No. Microsoft unveiled a great many Xbox 360 entertainment features, Sony showed realistic game previews for Playstation and their ability to take a risk on hardware and Nintendo brought much of the same with regards to hardware and aimed for a home run with software and entertainment announcements, but those big swings were a miss.

WiiU

Hardware

Not much new here. The gamepad has changed slightly with the addition of more buttons and built-in features. The WiiU gamepad was shown in video demonstrations over and over again during the press conference. Images of families gathered around a television with gamepad in hand playing games, exercising and whatnot. The problem is we’ve seen all that before, some of it at last year’s E3. So what’s new? Well, it comes in black too.

Now don’t get us wrong, we were intrigued by the WiiU last year and continue to be fascinated by its usage possibilities. The issue with the E3 2012 presentation was the lack of live gameplay through the WiiU. Pre-recorded footage is fun to watch, but doesn’t fully depict real life usage.

Completely outlining all the ins and outs of the WiiU could be an article in and of itself, so we’ve borrowed an infographic from Nintendo’s Facebook page to define the buttons and included a video to detail their usage.

Gaming

There were a couple bright spots in gaming for Nintendo. ZombiU was easily the most integrated for play on the WiiU. It took the idea of having a second screen for maps or gear switches and turned it into an accessory for gameplay with shaking to escape a zombie’s grasp and as a detector for enemies. ZombiU made the WiiU look like a piece of hardware worth having.

Super Mario Bros.U and Pikmin 3 round out the positive vibes towards WiiU games. Super Mario Bros.U looks like Mario of old and you can’t help but feel nostalgic about the franchise. Pikmin 3 looked creative though the game could clearly be played without a WiiU gamepad and probably be just as much fun.

Third party title offerings were essentially old games just redeveloped for the WiiU. Batman Arkham City Armored Edition is a new title, but still an old game with new features for the WiiU. Mass Effect 3, Ninja Gaiden 3, Aliens Colonial Marines are all coming to WiiU, but are old games.

The remaining game lineup involved a lot of silliness and undesirable content.

• SiNG is basically karaoke
• Tank! Tank! Tank! Looked horrible and should not have been shown.
• An assortment of fitness games including Wii FitU.
• Nintendoland. There are all sorts of problems with this, but if I were a parent I’d be watching how the interaction is monitored for this.

Other News

MiiVerse was introduced as the new welcome screen when powering up the WiiU console. Described as Main Street, it’s a social leap for Nintendo. The idea is to bring everyone who uses the WiiU along with all friends into the MiiVerse together on screen. Seems like a nice idea, but I don’t see the purpose in it. When owners turn their consoles on, they want to play games or watch a movie, etc., not draw pictures and hand draw chat boxes on the MiiVerse screen. It just seems unnecessary.

3DS has a multitude of games lined up. We’ll cover this more in our E3 2012 Game Recap.

Final Thoughts (Editorial notes)

Normally, I wouldn’t be so harsh on Nintendo. After all, I grew up with it, but these latest turns could be the end of a once great gaming platform. The WiiU is handy at best. It is advantageous to use a second smaller screen for maps and inventory views, but not a ‘game changer’.

The video presentations seem to expect users to view the small screen while visitors (non-players) enjoy watching the same or similar thing on a big screen (television). I’m telling you flat out right now, people do not want to watch others play video games – they want to play them. As a player, if the gamepad is in my hands, I will be looking at the large screen unless I’m forced to look at the gamepad screen. As a mobile gaming option, I like it. A family member can watch TV and I can still play a game – great!

The marketing team for the WiiU has their work cut out for them, because right now there just doesn’t seem to be a reason to invest in a Nintendo WiiU.

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Having said that, the iPad does have the function built-in but is more of a button combination than simple tap of the screen. Here’s how to capture a screen image from an iPad:

1. Quickly press the Power button and the iPad Home button (shown below). Note: You must perform this quickly or the iPad will turn off due to the power button being depressed for too long.
   
2. You may hear a click or see a flash of the iPad screen. Those indicate success, but some may not hear the sound and/or blink during the flash.
3. To see the screenshot, tap on the Photos app and look for your most recent screenshot image (they’re automatically sorted with camera roll photos). If this is your first time, it should be distinctive.
4. If the screenshot is for diagnostic purposes, simply email it to whomever you like. If your intent is to share the image, just upload the photo using the usual method for each social app.

This method works in both landscape and portrait modes and works while viewing other images.

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Make Your Website Part Of The Nifty Collection

BillGuard

Did you know most people don’t even check their credit card statements for questionable charges? Maybe you’re even one of them. Fact is it’s not that consumers don’t care, it’s that time is a precious commodity that can’t be spent skimming through dozens of pages worth of credit transactions while carefully analyzing each to make sure they’re accurate. That’s where BillGuard comes in. Continue..Read more about BillGuard.

Visit BillGuard

MySocialCloud

A typical user who considers themselves socially connected online will login to three or more social networking sites per day, likely multiple times. Each website has its own login credentials with usernames, passwords, email addresses and whatever else is needed. MySocialCloud is a way to manage all those account credentials in one place. Continue..Read more about MySocialCloud.

Visit MySocialCloud

Pic Scatter

Ever create a scrapbook or fill a photo album? If you have, then you may recall the scene of photos scattered about as you choose the right ones and organize them for your memory book. Pic Scatter uses a similar concept with the difference being Facebook is the source for your photos. Continue..Read more about Pic Scatter.

Visit Pic Scatter

Neat

Dreaming of a paperless office where all those loose receipts, bills and documents simply disappear into a digitally organized filing cabinet? Dream no longer, Neat is here to ‘Tame Your Paper Monster‘. Continue..Read more about Neat.

Visit Neat
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Make Your Website Part Of The Nifty Collection

Dreaming of a paperless office where all those loose receipts, bills and documents simply disappear into a digitally organized filing cabinet? Dream no longer, Neat is here to ‘Tame Your Paper Monster‘.

Neat combines software and scanning to transform cluttered paper piles into searchable, manageable digital records. The Neat solutions range from portable scanners to desktop scanners all working in conjunction with Neat software.

Neat deciphers scanned documents and determines which category the document best fits in. Whether it be receipt, business card or something else, Neat identifies the document and sorts them in the document database. Afterwards, users have clean, organized files without the huge paper mess. Neat creates searchable PDFs which makes finding specific information as easy as possible.

Of course all the information is portable, whether it be a download to a local machine or direct import to popular applications. Neat is completely focused on organizing consumer-s paper information and as a wonderful side effect is reducing the need to store paper documents as well as reproduce them. The Neat Company has perhaps one of the best early footholds for completely eliminating paper in a home environment. If you have been wondering how to get out from all that paper clutter, then Neat is worth checking out.

Visit Neat

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Make Your Website Part Of The Nifty Collection

An early 2012 release of Kinect for PC indicates to us that Microsoft wants to ‘put the feelers out’ and root out any kinks, glitches or shortcomings before the big Windows 8 launch. By releasing Kinect before Windows 8, Microsoft is ensuring it has a functional, well tested product worthy of marketing with Windows 8.

The benefits of Kinect have been apparent with the Xbox for some time now and recent updates to the Xbox interface have attempted to take further advantage of the device’s capabilities. When the Xbox interface received a facelift, Metro styling and voice control were added. The Metro styling gives a glimpse as to what Windows 8 may look and feel like, while the added motion control is surely a small testbed for what Microsoft plans in terms of motion control for the PC.

The Kinect for PC hardware will have some modifications compared to the existing device. For starters, the depth camera will have updated firmware for viewing objects as close as 20 inches. Additionally, the USB cable will be shortened and Windows commercial program support will be available.

The most exciting part of this announcement are the possibilities it holds for Windows 8. Whether or not you like the Metro look of Windows 8, there’s no denying that a fully functional Metro styled interface with motion control could be the next giant leap forward for PCs. Even if it’s not perfect at launch, the continued progression towards voice comprehension within the Kinect device along with overall hardware improvements, make the imagination run wild.

Envision a PC connected to a large display, possibly mounted on a wall, operated by Windows 8 Metro styled large blocks and app launchers, working in conjunction with motion and voice controlled Kinect. Now envision writing a blog post, preparing a speech or composing a school paper. With the above parameters a user could sit on the couch, bed or wherever, launch MS Word with a motion or two, then dictate an article aloud without the use of a keyboard or mouse. Eventually even using a bluetooth headset or earpiece to dictate the information so that voice input can be kept at a low volume. In a perfect setup a keyboard and mouse would no longer be needed.

While all that may sound perfect, it’s still a distant dream. The voice recognition alone is a hurdle that no one has been able to overcome yet. Even Apple’s Siri lacks the precision needed to perform flawlessly in a voice only environment. Having said that, the other parts are lining up nicely. Microsoft appears extremely focused and organized with their product advancement and launches which is great news for a company that seemed unable to inspire users in recent years.

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Dashboard Visuals

In the new Microsoft Metro style, the Xbox 360 follows in the footsteps of the Windows 8 and Windows Phone interfaces. The tiled squares are clearly being adopted across all Microsoft platforms and is a smart move by Microsoft to add interface uniformity across all of their products.

The first noticeable difference, besides the Metro styling, is the category listing aligned horizontally along the top. My Xbox is now home and My Friends has been changed to social. The other channels remain, but the “Marketplace” word has been removed from the labels. All in all, the new Metro interface allows for added content in the same amount of space without feeling cramped or busy.

Bing Search & Voice Control

Bing search has been integrated into the Xbox as well and is now the first channel in the category listing. The new Bing search integration is a big plus for those tired of searching the Xbox marketplace with a controller. For Kinect owners, Bing can use voice controlled search to find content. Bing searches locally across all services attached to the Xbox and returns results based on the search criteria. From there users decide how to use the content. In the case of a movie, users can choose to purchase the video from the video marketplace or stream it via Netflix.

The process is really well done and although the extensive search is available to those without a Kinect, the voice control experience makes having a Kinect that much more fulfilling.

Kinect – Voice & Motion

We’ve already covered the sound benefits of having a Kinect with the new updates, but that’s not all there is to it. Motion is an essential trait of Kinect and with the Metro styling is used to navigate around the Xbox.

Motioning is a fairly simple idea and in practice works well. Having said that, the voice control is still the preferred way to navigate. Just say ‘Netflix’ and there it is, no need to move your hands or arms around in front of you.

While neither is perfect, they both improve the Xbox experience for the user and advance the Microsoft agenda in a non-intrusive way.

TV

Apps will take some time in updating their interface to mimic the Metro style, but some have already adopted it. Live TV is still a work in progress, which is not unexpected, as the networks try to monetize their content in the most profitable way possible. Until they figure that out, expect Xbox to be in the same boat as others with regards to streaming a large variety of up to date content.

The important thing to take away from the addition of live TV is that it is actually included and available. It’s a nice start to hopefully something much better as time goes on or even for the next-gen console.

Cloud Storage

For those who want or need to switch between consoles, the Xbox Live Gold membership buys you storage for saved games. A nice little feature that adds something more to an already abundantly feature packed console. While gamers are unlikely to store all their game data in the cloud, the space should allow for the ‘flavor of the week’ game to be saved.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we’re extremely pleased with the new interface. The Metro styling is something we were pleased with on Microsoft’s other devices so it’s no surprise we find it to be a good fit on the Xbox as well. The categories and channels are better oriented and a greater amount of content is available on a single screen making for a more accessible experience.

The voice and motion controls are really good, but could still use some refining. Having voice control over the entire Xbox library and apps is so much easier than fiddling with remotes or controllers. We expect this to only improve as time goes on.

The evolution of content delivery continues and Microsoft has a decent shot at being one of the leaders in the cable alternative scenario. There isn’t anything more Microsoft can do other than throw around their money on this one. Networks and movie studios want fat pockets and there’s no quick solution to that. Look for Microsoft to expand their available content and eventually make Live TV more of a priority.

Your Thoughts

Have you received the update yet? How do you like the new interface and layout? Where does Microsoft go from here? Let us know in the comments!

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Tech Specs

The Transformer Prime is set to be an incredibly advanced Android powered tablet and the first quad-core offering. Speed should not be an issue with this tablet and will come powered with Ice Cream Sandwich. At 12 hours, the battery life on this tablet is fantastic and with the optional mobile dock an additional 6 hours can be added for extreme usage.

• Display: 10 inch Super IPS+, multi-touch with 178 degree viewing angle
• Weight: Less than 1.3lbs
• Size: Ultra-slim at 8.3mm
• Sound: Asus SonicMaster Audio
• Battery: 18 hours (12 standard plus 6 hours with optional mobile keyboard dock)
• Camera (Rear facing): Auto-focus HD 8MP with LED flash
• Camera (Front facing): 1.2MP
• Video: Full 1080p HD playback
• Storage: 32GB, 64GB
• MicroSD card slot
• 3.5mm combo audio jack and HDMI port
• Price: $499 (32GB), $599 (64GB), $149 (Optional mobile dock)

Discounts

The Asus Transformer, the Prime predecessor, is already being discounted and may have additional deals throughout the rest of the year. According to Engadget, the Transformer will likely receive an Ice Cream Sandwich update soon. Making the transformer a nice alternative to the iPad and with the discounts, reasonably priced compared to the new Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet.

Source Engadget

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Nook Tablet

Cost & Specs

The Nook Tablet will be $50 more than the Kindle Fire at $249 per unit. For the extra $50 buyers will receive double the storage capacity at 16GB along with a 7 inch touchscreen display, a dual-core processor, 1GB RAM and works with both Netflix and Hulu Plus streaming video services.

Future Outlook

Barnes & Noble have suffered from the significant drop in physical book sales, but has been dedicated to the development of the Nook. A dedication that has paid off so far. Books will continue to sell and digital distribution is the place to be. B&N has acknowledged that fact and appears poised to ride the Nook, in any form, as its brand identifier.

Price Cuts

Along with the news of the Nook Tablet came some price drops on other Nook devices. The Nook touch price was dropped to $99, while the Nook Color is now $199.

Conclusion

The news couldn’t have come at a better time. Consumers are gearing up for holiday shopping and there is no doubt that inexpensive tablets will be on the list of must have gadgets. Announcing the Nook Tablet a couple weeks out of Black Friday will ensure consumers get notice about the product and have the time to seriously consider it over the Kindle Fire.

The Nook Tablet will be available on November 18^th, 2011, but shoppers can pre-order them now.

Pre-order Nook Tablet

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According to PCWorld, Samsung revealed plans to launch phones with flexible displays in 2012. Samsung is hopeful for an early 2012 arrival of the new flexible phones, but much of that may be lip service at this point. Samsung has had great success recently with their product line and the intention is to build off the success of their smartphones for now. Ultimately, tablets and other portable devices will have the same flex screen ability should the initial offering become popular among consumers.

The idea is intriguing to be sure. We’ve heard about flexible displays for some time and have watched and waited for someone to begin development. Whether Samsung, Nokia or some other manufacturer lead the way remains to be seen, but there is no doubt the technology is on its way.

Convincing consumers that they need a flexible phone is going to be a challenge. While the feature does have a certain impressiveness and could create a sense of envy, the benefits of the device will need to be examined further when they’re released. We suspect a flex-phone could take a beating a bit more than today’s rigged models. Perhaps, angling the display in problematic light will become simpler. However, there are a number of questions as well. Can the internal hardware be made to flex and be sturdy enough to avoid damage? Will the flex-phones have built-in limits to avoid over bending or accidental snapping? We’ll see, but one thing’s for sure, you’ll need two hands to take advantage of flex displays.

Final Thoughts

Overall the idea is a good one, but maybe manufacturers should look at folding displays instead of flexible for tablets and portable devices larger than smartphones. Currently, the biggest feature request is mobility. Users want to take their information and devices with them everywhere with as much ease as possible. Folding displays could allow for tablets to be shrunk to the size of a wallet and placed in a pocket, whereas flexible displays do nothing for mobility unless they can eventually be rolled up like sheets of paper.

Your Thoughts

What do you think about the flexible displays? Are they the wave of the future? Do you plan to buy one as soon as they are available? Let us know in the comments!

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With the Kindle we can reach readers who prefer the Kindle’s visually soft screen to traditional monitors or smartphone displays as well as those who don’t always have the time to sit at a computer to catch up on our feed. Additionally, those who enjoy using the Kindle can follow our latest stories and articles and still read a book without changing devices.

You can find our published blog through the Kindle Store, just search for geekitdown. For the full color listing you can view the GeekITDown Blog in the Kindle Store at Amazon.com.