capcom)
• Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara (Capcom)
• Mutant Mudds Deluxe (Renegade Kid)
• Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty (Oddworld Inhabitants)
• Scram Kitty & His Buddy on Rails (Dakko Dakko Ltd.)
• Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games)
• Spin the Bottle: Bumpie’s Party (KnapNok Games)
• A World of Keflings (NinjaBee)

This week Apple held its latest World Wide Developers Conference from San Francisco, introducing to the world the next versions of OS X and iOS, as well as upgrading its MacBook Air lineup and previewing the next generation Mac Pro. For the full rundown, jump after the break.

OS X Mavericks

This next version of the Mac operating system is the 10th major release of OS X. Apple is changing the themed names from cats to California locations. “We do not want to be the first software in history to be delayed due to a dwindling supply of cats,” joked Craig Federighi. “We want a set of names that can carry us for at least the next 10 years. The answer was really obvious to us. It’s those places that inspire us here in California, the place where OS X is designed and built. For our first California themed release…OS X Mavericks.” It’s a destination known for its big waves and extreme surfing.

Mavericks contains more than 200 new features and it’s focused on extending battery life and providing overall system responsiveness and energy efficiency. Apple demoed a handful of new features included inside the OS. Finder now supports tabs; if you have multiple Finder windows open you can merge them together into one window and move across them by clicking their respective tabs. To create a new tab, click the + icon. It works very much like the Safari browser and its tabbed experience. In addition, you can move files from one location to another by dragging, hovering, and dropping them across tabs. Finder can also go full-screen.

When you save a document, in addition to providing its location and name, you can tag it and when you do it’ll appear in the Finder Sidebar for quick and easy access. You can assign more than one tag to a document, and you can also assign tags simply by dragging a file into an open Finder window that’s viewing a tag category. Tags help keep files more organized and searchable.

Working across multiple display has gotten better; you can access the menu bar across multiple displays, you can summon the dock, and when you take an app full-screen on one display it doesn’t interfere with the content on your other display. Also, you can pan between Spaces independently on each of your displays, and if you have an AirPlay connected HDTV it too can act as a fully powered separate display with access to the menu bar and dock.

Safari features a new, clean homepage with access to a sidebar that includes your bookmarks, reading list, and shared links (these are links shared by your Facebook and Twitter friends). With iCloud Keychain, you can have your Mac remember your website logins, credit card numbers, Wi-Fi networks, and account information; all of this will be stored securely in the cloud and accessible across your OS X and iOS devices.

When a Notification pops up, you can respond to it instantly without having to open up an app; for example, you can respond to a friend’s incoming message inside the notification without going inside iMessage. Additionally, you can now see an overview of new Notifications from the lock screen. And no more app update notifications; they will be automatically downloaded in the background and you’ll be notified when this happens.

What else? Calendar has been updated with a new, clean design sans stitching. A Maps app is included featuring 3D Flyover data, info cards, turn-by-turn directions, and you can send routes to your mobile iOS devices directly from it. Also, iBooks is coming to Mac for the first time with access to your library and the iBooks Store and it supports iBooks Textbooks. To improve system responsiveness, a technology called App Nap reduces the power consumed by apps that you’re not using. For example, say you’re exploring an intensive, graphically enhanced website that’s eating up a lot of processing power and then you decide to open iTunes to play a song. Even though your browser is still open, Mavericks will notice it’s idle since you’re in iTunes and it will automatically reduce the power consumption coming from the browser until you bring it into focus again. This kind of under-the-hood prowess will help battery life and make your Mac work more efficiently.

The developer preview of OS X Mavericks is available today, with a final, general release coming this fall.

iOS 7

iOS 7 is “the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of iPhone,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. It features a completely redesigned user interface touting subtle motion (devices will respond to the motion in your hand so you can actually peer behind apps on your home screen), an elegant color palette and distinct, functional layers with transparency, edge-to-edge design, and refined typography. You won’t find green felt in GameCenter or wood in iBooks; everything has been rebuilt for a more cohesive experience.

Apple’s Jony Ive explains the vision behind iOS: “There is a profound and enduring beauty in simplicity, in clarity, in efficiency. True simplicity is derived from so much more than just the absence of clutter and ornamentation—it’s about bringing order to complexity. iOS 7 is a clear representation of these goals. It has a whole new structure that is coherent and applied across the entire system.”

Apple demoed a few new features packed inside iOS 7. Swipe up from the bottom of the device to bring up Control Center: now you have quick access to some settings (airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, orientation lock, brightness), media controls, AirDrop, AirPlay, and access to a flashlight, compass, calculator, and camera.

Multitasking has been improved to enable any app to multitask in the background. Double tab the home button to move across your open apps in a new intuitive way; above the app icons your screen will display live quick-look cards for you to tap into or flick away.

Safari features a new full-screen design with a smart search field at the top and a new birds-eye quick-look cards view for going through your open tabs (you are no longer limited to 8 open tabs at once). Parental controls are included, as is support for iCloud Keychain.

AirDrop is being ported from OS X to iOS. It’s an easy way to share things with friends that are around you. Open AirDrop and it will show you who’s nearby and with a few taps you can easily share things like contact information and pictures over a securely encrypted peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection. AirDrop is system-wide for any app that supports a Share Sheet and it works with iPhone 5, 4th-gen iPad, iPad mini, and 5th-gen iPod touch. Say goodbye to Bump?

The newly redesigned Camera app features a new square camera option and you can easily swipe between various modes like video, photo, and panorama. You also have access to live photo filters.

The Photos app now intelligently organizes your pictures based on where and when you take them; Apple calls these smart sections Moments. No more scrolling through an endless list of images without clarity.

Siri has a new voice; it sounds more human than robotic. You can also now choose between female and male voices. New languages include French and German with more on the way. Siri’s new interface now includes support for Twitter, Wikipedia, and searches powered by Bing. Apple’s iOS in the Car initiative plans to bring Siri-assisted control to access your Phone, Maps, Music, and Messages app on your car’s navigation/infotainment display.

The App Store allows you to search for apps based on age range, and you can find popular apps based on your location. Also, apps will now be automatically downloaded in the background!

In addition to updating the look of the Music app to match iOS 7′s overall clean and minimalist aesthetic, Apple is adding their very own Internet radio service. A potential Pandora killer, iTunes Radio features over 200 stations and a catalog of music from the iTunes Store. It includes featured stations curated by Apple, and of course you can create your own stations based around artists, songs, and genres. You can star a song to tell the app “play more like this”, you can “x” a song telling the app “never play this song”, and you can add songs to your Wish List. Like a song you’re listening to and want to own it? You can purchase and download songs from the iTunes Store right inside the app. iTunes Radio is built into iOS 7, it’s coming to iTunes on your Mac and PC, as well as Apple TV. It’s free with ads, ad-free if you subscribe to iTunes Match, and it launches in the U.S. first with additional country support coming later.

What else? Notification Center can be accessed from the lock screen with a pull down, and they can be viewed in sections labeled Today, All, and Missed. Folders now support multiple pages. A new feature called Activation Lock aims to deter thieves like this: if a thief tries to turn off Find My iPhone, or if they wipe the device entirely, they will not be able to reactivate it because they won’t know your iCloud username and password.

iOS 7 is available in beta for iPhone for developers today; there are over 1500 new APIs for devs to play with. A final, general public release is coming this fall. iOS 7 will support iPhone 4 and later, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini, and the 5th-gen iPod touch.

12►

iWork for iCloud

Briefly, Apple introduced iWork for iCloud. Login to your iCloud account on a browser on a Mac or PC to create and edit Keynote, Pages, and Numbers documents inside the browser. Documents will be updated across your OS X and iOS devices. A public beta is coming later this year.

MacBook Air

Apple’s thin-and-light notebooks have been updated with “all-day battery life” and faster processors, graphics, and Wi-Fi speeds. The new MBAs are packed with power-efficient fourth generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 Haswell processors; they are designed for power savings and energy efficiency. A new Intel chip serves up to 40 percent faster graphics and provides smarter low-power states. Now check out this stellar battery life: the 11-incher increases from 5 hours to 9 hours, and the 13-incher jumps from 7 hours to a whopping 12 hours. You can get up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback, for example, with that kind of battery life. You can expect 30 days of standby time. Flash storage is up to 45 percent faster, and the notebooks contain faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The 11-inch Air starts at $999 (with 128GB flash storage) and the 13-inch Air starts at $1099 with the same amount of storage. The new models ship today; size ‘em up at Apple’s online store.

In the midst of introducing the new Airs, Apple acknowledged updates to the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations. They’ve been updated to feature three-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology with a maximum data rate of 1.3Gbps, that’s almost 3x faster than 802.11n. The new AirPort Extreme ($199) and AirPort Time Capsules (2TB for $299 / 3TB for $399) ship today.

Mac Pro

Out of character, Apple gave WWDC attendees a sneak peek at an upcoming product. At long last, Apple is updating the Mac Pro in what they are calling “the future of the pro desktop.” The new Mac Pro features a unique cylindrical design that’s built around a unified thermal core. It’s 9.9 inches tall and 1/8 the volume of the current-gen Pro. Inside you’ll find next-gen Intel Xeon E5 processors with up to 12 core configurations with 256-bit wide floating point performance (that’s 2x the CPU performance than the current Pro); two AMD FirePro workstation-class GPUs with 4,096 stream processors, 384-bit memory buses, and 528 GBps total bandwidth, which promise to deliver up to 7 teraflops of compute power (that’s 2.5x faster than before); PCI Express gen 3; fast PCIe-based flash storage with 1.25GBps reads and 1.0 GBps writes speeds (that’s 2.5x faster than any flash storage Apple’s ever built); super fast four-channel ECC DDR3 memory running at 1866 MHz to deliver up to 60GBps of memory bandwidth; support for Thunderbolt 2 (20Gbps throughput (that’s 2x faster than Thunderbolt 1), 6 devices per port, and backwards compatibility with Thunderbolt 1); and support for 4K displays with three simultaneous displays supported on every port. I/O connections include audio in/out, 4 USB 3 ports, 6 Thunderbolt 2 ports, 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports, and 1 HDMI 1.4 port. As you rotate the Mac Pro to reach the ports, the I/O panel illuminates for easier access. 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 are built-in, as well. The new Mac Pro, designed and assembled in the USA, ships later this year. Preview the sleek new hardware at Apple’s official portal.

[Images via Apple]

A look at iOS 7.

The inspiring video that opened the WWDC 2013 keynote.

Apple’s latest ad titled “Our Signature.”

On June 26, eight months after its general release, Microsoft is updating Windows 8 to Windows 8.1. The free new update brings lots of new features and functionality to the modernized version of Microsoft’s operating system.

The updated Start screen allows users to resize their apps with new larger and smaller options; users can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal an app drawer and access all apps installed and organize them by name, date installed, most used, and category; installed apps are no longer downloaded to the Start screen–they are placed inside the app drawer and you must manually pin it to the Start screen if you want it there; and you can match your desktop background with your Start screen background to “create a greater sense of unity and familiarity” between them. Also, the Start button returns to the traditional desktop but it won’t open a portal to folders and files like it did in previous Windows iterations; it simply brings you back to the Start screen and all your apps. Also, multitasking just got better: depending on your screen size and resolution, you can now snap more than two windows next to each other and you can further customize the size of each window (you are no longer shackled to the 80/20 split).

Elsewhere, the lock screen has been updated to become a picture frame that can now play a slideshow of your pictures stored locally on your device or from images stored in the cloud in SkyDrive. Users can also take pictures directly from the lock screen without having to log into their Windows 8.1 powered device.

System-wide search has been enhanced here, too. Type a query in the Search charm and you’ll be provided with actual files and documents you may be looking for. To date users are forced to tap headers like Files and Apps to dig for their searches; in Win 8.1 time will be saved since the OS will now show you relavant Word documents and Xbox games at first glance. Something new called Search Heroes are also being introduced here; search “Brad Pitt” and the OS will provide an aggregated view of many content sources to help you learn more about your query.

To read more about the new features and functions inside Windows 8.1, head over to this Windows blog post that details it all. For a quick look at 8.1 in action, watch the clip embedded above. Some screenshots hang in the gallery below.

If you were watching Game 5 of the NBA finals tonight you couldn’t have missed this: in a three-minute spot paid for by Samsung and promoting its Galaxy smartphones, rap legend Jay-Z introduces and previews his 12th studio album titled Magna Carta Holy Grail. Thankfully there’s no product placement or any cheesiness at all here, really; it’s just Jay and his collaborators Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, Rick Rubin, and Swizz Beatz brainstorming new beats and rhymes for Jay’s upcoming, surprise release.

“Pretty much the album is about this duality of how do you navigate your way through this whole thing — through success, through failures — and remain yourself,” remarks Hova.

This Tuesday Kanye West releases his sixth studio album Yeezus. Pictured above is what the physical album will look like in stores. Its minimalist design features no album album artwork, only a transparent jewel case with some red tape. There is no link from iTunes or Amazon to preorder the album. It drops June 18 and that’s the day you can snag it. ‘Ye hasn’t done much in terms of promoting the album in the traditional sense. He performed on SNL and after that he projected images and sound on buildings around the world for fans to flock to and discover his new sound.

The most hype is emitting from a recent interview he conducted with The New York Times. In it ‘Ye opens up about his past mistakes, his problem with the Grammys, the inspiration behind previous albums 808s & Heartbreak and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, parenthood (his girlfriend Kim Kardashian gave birth to their daughter days after the interview posted), fashion, and more. Expectedly, Kanye stroked his ego more than once throughout the back-and-forth describing himself as ”the Michael Jordan of music” and saying about his career “I knew I was going to make it this far; I knew that this was going to happen.” He also calls himself the “Steve [Jobs] of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture.” And he concluded the interview with this:

I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people: “This is the level that things could be at.” So when you get something that has the name Kanye West on it, it’s supposed to be pushing the furthest possibilities. I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus.

It’s a must-read for fans of the undoubtedly talented artist who has certainly evolved in many ways since his 2004 debut The College Dropout. Read the interview in full here.

Now what can you expect from Yeezus? The Times‘ Jon Caramanica describes it as “a turn away from [Kanye's] reliable maximalism to something more urgent and visceral.” He describes the songs as “becoming more skeletal and ferocious.” He goes on to say, “The music of Yeezus — spare, direct and throbbing — is, effectively, a palate cleanser after years of overexertion, backing up lyrics that are among the most serrated and provocative of his career.”

And even Mr. West, who thinks of himself as a “black new wave artist,” shared some of his influences: “It’s like trap and drill and house. I knew that I wanted to have a deep Chicago influence on this album, and I would listen to like, old Chicago house. I think that even “Black Skinhead” could border on house, “On Sight” sounds like acid house, and then “I Am a God” obviously sounds, like, super house.”

After the break, a brief clip of Kanye rapping new track “I Am A God” on headphones with an appearance by collaborator Rick Rubin. Under that, a short film inspired by the movie American Psycho starring Kourtney Kardashian’s boyfriend Scott Disick (who actually really does resemble the movie’s star Christian Bale) and Kim’s friend Jonathan Cheban in the role orignially made famous by Jared Leto.

Update (6/17): Yeezus is now available for digital download at kanyewest.com & iTunes, and you can purchase a physical copy at Amazon.

Here’s the American Psycho scene ‘Ye is recreating with his Yeezus short film.

Everyone’s favorite talking dog Wilfred (Jason Gann) returns for more adventures with his easily persuaded neighbor Ryan (Elijah Wood) on Thursday, June 20 at 10PM on FX. FYI, the 13-episode third season will air two episodes a week. Previously on Wilfred, Ryan made an intriguing discovery that he had actually drawn a family picture–Wilfred included–when he was just a boy. What does that mean? Who-slash-what is Wilfred? Will we finally find out this season?! If you’re not watching Wilfred, you’re missing out on what has to be the most hilarious, dark and deep existential dramedy on television. It makes you laugh, it makes you think, and most of all, it keeps you guessing at its true intent.

On a totally unrelated note… it’s summer time and most fall/midseason shows have come to their conclusions. A couple that were cancelled are getting their time in the sun to finish out their respective runs. ABC’s conspiracy thriller Zero Hour returns tonight at 8PM with two new back-to-back episodes. It will continue to air Saturdays at 8 until its two-hour series finale which lands on August 3. Supernatural series 666 Park Avenue has four episodes left in its run, and it will begin its final rollout next Saturday, June 22 at 9PM leading out of a new installment of Zero Hour. 666‘s one-hour finale falls on July 13. So there you have it.

Six months after The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hit theatres we are getting our first look at Peter Jackson’s sequel The Desolation of Smaug in this 2-minute teaser. Martin Freeman returns as young Bilbo Baggins and here we get a sneak at Evangeline Lilly’s elf warrior Tauriel as well as Benedict Cumberbatch’s mighty dragon. The next Hobbit movie in the trilogy hits theatres December 13. A new poster is inside.

Jump after the break to view more trailers.

Here we have the sequel to Zack Snyder’s 300. Noam Murro (Smart People) takes a turn at the helm in Rise of an Empire, with Snyder co-penning a script with Kurt Johnstad based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel Xerxes. Snyder also exec produces with Thomas Tull, Stephen Jones, and Jon Jashni. Rodrigo Santoro and Lena Headey reprise their respective roles as Xerxes and Queen Gorgo. Eva Green and Sullivan Stapleton also star. The synopsis goes like this:

Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel Xerxes, and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea—as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. 300: Rise of an Empire pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes, and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

300: Rise of an Empire is out March 7.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt can now add director and writer to his already impressive resume. JGL stars in his directorial debut Don Jon:

Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a strong, handsome, good old-fashioned guy. His buddies call him Don Jon due to his ability to “pull” a different woman every weekend, but even the finest fling doesn’t compare to the bliss he finds alone in front of the computer watching pornography. Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson) is a bright, beautiful, good old-fashioned girl. Raised on romantic Hollywood movies, she’s determined to find her Prince Charming and ride off into the sunset. Wrestling with good old-fashioned expectations of the opposite sex, Jon and Barbara struggle against a media culture full of false fantasies to try and find true intimacy in this unexpected comedy written and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Also starring Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, and Brie Larson, Don Jon is out October 18. Under the trailer is a humorous clip from the pic.

Martin Scorsese’s next film is based on a memoir by Jordan Belfort, a New York stock broker who made millions in the ’90s by scamming investors and committing securities fraud. Leo DiCaprio reunites with Scorsese to play Belfort and he’s surrounded by a great cast including Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Margot Robbie, Jean Dujardin Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, and Kenneth Choi. The Wolf of Wall Street, a Paramount release, is scored to Kanye West’s brand new Yeezus track “Black Skinhead.” In theatres November 15.

Matt Damon stars in Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 followup Elysium. “In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth.” Damon needs to get to Elysium, like now. Watch him get there August 9.

Hugh Jackman intros the latest Wolverine trailer. Out July 26.

We knew it was in the works, and now here’s proof. The Lonely Island is about to drop their third fake rap album The Wack Album which follows their 2009 debut Incredibad and 2011′s Turtleneck & Chain. The 20-track release includes SNL Digital Short entries “YOLO” (featuring Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar) and “3-Way (The Golden Rule)” (featuring Justin Timberlake & Lady Gaga) as well as a slew of new material. A month ago the dudes announced “Wack Wednesdays;” every Wednesday the comedy troupe would release a new track off their new record leading up its June 11 release. That date is coming up quick (it’s this Tuesday) so now’s the perfect time to turn up your speakers and listen to all the Wack Wednesday clips at once!

After the break, enjoy “Spring Break Anthem” (with cameos by Zach Galifianakis, James Franco & Edward Norton), “I F****d My Aunt” (featuring T-Pain), “Diaper Money,” the brilliant “Semicolon” (featuring Solange) [plus a live version with Alanis Morissette], Go Kindergarten (featuring Robyn), and “Spell It Out.” The full tracklist is also posted and it includes more features from Pharrell Williams, Hugh Jackman & Kristen Wiig, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Too $hort. Preorder The Wack Album at Amazon today. TLI is still at the top of the fake rap game, I gotta say.

The Wack Album tracklist

1) Dramatic Intro
2) Go Kindergarten (feat. Robyn)
3) Hugs (feat. Pharrell Williams)
4) Diaper Money
5) YOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar)
6) Spell It Out
7) Semicolon (feat. Solange)
8) Where Brooklyn At? (Interlude)
9) You’ve Got The Look (feat. Hugh Jackman & Kristen Wiig)
10) I’m A Hustler (Song?)
11) Spring Break Anthem
12) I Run NY (feat. Billie Joe Armstrong)
13) I Don’t Give A Honk
14) 3-Way (The Golden Rule) (feat. Justin Timberlake & Lady Gaga)
15) Meet The Crew
16) I F****d My Aunt (feat. T-Pain)
17) We Are A Crowd
18) The Compliments (feat. Too $hort)
19) We Need Love
20) Perfect Saturday