On Tuesday, Microsoft revealed to the world its latest gaming system, the Xbox One. While we currently only know a limited amount of information about the PS4 and X-One, that doesn’t stop instant comparisons between the two consoles that will compete for your living room later this year.

It is too early to have a true “Versus” article, as too much is unknown. We can however take a deeper look at the currently known hardware and features to help you better decide which system you believe is right for you.

So let’s jump right in:

The Hardware specs

Honestly, the hardware between the Xbox One and Sony PS4 seem rather comparable, at least based on what we currently know. Both run on 8-core x86 processors, with Sony’s PS4 confirmed to have an AMD Jaguar chip. Both systems also have Blu-ray optical drives.

The PS4 does one-up the Xbox One when it comes to RAM, though. Both have 8GB, but the Playstation 4 equips DDR5 RAM, as opposed to the X-One’s DDR3. Will this make a noticeable “real world” difference? Maybe, maybe not.

As far as the HDD is concerned, we only know the Xbox One will have 500GB of storage space. No word on the PS4 yet. It’s also worth noting that Xbox One will REQUIRE all your discs to be copied over to the drive. This is nice because you can simply store away the game disc. It’s also annoying because it makes lending and selling games harder (though there will still be a way..).

Motion Control

Both the PS4 and Xbox One make next-gen motion technology a major part of the console experience, they just go about it in very different ways.

For the Xbox One, you get the next-gen Kinect that can recognize heartbeats, tons of different joints and has extremely accurate voice control technology (or so the demo leads us to believe).

As for the PS4? It ships with a new Playstation Eye that will work with the DualShock 4 controller to allow special tracking and motion features.

Which method is better? Honestly, that depends on your own tastes.

The Cloud and Multiplayer

Next-gen game consoles are going to rely on net connectivity more than ever. In fact, Microsoft’s Xbox One REQUIRES a connection to the net. That said, it does have an offline mode for those times when your net is down for whatever reason.

Both systems will also promote features like cloud saving and syncing. This should also mean that it will be easy to pull up your profile and saves on your friend’s game systems.

As for the online experience, Xbox will continue evolving its Xbox Live and plans to boost its servers from 15,000 to 300,000 by the time its next system launches!

Sony also wishes to continue adding abilities to its own online network, though it will likely continue down the “free to use” model, as opposed to Xbox Live’s charge model.

Second Screen Experience

Almost everyone has a smartphone or tablet these days, at least that is the case for the folks willing to drop big money on a game console from day one. That’s why both consoles will work nicely with mobile devices for controlling some aspects of the menu – or even some games. This is particularly true when it comes to using the PS Vita as a controller on the PS4.

Connectivity

Both consoles have USB 3.0 technology.

The Xbox One, however, seems to ditch RCA components and goes with just an HDMI input and output. The PS4 will still have RCA and optical, though.

Additionally, both consoles will fully support 4K TV signals.

The Big Differences

While we likely don’t have the “full picture” of features for the PS4 or Xbox One – we can tell you that there are a few areas of direction where each system seems to be focused.

PS4 – Social Aspects

For the PS4, there is a dedicated share button on the controller. You can send snippets of recorded video straight to a friend and even invite them to watch your game, or even perhaps participate in it in some minor way (that includes singleplayer games from the sounds of it).

There are likely other big features that we will learn about at E3.

Xbox One – TV Integration

The Xbox One is clearly aimed at bringing TV and the Xbox One together. In their demo, Microsoft showed off how its next-gen system could quickly bring up TV and even change channels, all from the Xbox interface (using HDMI tech).

Even more exciting, the system could change channels through voice. Saying “Switch to MTV” would switch to MTV, for example.

Additionally, the Xbox One has “snap mode”. This makes it easy to multi-task by running more than one app at the same time. Sony’s PS4 also has some of these abilities, but the big difference is that the X-One will also bring this experience to the TV – allowing you to watch a show all while browsing the net in a snapped box on the side of your TV screen.

Backwards Compatibility

Unfortunately backwards compatibility is all-but dead with both consoles. The Xbox One won’t work with Xbox Live arcade titles or Xbox 360 content. The same pretty much goes for the PS4 in regards to the PS3.

Gaming

I don’t want to compare gaming announcements too much right now. Why? Because we really won’t see the whole picture until E3. Sony’s reveal event showed tons of exclusives and special titles.

For the Xbox One event, we were mostly shown off the console and its TV integration features. We do know games like Forza 5 will be a launch title, and the company has promised 15 Xbox One exclusives will be shown at E3.

Really, expect much of the same kinds of games as seen in the last-gen for the two consoles. So if you currently prefer PS3 exclusives – you’ll probably feel the same about the PS4. And same goes for Xbox 360 to Xbox One.

And the winner is….

Again, I’m not talking winners or losers here. Partially because Microsoft or Sony could give us extra “OMG that’s freaking awesome” features at E3 that could change everything. Second, because console preferences play a HUGE part here.

So instead of Mobile Magazine giving out a verdict, it’s up to you, the readers. Which console do you think looks better and why?

The post Sony PS4 versus the Xbox One: How do they compare? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It’s not very often that you find substantial savings on MacBooks, so it’s always pretty noteworthy when you do. Case in point is this 13.3″ MacBook Pro with Retina Display. It just so happens to be on sale for a pretty substantial $499 off. That brings the price down to $1,419.99.

There are several SKUs and configurations of the MBP, so which version do you get for that price? This Retina MacBook Pro comes loaded with a dual core Intel Core i5 2.5GHz processor, an impressive 8GB of RAM, 256GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 4000. This is certainly one of the higher spec’d models. You also get the usual things like Bluetooth 4.0, 720p FaceTime camera, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt, and a 74Wh lithium-polymer battery good for 7 hours of computing. And yes, the 13.3-inch screen is a Retina Display, boasting a resolution of 2560 x 1600. That’s better than your 1080p HDTV on a much smaller screen.

You can buy it now from MacMall.com. If that particular configuration doesn’t tickle your fancy, you can choose to customize the MacBook Pro from that same page, picking a faster processor and more flash storage, as well as adding Parallels, Office, a USB SuperDrive and more.

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It looks like HP is the latest PC hardware vendor to join the Chrome OS club. The HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook has now officially been announced and will set you back $330.

So what do you get with the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook? The laptop ahs a 1366 x 768 display, 16GB SSD storage, 100GB Google Drive space, and an Intel Dual-core Celeron processor. Other specs include 2GB of RAM, 3 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and a 2-in-1 memory card reader. There is also Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 as well.

Honestly, the specs are pretty modest but there is one area where the HP Pavilion stands out from the Chromebook pack: display size. Up until now, 11.6-inch has been the standard screen-size in all current Chromebook offerings. With the HP Pavilion Chromebook you get a much larger 14-inch display.

Unfortunately, this comes at a trade-off. The HP Chromebook has relatively poor performance compared to Samsung’s offering, and like Acer’s budget option it has just a few hours of battery life onboard.

Still for those interested in Chrome OS but not willing to do so on a tiny screen, this could still be an intriguing option and at $330 it is quite affordable, too. What do you think, would you be interested in the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook or not?

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It’s obvious enough that the trend among Android smartphones these days is to go bigger. With devices like the Huawei Mate pushing the 6-inch envelope, not everyone wants something that ginormous. If you’d prefer something far more pocketable, then you may be interested in the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Pocket Plus. See, it’s right there in the name that it’ll fit in your pocket.

The new Android 4.0.4 smartphone has not yet been formally announced by Samsung, but it has been leaked onto the Internet. Going in completely the opposite direction, this is decidedly an entry-level phone with its tiny 2.8-inch display and mere 800MHz Broadcom processor. That makes the display even smaller than the 3.1-inch we saw on the Palm Pre! The rest of the specs are equally small with 512MB of RAM, 4GB internal storage, 2MP camera and 1200mAh battery. It also gets Bluetooth 3.0, aGPS, WiFi-N, FM radio, USB 2.0, and an accelerometer.

Being a Samsung device, it should come as little surprise that the Android build is being skinned with TouchWiz. And it’ll get the similar kind of hardware and touch-sensitive buttons that we’ve seen on earlier generations of Galaxy devices. It certainly won’t compete at the higher end with the S3 and the like; instead, it’s probably going to be one of those cheap prepaid phones that still gives you a smartphone experience.

The Samsung Galaxy Pocket Plus is expected to launch in the first half of this year.

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Thunderbolt cables are a fairly new technology that is capable of transfering data via the cable at an amazing 12 gigabits per second. When compared to USB cable transfer, there is a blazingly fast difference between the two. Obviously this is a huge contender to USB 3.0, which aims to transfer data at similarly fast speeds with it’s SuperSpeed USB.

However, previous thunderbolt cables have been expensive and bulky, somewhat dampening the appeal of the super-fast transfer speed. Intel has now showcased new sample products of their revamped thunderbolt cables at CES this year, and claim that prices will be slashed down greatly after volume production starts to pick up pace.

The new Thunderbolt cables also take a large 1.0mm off of the width of the wire, taking it down to 3.2mm, making it much more convenient and portable when compared to the previous version.

Apple has seemed pretty keen on adopting this technology into their new MacBook products, but do you think it’s a possibility Intel will ever replace the current PCs standard of USB?

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It seems that the next-generation Tegra 4 processor specs have now been leaked to the net. Codenamed Wayne, the newest smartphone and tablet processor looks to be rather impressive.

From what we are hearing, it is likely based on Cortex-A15 and is described as a 4-PLUS-1 Quad Core Eagle. Even more impressively, if this rumor turns out to be true the Tegra 4 will feature a 72-core GPU setup that makes its graphical abilities six times improved over the current-gen Tegra chips.

With such power behind it, you’d think it would also be a battery hog. Actually, with its 28nm manufacturing process it is said to be an improvement when it comes to battery and power efficiency.

The slide information seen in the image above also shows the chip has support for USB 3.0, 4k video playback and resolutions up to 2560 x 1440. There is no mention of integrated LTE, though.

Keep in mind that this is an unconfirmed leak and should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism. The Tegra 4 sounds amazing, but until NVIDIA gives us direct information, it’s all just speculation and rumor at this point.

What do you think, if this is all true, are you excited about the next-generation of Tegra chips?

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It may not be the fanciest laptop on the block, but it comes from a highly trusted name and it’ll get the job done. It’s the Dell Inspiron i15R and it happens to be on sale for $150 off.

The Dell Inspiron i15R-1633sLV SKU variation comes powered by an Intel Core i3-2370 2.4GHz processor, Intel HD Graphics 3000, and an impressive 6GB of DDR3 RAM. It has a fairly standard 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 pixel display and it packs a 750GB 54000rpm hard drive. It ships with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, but if you really want Windows 8, Microsoft still has that $40 upgrade deal I believe. It’s nice that this has three USB 3.0 ports too.

As an added bonus, this Dell Inspiron 15R also comes with that SWITCH capability that lets you swap out the back cover for different covers, which are sold separately. It’s like choosing a new outfit. Other features include the HD webcam, 6 hours of battery, BT 4.0, multi-card reader, and free Skydrive cloud storage.

The regular price on this particular laptop if $699.99, but you can now get it for just $459.99 on Amazon. Then, there’s an additional $15 post-purchase rebate too, getting your net price down to $444.99. And yes, free super saver shipping still applies.

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We are finally getting solid information about the Microsoft Surface Pro’s pricing. What’s the verdict? Pricing will start at $899 for a 64GB version, or $999 for a 128GB model.

What’s the difference between the Pro and “RT” models of the Surface? Quite a lot, actually. The Surface RT runs on an ARM processor and has a version of Windows called “Windows RT”. This works about the same as Windows 8 does, with the exception that it is missing true desktop application support. With the Surface you get an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM (instead of the RT’s 2GB), a 1080p display and an overall package that is a little heavier than the Surface RT but still weights less than two pounds. You also get a mini display port jack, a better battery and a full-size USB 3.0 port.

So is this pricing good or bad? It’s sort of neither. It isn’t that much higher than the iPad when you consider that you get the full power of desktop applications. That said, it is a little more expensive than the Macbook Air when you factor in the added cost of a Surface Touch Cover to give the Surface true laptop capabilities.

If Microsoft had targeted even just $100 lower on each model, the competition would have seriously been in trouble. At this price range? Microsoft still has a good shot of finding success, but perhaps not at the same level they might have if they had been willing to lower prices just a tad bit more.

If you like the new Windows Start UI and the design of the Microsoft Surface, you probably are asking in your head, “Should I get a Surface RT or Pro, then?” The answer depends on a few factors. If you have the extra cash around, get the Pro. It might weigh a little more and costs $400 more than the base 32GB Surface RT, but it also packs a bunch of extra functionality that could come in hand. Still, if you are short on cash, the RT is a great tablet and is probably more than good enough if you plan to use it for entertainment and only light productivity purposes.

For those that are looking to ditch their notebooks or even desktops? No doubt about it, you will want the full power of the Microsoft Surface RT. So how about it, which model do you think looks more promising given the pricing range?

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The biggest shopping day of the year is upon us and that means we’re about to get bombarded with all sorts of flyers and online promotions. We’ve gathered up some of the best Black Friday gadget deals in one convenient place for you, so let’s get down to it.

The Nikon COOLPIX S9200 16 megapixel compact camera with 18x zoom and full 1080p video on sale for $169, a savings of $130.95 off the regular price.

If you prefer interchangeable lenses, the Nikon V1 digital camera system with the 10-30mm VR1 kit lens is on sale for 59% off, bringing the price down to just $369.

The Panasonic ES-LT71-S men’s wet/dry shaver with rechargeable battery, Arc 3 technology and vortex cleaning system is just $74.99, which is 63% off the regular price.

Those looking for a great tablet might consider the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, which starts at $199 for the 16GB model with special offers. That includes free super saver shipping too.

Next, we have the SanDisk Extreme 120GB SSD with super fast 6.0Gbps transfers in a 2.5-inch form factor for just $96.82, representing a monumental savings of $141.74.

The Western Digital My Passport 2TB portable hard drive with USB 3.0 comes with automatic backup software is selling for $149.99, including free one-day shipping if you pay with your Discover Card.

Save 49% on the Otterbox Defender Case with screen protector and stand for the new 4th-gen iPad, as well as the iPad 2 and iPad 3. It’s on sale for $45.88.

There are a bunch of deals on the Samsung Galaxy S III, including getting it from Sprint for as low as $39.99 on contract. Verizon is doing $59.99 on contract, while the AT&T price is $99.99 on contract.

Finally, there’s a deal for $230 off the Toshiba U845-S406 Ultrabook with Intel Core i5, 14″ display, 6GB DDR3-1600 memory, 500GB HDD + 32GB SSD, and a free t-shirt. Get it for $649.99, including free shipping, at Newegg.com; the deal expires today!

And check out many more deals on Amazon. What are you buying this year?

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Windows 8 is almost here, and with it comes a flood of new devices. One of the biggest changes with Windows 8 is that it could finally bring hybrid devices to the forefront. Up until now, most Windows hybrids have been decent as traditional desktop devices but have been limited when it comes to their touch abilities and the lack of Window 7 applications that work well with touch.

Lenovo is one of many companies diving headfirst into the convertible market. There are a few different offerings and each of them have their own unique aspects.

IdeaPad YOGA

The Yoga has a 13-inch form factor and can do a 360-degree flip in order to turn from an Ultrabook to a fully capable tablet. The Yoga 13 will start at $1,099 and features an Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processor- depending on which price configuration you choose.

The new tablet/ultrabook also has a 1MP HD webacam, HD4000 integrated grahpics, and USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports. This is a lot to ask for a tablet, but the good news is that it a fully capable laptop solution as well.

Want something a bit smaller and thinner? A 11-inch YOGA model also existsa and is just 15.6-mm in thickness. This multi-touch device runs on Windows RT, which is a major distinction. For those that don’t know, this means it is more like a traditional tablet and can only run new Windows 8 apps— it won’t work with existing Windows (XP/Vista/7) applications and drivers.

This model has a an ARM processor, more specifically the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core. It also has 2GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 64GB of storage, built-in 720p HD webcam, USB 2.0 connectivity and optional Bluetooth. The battery is rated at 13 hours. This model starts at $799– which could be considered a lot for a device that is basically just an Android tablet or iPad with a built-in keyboard.

IdeaTab Lynx

The third offering is a 11.6-inch IPS multitouch tablet doesn’t have a built-in keyboard that rotates, instead it turns into a laptop through a special dock connector. This model features a dual core ATOM processor at 1.8GHz, 2GB of RAM and up to 64GB SSD storage. There is also microSD, microUSB and microHDMI. The tablet itselft is more expensive than the iPad at $599- without keyboard.

Considering you get a similarly spec’d device that also has Windows legacy application support, it may or may not be worth it for you. Want the keyboard dock? It will cost $149.

The time for hybrid domination might finally be drawing near. What do you think of Lenovo’s offerings? Worthwhile or not?
Via: Lenovo

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