Sony PlayStation Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition hands-on

Posted on 08/06/2012 by Joe Pollicino

Aside from the PlayStation Move Racing Wheel and Wonderbook, Sony has one more accessory to show off at E3 -- the Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition. Naturally, we hunted down this peripheral aimed at all-things audio to check it out for ourselves. The PWSHEE is the company's second full-on PS3 headset to date, expanding on what it offered with its Wireless Stereo Headset from last year. As we're told, the headset is also ushering in a new Pulse moniker for its PlayStation oriented ear-blasters, although there's no word on what we can expect down the line. For now, this unit packs a lot on paper for its $150 price, touting key features like 7.1 virtual surround sound, PS Vita and cellphone compatibility (thanks to a detachable cable with inline remote / mic), BassImpact technology for massive low-end pulse (get it?), audio profiles, higher-fidelity drivers than the WSH and hidden noise-cancelling microphones for chatting. Does it have the potential to live up to its hype and one-up its $80 predecessor? Join us past the break for our initial impressions.

Gallery: Sony PlayStation Wireless Stereo Headset Pulse Edition

Continue reading Sony PlayStation Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition hands-on

Sony PlayStation Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crytek’s CryEngine 3 makes it easier than ever for devs to build games as pretty as Crysis

Posted on 08/06/2012 by Michael Gorman

It's not every day you get to speak with the folks who make one of the most advanced game engines in the world, but today at E3, Crytek (you know, the folks responsible for Crysis) let us in on some of the secrets behind its latest game platform, CryEngine 3. We sat down with Kirthy Iyer, an animation technologist at Crytek, and had him walk us through some of CE3's tools that are enabling publishers to build games for any platform -- including PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 -- faster and better than ever. Among the highlights are a "multi-layer navigation mesh" that automates the movements of AI-controlled game characters, and super realistic water rendering technologies. We could go on singing CryEngine's praises, but instead we'll let you get all the details from Mr. Iyer in the video after the break. Enjoy.

Continue reading Crytek's CryEngine 3 makes it easier than ever for devs to build games as pretty as Crysis

Crytek's CryEngine 3 makes it easier than ever for devs to build games as pretty as Crysis originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PDP Afterglow 2.0 controllers and stereo wireless headset hands-on

Posted on 08/06/2012 by Billy Steele

Here at E3, PDP is showing off a handful of new gaming accessories for those looking to jump on the third-party bandwagon. The company has refreshed its line of Afterglow controllers that now sport a second edition label. Much like the previous models, the family will include accessories for PS3, Xbox 360 and two for Wii. The major difference that you'll notice is a portion of the peripherals is now black -- a bit of a departure from the clear interior-lit controllers that we've seen previously. In addition to the recharged versions of the Afterglow add-ons, the outfit also allowed us to go ears-on with a wireless stereo gaming headset that will sport the same illuminated moniker.

Here, you'll have your choice for either white or black (and then red, blue or green interiors) for the set of cans that provide a quite cozy fit -- thanks in part to the extra padding around the earcups. We gave them a spin with latest Call of Duty offering and were quite pleased with the sound quality, too. Three sound modes provide a bit of customization, allowing you to choose between pure audio, bass boost and 3D expander listening pre-sets. An LED on the tip of the unit's mic will keep you informed as to which selection you've made. Speaking of controls, all of the in-game adjustments that you'll need to make can be easily done from the left side. You can expect around 10 hours of gameplay on a single charge, an auxiliary jack for your mobile devices and connection to your console via USB dongle. When the headset arrives in September, it will set you back $89.95 and play nice with PS3, Xbox, Wii and PC. If you're still curious about further visual details, head for the gallery below and take a closer look.

Gallery: PDP Afterglow 2.0 controllers and stereo wireless headset hands-on

PDP Afterglow 2.0 controllers and stereo wireless headset hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DICE+ wants to team with screens and usher in an era of powered board games (hands-on)

Posted on 08/06/2012 by Michael Gorman

We learned about DICE+, the digital chance cube, just before E3, and today we finally got to give it a few rolls and find out a bit more about DICE+ from the folks who made it. It's an inch-sized cube with a soft-touch rubbery finish that's packed with a Bluetooth radio and a rechargeable battery. For now, it juiced up via microUSB, but an induction charging version is also in the works. Its power cell grants up to 20 hours of continuous rolling, or a little over a week for non-gambling degenerates. Speaking of, the cube's maker, GIC, said a major point of emphasis in the cube's design was getting the balance of the thing just right to ensure the randomness of DICE + results -- and it's even spoken with casino companies about their tolerance requirements in that area. While DICE + may find its way onto craps tables eventually, for now, its maker's focused on what it calls "powered board games."

Gallery: DICE+ digital chance cube hands-on

You see, while we're all familiar with board game mechanics -- roll a die/spin a wheel and move your game piece accordingly -- they don't translate well to the digital realm. People don't trust a computer to give truly random results, and tapping a screen to "roll" dice gets boring quickly. That's the beauty of DICE+, players get all the advantages of a digital board game, like animations and greater interactivity, without the aforementioned downside because it engages them in a satisfying, familiar fashion. Join us after the break for our impressions, and a bit more info about this throwback gadget.

Continue reading DICE+ wants to team with screens and usher in an era of powered board games (hands-on)

DICE+ wants to team with screens and usher in an era of powered board games (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi / Bluetooth cards in Alienware gaming laptops eyes-on

Posted on 08/06/2012 by Billy Steele

Last month, Dell announced that its Alienware gaming laptops would be outfitted with Qualcomm Atheros' Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi cards. Aside from sporting low-latency capabilities, the add-on also sports some Bluetooth connectivity. Here at E3, we were able to spend some time with the tech to see just how the component and its accompanying software prioritizes your bandwidth and keeps your Call of Duty multi-player sessions in the #1 slot. The Killer application allows you to set different priority levels for anything that would claim a chunk of your internet connection. For example, if you keep your title of choice in the top spot, the tech will only download files or access websites whenever Skyrim isn't trying to send hi-pri info across the interwebs. By default the rankings are as follows from high to low: games, real-time chat (Skype), buffer-tolerant programs (Netflix and iTunes) and file transfer or low-level systems utilities. Until the end of June, you'll only be able to snag the tech in Dell's gaming laptops. We laid our peepers on the interface at the Alienware booth, so hit up the gallery below to take a look at what you can expect with the UI.

Gallery: Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi card UI eyes-on

Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi / Bluetooth cards in Alienware gaming laptops eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnLive Multiview on an LG Google TV, eyes-on (video)

Posted on 07/06/2012 by Brian Heater

Between the giant screen gaming demos, the shiny new hardware and the ever-present booth babes, the Electronic Entertainment Expo may well be the short attention span capital of North America at the moment. How does one possible manage to up the ante on electronic attention deficit disorder? Nintendo and Microsoft have both made pretty admirable strives in that direction with the Wii U GamePad and SmartGlass, respectively, bringing a second screen to home game play. OnLive is helping move things along as well, by way of the MultiView feature, which brings several screens worth of content to a single display -- in other words, you have other games taking up screen real estate while you're playing a game.

OnLive's Spectate feature is nothing new, of course, letting you keep tabs on friends and scores of other players. MultiView, however, lets you watch that content while playing, the majority of the screen devoted to your own game, with this added footage in a sidebar. You can access the feature with the click of a button and chat with friends or coordinate with teammates. OnLive showed us the feature on an LG G2 Google TV -- the perfect opportunity for the company to highlight the new partnership. The 55-inch display also served as an ideal demo -- while the feature will also be available for mobile devices, you're really going to want a big screen, lest the whole thing become a little too cacophonous.

Continue reading OnLive Multiview on an LG Google TV, eyes-on (video)

OnLive Multiview on an LG Google TV, eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A conversation with Microsoft’s Marc Whitten on SmartGlass and the quest for a better living room

Posted on 07/06/2012 by Tim Stevens

Microsoft SmartGlass hands-on

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What good is a surprise if you already saw it coming? When I mention to Microsoft's Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox Live and the man who has shepherded SmartGlass to its debut, that we kind-of-sort-of knew that his baby was set to be announced at E3 before the company got a chance to do so, he lets out a frustrated laugh. "Yeah..."

He'd hoped the unveiling at the company's pre-show keynote would be the first time we, and everyone else in the industry, got eyes on the fruit of his and his team's labors. But, when I tell him we were still genuinely surprised at the scope of SmartGlass, and genuinely impressed at the potential, he seems genuinely pleased and reminds us that what we've seen is "all just the beginning." Join us after the break for an exploration of what comes next for Microsoft SmartGlass.

Continue reading A conversation with Microsoft's Marc Whitten on SmartGlass and the quest for a better living room

A conversation with Microsoft's Marc Whitten on SmartGlass and the quest for a better living room originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Snakebyte tablet gaming controller for Android and iOS hands-on

Posted on 07/06/2012 by Billy Steele

If you're a mobile / tablet gaming enthusiast, you may get tired of swiping your fingers across the Retina display or using the on-screen controls. Snakebyte is looking to lend a hand with its upcoming game controller for Android slates and the iPad, so we went hands-on here at E3. The accessory plays nice with tablet PCs running Gingerbread or Ice Cream Sandwich and Apple's portable device outfitted with any iCade-compatible apps. Dressed in a soft-touch coating, the peripheral feels great in the hand and the base is much like a PS3 controller. The unit connects via Bluetooth and pairing it with your mobile gaming device of choice is a breeze. When performing said set-up, you can select from five different modes to suit your needs including gamepad / controller, keyboard and mouse, solo keyboard, solo mouse and iCade mode (iOS-only). You'll always know which setting you've chosen thanks to an LED indicator on the front side of the kit. Touting eight hours of battery life, the gaming accessory charges via USB and will include a simple stand for your slate. Interested? You'll be able to snag one for $40 at the end of July. For now, though, take a peek at the gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: Snakebyte tablet gaming controller hands-on

Snakebyte tablet gaming controller for Android and iOS hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller hands-on (video)

Posted on 07/06/2012 by Joe Pollicino

Although we managed to get our mitts on the Wii U and updated GamePad here at E3 following Nintendo's keynote, the recently unveiled Pro Controller turned out to be harder to find. We were thankfully able to visit the company's ~~amusement park~~ massive booth on the show floor where we discovered the wireless peripheral, along with a GamePad, tethered to a demo of the upcoming title, Rayman Legends. Join us past the break for our initial impressions in text and on camera.

Gallery: Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller hands-on

Continue reading Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller hands-on (video)

Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 03:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SteelSeries shows off new WoW wireless mouse, cache of corded rodents and a headset at E3

Posted on 06/06/2012 by Michael Gorman

SteelSeries shows off new WoW wireless mouse, cache of corded rodents and a headset at E3

This time last year, SteelSeries showed us a headset and mouse meant for Diablo III, but at E3 2012, the company showed us a bunch of goodies. The highlight is the inaugural SteelSeries cordless offering, aptly named the World of Warcraft wireless mouse, which sports a themed skin and glowing white runes and logo on the palmrest (at least that's the plan, the prototype unit we saw didn't light up). Similarly, the charging base is studded in true Azeroth style and ringed in blue runes to let you know when it's powered up, plus it can be connected to your computer via microUSB if you want to play and charge simultaneously. It's PC and Mac compatible, comes with 11 programmable buttons, and once you've given it 60 minutes to fill its tank, you'll get up to 16 hours of continuous, intensive game play. It's set for a release in the latter half of this year and will cost $129.

Gallery: SteelSeries World of Warcraft wireless mouse hands-on

Along with the WoW model, we also got to see the gunmetal grey MLG edition Sensei and a pair of special-edition Kana mice -- for Dota 2 and CounterStrike: Global Offensive -- each uniquely skinned in the style of their namesake games. To go along with the CS:GO rodent, there's an accompanying headset (a Siberia v2 with a camo paint job) as well. Rounding things out is a GuildWars 2 branded headset and Sensei mouse. The stereo headset is the on-ear variety, and its flexible white frame can be folded down during travel. A 3.5mm input resides at the base of each earcup, and the open jack can be used to connect another set of headphones to share your audio with a friend. The headset's priced at $100, while the mouse will retail for $70 and will land on store shelves when Guildwars 2 is released.

Gallery: SteelSeries GuildWars 2 headset and Dota 2, CS GO and MLG Gaming mice hands-on