Author: The enConnected Team

Forget what you heard about Xbox on Windows Phone taking mobile gaming experiences to their logical conclusions first. It looks like Google’s Android operating system will beat Microsoft and Apple’s GameCenter to the punch if leaked details of feature additions to Android materialize.

Android Police was able to get their hands on a leaked copy of Google Play Services, an application that’s rumored to be getting detailed and launched this week at Google’s I/O event. According to the outlet, an updated version of he Play Services app includes massive changes like support for an embedded system for gaming notifications, saved game syncing, matchmaking, invites, scoring, leaderboards, and most notably achievements.

If the updated services are intended to be released anytime soon, Google would have managed to strike a huge blow against mobile gaming in all forms. It’s Android platform has already overtaken the iPhone, and completely eclipses Windows Phone.

Despite a weakened Nintendo and Sony the move would be most damaging for Windows Phone. When the platform debuted, it was believed that Microsoft would finally create it’s own mobile version of the Xbox LIVE experience to users. Unfortunately, this has yet to happen.

So you’ve had all the family togetherness, awkward dates, spoiled sports stars and overrated high-brow writing you can take this weekend? We’ve compiled The Favs, some of the best connected entertainment stories from this past week to feed your need for intellectual growth short of going back to work tomorrow morning. Some of it’s original reporting, and some of it is the work of others.

The Philosophy of SimCity: An Interview With the Game’s Lead Designer

Yeah, yeah I know. We’ve averaged about one article on Maxis’ SimCity game each week since we began the column. Why? We find that that the story of the game’s systems and development are a perfect microcosm of where games on Windows devices are headed. This week, The Atlantic took a deep dive with the title’s series designer. The Philosophy of SimCity, An Interview with the Game’s Lead Designer

 

Netflix, Reed Hastings Survives Missteps to Joins Silicon Valley’s Elite

Everyone loves a good come back story, and if you don’t -well there is something wrong with you. Regardless of if you’re a subscriber or not, the fact remains that Reed Hasting’s Netflix has changed the nature of video-on-demand, subscription services, and digital entertainment in the last eight years. While BusinessWeek‘s piece goes into every nook and cranny, the fact remains that you don’t need to read seven pages to understand why Netflix is a big deal. Also, the guy has bravado. You just can’t teach that. Netflix And Reed Hastings Survive Missteps to Join Silicon Valley’s Elite 

 

 

How Internet Explorer 10 was Inspired by iPad Users

If there was ever any doubt in your mind that Microsoft is primary a numbers driven design machine these days, the tale of how Microsoft choose to create a Metro version of it’s Internet Explorer browser void of any persistent on-screen elements will solve that. We counted references of at least four separate polls and studies in this piece from ArsTechnica. Not that there’s anything wrong with numbers generated data design, it’s just more likely that those users were using tablets.How Internet Explorer 10 Was Inspired by iPad Users

 

 

Windows Phone, Who do you trust?

Forget whatever nonsense you might have read about which Windows Phone vendors are better, or how HTC devices have some enhanced designed techniques. In this forum post, Charms55 completely details exactly why choosing a Windows Phone device from what’s popular might not be as complicated of an idea as you think. Today’s Game: Who Do You Trust?

 

Microsoft is investigating purchasing Barnes & Noble’s entire digital book business. According to documents obtained by TechCrunch, Microsoft is investigating the outright purchase of Nook Business from it’s current partner Barnes & Noble.

Reportedly, Microsoft would purchase Nook Media’s digital business which currently includes the Nook tablet itself as well as the Nook e-book market for periodicals, and text books as well as fiction and non fiction writing. While the purchase would include the Nook tablet division, it seems Nook already has plans to discontinue it’s dedicated tablets in favor of partnering with other devices sometime in 2014. The company doesn’t seem to have any plans to discontinue it’s dedicated e-readers.

These documents indicate a possible purchase price of at $1 billion dollars, well below the $1.8 billion Nook Media was valued at earlier this year. If the purchase comes to fruition it would be Microsoft’s latest move to shore up holes in it’s digital content offerings. Currently it offers music, television shows and movies to through Xbox Music and Xbox Video, and games through Xbox proper. Adding Nook to the fold would complete Microsoft’s digital media offerings.

In addition to announcing updated sales numbers for it’s Windows 8 operating system, Microsoft has revealed that it will make a preview version of it’s next update to Windows 8, Windows Blue available to the public at it’s BUILD Conference this June.

Possible Windows Blue features and changes have been leaking for months. So far the company seems to be attempting to deal with a lot of the hassle that comes along with owning a Windows 8 device, mainly the dual nature of the Metro interface and the Desktop. Leaked improvements include an integrated SkyDrive application for syncing files and settings automatically, the inclusion of more settings into the Metro environment, and new system requirements that should allow the operating system to ship or devices with smaller screens than 10.1 inches. According to a post at Blogging Windows, this will be a public preview, meaning even those not in attendance at the BUILD will be able to download the operating system and install it on their machines.

Microsoft plans to make a final version of Windows Blue available to users sometime this fall.

This morning the company announced that it had sold 100 million licenses of Windows 8, making it as much of a hot seller as it’s predecessor, Windows 7. That’s certainly isn’t bad news for Microsoft, the company has had a constant battle with critics over the popularity and usability of Windows 8 since it was released last October. Regardless, the company remains quiet on actual Windows 8 activation numbers and since these licensing could have been used on PCs that haven’t been sold to consumers, we’ll have to wait to pass judgment on how the operating system is performing.

BUILD is scheduled to begin June 26th and conclude on June 28th.

Starting immediately, Windows Phone users can now get their fill of the latest television shows the day after they air with Hulu Plus for Windows Phone.

According to The Windows Phone Blog, the application -which is now available in the Windows Phone Store, allows users to view Hulu Plus’ entire catalog of television shows, movies, clips and trailers. It should be noted that while the application itself is free, Hulu requires users to have a Hulu Plus subscription in order to use any of it’s applications. Users can only watch content for free via Hulu.com

While this isn’t the first time the service has been made available for users on one of Microsoft’s platforms, it’s only the second time that users have been able to get their hands on Hulu on via a Microsoft platform without having to first pay Microsoft for access to it. Since Hulu Plus launched on Microsoft’s Xbox platform, users have had to pay for a Hulu Plus subscription and the cost of an Xbox LIVE Gold subscription before being able to enjoy the service’s library on the Xbox 360. Hulu Plus on Windows also doesn’t have this requirement.

In addition to streaming content, Hulu Plus on Windows Phone also allows users to have the application surface popular shows on their device’s lockscreen and Live Tile. Hulu Plus will not work on devices running Windows Phone 7.8 or Windows Phone 7.5.

Download Hulu Plus for Windows Phone

So you’ve had all the family togetherness, awkward dates, spoiled sports stars and overrated high-brow writing you can take this weekend? We’ve compiled The Favs, some of the best connected entertainment stories from this past week to feed your need for intellectual growth short of going back to work tomorrow morning. Some of it’s original reporting, and some of it is the work of others.

 

Iron Man 3 Review

It’s not every year that movie goers are treated to a picture in which one man explores the limits of technology to fight crime and the forces of evil. As it turns out, the average actually works out to be about once every two years. The Verge offers their take on the latest installment in the Iron Man franchise. Iron Man 3 Review

 

Maintaining Quality Low End Smartphones

One of the things that devices based on Google’s Android struggle with is the ability to create devices at every price point and still have a quality user experience. So far, Microsoft has been able to use the Windows Phone 7.8 and Windows Phone 8 chassis specifications to create  low-cost devices -mostly by optimizing the operating system for just one internal system-on-a-chip motherboard and then drive the cost down as much as possible as the chip ages. Our friends at All About Windows Phone attempt to ask the tough questions about how Microsoft can maintain the level of quality of Windows Phone, on lower priced devices like the Nokia Lumia 571. Making Sure Good Enough is Always Good Enough

 

 

What is ‘next-gen’?

We’ve been on something of a crusade since the announcement of the Wii U. Contrary to what Nintendo would have you believe, in our opinion the Wii U is nothing more than last generation’s hardware with a next generation controller. (We’d argue that even that last part is dubious since the Wii U’s controller features a resistive touch screen, but we digress.) GamertagRadio has an exceptional long form examination of what it takes to be a ”next generation console” in the actual sense of the term. What is Next Gen?

 

 

Of a Gaming Focused Xbox Reveal and This Not Being 2005

Now that Microsoft has revealed that users can expect an updated Xbox console (yes, we know -big surprise), there seems to be a growing number of traditional gaming fans who want this console’s launch to focus on traditional gaming improvements like more friends on Xbox LIVE, and only talk about the latest new titles. Yeah, those people are nuts. Of a Gaming Focused Xbox Reveal and This Not Being 2005

 

Staring today, Xbox LIVE users can save big on all their favorite Serious Sam related content as part of this week’s Xbox LIVE Deal of The Week.

The discounted pricing includes Serious Sam 3: BFE, Series Sam 3: BFE Jewel of the Nile, Serious Sam HD: TSE, Series Sam HD: TFE and Series Sam Double D XXL, all of which are available until May 13th for 400 Microsoft Points ($5).

Remember, this pricing only pertains to those users with an Xbox LIVE Gold subscription. Also, when fighting a monster with an oversized retina, it’s probably a better idea to aim for it than his feet.

Their plot lines are slowing, viewership is creeping higher, and every outlandish reality television show is on it’s way back to your television set. It’s time to settle down with popcorn and enjoy the finales of your favorite shows! If you’ve missed large parts of your favorite shows since September, now it’s to catch up with Xbox Video’s TV Season Finale Sale.

For the next week the current season of their favorite shows for relatively heap including Family Guy Season 11, American Dad Season 8, Modern Family Season 4, The Following Season 1,  Castle Season 5, Once Upon A Time Season 2, Bones Season 8, Hawaii Five-0 Season 3, Blue Bloods Season 3, CSI: New York Season 9, NCIS: Los Angeles Season 4, Vegas Season 1, Beauty and the Beast Season 1, Glee Season 4, Revenge Season 2, Grey’s Anatomy Season 9, The Mindy Project Season 1, Bob’s Burgers Season 3, How I Met Your Mother Season 8, New Girl Season 2, The Simpsons Season 24, The Cleveland Show Season 4, Law & Order Special Victims Unit Season 14, Chicago Fire Season 1, Touch Season One, Go On Season 1, Saturday Night Live Season 38 and Emily Owens M.D. Season One.

Multiple seasons of some shows have also been discounted as part of the sale including Grimm Seasons 1-2, Parks and Recreation Seasons 1-5, 90210 Seasons 1-5, Parenthood Seasons 1-4, Smash Seasons 1-2, The Amazing Race Seasons 21-22 and Whitney Seasons 1-2.

There it is, the biggest television sale in Xbox Video this side of January. Take advantage folks, because from here on out we’ve got nothing to look forward to but music competition shows on the broadcast networks and hour long cable network dramas that always seem to revolve around “characters” and how the USA Network welcomes them.

Though, let’s be real here, no one actually expected Whitney Cumming’s Whitney to get a full two seasons to begin with.

So you’ve had all the family togetherness, awkward dates, spoiled sports stars and overrated high-brow writing you can take this weekend? We’ve compiled The Favs, some of the best connected entertainment stories from this past week to feed your need for intellectual growth short of going back to work tomorrow morning. Some of it’s original reporting, and some of it is the work of others.  

Windows Phone 8 Concepts

1800PocketPC has a collection of the most delectable conceptual screens for a possible Windows Phone update that we’ve ever seen. Sure, the creator doesn’t work for Microsoft and we’ll probably never get to experience how awesome they would be on devices of our own but, we can look. Windows Phone 8 “Blue” Concepts

Windows Phones in the American Market

AllAboutWindowsPhone delivers some insightful analysis of why it thinks Windows Phone devices are having such a hard time catching on in the American Market. Those who have a hard time understanding why the platform isn’t taken seriously by the nation’s wireless carriers should also take a look. Here’s a hint, it has something to do with subsidies. Why Does Windows Phone and America Not Mix

EA Shuts Down SIMCITY PR

When we’re in need of an explanation on any political technology issue we turn to TechDirt. While were not big PC gamers, there is no denying that most of them are doing so using Windows powered devices. What that in mind and the fact that we’ve come to the brink of buying SIMCITY every week since it’s release, we were very keen on the publication’s assessment of how the PR nightmare of EA’s online-only play requirement suddenly went away. Even if you aren’t interested in the game, read this one -these are the same people who create your favorite console titles.  EA Shuts Down SIMCITY PR

How iTunes Saved a Generation

The current king of the technology long form kingdom, The Verge delivers a terrific celebration of the things iTunes has accomplished in the last 10 years. Sure this is a Microsoft focused site, however let’s not pretend like we don’t owe Zune’s brief existence to iTunes. Let’s also not pretend like we don’t all know that without Zune and the things it spawned, I.E. the Metro Design language, Microsoft would have still been foisting the same tired consumer products at us. iTunes Store at 10

So you’ve had all the family togetherness, awkward dates, spoiled sports stars and overrated high-brow writing you can take this weekend? We’ve compiled The Favs, some of the best connected entertainment stories from this past week to feed your need for intellectual growth short of going back to work tomorrow morning. Some of it’s original reporting, and some of it is the work of others.  

Windows Phone 8 Concepts

1800PocketPC has a collection of the most delectable conceptual screens for a possible Windows Phone update that we’ve ever seen. Sure, the creator doesn’t work for Microsoft and we’ll probably never get to experience how awesome they would be on devices of our own but, we can look. Windows Phone 8 “Blue” Concepts

Windows Phones in the American Market

AllAboutWindowsPhone delivers some insightful analysis of why it thinks Windows Phone devices are having such a hard time catching on in the American Market. Those who have a hard time understanding why the platform isn’t taken seriously by the nation’s wireless carriers should also take a look. Here’s a hint, it has something to do with subsidies. Why Does Windows Phone and America Not Mix

EA Shuts Down SIMCITY PR

When we’re in need of an explanation on any political technology issue we turn to TechDirt. While were not big PC gamers, there is no denying that most of them are doing so using Windows powered devices. What that in mind and the fact that we’ve come to the brink of buying SIMCITY every week since it’s release, we were very keen on the publication’s assessment of how the PR nightmare of EA’s online-only play requirement suddenly went away. Even if you aren’t interested in the game, read this one -these are the same people who create your favorite console titles.  EA Shuts Down SIMCITY PR

How iTunes Saved a Generation

The current king of the technology long form kingdom, The Verge delivers a terrific celebration of the things iTunes has accomplished in the last 10 years. Sure this is a Microsoft focused site, however let’s not pretend like we don’t owe Zune’s brief existence to iTunes. Let’s also not pretend like we don’t all know that without Zune and the things it spawned, I.E. the Metro Design language, Microsoft would have still been foisting the same tired consumer products at us. iTunes Store at 10

The Favs: April 28th