Reporter: Jonathan Charles
Mobile
At the IFA conference in Berlin last week, HTC announced that its Desire X smartphone, the third entry in the Desire range, will launch in late September at UK phone retailer Carphone Warehouse. The device will go on sale for around £180, with no word on a U.S price.
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The BBC is updating its iPlayer app for iOS devices and plans an update for Android in the near future. Using the BBC app, TV shows can be downloaded for free and viewed offline, a move that falls in line with climbing smartphone usage.
Jonathan CharlesGadgets
The news of Trine 2: Director's Cut releasing in a 1080p resolution for Wii U suggested that it might set the precedent for next-generation consoles running at the higher resolution. Fans should probably not jump to that conclusion, however, as developers of the Mass Effect 3 port to Wii U confirmed that the title runs at 720p.
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Data released Monday from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech reveals Android now takes two-thirds of the device share in Europe. The report also revealed that Microsoft’s Windows Phone remained at five percent, though that was through cutting prices, while the appetite for smaller screens is dwindling.
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The announcement of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes last week also debuted the new FOX graphics engine for the game, and it raised questions over the possibility of the game launching on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Series creator Hideo Kojima confirmed that the game will arrive on current consoles, though the developer is also working with next-generation hardware.
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When Android began offering the ability to effectively test apps on Android by downloading the app before buying them, it coined a stereotype that Android users are 'cheap' and do not buy apps as frequently as iOS users. However, new data suggests that Android users are buying more apps and catching up to iOS users.
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Nokia may reveal its new Windows Phone 8 devices on Sept 5., shortly before a potential Apple announcement regarding the next iPhone. If the two announcements happen, it is important for Nokia to gain consumer attention in the week-long period before the media and the tech community shift focus towards Apple.
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Microsoft and Nokia are expected to hold an event Sept. 5 revealing the next-generation Windows Phones as the software company prepares to launch Windows Phone 8 in 2012. Analysts speaking to Reuters predict that the event is the final play for the two companies.
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At PAX Prime last week, Halo 4 developer 343 Industries revealed the news that the e-sports mode Griffball, a game in which players carry a bomb and aim to plant it without dying, returns in Halo 4. 343 Industries also revealed that carrying an enemy flag in Capture the Flag now equips players with a pistol in one hand.
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The latest version of the iOS 6 beta includes a redesign of Apple's App Store, which has been compared to the design of Apple-acquired app search engine Chomp. The two big features are the reinclusion of Genius, the app and music recommendation service, and changes to the way apps display in search results.
Jonathan CharlesMobile
The popularity of the Samsung Galaxy S3 perhaps is not surprising; the phone was highly anticipated, and sales justified anticipations. Rumors are now surfacing of a sub-$200 price on two-year contracts, and a roughly $100 price decrease for the non-contract version.
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Just this week, Samsung lost to Apple in a trial covering a host of infringements on Apple's patents. Samsung hinted that it would come back at Apple, but the Cupertino tech giant is coming back first, issuing an amendment against the Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone.
Jonathan CharlesWhat's Hot
Activision Blizzard's latest financial earnings reveal that revenue from the company's key intellectual properties, World of Warcraft and Call of Duty have shrunk, while revenues from Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure have grown.
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