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Highrise DLC should follow MW3 Terminal remake [1]

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 02:44 AM PDT

If youâ€™re an Elite subscriber for Modern Warfare 3 on the Xbox 360, this week is the perfect time to really put some hours in. The latest content drops are going live on Tuesday July 17, including the long awaited remake for the MW2 classic Terminal map [2] .

Providing that you have access to Call of Duty Elite on the Xbox 360, there are three new multiplayer maps and another new spec ops mission up for grabs. The maps seem to be coming very frequently you have to say and there certainly isnâ€™t an argument against Infinity Ward for not providing enough post-release content since November last year.

The maps in question are Decommission, Offshore and Terminal, while the new spec ops mission will be called Vertigo. You can see detailed descriptions of Decommission and Offshore over on the official content calendar here [3] , but youâ€™ll notice that Terminal has been left off that list for good reason.

This is because the map is a little different to standard content drops. Unlike other DLC released at a later date for non-Elite members, those of you without a subscription will be available to download Terminal as soon as Wednesday July 18 â€" for free. This appears to be a one-off from Infinity Ward and although the map will also be coming to PS3 and PC, thereâ€™s still no dates sadly.

Vertigo looks like a very cool map, itâ€™s a shame that it isnâ€™t available in standard multiplayer. Let us know your thoughts on this monthâ€™s update and what map you are likely going to be playing the most. Now that Terminal is out, what other remakes from MW3 would you like to see next?

If we could choose the next remake to add, it surely has to be highrise doesnâ€™t it? Along with Terminal, we would say that it was one of the most popular maps in MW2 and it would look fantastic on the MW3 game engine.

More About: infinity ward, Modern Warfare 3 [4] [5]

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Nexus 7 stock and shipping issues [7]

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 01:50 AM PDT

It has been a couple of days since we reported about the Nexus 7 shipping notices being sent out to those that pre-ordered the new tablet, and while some people have received their Nexus 7â€²s already it seems there are a growing number of people complaining about devices not shipping, no stock, and also money being credited back after ordering.

The Nexus 7 stock issues were expected to a certain degree, although potential buyers are reporting â€œsold outâ€ notices at every retailer they visit. Official websites had low stock right after the first day and some let their shipping estimations slip to 1 to 3 weeks after the first day of sales, but it looks even worse today. It now seems that Samâ€™s Club has no stock, Staples online has a sign stating â€œcurrently out of stockâ€œ, and the official Google Play store has a 1-2 week wait. If you know a store that has stock of the Nexus 7 then share a comment below.

If you want to get your hands on the new Nexus 7 and feel frustrated that you didnâ€™t pre-order, then you might take comfort in the news of major problems being experienced by those that did place orders early and even before the device had a release date. Itâ€™s not nice seeing these early adopters suffer, but it does show you that sometimes you canâ€™t beat lining up at a store and being one of the first in line to pickup by hand.

Following on from our article [8] about the Nexus 7 shipping from Staples last week, it now seems that a growing number of our readers have issues with getting their tablet delivered. One reader said â€œPre Ordered on 29 June and still nothingâ€œ, which had also been a similar situation for other readers. Others had ordered directly from Google almost 2 weeks ago and havenâ€™t even had a charge on their credit card, although one buyer that got charged had the money sent back 7 days later.

Itâ€™s fair to say most people have had shipping notifications for their Nexus 7 and even have a tracking number, so at this stage itâ€™s pretty solid the tablet is on the way.

Did you place an order early for the Nexus 7 and still donâ€™t have a shipping notice? The main issue some of our readers have is with placing a pre-order early, and Google or the store they ordered from has kept them in the dark about when their device will be shipped. Weâ€™ve had a lot of emails and comments on Product Reviews stating, â€œno notice no charge on credit cardâ€œ, so if this sounds like you hit the comments and let us know if the situation has improved.

More About: google, Nexus 7 [9] [10]

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Skyrim on PS Vita tests Remote Play patience [12]

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 01:17 AM PDT

It looks like PlayStation Mobile is turning out to be a very interesting piece of software indeed. Primarily thought to be a platform for just playing mobile-type games on the Vita and other devices, some clever users have managed to use the SDK to get full working games from other platforms running on the Vita.

Last week we told you how another user had used the exact same method to get the likes of Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid, Super Mario Bros 3 and Valve classic Left 4 Dead running on the system [13] . Now though, we have another game to show off and it is something you are all going to be impressed with.

YouTube user EyePatchCars has managed to get Skyrim running on the PS Vita, although the quality of the port is far from perfect. FPS is only running at between 25-35 FPS and as you can see from the video below, a proper control scheme still needs to be implemented.

You may remember that the last series of videos even showed off working motion controls from the ported games, but this version of Skyrim here doesnâ€™t appear to be at that stage at the moment. Still though, it is another glaring reminder of Sonyâ€™s lack of effort in bringing this to the Vita as an official feature â€" as advertised prior to launch.

Think about how many Vita systems Sony would sell, if you could pick up any PS3 game knowing that it is also going to be fully compatibile with Remote Play on the Vita. Playing Skyrim on the Vita in its fullest quality remains a dream for the time being, but hopefully with videos like this â€" help is soon going to be available in an unofficial capacity.

Are you going to be angry if Sony block this feature from the PlayStation Mobile software once it releases properly? For us, Remote Play is an essential feature that really needs to arrive before owners lose faith. It is easy money for Sony isnâ€™t it guys? Let us know your thoughts on this.

More About: Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [14] [15]

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GTA V to strengthen sky abilities [17]

Posted: 16 Jul 2012 12:38 AM PDT

If you didnâ€™t know that Grand Theft Auto 5 would strengthen what you could do in the sky before the recent questions and answers session, then you certainly know now. After Rockstar made it crystal clear that GTA V would feature planes by explaining, â€œthey are returningâ€œ, and also stating again that GTA V would be a bigger map than any previous game, we are now left thinking about the innovations that could arrive with more airspace.

How could GTA V strengthen sky abilities? Some gamers are still very grounded and couldnâ€™t care less for air combat, although a lot of our time in GTA IV had been spent using cheats to unlock not only weapons but also a helicopter. This led to a number of hours flying around the map shooting with the helicopter guns, but so much more could have been done here to create even more fun. This will depend on how much importance Rockstar put on features for the air, but if they include car customization it would be nice to see some sort of customization for flying machines.

Innovation with automobiles â€" when it comes to auto technology the last year has seen a massive push towards flying cars, and weâ€™ve seen innovation in the real world, which included The Transition and PAL-V flying cars. We know not every gamer will like this in GTA V, but considering Rockstar confirmed planes are returning and that theyâ€™ll also include other flying contraptions in the massive airspace, why shouldnâ€™t we have cars that fly as well like in the real world?

This is an idea that has no confirmation from Rockstar but could even be added via cheats, and surly most gamers would at least welcome that after spending hours of doing everything without a cheat code. The best enhancements can come through unlock codes, and a flying car would be welcomed in our books for Xbox 360 and PS3 that lack mods.

One thing is sure and that is GTA 5 will include more innovation in the air than any other Grand Theft Auto game, but how far Rockstar go is yet to be seen. Weâ€™d love to hear from our readers after confirmation of planes returning, and particularly your ideas for strengthening sky abilities.

Would you like to go to the sky in Grand Theft Auto V, and if so what ideas do you have for innovation in the air? We have included two videos below that show some real world flying cars, which could be included via an unlock code at the very least in GTA V. Hit the comments with your thoughts on this and what you think Rockstar will really do when we finally get a release date. You can see the two new screenshots [18] in our earlier article.

More About: gta v [19]

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iPhone 5 to keep price formula [21]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 11:52 PM PDT

There are a number of people that are hoping to see the iPhone 5 take a price cut when compared to the pricing of the 4S model, and this could be due to a weaker economy, or even because the previous iPhones have been priced too high in their opinion. Strangely enough youâ€™ll also find buyers that love the higher price and it makes them feel like theyâ€™re getting something more expensive.

Could we see Apple launch a cheaper iPhone 5 in 2012, which is more than a discounted older model? The aging 4S model is likely to get a more attractive price later this year when we see a release date for the new iPhone 5, just like the 3G did last year, but some people might find this aging design too old for their liking and hope to see a new iPhone at a more competitive price that takes on certain Android smartphones.

The exact iPhone 5 release date will never be known until a keynote launching the device arrives, any blogs claiming they know it are talking rubbish or have Appleâ€™s CEO on speed dial, but the pricing structure of the next iPhone is a little more predicable. You should expect AT&T, Version Wireless, and other US carriers to attach a similar price for the iPhone 5, which would be around $199 (the same as the current 4S model). Itâ€™s worth noting we are also hearing that T-Mobile is likely to get the new iPhone in 2013.

Itâ€™s not that bad â€" considering the new specs expected with iPhone 5 the price is not that bad, and a lot of new technology is expected when the new iPhone arrives, although with Appleâ€™s â€œwatch and waitâ€ approach to some tech youâ€™ll see people complain about specs. Some people thought the 4S model had not been a true 5th generation upgrade, and this is the very reason the 6th generation expected in 2012 is commonly known as â€œiPhone 5â€œ. The next phone should bring the biggest changes in a couple of generations, and that would also include a long needed design change. Having owned all generations of iPhone we welcome any change.

If youâ€™re worrying the change will be too drastic then you have nothing to worry about, which is due to most leaked images, specs, and other rumors touting a slight change. You can expect the iPhone 5 to keep the same width but increase in length slightly, although you could see the edges redefined slightly to bring more design appeal. The new iOS 6 [22] could be a change thatâ€™s enough for some people thanks to the massive amount of new features, although NFC is still being debated [23] and looks like it might not be included.

Would you be happy to see the iPhone 5 release this year with a similar price to the 2011 model, or would you like to see a cheaper mini-iPhone launch as well?

More About: apple, apple iphone [24] [25]

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Jelly Bean update hints for Motorola Xoom WiFi [27]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 11:47 PM PDT

Just when you thought that the Xoom tablet may be coming to the end of its official support life from Verizon, Google made a surprise announcement at their I/O event confirming that the tablet would be getting an official update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

That was only last month, but there are now early signs that Motorola may already be making the first preparations to get the latest version of Android on the device. An email [28] is now doing the rounds on the Motorola Feedback Network, inviting all owners of the WiFi Xoom US model to test out a forthcoming software update.

Considering that Motorola are requiring all interested parties to fill out an application form, we would assume that this is for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and not some minor bug fixing update. To reiterate, this is the WiFi version only so those of you with the 3G version and a non-US model will have to wait a little longer for the same good news.

If Motorola are planning to update the Xoom with Jelly Bean so soon, you have to say that is pretty good going for a device that was released over a year ago in February 2011. Also, donâ€™t forget that it took over a year for Ice Cream Sandwich to arrive officially, so perhaps Google has seen that and is looking to rollout Jelly Bean to supported devices a lot quicker this time around.

If you do have the WiFi Xoom in the US, let us know if you have received this email from Motorola or not. For those of you missing out, we would predict that an unofficial version of Jelly Bean will soon be available anyway â€" or Android 4.1 for the WiFi Xoom will get ported either way.

This is great news for the WiFi Xoom â€" letâ€™s hope that we hear of many more Android devices getting the Jelly Bean update soon.

More About: Android, Jelly Bean, Motorola Xoom [29] [30] [31]

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Skyrim Dawnguard: Kill the Boneyard Keepers [33]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 11:11 PM PDT

Over the weekend we continued our review of Skyrim Dawnguard, and this time as a vampire after entering the Soul Cairn and taking that option rather than having Serana partially trap our soul. This happened towards the end of the Chasing Echoes [34] quest, although we look forward to meeting our friends the Dawnguard as a vampire. Remember to only read on if you donâ€™t mind some spoilers for the Skyrim DLC.

Once you start the Beyond Death quest your first objective is to locate Valerica, which is pretty easy considering youâ€™ll find her inside a massive building right at the back of the Soul Cairn map. After speaking to Valerica youâ€™ll learn a lot more about why she trapped Serana, releasing her is part of the Dimhollow Cavern puzzle [35] , and both Serana and Valerica start to understand each other. They share a common fear over what Lord Harkon [36] is trying to achieve with the Elder Scrolls, although Serana points out he is still her father and obviously loves him.

Valerica is behind some sort of energy barrier and you need to help her escape, which starts another objective called â€œKill the Boneyard Keepersâ€œ. There are 3 Keepers you need to slay, and youâ€™ll find them near tall towers that beam light into the sky, which are easy to find once you are in the Soul Cairn. These guys are massive and also have some friends with them, watch out for the arrow men, although their difficulty will depend on what level you have the game set at, so pick master if you want something really challenging.

We have included some screenshots when we did this quest and killed the Boneyard Keepers, although we also have a video below this article, which shows you some gameplay of this very objective. This might help some gamers that cannot find the Boneyard Keepers, and while this might seem strange to those of you that couldnâ€™t miss the beams of light, we did hear about a few gamers having problems after looking for the Boneyard Keepers right outside the building Valerica is trapped in. Itâ€™s worth noting you need to move much further away to find the Keepers.

Have you completed Beyond Death, and if so are you happy with Skyrim Dawnguard so far? What would you like to see feature when Skyrim DLC 2 is released? PS3 and PC players are still waiting for a release date and itâ€™s not clear if it will land exactly 30 days after the Xbox 360 got the download, or much longer considering the reports over bugs [37] .

More About: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [38]

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Battlefield 4 should be on next-gen PS4, Xbox 720 [40]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 10:23 PM PDT

Are you ready for Battlefield 4 already? EA are still trying to squeeze every little bit of life out of Battlefield 3 by adding new features to the game via their Premium service [41] , but one slip up occurring recently seems to suggest that EA may be planning to turn Battlefield into a yearly release franchise to compete with Call of Duty.

It appears to be on the cards, but we really hope it doesnâ€™t happen until next-gen. Battlefield 3 in our opinion is still pretty addictive and thereâ€™s no need to rush out another game just because Black Ops 2 is releasing in November and Modern Warfare 4 will presumably follow it next year.

If youâ€™re getting confused why weâ€™re suddenly switching attention to Battlefield 4, allow us to fill you in with what happened on the EA Origin store recently. If you headed to the store a few days ago, you would have seen the very interesting advertisement by EA claiming that all future pre-orders of the upcoming Medal of Honor game would gain you access to the â€˜Battlefield 4 betaâ€™.

EA, quickly noticing the mistake they had made removed all evidence of this on the site, but not before Digital Spy managed [42] to grab a screenshot, which you can see in the image above. Itâ€™s inevitable that Battlefield 4 is coming, but we just hope that they are not rushing the game to compete with the yearly releases of COD and we also hope that EA will at least wait until next-gen consoles are out.

Would you really be excited about playing Battlefield 4 on current gen consoles? The BF3 graphics on console are nothing amazing and we doubt that DICE can really improve things drastically by making another Frostbite 2-based BF4 on the Xbox 360 and PS3. The last content for BF3 is going to be release in March for Premium members donâ€™t forget, so after that gamers will face a few empty months before preparing to buy EAâ€™s next game in the Fall.

But what will it end up being and on what platform? Next generation consoles are thought to be releasing around the last quarter of 2013, so letâ€™s hope that EA is saving their next game for next-gen. Releasing Battlefield 4 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 would be a bad move in our opinion â€" do you agree? [43]

More About: Battlefield 4, EA [44]

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New Mini iPad in 2012 set in stone [46]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 07:35 PM PDT

Have you bought into the rumors yet on Apple possibly releasing a smaller iPad by the end of the year? It looks set that we will definitely see a new iPhone announced in a few months, but now evidence is mounting that a new iPad is coming as well.

You may remember last week we told you that the likes of the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg had both reported on the fact that Apple is preparing to release a smaller iPad by the end of the year. There was considerable shock at the time, not only due the smaller size, but also the fact that Apple may be planning to omit the Retina Display [47] that is currently seen on the new third generation model.

This is because the â€˜Mini iPadâ€™, just like the Nexus 7 is thought to be significantly lower in price that the current slew of tablets on the market. Although it still remains a rumor at this point, the New York Times has decided [48] to run a new article providing a brand new insight on the upcoming device.

We previously knew that the Mini iPad may measure in at between 7-8 inches, but according to their article the device is going to be 7.85-inches in size exactly. They also mentioned that the miniature iPad is going to be â€˜significantlyâ€™ less than the $499 new iPad in price as well â€" although, a $199 price point like the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire still remains a long shot.

As we mentioned above, many consumers are just expecting the iPhone 5 to arrive in a few months, not another new iPad. It still seems quite soon after the third-generation iPad arrived, so Apple will definitely surprise a few if they bring a new iPhone, a fourth-generation iPad and iOS 6 to their Fall event in a few months.

What device takes your priority though? Those who have pre-ordered a Nexus 7 are now receiving their device [49] , but will you now wait and see what the new smaller iPad looks like instead?

More About: apple, Apple iPad [50] [51]

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HP Pavilion and ENVY 23 all-in-one visual review [53]

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 12:46 PM PDT

The HP Pavilion 23 and ENVY 23 are two all-in-one computers that are sure to be on the wish lists of new buyers, although both cater for a different kind of computer user. The Pavilion 23 is designed for consuming the web rather than designing for it, and has processing power that is ideal for most everyday tasks. The ENVY 23 all-in-one steps it up slightly across the board with enhanced performance and a cool looking design.

You can see a quick visual look at both the HP ENVY 23 and Pavilion 23 in the video below this article, which explains exactly why you might want to consider either one of these desktop computers. HPâ€™s worldwide marketing manager, Xavier Lauwaert, gives a taste of the specs for both these all-in-ones and explains ideal user for each.

The HP Envy 23 includes a TV tuner, Blu-ray drive, HDMI-in port, the ability to choose up to 2TB of storage, Beats Audio for amazing sounds, a 23-inch 1080p display, and the option of AMD trinity or Ivy Bridge (Core i5 Ivy Bridge) processors. The Pavilion 23 might miss out on some of the higher specs, but youâ€™ll find up to 2TB of storage, a 1080p screen, and the same processor options. Watch the video below this article for further information.

Are you more of a casual computer user or do you like something a lot more demanding? You can also see a visual review of both these machines thanks to official photos, which can be seen below. These press pictures give you a close-up of the Pavilion 23 and ENVY 23 from all angles, so take a look and let us know what you think of both these computers from a visual point of view.