Dead Nation is terrific, but it has one shortcoming that many have considered a deal breaker: It lacks voice chat for online co-op play. That issue will be addressed in a new patch, to be deployed next Tuesday, March 7.

The title update will not only add voice chat, but a few other features, including the abilities to save at checkpoints (which should make those challenging final levels a little easier) and to copy save files to back them up. In its post on PlayStation Blog, Housemarque teases “further surprises” will be included, as well.

Dead Nation patch coming next week, adds voice chat and checkpoint saves originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dead Nation is terrific, but it has one shortcoming that many have considered a deal breaker: It lacks voice chat for online co-op play. That issue will be addressed in a new patch, to be deployed next Tuesday, March 7.

The title update will not only add voice chat, but a few other features, including the abilities to save at checkpoints (which should make those challenging final levels a little easier) and to copy save files to back them up. In its post on PlayStation Blog, Housemarque teases “further surprises” will be included, as well.

Dead Nation patch coming next week, adds voice chat and checkpoint saves originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While its page on iTunes doesn’t show any change, HackingNetflix points out Netflix for iPad was updated today with a new version of the app that gives it a customized interface instead of just pulling up a lightly customized version of the standard webpage. That reduces browsing options to four areas: Home, Genres, Search and Instant Queue. Note the word instant, because there is no longer any way to access one’s DVD queue from within the app (pulling up the Netflix page in a browser window or using a third party app, still works just fine) mirroring the changes made on TV streaming frontends in January. While there are a few reviews praising it for sleeker, speedier access, removing access to DVDs (plus detailed info on each movie like user or critic reviews, cast lists and more) has already been met with angry comments. We’ve always found the Netflix interface on iPhone and iPad somewhat lacking when it came to queue management anyway, now that Watch Instantly streaming is its only reason for being we’re wondering if you consider that a positive or negative change.

Netflix for iPad updated with a new custom UI but loses features like DVD queueing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just one day after Chair’s Donald Mustard promised an Infinity Blade update “very, very soon,” Epic has launched the update, entitled “The Deathless Kings.” The free update packs in a new “Dungeon” environment, six more arenas, ten new enemies (including the Deathless Kings, of course), thirty new items and new achievements. It should go live on the App Store today.

The update also includes a “New Game Plus” feature that “allows gamers to re-master any item, unlock new items in the store, and removes the level cap.” Finally, the update also adds extra character slots, audio volume controls and the ability to adjust the size of the dodge button.

To coincide with the update, Epic has reduced Infinity Blade’s price to $3 — half off — through Sunday, March 6.

Continue reading Infinity Blade receives free ‘The Deathless Kings’ update, app on sale for $3

Infinity Blade receives free ‘The Deathless Kings’ update, app on sale for $3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In addition to select, hand-picked Game Boy and Game Boy Color classics, the 3DS’s Virtual Console will also play host to titles from two slightly surprising sources: The Sega Game Gear and TurboGraphx-16 handhelds. No specific entries from the two devices were named during Reggie Fils-Aime’s presentation at Nintendo’s GDC keynote today — though we’ve got our fingers crossed for the speedy arrival of Sonic Chaos.

Fils-Aime also confirmed the late May arrival of the Virtual Console via a system update, which wiill also introduce a handful of the device’s other online features, including: DSiWare (and the ability to transfer DSiWare games from a DSi or DSi XL), the web browser and eShop. It’s likely to be the same update that will add Netflix and some 3D video features, too.

3DS Virtual Console getting Game Gear and TurboGraphx-16 games, coming late May originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has just made its second-generation iPad official! It features a 1GHz dual-core A5 chip and, finally, cameras, both on the front and rear. The new CPU is said to be up to twice as fast, with graphics performance up to nine times better than on the original iPad, while power requirements have been kept the same. Battery life is, consequently, unaltered, with Apple promising 10 hours. Pricing, too, has been left unchanged, starting at $499 for a 16GB WiFi-only iPad 2 and stretching up to $829 for a WiFi + 3G SKU with 64GB of storage. The new tablet will come with an HDMI output capable of 1080p — which will set you back $39 for the requisite dongle, called an Apple Digital AV Adapter — but there will sadly be no rumblings of Thunderbolt connectivity here. What you will get is an enlarged speaker grille on the back, as expected, and the same 1024 x 768 resolution and IPS LCD screen technology as on the original iPad.

Update: We’ve gotten our first hands-on with the iPad 2 and, boy oh boy, it’s fast!

720p video recording at 30fps will be on tap from the rear-facing camera, which can also do a 5x digital zoom if you’re into that kind of thing, whereas the front-facing imager will record at a more modest VGA resolution, also at 30fps.

There’s a new cover for the device, which is best defined by Steve Jobs himself: “We designed the case right alongside the product. It’s not a case — it’s a cover.” Basically, it’s a magnetic flap that protects the front and automatically wakes and puts the device to sleep according to whether it’s open or closed. Guess we know what that proximity sensor was about now. These Smart Covers will cost $39 in plastic or $69 if you opt for leather.

The iPad 2 is 33 percent thinner than its predecessor, at a mind-melting 8.8mm, and a little lighter at just over 600g, while paintjob options have been expanded: you’ll get a choice between white and black. It’ll be available on both AT&T and Verizon, and all variants start shipping on March 11th. Apple Retail Stores will start sales at the unusual hour of 5PM, which will probably make online pre-orders the fastest way to get yours.

In terms of new software, Apple’s launching iOS 4.3 alongside the new iPad and bringing with it much improved Safari performance as well as FaceTime, Photo Booth, iMovie and GarageBand (the latter two costing $4.99 a piece) apps specifically for the newly camera-enriched iPad. Personal Hotspot capabilities are also arriving in the latest version of the OS, but they’ll be exclusive to the iPhone 4, so you won’t be able to share your 3G iPad’s connection. The minimum compatible version of iTunes for the new iPad 2 will be the freshly released 10.2.

You’ll find Apple’s official PR and some slick promo videos below, or you can keep your mouse clicking and check out our first hands-on with the iPad 2.

Continue reading The iPad 2

The iPad 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So, you’re in the middle of the big race. In your sleek, modified land-rocket, you pour through the turns, inching out the opposing steel beasts while hurtling through space at half a football field-per-second. You’re playing Gran Turismo 5, of course.

You catch the draft behind your rival and slingshot past the — OH MAN! You’re telling us all of Scrubs is on Netflix Instant Watch? Like, every single episode? Sorry, high-intensity driving action, but we’re done here.

Fortunately, stoppping in the middle of a race won’t have to mean losing your progress following an upcoming GT5 update. In a recent tweet, Polyphony Digital CEO Kazunori Yamauchi said — as translated by GTPlanet — that a feature which will allow players to save in the middle of the game’s lengthy endurance races is “currently under development.”

Soon, friends. Soon you’ll be able to watch all the Scrubs you want, and that unforgiving vehicular gauntlet will be waiting for you when you get back.

Yamauchi: Gran Turismo 5 to get in-race game saves originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So, you’re in the middle of the big race. In your sleek, modified land-rocket, you pour through the turns, inching out the opposing steel beasts while hurtling through space at half a football field-per-second. You’re playing Gran Turismo 5, of course.

You catch the draft behind your rival and slingshot past the — OH MAN! You’re telling us all of Scrubs is on Netflix Instant Watch? Like, every single episode? Sorry, high-intensity driving action, but we’re done here.

Fortunately, stoppping in the middle of a race won’t have to mean losing your progress following an upcoming GT5 update. In a recent tweet, Polyphony Digital CEO Kazunori Yamauchi said — as translated by GTPlanet — that a feature which will allow players to save in the middle of the game’s lengthy endurance races is “currently under development.”

Soon, friends. Soon you’ll be able to watch all the Scrubs you want, and that unforgiving vehicular gauntlet will be waiting for you when you get back.

Yamauchi: Gran Turismo 5 to get in-race game saves originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Budding magicians will find Wizard101 a friendlier and more colorful place following the recent February update to the game. Topping the list of additions are two new castles: a cash shop-only tropical island and a craftable Celestial Observatory. The Observatory represents a truly monumental undertaking for the crafting set, although some would argue that the result is well worth the time spent on it.

The update’s other major focus is on smoothing out some of the lumpy bits of in-game gardening, which now should be much more user-friendly for those with green thumbs. We can safely speak for everyone when we say, “Thank goodness that Stinkweed now grows faster!”

Wizard101′s also started a membership program for anyone who uses a credit card for their subscription during the previous 30 days. As a reward to players who use this form of payment, KingsIsle will refill their energy faster, increase the size of their backpacks, expand their friends list, and quicken their hatching and crafting timers.

You can read the full update notes over at Wizard101.

Stinkweed and stars: Wizard101′s latest update improves the quality of life originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Budding magicians will find Wizard101 a friendlier and more colorful place following the recent February update to the game. Topping the list of additions are two new castles: a cash shop-only tropical island and a craftable Celestial Observatory. The Observatory represents a truly monumental undertaking for the crafting set, although some would argue that the result is well worth the time spent on it.

The update’s other major focus is on smoothing out some of the lumpy bits of in-game gardening, which now should be much more user-friendly for those with green thumbs. We can safely speak for everyone when we say, “Thank goodness that Stinkweed now grows faster!”

Wizard101′s also started a membership program for anyone who uses a credit card for their subscription during the previous 30 days. As a reward to players who use this form of payment, KingsIsle will refill their energy faster, increase the size of their backpacks, expand their friends list, and quicken their hatching and crafting timers.

You can read the full update notes over at Wizard101.

Stinkweed and stars: Wizard101′s latest update improves the quality of life originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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