Well now ASUS is here with a desktop replacement of its own: the N550JV is a 15.6-inch i7 laptop with 8GB RAM, a Blu Ray drive and a GeForce graphics card retailing for a grand. On paper it sounds great, but how does it perform?
Opening it up presents a whole different colour scheme with a silver keyboard area and touchpad. Around the top there are two circular buttons with a series of blue dots around them: one is the power button and the other brings up the ASUS console - a neat Windows overlay which shows you laptop analytics at a glance. The chrome finish is for the most part quite stylish, but the keys themselves look sparkly enough to take away some of the premium sheen for us.
There are a number of lights below the touchpad indicating power, battery, hard disk access, locking and wi-fi. Elsewhere the connectivity is impressive: there's an ethernet jack, an HDMI port, a mini video out, three USB ports, a shared headphone and microphone jack, an SD card reader, a port for the Bang & Olufsen external mini subwoofer (more later) and a Blu Ray drive. In short, there's pretty much everything you could need here.
Viewing angles are good - there's very little distortion when you deviate from a head on angle as is the case with some screens, and in fact you can still see text clearly from angles long after it would be impractical to work with. The brightness is good, the colours are bright and accurate: not washed out or over-saturated, and icons look sharp too. The only downside we can find with the screen is like other touchscreens, close inspection shows a faint gridlike meshiness over the icons. It's not as pronounced as some we've seen, and it doesn't take much away from what is a generally impressive screen.
Alan Martin 09 Nov, 2013
Some US-based gamers are now the proud owners of a Microsoft Xbox One console after retailer Target send out some pre-orders two weeks ahead of schedule.
In a revelation that's sure to infuriate Microsoft as it prepares for its big launch on November 22, the consoles began arriving on Target customers' doorsteps on Friday.
However, the retailer's false start does reveal a few more details about the console itself, courtesy of Twitter user @MoonlightSwami who has already taken the console for a spin.
For a start, the console's boot-up time has been measured at 17-seconds, while the day-one download necessary to begin using the console is 500MB.
The user, who has since had his console banned by Microsoft, revealed some of the whopping download sizes for next-gen games, with NBA2K14 coming in at 43GB, Call of Duty: Ghosts at 39GB and Forza 5 at 31GB.
@MoonlightSwami was also able to begin playing games once around 50 per cent of the download is complete, which is in line with Microsoft's promises.
The user's console was banned by Microsoft after a copyright claim which saw the YouTube hands-on video removed from the site.
Others who've received their consoles earlier have been informed by Microsoft they can do with it as they please.
In other news, CNET reported on Friday the Xbox One won't support 3D Blu-ray playback upon launch, unlike the Sony PS4.
Microsoft hasn't ruled out adding support in the future.
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Chris Smith 09 Nov, 2013
Microsoft's been a bit hush-hush about the Xbox One TV and media features that the UK will be getting, but it has now confirmed a number of entertainment apps that will be arriving very shortly.
The apps will be coming to the Xbox One between the console's launch date of November 22 and spring 2014, according to Microsoft, although the UK won't be getting Xbox Guide support like the US.
So what's on the list? The UK will be getting its hands on the following: Netflix, 4OD, Lovefilm, Blinkbox, Now TV, Eurosport, Machinima, TED, Twitch, Wuaki.tv, Demand 5, Crackle and Muzu TV.
Microsoft called this the "first wave" of entertainment apps, saying it will continue to release more "every month" and announce new partners in due course.
It also confirmed that it will bring all of its Xbox 360 apps to the Xbox One "over time" as they're retooled for the new console.
On top of these, Xbox One will also launch have a bunch of console-specific applications, including Xbox Fitness, Xbox Video, Xbox Music, Skype, Internet Explorer, SkyDrive and Upload.
We were expecting BBC iPlayer to make an appearance on the launch apps although it's currently MIA. The BBC told us in a statement: "Whilst we are working to bring BBC iPlayer to Xbox One in the future, we have no further details to share at this time."
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Hugh Langley 08 Nov, 2013
The fall from celebrity status is a long and ungraceful one - just ask the Street Fighter team. Ryu and the gang don't get the same sort of admiration or respect running a minicab company, but at least it pays the bills.
This week Sony's been circulating a not-so-mysterious video that strongly hints at an upcoming Street Fighter title for the PS4 - or a really dodgy taxi service.
The "Hadouken Cabs" video drops a number of explicit references to the Street Fighter games and also came accompanied by this website. Could it be teasing a PS4 version of Ultra Street Fighter IV? Perhaps a whole new Street Fighter game entirely?
Or maybe it's actually some sort of Street Fighter-themed Crazy Taxi spin off where you get to K.O. unsavoury customers and backseat drivers.
Hold on, that actually sounds kind of fun. Someone get Capcom on the phone.
Back in September, Sony was rumoured to be working on an Oculus Rift-style head mounted display for the PS4. But with the announcement of the HMZ-T3W headset at the same time, we wondered if some wires had possibly been crossed.
But one Neogaf user has just spotted two patents that were filed back in May, one for an audio system and another for a head mounted display, that could further hint at Sony's secret VR plans for the PS4.
The most interesting part is that both patents were invented by Sony Computer Entertainment senior development manager Simon Benson, and Ian Bickerstaff, a 3D specialist at Sony Computer Entertainment - both of who used to be part of Evolution Studios.
Interesting why? Because we'd already heard that Sony had been testing its VR hardware with Evolution's now-delayed PS4 title DriveClub.
What's the first thing you do when you bring home a new console? Do you carefully unwrap the box and admire the stunning architecture of your new box? Do you jump straight into one of those bundled games? Perhaps you like to spend some time getting to learn the new UI.
Us? We like to smash it open, pick apart the internal organs and then cry ourselves to sleep.
But this time Sony's done it for us. Yasuhiro Ootori, Sony's engineering director, has carefully dismantled the console for your viewing pleasure. Gosh, we love a good heat sink.
Calendar fans will note we're just 13 days from the Xbox One launch, and yet, until yesterday, we still didn't really know a lot about how the damn thing will play with our TVs.
But on Friday we were bombarded with a bucketload of details on exactly how the dashboard will work, how we'll be using Kinect to navigate around the UI, and the launch apps we'll be playing with (UK and US).
Sure, the Xbox One has had a rough ride to get here, but we have to say that after seing these features working in the flesh we're more excited than we've ever been.
The bad news for UK Xbox fans is that you'll be bereft of the Xbox One Guide until some time next year. Sorry about that.
In case you weren't already aware that Mass Effect 4 is happening, it is. Bioware's been pretty open about its existence and even went to the extent of tweeting out a few teaser images this week.
So what can we tell from these tantilising pics? We know that this one is being made on computers, has characters, and will be set in a location. That's about as much as we can glean right now but our detectives are hard at work to bring you more.
We do know that Shepherd won't be making a return as Bioware confirmed he's been retired from the series. Shepherd, if you're reading this, we heard that Hadouken Cabs has some vacancies going. Just note that the interview process is a little unusual.
Anyway, enough from us. What else has been going down in Future town this week?
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Hugh Langley 09 Nov, 2013
The launches of Xbox One and PS4 are imminent, as both next-generation consoles are about to go toe-to-toe.
Gamers have already put their pre-order money down as if it's an expensive bet on which video game system will deliver the best performance over the next decade.
Both systems are evenly matched in many respects and should be able to usher in the next generation of gaming that the Wii U hasn't been able to deliver.
With E3 2013 in the books, we can finally get a better perspective as in a PS4 vs Xbox One comparison about their finer differences.
Both Microsoft and Sony went with very box-like designs for their next-generation consoles.
The Xbox One literally put the box in Xbox, with a large black rectangular shape that has been compared to an oversized 80s VCR unit.
The only thing adoring the front is a slot-loading Blu-ray disc drive, while almost all of the cable hookups are in the back, including the HDMI input port for Live TV, something the PS4 doesn't have.
When Sony finally unveiled what the PS4 looked like at E3, it reminded everyone in the audience of the PS2 design. The stand - not included - really drove that point home.
PS4 is smaller in size compared to the Xbox One and a little bit sleeker thanks to its angular shape and two-halves design.
The Xbox One and PS4 console designs aren't game changers, especially compared to the more dynamic-looking previous generation of consoles.
But as a teacher may have once told you, beauty is on the inside.
Sony was clearly in command following E3 when Microsoft announced its strict DRM policy that barred used game sales and required Xbox One consoles to connect to the internet once every 24 hours.
The backlash was immediate. Gamers made it clear that physical copies of games should be theirs to own and resell as before.
Likewise, they felt as if offline gaming should be possible, especially if ISPs or Microsoft's servers go down. It has happened before and will likely happen again.
That's why Microsoft reverted its policy, sticking to the Xbox 360 method of handling DRM while also getting rid of benefits like the ability to share your Xbox One games with other consoles.
PS4 and Xbox One will function like they did in the PS3 and Xbox 360 era, which is the one area in which gamers are happy to hear hasn't been "upgraded."
While Microsoft amended its always-online policy, the company has yet to backtrack on its other controversial E3-timed announcement: the higher Xbox One price.
Xbox One will cost $499 in the U.S., £429 in the U.K. and $599 in Australia, a premium because it comes with the 1080p Kinect camera out of the box.
The PS4 will cost $399 in the U.S., £349 in the U.K., €399 in Europe and $549 in Australia sans the PS4 camera, previously known as the PlayStation 4 Eye.
Separately, the PS4 camera will cost $59 in the U.S., £54 in the U.K., and $99 in Australia, so PlayStation 4 is still cheaper even when the console and camera are combined.
With wallets tighter than ever, Sony may have a distinct advantage this holiday season.
The PS4 and Xbox One finally have release dates, with the PS4 launch date happening first on Friday, Nov. 15 in North America, then again on Friday, Nov. 29 in Europe and Australia.
The Xbox One launches in 13 markets, down from the previously promised 21 regions, on Friday, Nov. 22.
Unlike Sony's split PS4 release date, Microsoft is putting all of its attention on Nov. 22 in North America, most of Europe, Australia and New Zealand. This "global launch" could certainly help the hype factor.
But Sony has a distinct advantage of initially releasing one week ahead of Xbox One and two weeks ahead of Black Friday, the major holiday sales day in the U.S. At least both systems will be out in North America before Black Friday begins.
As much as the two warring systems are different, the heart of the Xbox One and the PS4 remain very similar.
That's because they're both running x86 octa-core CPUs, and these eight-core processors are built by the same chipmaker, AMD.
The use of AMD in the Xbox One and PS4 is certainly a switch for both companies.
Previously, Microsoft had used an IBM PowerPC processor, while Sony partnered with Toshiba and IBM on its own complicated Cell processor that developers didn't warm up to.
While the Xbox One will run a heavily modified eight-core AMD processor, PS4 will utilize a x86-64 "Jaguar" CPU.
Both console makers are also relying on AMD to design their next graphics processors that will produce the next-generation visuals that differentiate console games from the emerging smartphone market.
The Xbox One marries its GPU to the CPU in a system-on-a-chip design, according to Wired, with DirectX 11.1 support.
The single 40-nanometer SoC really contrasts with the two dedicated 90-nm chips found in the Xbox 360.
However, it only marginally contrasts with the PS4, which also combines its AMD CPU with the chip maker's GPU.
In the case of PS4, the graphics processor is described as semi-custom AMD Radeon that runs at 1.8 TFLOPS.
One of the most impressive things about the PS4 specs has been its use of 8GB GDDR5 RAM.
Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One to have 8GB RAM as well, but it's DDR3 memory variety.
That may mean more to game developers in the long run as opposed to gamers themselves right now, but it's still an interesting choice for the Xbox One.
Further complicating this memory game is the fact that each console requires a portion of the RAM to run the operating system.
PS4 reserves up to 3.5GB of memory for the OS, leaving developers with 4.5GB, according to documentation. They can sometimes access an extra 1GB of "flexible" memory when it's available, but it's not guaranteed.
Xbox One's "guaranteed memory" amounts to a slightly higher 5GB for developers, as the OS takes up 3GB, which probably doesn't make up for the DDR3 memory usage for most developers.
The Xbox One controller vs the PS4 DualShock 4 controller is a debate that won't be won anytime soon, mostly because gamers' already have a locked-in preference.
The reason for this is that neither Sony nor Microsoft have radically changed their respective controllers over the years - they're more like evolutions from 2000 and 2001.
The DualShock 4 is a little bigger in the next-generation thanks to its unique front-and-center touchpad. Sony stuck with the dual analog sticks down in front, but at least have a central divot recess for easier gripping.
Microsoft also didn't mess with success, only slightly modifying its controller in the jump to the Xbox One. It's 40 design innovations are subtle, including the tweaked D-Pad on the bottom-left of the game pad and extra rumble features.
In testing the two controllers at E3 2013, Sony's DualShock 4 felt leaps-and-bounds better than the PS3 DualShock 3 controller, however, it was only catching up to comfort already provided by the Xbox 360 and now Xbox One gamepads.
While Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will appeal to "core" gamers with mature launch titles, as evidenced by the strictly motion-less E3 lineup from Microsoft and Sony.
However, behind-the-scenes, the two companies are charging forward with motion-sensing games thanks to the Xbox One Kinect and PS4 Camera.
Microsoft designed the 1080p Kinect to track up to six skeletons for immerse video game effects that the company says is "human control for a human experience."
Expanding on that motto, the packed-in Kinect 2.0 will be able to process 2GB of data per second, analyzing more joints, the slight rotation of a wrist or shoulder and your heartbeat.
The PlayStation Eye, which will not come with the PS4 system, features two 1280×800px cameras inside a similarly shaped camera bar.
In addition to human interaction, the DualShock 4 controller will come into play with the PS4 camera thanks to its multi-colored light bar. It will also be compatible with those PS4 Move motion controllers that have gone unused.
More than the subtle differences in specs, the games that result from those specs is what will determine which console gamers choose.
Xbox One launch games include exclusives like Ryse: Son of Rome, Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Killer Instinct, LocoCycle, and Kinect Sports Rivals: Preseason.
Also on day one is Call of Duty: Ghosts. It's not exclusive to Xbox One, but the downloadable content (DLC) is going to be a timed-exclusive (likely a month) for Xbox One gamers.
Further out, notable Xbox One launch windows games are Titanfall with a March 2014 release date, Project Spark, and Minecraft: Xbox One Edition.
Sony is also stacking its PS4 launch game lineup starting with Killzone Shadow Fall and Knack, both of which are exclusives releasing on day one.
Sadly, DriveClub was recently delayed into early 2014, leaving EA's multiplatform title Need for Speed Rivals as the only option for racing game enthusiasts.
Joining Killzone and Knack is another action-adventure favorite, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag from Ubisoft.
Yes, AC4 is also releasing on Xbox One, but PS4 (and PS3) gamers are going to see an extra hour of gameplay. The same deal is set up for Watch Dogs, though that was delayed into 2014 just like DriveClub.
Sony has been consistently showing off PS4 games like inFamous: Second Son, The Witness and The Order 1886, all of which are coming out in 2014.
Really, though, everyone is waiting to see what Naughty Dog has in store - possibly Uncharted 4 - and find out what Sony's stable of other first-party developers like SCE London Studio and Media Molecule are going to announce.
Maybe one of these developers will announce a post-launch game, as promised by a recent report.
Here's another split decision: Sony got out in front by supporting independent game developers, attracting names like Supergiant Games, Red Barrels Studio, and Young Horses at the time of its E3 press conference.
At first, Microsoft maintained that Xbox One games would require be fronted by a publisher. That changed recently when he company did another 180, announcing that not only would it allow self-publishing, every console acts as a dev kit.
A free dev kit sounds appealing, especially when PS4 developer kits cost thousands of dollars.
Sony has the indie developer crowd right now, but such pricey technology for tomorrow's basement-run teams could decrease the company's indie following over time.
Both Xbox One and PS4 aim to be all-one-one entertainment consoles - so much so that Microsoft said that's why it picked the "One" moniker for its third system.
The Xbox One ecosystem in the US is going to be home 18 apps on day one, including The NFL, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, ESPN, Netflix and Twitch, all of which are on the current Xbox 360.
Oddly enough, HBO Go is listed as "coming soon," despite the fact that Xbox Live Gold members can access the streaming cable channel's on-demand video on Xbox 360.
In the UK, Xbox One is launching with 13 apps, Amazon\LOVEFiLM, Netflix, Crackle, Eurosport, and Demand 5 among them.
Australia's list is further whittled down to just eight apps, including Quickflix, SBS On Demand, Network Ten's tenplay and the ever-present Twitch.
PS4's day-one apps mirror much of what Xbox One has to offer with Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Crackle, Redbox Instant by Verizon, VUDU and Sony's Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited.
That last one is might prove popular mainly because the company axed CDs support and DLNA content streaming from its new console. Microsoft retained both with Xbox One.
Sony also matched Xbox One's flagship NFL app with a pair of sports widgets of its own. NBA Game Time and NHL GameCenter Live both offer streaming video of their respective sports provided you have a subscription.
Interestingly, neither system has an MLB app ready to go, but since it's the off-season, few really want to watch archived MLB.TV games on their next-generation consoles.
The look of the console, the feel of the controller and the way the games make you feel make up the main differences from which consumers will decide.
However, there are smaller factors potential PS4 and Xbox One buyers should consider when going to the store this holiday season.
It's a good idea to converse with friends to know which system they're going to buy. Since there's no such thing as cross-platform multiplayer, you may be split up when playing Call of Duty on PS4 when all of your friends own it for Xbox One.
Both Microsoft and Sony are charging for multiplayer this generation, whereas PS3 gamers got to log into matches scott-free.
However, only Microsoft is going to lock apps behind its Xbox Live paywall. Sony has confirmed that streaming video content like Netflix, Hulu Plus and MLB.TV on PS4 won't require a PlayStation Plus subscription.
Next-generation console buyers who don't plan on paying the yearly fee and do plan on using the system for entertainment purposes may want to weigh that into their final decision.
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Matt Swider 09 Nov, 2013
