xbox 360: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Friday, April 29, 2011

Apple has launched the iPad 2 to nearly universal glowing reviews. It’s lighter! It’s thinner! It has a cool magnetic cover now! But gamers were skeptical. After a year of promises about the “next great gaming platform,” the original iPad failed to deliver on expectations.

What Steve Jobs called “the most successful consumer product ever launched” met with very little enthusiasm from the gaming community. While visually impressive and selling 15 million units, the number of quality exclusive games was minimal. From a gamer’s perspective; there was very little incentive to purchase the expensive and heavier iPad in lieu of the nimble and versatile iPhone 4. Yet we can always count on Apple to improve its creations.
The leap from the original iPad to the iPad 2 is no different. What was once a technological curiosity is now a finely tuned machine, one that’s garnering praise from game developers and critics alike. The iPad 2 inherits the same 1024×768-pixel display as the original iPad. But behind that screen is a much-improved gaming machine. The iPad 2 has 512MB of RAM (the original carries half that – 256MB) — and a 200MHz bus speed, likewise twice that of the original.
The iPad uses the Apple-designed AS processor, a new dual-core processor that Apple claims can perform twice as fast as the 1GHz A4 chip that powers both the iPhone 4 and the first-gene rat ion iPad.
While the processor might be the workhorse of a machine, graphical capability is essential for games. The A5 processor promises twice the performance of the first-generation iPad, but Apple claims the iPad 2′s graphical speeds are as much as nine times faster than its predecessor’s. Of course, this increase in hardware performance needs software that’s optimized to take advantage of the multiple processor cores, and so far a scant few titles on the App Store are even attempting to do so. Only a handful of developers have offered updates to their iPad titles to utilize the iPad 2′s hardware. Games like Epic Games’ Infinity Blade, EA’s Dead Space, Gameloft’s Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, and Firemint’s Real Racing 2 are some of the more visually impressive games on the iPad, and these look even better on the iPad 2 thanks to recently released updates.

As developers have only had a brief period of time to develop for the new iPad, in time we should expect games to be built specifically to take advantage of the A5 processor and the superior graphical capabilities of the device. Whether these new games are weeks or months away remains to be seen.
But perhaps the best sign of things to come for iPad gaming is Apple’s improved support for HDTVs and HD video. The iPad 2 has video mirroring, ensuring that once you have connected the device to the HDMI adapter, the iPad will display the contents of its screen on an external monitor. Sure, with the iPad 2′s 4:3 aspect ratio, you may have to tweak your television settings to see the entire picture. But the initial results are quite promising. It’s no wonder that Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games, recently told Venturebeat that the iPad 2 is “fantastic for gaming.” Epic Games has traditionally been known for its Unreal Technology and developing the hit Gears of War series for the Xbox 360. But last year. Epic demonstrated their belief in the potential for the mobile platform by producing the visually stunning iDevice bestseller Infinity Blade. Now, other big-name developers have echoed Rein’s early sentiments as other traditional gaming houses begin to take mobile gaming more
The iPad 2 represents not only a step forward for the mobile gaming industry by offering the most powerful mobile platform ever, but the versati lity of its AV Adapter means that Apple is now treading into console gaming territory. Just as you can play Gears of War and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on your home television, so can you now play Angry Birds, Infinity Blade, and Tiny Wings.
Rovio’s Peter Vesterbacka recently told the South by Southwest Interactive conference that he feels confident that to the rise of mobile gaming. While no one wants to write the epitaph quite yet, the Angry Birds creator has a point: Hardcore console gamers can scoff at the importance of “casual” gaming on the mobile platform all they want, but the millions of purchases on the App Store, the fact that the most talked about game of the last year was on the iOS, and the investment of traditional console gaming houses (like Epic Games, Electronic Arts and Capcom) in the mobile platform suggests that the iPad 2 should be taken very, very seriously by gamers. Console and computer gamers can scoff at their peril.

New Features and Technology of iPad 2

As we were about to go to press on this issue, Apple announced the second-generation iPad. There is a lot to be excited about. Let’s take a look at the more significant enhancements.

Front and rear-facing cameras

When the iPad was introduced a year ago, many complained to Apple about the lack ot a camera. Apple listened, and the new iPad has two of them.TheiPad2sportsa front-facing VGA camera and a rear-facing 720p HD camera, bringing it more in line with the iPhone4 and latest iPod touch. The camera’s resolutions won’t set any records, but I look forward to FaceTime video chats on the big screen!

Built-in gyro

The iPad 2 includes a built-in gyroscope, which will enhance some cool games like the Jenga app Steve Jobs demonstrated at the iPhone 4 announcement. As you rotate the iPad around an axis, the app can sense the rotation and respond accordingly.
And with the iPad 2′s large screen, just think of the astronomy, geography, and augmented reality apps and games that can be created.

Thinner and lighter

Remarkably, the iPad 2 is thinner and lighter than the original It tips the scale at 1.3 pounds (compared to 1.5 pounds for the original] and measures S.S mm in thickness (compared to 13.4 mm for the original). In fact, the iPad2 is actually thinner than the Phone 4 (9.3 mm)! And while the edges are tapered, the back of the new iPad is flat, making it more s:able when resting on a flat surface. (The rounded back of the original iPad likely led to sales of cases to make the iPad more stable on a flat surface.)

Available in black and white

Effective with its release, the iPad 2 is available in two colors: the standard black and the not-so-standard white. The original Pad was only available in black, and the iPhone 4 was supposed to be available in white as well as black. However, the white iPhone 4 has been as elusive as a certain white whale.

Twice as fast as the original

The iPad 2 sports Apple’s new A5 dual-core chip, allowing the device to simultaneously work on multiple and multi-threaded apps and achieves twice the performance of the original iPad, according to Apple. Response time should improve, even while the underlying operating system is doing its daily activities like downloading e-mail, updating contacts and calendars, communicating via Bluetooth, etc. Previously, Bluetooth might disconnect while recording video because the CPU was unable to interrupt and respond to the BT device. Multiple cores can address this. Special attention has been paid in the graphics department According to Apple, the new chip provides up to nine times the performance of the original. This should be apparent in 3D-intensive games like Infinity Blade as well as when recording and editing video. Finally, while it’s faster, the new processor is reported to consume no more power than the original. Apple lists the battery life at 10 hours.

Available for both Verizon and AT&T networks

The iPad 2 is available for both the Verizon and AT&T networks (You have to pay $130 extra for the 3G models). When you purchase your iPad 2, make sure you get the correct model. The version that works with AT&T’s network doesn’t work with Verizon’s, and vice versa. It had been rumored that Apple might have a single device that could support both networks, but they’re not there yet. The price remains the same and is as follows:
iPad 2 Wi-Fi only
16GB: $499 32GB: $599 64GB: $699

iPad2Wi-Fi + 3G
Separate models for Verizon and AT&T; 3G service sold separately 16GB: $629 32GB: $729 64GB: $829
Used and refurbished iPad 1

In addition, the original versions of the iPad have been marked down by $100 and refurbished iPads are available while supplies last. All are available through Apple’s online store (store. apple.com).

New accessories and apps

In addition to the iPad 2, Apple announced several new accessories and apps for the device.
Digital AV Adapter cable

$39, store.apple.com
A wonderful and welcome new accessory is Apple’s Digital AV Adapter cable, which adds an HDMI port so you can connect your iPad 2 to an HDTV and display (“mirror”) the iPad 2′s screen on your TV. In addition, it has a 30-pin pass thru connector allowing you to charge the iPad while you’re using the HDMI port, unlike the old VGA cable. The cable also works with the original iPad as well as iPhone 4 and the 4th generation iPod touch. However, it will not mirror the display on these devices. It will only display video for apps capable of video output (Videos and You Tube for example]. As a developer, this mirroring feature will be great for demos. Teachers can use it to display iPad apps on a larger TV screen in class. Finally, it may address some of the concerns many have had with making presentations using Apple’s somewhat limited Keynote app.

Smart Cover
$69 (leather), $38 (polyurethane), store.apple.com
While many manufacturers capitalized on Apple’s nondescript case for the original iPad, Apple has put significant time and attention into this new accessory. The Smart Cover attaches to the iPad 2 and auto-aligns via magnets. When the front flap flips over to cover the display, the iPad 2 goes to sleep automatically; when it is removed, the iPad turns on. <The microfiber lining keeps the screen clean.] The Smart Cover can also fold up to act as a stand for the iPad. As with Apple’s iPhone 4 Bumpers, the Smart Cover covers only part of the device, exposing as much of the Apple gadget as possible. Many users want their iPads more fully protected. Third-party case makers will no doubt introduce cases that incorporate the magnetic attachment concept. In fact, several have already contacted iPhone Life about enhanced iPad 2 cases, including Case-Mate, Mar-ware, and TouCoul. ! will review them as they become available.

Xbox360 Green And Black HD

Xbox360 Green And Black HD

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