Nintendo says sayonara to the original Wii

Nintendo on Monday pulled the plug on the original Wii, a modest end to the best-selling console of the current generation. The company hinted at the move earlier this month, and it has officially followed through with a simple posting of the words "seisan shuuryou," or "production ended," on its Japanese Web site.

The Wii, the first video game console to make motion control mainstream, was considered an underdog when it first hit store shelves in 2006. It didn't sport high-definition graphics -- an exclusion that made it the butt of many Sony and Microsoft fanboy jokes -- and skepticism was the order of the day for its apparent indifference to the hard-core gaming community and for its eagerness to rope in fitness junkies and families. But it went on to both outsell the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with more than 100 million units sold worldwide...

Read the full story here... Source: CNET

Apple Testing Keyboard Case for Potential Release Alongside iPad 5

According to ex-Apple Developer Relations employee and industry analyst Jamie Ryan, Apple has been testing a first-party keyboard case to be potentially released alongside the upcoming fifth-generation iPad. The case itself would reportedly be similar in nature to Microsoft's Touch Cover, which is made for the Surface line of tablets...

Ryan also adds that the primary motivation behind the development of the case is that Apple's current Bluetooth keyboard is not as integrated as Microsoft's Touch Cover, and that Apple is interested to create a better keyboard solution for the full-size iPad in order to distinguish it from the iPad mini. The analyst also adds that other cover-like accessories are also being looked at for release...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Casinos Go Mobile

With the rising popularity of smartphones, more and more people are filling their spare moments by playing games, checking their social networks and having a quick gamble online; but of these three options we find the last is becoming more and more commonplace. It's estimated that out of the 780 million participants who play social games on Facebook alone, 98 million of these play casino games and even while the number of members on Facebook dropped in 2011 the utilisation of casino games increased by 60%.

However You Want,

There are quite a few benefits to playing online casinos on your mobile, but the variety of options for how to play is by far the biggest one. No matter your game, you will find something to your liking on a mobile site, native app or local app; most good gambling websites now have their own mobile sites which are optimised for iPhone, Android and iPads. Studies show that one in twenty iPhone owners are users of sport betting apps, mostly used on public transport or while watching TV.


Whatever You Want,

The many game and theme choices are completely open to players. While websites like http://www.bgo.com offer casino games, slot games and video poker games on their optimised mobile site as well as blackjack, live baccarat and roulette, other websites will specialise in themed slots or specific card games. There is also a huge amount of bingo games on offer, from quick, small bets to longer games where chat options are popular.

With Whomever You Want!

Speaking of chat, the sociable aspect is one of the most appealing features of mobile gambling. With Facebook gaming, players are able to compete with or against their friends, and on many bingo sites live chats are commonplace, unlike a bingo hall in real life where chatting among players is strictly prohibited. First time or nervous players can also get a lot of additional help on gambling sites from live chat hosts.

A study released in 2010 revealed that expectations are that by 2015 the total sum wagered on mobile casinos games will be over $48 billion, and another forecast predicts that the 2014 mobile gaming revenues from around the world will reach $11.4 billion. The online casino industry is estimated to be worth over $30 billion, with mobile capitalising on bringing entertaining and challenging games to the pockets of those in desperate boredom on trains, bus stops and waiting rooms around the country.

First Magazine Advertisement for iPhone 5s Appears, Highlights Touch ID Sensor

Apple has started a new print advertising campaign for the iPhone 5s. The first spot, running on the back of this week's issue of The New Yorker, showcases the Touch ID-equipped home button of the new gold iPhone 5s. 

The spot in our image includes T-Mobile branding, but Apple's iPhone TV ads have traditionally rotated branding between all the carriers that carry the iPhone, likely as part of a co-marketing agreement. 

Apple has been heavily advertising the iPhone 5c on television in recent weeks, but we have seen relatively little about the 5s, likely because of tight supplies. The print ads mention 'limited availability' of the iPhone 5s in fine print...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

My favorites in budget Bluetooth sound

I'm a proud member of the Bluetooth cyborg army. I'm the guy who always seems to be talking to himself in the car next to you at red lights, and I'm the dude at the gym working out to Spotify, podcasts, or Audible with a flashing thing in my ear. Since going wireless for almost all my audio needs, I've never looked back and have actually become a bit of a connoisseur, particularly when it comes to budget Bluetooth options...

Read the full story here... Source: CNET

Researchers Claim Apple Can Potentially Access Encrypted iMessages

Following the revelation of government data gathering program PRISM in June, Applereleased a statement on customer privacy that suggested the company was unable to access or decrypt iMessage and FaceTime conversations. 

According to researchers who presented at the Hack the Box conference in Kuala Lumpur (via Macworld), it is actually possible for someone inside Apple to intercept messages because the company has access to public iMessage keys...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Sony Xperia Z1, Z Ultra and Smartwatch 2 arrive to the U.S.

Sony might not be upping its game in the United States anytime soon, but that’s not stopping the Japanese giant from continuing with its regular strategy of releasing many of its mobile devices directly for sales in the states through its website and via select retail partners.

With that in mind, today Sony announced that the Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra and Sony SmartWatch 2 are now available in United States...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority

Apple Sends Out Invitations for October 22 Media Event: 'We Still Have a Lot to Cover'

In line with its usual timing, Apple has just issued media invitations for its October 22 media event where the company is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPad mini models and offer a number of Mac-related announcements, reportsAllThingsD. The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and will begin at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. The invitation tagline reads "We still have a lot to cover...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Android 4.4 KitKat: What we expect about the announcement, specs, and release date of Google's next OS

The next version of Google's platform, Android 4.4 KitKat, is set to arrive any day now. After three helpings of Jelly Bean, we would hope that the Nestle-inspired build should prove to be a larger update, but so far signs point to minor enhancements.

Until recently, Google has done a great job keeping KitKat under wraps. Officially, Google has only said that its goal with KitKat is to "make an amazing Android experience available for everybody." Some posit this to mean we could see new Android-powered devices such as game consoles, smartwatches, smart TV, and laptops. Others look for a kinder, gentler platform that plays nice with older hardware...

Read the full story here... Source: CNET

The Advantages of Multimode Laptops

When you look for a new laptop, you often look for a series of things such as the speed of the processor, the software provided, along with the Internet connectivity that willgive you the best browsing experience. Some people look for the latest release from the biggest name, others look for the best product they can buy according to their budget – it’s all down to personal choice and circumstance. 

We all want our lives to be as flexible and ‘free’ as possible, rather than having to live a structured life governed by working hours and other restrictions. The same is true with the products we buy – we want them to be tailored for us. Short of going into the research and development departments and presenting a series of requests, we can’t have it all our own way, but at least with laptops we know that there are tablet laptop hybrid spec computers that can be made as comfortable and user-friendly as possible.

These ‘multimode’ machines developed by the likes of Lenovo allow users to love the screen, the keyboard and even the stand, to the most comfortable position to provide the best all-round experience. Some have as many as four different methods of using the devices, so you can have it one way for doing your work, another for playing games and other positions to play your music and let your friends control the playlist (at your peril!).

Being user-friendly is key to the design of a successful laptop or tablet, enabling users to get the best experience from the device they’ve chosen. Many devices are purchased with a preference in mind such as doing work away from the office, playing games or browsing the Internet; but if you can’t use the device in the way you want to, you’re not going to be impressed. With a multimode machine, however, you can literally put it anyway you want so that you can feel comfortable working or playing and enjoying using your device so much people wonder if you ever put it down!

The touchscreen capabilities also make them particularly popular, allowing users to swipe and tap exactly what they want to use or do and they’re away without having to wait for it to boot up. All in all, this makes for a much more pleasant experience for the user as they literally have everything they’ll ever need right at their fingertips.

Nexus 5, Android 4.4 KitKat to really be unveiled on October 15?

Word on the street is that the October 15 announcement date was slipped during Google Launchpad, an event recently hosted by Google for start-ups. At said event developers “have served lashings of Key Lime Pie,” as CNET UK puts it, and we’ll remind you that until KitKat was revealed as the official name for the next Android version, Key Lime Pie was used internally at Google as a placeholder name, and have reportedly heard more details about Google’s Android plans.

That said, there’s nothing to prove that the event will indeed take place next week, assuming this rumor is real...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority