Tag Archives: launch details

iPad 2 on sale tomorrow, here’s when & where to get it

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The next generation iPad is nearly here. Tomorrow, March 11 it arrives in stores. Starting at 5PM local time, all 236 Apple retail stores in the US, AT&T stores, retailers like Best Buy, Target, Verizon Wireless, and Walmart and select Apple Authorized Resellers will unleash iPad 2 unto the world. Starting at 1AM Pacific Time customers will be able to order the tablet online through the Apple Store. As you know, the iPad ranges in price from $499 to $829 determined by storage capacity (16, 32, 64GB) and connectivity (WiFi, WiFi + 3G with AT&T or Verizon). Black and white models will be available at launch. For those of you who have patiently been waiting for updated iPad hardware, today is the day to reward yourself and celebrate.

And here’s a nice surprise. Along with iOS 4.3, Apple has let loose the new iPad versions of GarageBand and iMovie one day early. They’re both available for download at the App Store for five bucks each.

Official PR after the break. Continue reading iPad 2 on sale tomorrow, here’s when & where to get it →

Nintendo 3DS launch details: coming March 27 for $249

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Today Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime took the stage in New York City to discuss the Nintendo 3DS launch details we’ve been waiting for.  The 3D-enabled DS handheld will release on March 27 in the US for $249.99.  It will come in two color variants: Cosmo Black and Aqua Blue.  Ninty promises that over 30 3DS games will be available during the launch window (that is, between the March 27 and the E3 Expo in early June).  These include a mix of first and third party games.  Though Nintendo did not specify a solid list of launch titles, the press release mentions the following games: Pilotwings Resort, which has players soaring acrobatically over iconic Wuhu Island; nintendogs + cats, a new version of the Nintendo DS classic with a feline enhancement; and Steel Diver, a side-scrolling submarine adventure that gives the illusion that the player is peering into an aquarium.  The ones you really want to play like the 3D versions of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Paper Mario, plus the return of fan favorite Kid Icarus in Kid Icarus: Uprising are simply “in the works” with no release dates attached just yet.  Some third party games mentioned at the event include Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (Capcom), Madden NFL Football (EA), and LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (LucasArts), but again no release dates were specified.

So that pretty much does it for launch details.  However, in addition to announcing price, release date, and games support, Fils-Aime took time to talk about the 3DS’ hardware and expand upon the some of the pre-installed software.  Like its DS predessors, the 3DS packs two screens; the bottom one’s touch-sensitive and the top one’s 3D-enabled (no pesky glasses required).  A 3D Depth Slider can be used to manipulate the 3D effect during gameplay; the slider can turn off the 3D effect entirely and all 3DS games can be played in traditional 2D.  In addition to the D-Pad, a new Circle Pad provides a full 360 degrees of direction and allows for a higher level of precision during gameplay.  The 3DS also packs built-in motion and gyro sensors, so it can react to the motion and tilt of the system.  You’ll also find three camera built into this thing; one on the inside (facing you during gameplay) and two on the outside.  Combined the latter two can capture 3D pictures and you can view them on the top 3D display.  Other hardware notables: the 3DS comes bundled with an adjustable stylus (for use on the bottom touch-sensitive display), a 2GB SD memory card, and a charging cradle.

The Home Menu is where all your apps live.  Mii Maker is just what it sounds like and works similarly to how Miis are created on the Wii.  The difference here is that the Mii Maker will ask you to take a photo of yourself and the software will try its best to convert your real-life features into a Mii avatar.  If the conversion doesn’t sit well with you, manual customization options are available to fiddle with to make things right.  You also have the ability to import your Mii avatar from your Wii console by way of SD card transfer.  The augmented reality-based game Face Raiders lets you take pictures of your friends and turn them into shooting targets.  It’s a simple game that highlights the built-in gyro sensor since it requires you to physically lean and turn to search around for the targets and aim high and low to hit them.  AR Games works similarly, but they take advantage of the pack of AR cards that come bundled with the system.  All you have to do is place one of the AR cards onto a flat surface, point the outward facing 3DS camera at it, and targets come to life.  Animations are superimposed into the scene; so for example if you place a card on your kitchen table the backdrop for the targets will be the kitchen table (that’s augmented reality gaming in a nutshell).  The Activity Log tracks both your gameplay activity, much like the Wii Calender does automatically.  It notes which games you’ve played and how long you’ve played them, as well as your physical activity, counting every step you take while carrying your Nintendo 3DS.  Even when the system’s in sleep mode, it acts as a pedometer and tracks the distances you travel; the more you walk the more Play Coins you will earn.  These coins can then be used to purchase in-game bonus content, if the game’s developer decides to support it.  The Nintendo eShop offers access to downloadable games.  In addition to DSiWare games, Virtual Console games pulled from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color catalogs will be available to download.  Game videos, screenshots, demos, and ratings will also be browsable here.  Titles can be purchased with either a credit card or prepaid cards.  Other software notables: StreetPass Mii Plaza (more on this below), Internet Browser, Camera app (capture and view 3D pictures), Video app (watch 3D content), Sound app (listen to music in MP3 or AAC format from the SD card, plus record and play with sounds using the 3DS’ built-in mic); oh, and the 3DS is backwards compatible with all Nintendo DS games.

Fils-Aime mentioned that the 3DS is Nintendo’s most connected video games console ever made, and he’s not lying.  First let’s get this awesome update out of the way: friend codes are no longer specific to each game you buy, there is only one code and it’s attached to your 3DS.  Once you swap friend codes with someone, they will remain on your friend list and you can always check their online status no matter what game you’ve got running.  Now to some fun new features: StreetPass and SpotPass.  StreetPass is capable of exchanging game information with other Nintendo 3DS systems as owners pass one another.  An example of StreetPass functionality is the aptly titled StreetPass Mii Plaza.  Much like its Wii counterpart, the 3DS’ Mii Plaza will congregate your Mii avatar with all the other 3DS owners you happen to pass by, say, on the street (and your avatar will jump onto the 3DS of the person you pass).  In addition to sharing your avatar, other information can be exchanged over StreetPass including maps for games, high scores, and custom character data for different games.  This might be obvious but it’s worth pointing out–if you don’t want any information to exchange on the fly (because all this can happen while the 3DS is in sleep mode tucked away in your pocket) you can disable the StreetPass function.  Next up is SpotPass and this essentially connects to 3DS up to public or private at-home WiFi hotspots.  Once connected, the system can receive new content and updates even when it’s in sleep mode or charging.

Peer in the gallery below to get a closer look at the 3DS hardware, and look after the break to watch the 3DS virtual tour and catch a sneak peek at the software launch lineup.  Also, don’t forget to check out my hands-on preview of the 3DS from E3.

[Via Nintendo]

Continue reading Nintendo 3DS launch details: coming March 27 for $249 →

Windows Phone 7: 10 devices, 4 launch hardware partners, 60 mobile carriers in over 30 countries worldwide; coming 10/21 in Europe & Asia, early November in U.S.

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Today Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took the stage in New York City to reveal the final details surrounding the launch of Windows Phone 7.  Microsoft first unveiled their new cell phone operating system in February at Mobile World Congress; next they spotlighted developer support at MIX’10; and most recently they detailed Xbox Live integration.  All there was left to do is reveal launch harware and mobile operator partners and device release dates and pricing.  And that’s exactly what went down today in NYC.

Let’s start with the Windows Phone 7 launch hardware partners and the actual devices you might potentially pick up come this holiday season.  Samsung, LG, HTC, and Dell are collectively bringing ten new devices that will run WP7.  The Samsung Focus (codenamed Cetus) features a 4-inch (480×800) Super AMOLED display, 1GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, and 8GB of onboard storage with microSD expansion up to 32GB.  It’s the thinnest WP7 launch device measuring at 9.9mm (or .3 inches) thin.  It will launch exclusively with AT&T in the U.S.  The Samsung Omnia 7 features the same 4-inch (480×800) Super AMOLED display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, and 8GB of onboard storage.  It will launch with Orange (France and UK), SFR (France), Movistar (Spain), and Deutsch Telekom on November 8.  The LG Quantum (or Optimus 7Q outside the U.S.) features a 3.5 inch (480×800) display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 8GB of onboard storage, a slideout QWERTY keyboard, and it comes preloaded with PlayTo, an app that allows users to wirelessly stream content to DLNA-enabled devices.  It will launch exclusively with AT&T in the U.S. and with Telstra in Australia.  The LG Optimus 7 features a 3.8 inch (480×800) LCD display, 1GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, and 16GB of onboard storage.  It will launch with Telus (Canada), América Móvil (Mexico), Movistar (Spain), Vodafone (Germany, Italy, Spain and UK), and SingTel (Singapore).

HTC is launching five WP7-powered devices.  The HTC HD7 features a 4.3 inch (480×800) display (it’s the WP7 launch device with the largest display), 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 576MB of RAM, 5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual LED flash (supports HD 720p video recording), 16GB of onboard memory, built-in kickstand, and it comes preloaded with Netflix, Slacker,  T-Mobile Family Room (a note-taking sharing app), and a T-Mobile TV entertainment app.  It will launch exclusively with T-Mobile in the U.S. in mid-November and with O2 (UK, Germany, Ireland), Movistar (Spain), SingTel (Singapore), Telstra (Australia), and Bouygues Telecom (France) on October 21.  The HTC 7 Surround features a 3.8 inch (480×800) display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 576MB of RAM, 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash (supports HD 720p video recording), built-in kickstand, and 8GB of onboard storage.  What makes this device standout from all the others is the slideout speaker that features Dolby Mobile and SRS Surround Sound technologies.  It will launch exclusively with AT&T in the U.S. and with Telus in Canada.  The HTC 7 Pro will be the first WP7 CDMA device and will launch exclusively with Sprint in the first half of 2011.  It features a 3.6 inch (400×800) display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 576MB of RAM, 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash (supports HD 720p video recording), 16GB of onboard storage, and a slideout QWERTY keyboard.  Update: The 7 Pro will arrive in Europe “early next year.”  The HTC 7 Mozart and HTC 7 Trophy are two WP7 handsets that will not (initially, at least) not make it to the U.S. market.  They both feature a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 576MB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, and HD 720p video recording.  Here’s where they differ.  The Mozart features a sleek aluminum unibody construction with a  3.7-inch (480×800) display and 8 megapixel camera with a Xenon flash.  The Trophy, on the other hand, features a slightly larger 3.8 inch (480×800) display and a slightly lesser 5 megapixel camera with LED flash.  The Mozart with launch with Orange (France and UK), Deutsche Telekom (Germany), Telstra (Australia) and the Trophy will launch with Vodafone (Australia, Germany, Spain and UK) and SFR (France).

And finally there’s the Dell Venue Pro.  It features a 4.1-inch (480×800) AMOLED display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor,  5 megapixel camera with flash, and a portrait-designed QWERTY keyboard.  It will launch exclusively with T-Mobile in the U.S.

And that’s a wrap on the hardware discussion.  As you can see, all ten WP7 devices are very similar in terms of internals: the 1GHz processor, the 5 megapixel camera, the 8GB-16GB internal storage, 3.5 inch to 4.3 displays, and the handful of slideout QWERTY keyboard-equipped models.  Through the end of the year, WP7 devices will be exclusive to AT&T and T-Mobile; this leaves a wide gap in the CDMA (Verizon/Sprint) playing field.  By the time Q1 of 2011 rolls around, Microsoft better have deals finalized with the other mobile carriers if they truly want to compete in the competitive smartphone market.  Also, hardware partners will eventually have to up their game with better and differentiating specifications and designs if they want to stay relevant.  HTC is doing a fine job so far with the 7 Surround speaker design the HD7’s large 4.3 inch display.  But for now, the WP7 starting lineup is quite impressive.  The stars are certainly aligning for a successful launch.

In addition to revealing hardware and mobile carrier partners, Microsoft also shared some information regarding software developments.  Though they weren’t specific about the exact number of launch apps for Windows Marketplace, they did show off bunch of promising apps.  They include Twitter, eBay, Fandango, Netflix, Slacker, IMDb, and games such as Tetris, The Sims 3, Monopoly, Need for Speed: Undercover, and The Harvest.  AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega was on hand to show off the AT&T U-verse app.  The app will be preloaded on all AT&T WP7 devices and will allow users to download and watch TV shows on the go.  If you are already a U-verse subscriber at home, accessing and downloading content off the app is free.  You will have the ability to manage your DVR recordings, access TV guide listings and an On Demand library.  If you are not a subscriber, AT&T will offer a $9.99/month plan to watch TV on the go when WP7 launches wide in November.  (Keep in mind, “live” TV is not available; you are simply downloading content to watch now or later.)  In related news, AT&T has confirmed that Xbox 360 owners will have the ability to use their console as a U-verse receiver starting October 15.  New subscribers can order a $99 Xbox installation kit and a technician will load the software onto the console for you; current subscribers will be forced to pay an extra $55 on top of the $99 installation kit to make the switch from set-top box to Xbox.  And here’s one last software tidbit: Microsoft promises a free software update bringing copy-and-paste functionality to all WP7 devices will be pushed out in “early 2011.”  Update: In a statement Microsoft confirms that public beta software will be available for Mac users to sync “select content” with their WP7 device later this year.  Look after the break for the first two WP7 commercials!

Apple, Google, RIM…it’s on.

[Via Engadget, here, here & here; Quantum image via PhoneArena] Continue reading Windows Phone 7: 10 devices, 4 launch hardware partners, 60 mobile carriers in over 30 countries worldwide; coming 10/21 in Europe & Asia, early November in U.S. →