30
Nov
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ASUS Transformer Prime Initial Impressions: Four Isn't A Prime Number, But It Sure Feels Special

Posted by in ASUS, Eee Pad Transformer Prime, News, Reviews

Around midday yesterday, I received my review kit for the Transformer Prime, complete with dock, wireless gamepad, and HDMI cable - meaning I'm well equipped to take a deep dive into the hottest new tablet to hit stores. But to be completely honest, an in-depth review on a product this brand-spanking-new requires more hands-on time than can be had in two days. The full review will be up on Friday, but in the interim, enjoy the initial impressions and gadget porn below.

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First up, let's run over the specs, largely from our official announcement post:

  • 10.1-inch SuperIPS + display with Gorilla Glass
  • 1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 Processor with 12-core GPU
  • 1GB RAM
  • 32GB or 64GB internal storage with microSD card slot
  • microHDMI port
  • 8MP F2.4 rear shooter with continuous flash for video recording, 1.2MP front camera (1080p camcorder!)
  • 8.33mm thin
  • 586g (1.29 lbs.)
  • 12 hour battery life playing 720p video, 18 hours with keyboard dock
  • Metallic spun finish
  • Two available colors: Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold (show below, respectively)
  • Android 3.2.1 - will be updated to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) as soon as possible after release
  • $499 for 32GB model, $599 for 64GB, and $149 for the dock
  • North American availability is expected to begin the week of 12/19 - this is straight from Asus's mouth in the Prime details that were sent to us (and again confirmed a few hours ago), contrary to the other "official" date of December 8 that we heard earlier today.

26
Oct
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Game Review: Shadowgun Is The Most Advanced Shooter On Android To Date, And It's Out Now

Posted by in Games, Reviews

Be sure to check out our Shadowgun Giveaway pack post, too - you could win an Galaxy Tab 8.9, a Jambox, and a $25 AMEX gift card!

Shadowgun is a game we've been following since its announcement for Android earlier this year. A couple weeks back, we received a preview build to test the game out (that link contains a gameplay video as well). Now, I've played the full version of the game and can report my findings more completely.

My conclusion? Shadowgun takes Android gaming to the next level, and while it's not without its flaws, it sets the bar very high for the somewhat low $5 game price point.

18
Oct
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NVIDIA Tegra 3 (Kal-El) Video Surfaces - Tonight's Announcement May Have More In Store Than We Thought [Update: The Video's Been Hidden]

Posted by in ASUS, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, News, Rumors, Videos

Just in time for tonight's big announcement from Google and Samsung, a video has been discovered that appears to be promotional material for NVIDIA's fabled Tegra 3 processor, formerly known as Kal-El.

Update: It looks like the video has been set to private, but we've got a couple of screenshots for you below.

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Whether this video and the ICS/Nexus announcement are related is yet to be seen, but we do know that ASUS CEO Johny Chan is supposed to appear at tonight's event in Hong Kong, and that ASUS is supposedly including the Tegra 3 in their Transformer 2 tablet.

05
Oct
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[Video] Pre-Release Preview: ShadowGun Isn't Just A 3rd Person Shooter, It's A Technical Marvel

Posted by in Game Reviews, Games, Reviews

When we first saw ShadowGun back in May, we were immediately struck by what was at the time a platform demonstration for NVIDIA's Kal-El quad mobile processor. Character textures were the best we'd seen on any Android game, and the environments looked rich and well-crafted.

Now the developer, MadFinger games, has given us (and a number of other sites - no one has the full version yet, and I mean no one) a pre-release version of the game to try out - optimized for Tegra 2 processors (a Kal-El optimized version will be released later). Here's a screenshot from the Kal-El version:

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Screenshot from Kal-El version of ShadowGun - we're reviewing the Tegra 2 version

As you can see, it's no amateur hour title.

20
Sep
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NVIDIA Releases Details About Project Kal-El, Or Why You Want Quad-Core In Your Next Device

Posted by in News
Last Updated: November 8th, 2011

We've been talking about NVIDIA's Project Kal-El, aka Tegra 3, for a few months now, and the company has released some official whitepapers on the architecture and core benefits of the new chip. After reading through the documentation, I am left with but one thought: this processor is going to slaughter everything currently on the market.

It's more than just two additional cores

One common misconception about new quad-core devices is that they're only adding two more cores. That's not entirely true, as the processor architecture as a whole has changed, adding increased performance and a reduced power footprint for each core.

30
May
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[Updated: Now With Video] SHADOWGUN Is The First Android Game Optimized For Quad-Core Devices, Looks Ridiculously Awesome

Posted by in Games, News

Android has really grown quickly in the realm of mobile gaming, especially with the influx of Tegra 2 phones and tablets. Keeping that momentum going, Madfinger (creator of Samurai 2) is currently working a new game optimized for Tegra devices called SHADOWGUN. There will be two version of this game - one for Tegra 2 devices, and one that takes advantage of NVIDIA's next-gen Tegra 3 processor, the quad-core Kal-El.

Update: Now with video (thanks, Nick!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L12sZP22UbI

SHADOWGUN is a tactical combat game, but I don't think I can explain it any better than this:

Authored with the Unity development platform, SHADOWGUN combines tactical combat with third person harrowing action, ushering in a new visual standard for handheld gaming.

16
May
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[Rumor] Amazon Getting Ready To Launch Two Tablets In 2011; One May Pack Quad-Core Kal-El SoC

Posted by in News, Rumors, Tablets

Rumors of Amazon's first foray into the tablet world seem to be solidifying. Today, BGR received a tip adding credibility to the potential "family" of devices that the online giant is supposedly prepping. While these devices remain squarely in the realm of rumor, the few details that can be gleaned are pretty juicy.

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The tip gave some info on two different tablets: "Coyote," an entry level tablet that will be running NVDIA's dual-core Tegra 2 processor, and "Hollywood" - a higher end device powered by NVIDIA's forthcoming quad-core Kal-El SoC.

As of yet, there is no word on any other specifications - at all.