Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Unity game engine to support Xbox One, gets a boost on Windows 8 and Windows Phone

Unity Announces Strategic Collaboration with Microsoft to Extend Free Platform Support for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8; Unveils Xbox One Support for Microsoft Studios' Development Partners

San Francisco, CA – June 27, 2013 – Unity Technologies, provider of the Unity multi-platform game engine and development tools, has entered into an agreement with Microsoft to collaborate on development tools for Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and Xbox One. This collaboration will make it even easier for developers to bring popular games, entertainment and apps to Microsoft platforms.

Unveiled this morning during Microsoft's annual Build Conference in San Francisco, Unity will deliver the commercial version for its "Windows Store Add-on", now included in Unity 4.2 Release Candidate 1, with a commitment to ongoing support and innovation for Microsoft platforms. Under agreement with Microsoft, Unity Pro 4 licensed developers will receive a free license for the "Windows Store Add-on" once available this summer, a $1,500 value. The "Windows Store Add-on" includes support for both Windows Store apps and Windows Phone 8 apps.

In addition, Unity will develop tools for the Xbox One entertainment system, including support for many next-generation features such as enhanced Kinect gestures and recognition, multiplayer matchmaking, SmartGlass and the unlimited power of the cloud. Developers who build games published by Microsoft Studios will have access to Unity tools for Xbox 360 and Xbox One free of charge.

Unity offers a combination of power, efficiency and affordability that has made it one of the most popular game engines and development platforms in the world. The continued collaboration between Unity and Microsoft will make Microsoft's gaming ecosystem more accessible to nearly 2 million passionate developers in the Unity community.

"Our vision is to democratize game development and provide opportunity for all developers, from individuals to massive teams," said David Helgason, CEO, Unity Technologies. "Our collaboration will help further these goals by empowering our community to create games across Microsoft's powerful platforms. Their vision to provide the best outlet for games to be enjoyed parallels our own vision to build the best platform for games to be developed and we're excited to work with them to shape the future of the industry."

"Unity has established itself not only as an incredible development toolset and engine, but as a significant force for creative freedom and innovation in the games development community," said Steven Guggenheimer, Corporate Vice President and Chief Evangelist of Microsoft's Developer & Platform Evangelism organization. "With Unity's commitment to support Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Xbox One and Xbox 360, Microsoft's gaming ecosystem will benefit from the wealth of ideas and imagination flowing from the Unity games development community."


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Half-Life 2 crowbars its way out of Linux beta, brings Oculus Rift support with it

Half-Life 2 crowbars its way out of Linux beta, brings Oculus Rift support with it data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20641559' !== '') ? 'bsd:20641559' : ''; var postID = '20641559'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"gaming",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"timothy-j-seppala", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Half-Life 2 crowbars its way out of Linux beta, brings Oculus Rift support with itBypostedJun 27th, 2013 at 10:46 PM 0

Valve's Half-Life 2 along with Episodes One and Two are out of beta and available for download on Steam for Linux, the company announced today. While we welcome any Half-Life news, it's hard to not get disappointed when the number three isn't involved. Gordon Freeman's last known appearance uses the new SteamPipe content delivery system and "numerous" community bug fixes have been implemented.

That's not all! Oculus Rift (and other virtual reality device) support has been added as well. We aren't aware of any other VR units besides the Rift, but in March Valve told us it's pursuing hardware itself. Speculating about other VR systems isn't far from speculating about Half-Life 3's existence -- we don't know anything at this point. However, Linux gaming site Phoronix says to expect more good Valve Linux news in July. We reached out to Valve for more info and will update if we hear anything back.

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BlackBerry ships 6.8 million smartphones but loses $84 million in fiscal Q1 2014

WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 28, 2013) - Research In Motion Limited (doing business as BlackBerry(R)) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported first quarter results for the three months ended June 1, 2013 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated).

Q1 Highlights:

-- Revenue $3.1 billion, up 15% sequentially from the previous quarter

-- North America revenue grows sequentially 30%, APAC revenue grows 35%,
EMEA revenue grows 9%

-- LATAM revenue declines 6% as Venezuela foreign currency restrictions
negatively impact $72 million of service revenue recognition in the first
quarter; company gross margins negatively impacted by 2%

-- Shipments of 6.8 million smartphones, up 13% sequentially from the
previous quarter

-- GAAP loss from continuing operations of $84 million, or $0.16 per share

-- Adjusted loss from continuing operations of $67 million, or $0.13 per
share

-- Venezuela foreign currency restrictions impact reported GAAP earnings and
adjusted earnings by approximately $0.10 per share; excluding such impact,
adjusted earnings in-line with previously provided outlook of approaching
breakeven financial results

-- Cash flow from operations of $630 million

-- Cash and investments balance of $3.1 billion
Q1 Results

Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2014 was $3.1 billion, up 15% from $2.7 billion in the previous quarter and up 9% from $2.8 billion in the same quarter of fiscal 2013. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 71% for hardware, 26% for service and 3% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, the Company shipped 6.8 million BlackBerry smartphones and approximately 100,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

GAAP loss from continuing operations for the quarter was $84 million, or $0.16 per share diluted, compared with a GAAP income from continuing operations of $94 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.18, in the prior quarter and GAAP loss from continuing operations of $510 million, or $0.97 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year.

Adjusted loss from continuing operations for the first quarter was $67 million, or $0.13 per share diluted. Adjusted loss from continuing operations and adjusted diluted loss per share exclude the impact of pre-tax charges of $26 million ($17 million on an after tax basis) related to the Cost Optimization and Resource Efficiency ("CORE") program. This impact on GAAP loss from continuing operations and diluted loss per share from continuing operations are summarized in the table below.

The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $3.1 billion as of June 1, 2013, compared to $2.9 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of approximately $200 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations in the first quarter was approximately $630 million. Uses of cash included intangible asset additions of approximately $335 million and capital expenditures of approximately $83 million.

"During the first quarter, we continued to focus our efforts on the global roll out of the BlackBerry 10 platform," said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry. "We are still in the early stages of this launch, but already, the BlackBerry 10 platform and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 are proving themselves to customers to be very secure, flexible and dynamic mobile computing solutions. Over the next three quarters, we will be increasing our investments to support the roll out of new products and services, and to demonstrate that BlackBerry has established itself as a leading and vibrant player in next generation mobile computing solutions for both consumer and enterprise customers."

Outlook

The smartphone market remains highly competitive, making it difficult to estimate units, revenue and levels of profitability. Throughout the remainder of fiscal 2014, the Company will invest in BlackBerry 10 smartphone launches, and the roll out of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, to continue to establish the new BlackBerry 10 platform in the marketplace. The Company will also invest resources to evolve BlackBerry Messenger into a leading cross platform mobile social messaging application, and launch other revenue initiatives associated with new services and emerging mobile computing opportunities. Based on the competitive market dynamics and these investments, the company anticipates it will generate an operating loss in the second quarter. The company will also continue to implement the cost savings and process-improving initiatives it started last year, in order to drive greater efficiency throughout the company, and redirect capital from these savings to areas of investment that will drive future revenue growth.

Reconciliation of GAAP loss from continuing operations before income taxes, loss from continuing operations and diluted loss per share from continuing operations to adjusted loss from continuing operations before income taxes, adjusted loss from continuing operations and adjusted diluted loss per share from continuing operations:

(United States dollars, in millions except per share data)


For the three months ended
----------------------------------------
CORE
As Reported: GAAP Charges(1) Adjusted
------------ ------------ --------

Loss from continuing operations
before income taxes $ (164) $ 26 $ (138)

Loss from continuing operations (84) 17 (67)

Diluted loss per share from
continuing operations $ (0.16) $ 0.03 $ (0.13)
======== ======== =======

-- Adjusted loss from continuing operations and diluted
loss per share from continuing operations include
the $72 million (approximately $50 million after tax
or $0.10 per share) impact on service revenue recognition
of the Venezuela foreign currency restrictions noted
above.

Note: Adjusted loss from continuing operations before tax, adjusted loss from continuing operations and adjusted diluted loss per share from continuing operations do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and thus are not comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other issuers. The Company believes that the presentation of adjusted loss from continuing operations before taxes, adjusted loss from continuing operations and adjusted diluted loss per share from continuing operations enables the Company and its shareholders to better assess the Company's operating results relative to its operating results in prior periods and improves the comparability of the information presented. Investors should consider these non-GAAP measures in the context of the Company's GAAP results.

(1) As part of the Company's ongoing effort to streamline its operations and increase efficiency, the Company commenced the CORE program in March 2012. During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company incurred approximately $26 million in total pre-tax charges related to the CORE program. Substantially all of the pre-tax charges are related to one-time employee termination benefits and facilities costs. During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, charges of approximately $10 million were included in research and development and charges of approximately $16 million were included in selling, marketing, and administration expenses.


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FCC to auction two pieces of 1,900MHz spectrum for mobile broadband

FCC MOVES TO ENABLE USE OF 10 MHZ OF SPECTRUM FOR MOBILE BROADBAND

New service, licensing, and technical rules will enable flexible use services in the H Block

Washington, D.C. Today the Commission adopted a Report and Order that will increase the Nation's supply of spectrum for flexible use services, including mobile broadband, by opening 10 megahertz of spectrum in the bands 1915-1920 MHz and 1995-2000 MHz (H Block) for commercial licensing.

By enabling 10 megahertz of spectrum to be used for mobile broadband, the Report and Order furthers the Commission's efforts to ensure that the Nation's wireless networks have the capacity, speed and ubiquity to keep pace with consumers' expectations and ever rising demand for mobile services. It is also a step towards meeting its obligation under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Spectrum Act) to license 65 megahertz, including the 10 megahertz in the H Block, by February 2015.

The Report and Order pairs the two bands that comprise the H Block, and establishes that the paired bands will be licensed on an Economic Area basis and auctioned through a system of competitive bidding. In addition, the Report and Order sets technical rules to help ensure that operations in the H Block do not cause harmful interference to PCS downlink operations, consistent with a requirement in the Spectrum Act. Finally, the Report and Order adopts flexible use regulatory, licensing, and operating rules for H Block licensees.

Action by the Commission June 27, 2013, by Report and Order (FCC 13-88). Acting Chairwoman
Clyburn, Commissioners Rosenworcel and Pai with Acting Chairwoman Clyburn, Commissioners
Rosenworcel and Pai issuing statements.

Docket No.: WT Docket No. 12-357.


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Missoni Plane Found After Almost 6 Months

Nearly six months after a plane carrying Vittorio Missoni and his family disappeared somewhere off the coast of Venezuela, the wreckage has finally been found north of the Los Roques archipelago. According to a press release from the brand, the plane was identified by an American ship called the Deep Sea, but they haven't looked inside it yet, so they're not sure if the bodies are in there. Authorities plan to investigate the remains to find out what caused the crash.


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Kate Upton, Crop Top Get Another Vogue Cover

Following Kate Upton's momentous American Vogue cover debut, the magazine's Brazilian edition decided to give Gisele the month off for once and tapped Upton for July. In a white crop top, no less! Other observations:

1. Her other Vogue covers (Italian, British, and American, in that order) have styled her hair to look fluffy and Marilyn Monroe–esque, but this one has her hair slicked back and wet-looking. You can barely tell it's blonde. When will someone throw a brunette wig on her and "shock" everybody?

2. Her matching pencil skirt, coat, and crop top are from Miu Miu's spring collection, and it's a new look for her — normally magazines don't put her in voluminous silhouettes. Obviously it's falling off her shoulder a bit, because her clothes just can't ... stay ... on.


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