Balkam

Apple Again Predicted to Launch a 7-Inch iPad

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:25:00 PST

It's again being predicted that Apple will launch a 7-inch iPad, though not at the early March event. Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, made the prediction to Computer World.

Gottheil went out on a smaller limb for another pair of predictions, saying that he expects Apple to roll out a smaller 7-in. iPad -- though not at the upcoming event -- and perhaps tout a specially-designed wireless keyboard-case accessory for its tablet.

"I believe that's always been in the plan" said Gottheil of a small iPad, contradicting past comments by Steve Jobs. "Actually that's a good form factor for some users, and although they will also charge a premium above other similar-sized tablets, they want to protect that price flank."

A 7-inch iPad has been predicted countless times in the past. The most recent being a report from DigiTimes who said, "In order to cope with increasing market competition including the 7-inch Kindle Fire from Amazon and the launch of large-size smartphones from handset vendors, Apple has been persuaded into the development of 7.85-inch iPads."

Read More [via BGR]

source : Iclarified

Unknown HTC phone running ICS pops up, looks Incredible

noreply@blogger.com (xnuxer) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:07:00 PST

What's this we have here? Well, clearly it's an HTC phone, but it looks different to what we've seen before. If the pictures are to be believed, we're looking at an Android 4.0 device with HTC's Sense 4.0 on top. There's LTE on board, and what looks like Verizon's splash-screen, meaning there's every reason to believe this is destined for the US. The rest of the specs suggest it's packing a dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor, backed up by 1GB of RAM, Beats Audio and an 8-megapixel shooter. Given that the Rezound already purrs along on a 1.5GHz chip and that embossed backing looks oh-so familiar, it doesn't seem out of line to wager this is the next-gen Incredible with a bump in clock speed. What also catches our eye is the inclusion of hardware buttons, leaving open the possibility that this might just be a prototype after all. We're too not hopeful we'll learn much more before MWC, but we'll keep our eyes on the trail all the same.

Source: PhoneArena

Mobile Phones: Before and After the iPhone [Image]

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:06:00 PST

Here's a snapshot of the what mobile phones looked like before and after the iPhone.

[via @Digeratii] [via AppAdvice]

source : iclarified

Leaked Photo of iPad 3 Rear Shell Reveals Various Changes?

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:05:00 PST

RepairLabs has posted a purported photo of the back housing for the iPad 3 which shows that various changes are in store for the upcoming device.

A. You can see here that the mounts for the logic board are very different, which means the logic board shape will be different allowing for . . . .

B. More battery. The width of where the logic board sits on the iPad 2 appears much larger than that of the iPad 3. We have long heard that the iPad 3 was going to provide longer battery life, and this back housing seems to support that.

C. The camera is different. It is hard to make a judgment just by looking at the casing, but what we can expect is a different camera on the iPad 3 than what we had on the 2.

D. LCD will be different than what we have had before. Whether or not it will be the super screen we have seen reported will have to wait. But the different mounting does mean that the LCD has been redesigned at the very least.

RepairLabs says that their insiders found the housing to be about the same thickness as the iPad 2. They also noted they've not received the LCD yet which could be due to secrecy or because the final product has not been signed off on.

Read More [via MacRumors]

source : iclarified

Chrome Browser Updated to Pre-Render Autocomplete URLs

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:04:00 PST

Google has released an update to its Chrome web browser that pre-renders autocomplete urls as you type them in.

With today's Stable release, Chrome now does the same thing. Except not with sandwiches. When you start typing in the omnibox and the URL autocompletes to a site you're very likely to visit, Chrome will prerender the page, so it will appear faster--sometimes, even instantly--as soon as you hit Enter.

Chrome has also been updated to check .exe and .msi files for malicious content.

On the security front, Chrome now does even more to help protect you from malicious downloads. In addition to checking a list of known bad files, Chrome also does checks on executable files (like ".exe" and ".msi" files). If the executable doesn't match a whitelist, Chrome checks with Google for more information, such as whether the website you're accessing hosts a high number of malicious downloads.

You can download the latest stable build of Google Chrome from here.

source : iclarified

EA Releases Free Battlefield 3: Aftershock Game for iOS

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:03:00 PST

Electronic Arts has released Battlefield 3: Aftershock free for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Features:
• Free to Play – Sharpen your skills with pulse-pounding combat
• Play as a Team – Immerse yourself in intense multiplayer team battles
• Leading Edge Graphics – Stunning visuals fully optimized for iOS
• 4 Weapons – You'll be geared-up from the start, PLUS unlock a 5th bonus weapon

You can download Battlefield 3: Aftershock from the App Store for free.

Read More

source : iclarified

FireCore Releases aTV Flash 1.3 With Automated SHSH Blobs Backup

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:01:00 PST

FireCore has released aTV Flash 1.3, an update to their software package that supercharges your black AppleTV.

New in version 1.3 is an option to automatically backup firmware signatures. This feature will integrate seamlessly with the upcoming version of Seas0nPass, allowing for one-click restores to the firmware of your choosing.

Full Changelog
● Added automated firmware signature backups
● Added Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish translations
● Added support for advanced (learned) remote commands
● Added support for multiple external subtitles (movie.en.srt, movie.de.srt, etc...)
● Added support for folder based organization/playback
● Added support for embedded DVD chapters
● Added chapters section heading to Playback Menu
● Added global zoom setting
● Improved playback performance for movies with invalid timestamps
● Improved appearance of VobSub subtitles
● Improved metadata fetching for localized file names
● Improved audio track filtering
● Improved playback bar to match native player
● Improved metadata and bulk folder fetching stability
● Improved Media > Settings menu layout
● Resolved issues with folder name changing on metadata fetching
● Resolved issues with buffering
● Resolved rare DVD related crash
● Resolved floating AFP issue that was causing connection issues
● Resolved floating buffer overflow in software decoder
● Minor changes to Grid View appearance
● Minor UI improvements
● Other miscellaneous bug fixes

You can purchase aTV Flash for $29.95 or download the update at the link below...

Read More

source : iclarified

Apple to Update Siri With Support for Chinese, Japanese, and Russian Next Month?

noreply@blogger.com (xnuxer) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:57:00 PST

Apple will reportedly update Siri with support for Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Russian languages next month, according to a DoNews report relayed by Penn-Olson.

The Chinese tech site DoNews claims to have heard from an Apple engineer who's working on the Chinese-language version of Siri, the clever voice assistant on the iPhone 4S. From this source it claims that Siri will launch in Chinese next month, and is already undergoing internal testing this month.

In addition to understanding and speaking Chinese, Siri will soon also be able to give local information and navigation – something that's currently limited only to the US. At present, the Siri assistant speaks English, French, and German. So if you're Chinese, you'll have to ask it stuff in English for the time being.

Chinese support is said to be limited to Mandarin for now. Japanese and Russian support is also predicted to arrive next month.

Apple has officially said "in 2012, Siri will support additional languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian, and Spanish." So it's just a matter of determining when it will be available for those users.

Read More [via MacRumors]

source : iclarified

Replace Your Car Stereo With the iPhone Powered Devium Dash

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:41:00 PST

The Devium Dash is an iPhone powered replacement for your car stereo head unit.

The double-DIN unit features a faceplate that your iPhone docks into. The body offers 4x50w of power and also has 2 preamps running at 2V for front and rear/sub. Dash will also feature video pass-through for sending your video to an external monitor, FM Tuner, Bluetooth, and Aux-In.

Today's smartphones provide a level of connectivity, accessibility, and usability that has not been possible in the car audio market. Dash doesn't require that you learn a new interface to use your stereo. You already know how to use your phone to access your music, your navigation app, your phone calls, and the incredible number of other apps in your phone's marketplace.

While phones are very personal devices, people get new ones every few years. You may remain loyal to the same brand or move to a new company. No matter how frequently you update phones, Dash will be there ready to support you. Our innovative interchangeable faceplate design allows you to keep your phone at the center of your car.

The project has reached $22,000 of its $45,000 goal with 43 days left for funding. A pledge of $250 will get you one unit.

Read More [via TiPb]

source : iclarified

Retina Display Screenshots Are Now an App Store Requirement

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:40:00 PST

Apple today informed developers that Retina Display screenshots are now a requirement for iPhone and iPod touch apps.

Required iPhone & iPod touch Screenshot Upgrade for Retina Display
When you create or update your apps in iTunes Connect, you must upload screenshots that are high-resolution. We require your screenshots as high-resolution images so that your app is optimized for the Retina display.

The requirements for high-resolution images are 960 x 640, 960 x 600, 640 x 960, or 640 x 920 pixels. Images must be at least 72 dpi, in the RGB color space, and the file must be .jpeg, .jpg, .tif, .tiff, or .png. You can update your screenshot files at any time in iTunes Connect.

Apple also informed developers that they will be notified if the app binary submitted will exceed the cellular network download size limit.

New Notification for Binaries Exceeding Cellular Network Download Size Limit
Admin and Technical users will now be notified if your resulting binary size for the App Store exceeds the cellular network download size limit of 20MB. Exceeding the limit requires your app to be downloaded over Wi-Fi. This information can help you determine if you want to resubmit your binary in order to reduce the size of your app.

source : iclarified

Samsung Unveils Television Remote With Voice Recogition Capabilities

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:39:00 PST

Samsung has unveiled a television remote which feature voice recognition capabilities, reports TechOn.

The voice recognition function used for the remote is basically the same as the one used for the "ES8000" smart TV, which Samsung exhibited at the 2012 International CES in January. By speaking to the microphone embedded in the remote, it is possible to change channels or sound volume, input characters, etc.

Samsung improved transmission and reception between the remote and the TV by using Bluetooth and infrared communication at the same time. The remote can also be used for controlling a set-top box, Blu-ray Disc player, etc.

The remote will be offered as an accessory for a smart TV to be released in 2012. In additional to voice recognition, the remote also features a touch pad.

With its new television offerings, Samsung is hoping to stem competition from the rumored Apple television which is said to feature Siri integration and gestures.

Read More [via BGR]

source : iclarified

iPhone is Best Selling U.S. Handset But Android Attracts More First-Time Buyers

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:26:00 PST

Apple surpassed Samsung and LG to become the best-selling U.S. handset brand in Q4 of 2011 but more first-time smartphone buyers are choosing Android, according to The NPD Group.

Apple's three available models combined to capture 43 percent of the U.S. smartphone market in Q4. The iPhone 4S was the most popular model, outselling the iPhone by 75% and outselling the iPhone 3GS by five to one.

-
Together, Android and iPhone accounted for over 90 percent of smartphone sales, with Android holding on to 48 percent of the smartphone market during the quarter; however, Android devices performed better among first-time smartphone buyers. Based on the latest data from The NPD Group's monthly Smartphone Track service, among the first-time smartphone buyers in Q4, 57 percent purchased Android phones compared to just 34 percent who purchased iPhones.

"Android has been criticized for offering a more complex user experience than its competitors, but the company's wide carrier support and large app selection is appealing to new smartphone customers," Rubin said. "Android's support of LTE at Verizon has also made it the exclusive choice for customers who want to take advantage of that carrier's fastest network."

The overall share of mobile phone sales that are smartphones continued to climb in Q4 2011, reaching 68 percent of the total mobile phone market, which is an increase of 18 percentage points since Q4 2010. Based on the latest data from NPD's monthly Mobile Phone Track service, average selling prices for smartphones increased eight dollars over the prior quarter, reaching $143 in Q4 2011, which is still below average price of $149 in Q4 2010.
-

Top five best-selling mobile phone handsets in Q4:
1. Apple iPhone 4S
2. Apple iPhone 4
3. Apple iPhone 3GS
4. Samsung GALAXY S II
5. Samsung GALAXY S 4G

Read More

source : iclarified

Top 25 iPhone Auto Correct Fails [NSFW]

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:24:00 PST

Damn You Auto Correct has posted their Top 25 Auto Correct Fails.

Check out a few of them below or hit the link for the complete list.

Read More [via BGR]

source : iclarified

Halliburton to Switch Employees From BlackBerrys to iPhones

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:23:00 PST

Halliburton, one of the world's largest energy service corporations, plans to phase out thousands of BlackBerrys for iPhones, reports AppleInsider.

"Over the next year, we will begin expanding the use of our mobile technology by transitioning from the BlackBerry (RIM) platform that we currently use to smartphone technology via the iPhone," the firm told employees in an internal newsletter this month.

The decision came after the company did "significant research" into both iOS and Android and "determined that the iOS platform offered the best capabilities, controls and security for application development."

"Approximately 4,500 Halliburton employees currently have BlackBerrys," a spokeswoman for the company confirmed to AppleInsider. "We are making this transition in order to better support our mobile applications initiatives."

Halliburton actively "engaged with Apple on this transition" which will roll out over the next two years.

Read More

source : iclarified

AT&T is Now Throttling 'Unlimited' Data Plans After 2GBs of Data Use

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:22:00 PST

AT&T is now throttling customers on unlimited data plans after they've surpassed 2GBs of data use, reveals John Cozen.

Cozen, an AT&T customer who had been grandfathered in to the 'unlimited' data plan with AT&T, was surprised to receive a high usage alert from the company after reaching only 2.1GB of data use. The alert informed him that he was in the top 5% of data users and would be subjected to near unusable speeds.

Thinking there was a mistake he contacted AT&T where he was informed that anything over 2GB is top 5%.

To give you a baseline - the average data use across the country by the top 5% of AT&T smartphone customers was 2GB per month, effective August 2011.

This is a pretty despicable move by AT&T to stay within their legal requirement to offer 'unlimited' data but at speeds so slow that you would be better off switching to a tiered data plan.

Read More [via CultofMac]

source : iclarified

ZFS References Reportedly Found in iOS 5.1 Beta

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:21:00 PST

References to ZFS, a file system that offers superior data integrity, have been found in the latest iOS 5.1 beta, according to iMore.

Originally developed by SUN, ZFS was once heading to OS X; however, Apple stopped work on implementing it in 2009. Coincidentally, the Apple engineer who headed up work on ZFS has just released ZEVO to bring the file system to OS X.

In an article posted last week, iMore now reveals that references to this file system have been found in iOS.

What sets this iOS implementation apart from some of the very original, official, OS X ports of ZFS is that it already contains the ZFS utilities (zpool, zdump, etc). By having the utilities already installed it means that the port is in a more complete stage of development and has full read + write access (unlike the original OS X ports).

At the time Apple dropped its ZFS project, it was rumored that licensing issues with Sun Microsystems were to blame. Oracle has since purchased Sun and many have voiced hope that Apple might once again take up the project.

Read More [via Louie]

source : iclarified

Apple's Television May Be Called the iTV

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:20:00 PST

Apple's rumored television may be called the iTV, according to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek.

Using iTV as the name of its television sounds perfect for Apple but it might be difficult to accomplish. There are numerous companies using the iTV trademark, including a major TV network in the UK, that might take issue with Apple using the term. Though, Apple may just use their clout to steamroll them.

Bloomberg reports that in his note to investors, Misek says that the television may leverage iPhone and iPad video "into a YouTube-like model."

Apple may also buy access to exclusive and non-exclusive programs, possibly through a partnership with carriers such as AT&T and Verizon, according to Misek. "Lower margins and higher risks" are likely to drive away Apple from creating its own content, he wrote.

On the same lines a note from Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster offers three scenarios for how Apple could get content for its rumored Apple Television.

Read More

source : iclarified

News Hubs Galleries Videos Podcasts The Recap Authors Store FOLLOW US ON TWITTER SUBSCRIBE ABOUT / FAQ TIP US Announcements, Engadget Giveaway: win a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, courtesy of MHL!

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:13:00 PST

We're well aware that you may be suffering from contest withdrawls, with our Holiday Blues-Buster far in our rear-view mirror. Fortunately we're bringing the opportunity to you in a big way, as the Engadget Giveaway is now becoming a regular series! Each and every Monday we'll be offering something new, and all you have to do is enter by leaving a comment. To get us started, the MHL Consortium (that's Mobile High-definition Link, not the Mississauga Hockey League) is happy to throw the honorary first pitch by offering a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, along with an MHL adapter and cable (all valued at $700). If you haven't heard of it before, MHL technology is an audio and video interface standard that allows you to connect your mobile device to an HDTV or other type of home entertainment while doubling as a charger at the same time.

Take a moment to review the rules under the break, and leave a comment to enter!
The rules:

Leave a comment below. Any comment will do.
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
Winners will be chosen randomly. One winner will receive an unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus, MHL adapter and MHL cable.
If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. MHL Consortium and Engadget are not held liable to honor warranties or customer service.
Entries can be submitted until February 7, 2012 at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Full rules can be found here.

source : engadget

News Hubs Galleries Videos Podcasts The Recap Authors Store FOLLOW US ON TWITTER SUBSCRIBE ABOUT / FAQ TIP US Cellphones, HTC admits its bulky, quick-dying LTE phones kinda suck

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:12:00 PST

After a long streak of skyrocketing earnings, HTC's climb towards the stars seems to have stalled. Q4 was not kind to the company and CFO Winston Yung thinks he knows the reason why. During the today's earnings call Yung admitted that HTC "dropped the ball" with its selection of LTE devices. He conceded that the bulky handsets simply failed on a design and spec level -- especially when it came to battery life -- and were not selling nearly as well as expected. Unsurprisingly, the company promises to turn its fortunes around with the next product cycle, which is rumored to kick off at MWC with the Ville.

SlashGear

engadget

Apple Store Sales Have Skyrocketed [Chart]

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:34:00 PST

Apple Store sales have skyrocketed with Apple now earning over $17 million per store last quarter.

Here's some interesting statistics from Needham's Charlie Wolf and relayed by FORTUNE.

For the quarter that ended Dec. 31:
● Revenue per store: a record $17.08 million, $5 million better than Dec. 2010
● Same store sales: up 42.6% year over year
● Sales per square foot: $2,033 for the quarter, or an annualized rate of $8,133 (Tiffany's: $2,974 per sq. ft.)
● Visitors per store: up 15.3% annualized
● Share of Apple's worldwide revenue 13.2%
● International sales: 58% of Apple's worldwide total
● Stores at the end of the quarter: 361
● Square feet per store: 8,400, up from 6,000 ten years ago
● Stores planned for fiscal 2012: 40 total, about 30 overseas
● Stores planned for China: 25 over the next 3 years, up from 5 today

Check out Apple's retail growth illustrated in the chart below...

Read More

source : iclarified

iOS Apps Found to Crash More Often Than Android Apps

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:33:00 PST

iOS apps crash more often than Android apps with iOS 5.0.1 being the worst firmware for crashes, according to a Forbes report based on data from Crittercism.

The largest proportion of app crashes from both iOS and Android platforms were on iOS 5.01 with 28.64% of overall crashes (in a normalized data set). That makes sense since iOS 5 was still relatively new at that time and many apps still need to work out the kinks with the new OS. But there are also older iOS versions that have a significant proportion of app crashes. For example, iOS 4.2.10 had 12.64% of app crashes, iOS 4.3.3 had 10.66% and iOS 4.1 had 8.24%. One other point that this made clear to me is that many people apparently take their time updating their iPhone software or never update it at all.

It's unclear why iOS saw more crashes than Android; especially since Android is running on a wider variety of hardware and has released more versions of its operating system. According to the data, there were at least 23 different iOS operating systems on which apps had crashed and 33 Android operating systems on which apps had crashed. Crittercism CEO Andrew Levy said, "It can be a mix of both hardware and software issues that developers may or may not be responding to."

One possible explanation is that iOS developers can't fix bugs quickly due to Apple's approval process. Often it takes at least a week for an update to be approved. Even an emergency request takes about two days. This is often devastating for developers who rack up negative publicity as they wait for their update to go out to customers. With Android, developers can fix issues that come up and immediately seed the new version.

Read More

source : iclarified

Apple's iPhone Business is Bigger Than All of Microsoft Put Together

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:31:00 PST

Apple's iPhone business alone is now bigger than all of Microsoft put together, notes MG Siegler and Business Insider.

In the December quarter, Apple's iPhone business generated $24.4 billion of revenue. Microsoft's whole company, meanwhile, from Windows to Office to servers to XBox, generated $20.9 billion.

That's a pretty impressive observation. Applying Apple's average overall profit margin of 38%, the company generated about $9.3 billion for its iPhone business alone. Microsoft generated only $8.2 billion in profit.

Read More

source : iclarified

iBooks Author gets new EULA, aims to clear writer's block

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:20:00 PST

We've waxed lyrical about iBooks Author at the technological level, but a good self-publishing platform counts for nothing if authors are put off by its terms and conditions. A particular source of antagonism so far has been the notion that, if an author decides to charge a fee for their iBook, then Apple will claim exclusive distribution rights and prevent them from publishing their work anywhere else. Check out the More Coverage links below and you'll see that a number of writers tore up Apple's licensing agreement and flung it into the proverbial overflowing trash can. Now though, Cupertino has done some re-writing of its own and come up with a new EULA. It clarifies that Apple will only demand exclusive distribution rights over .ibooks files that are created with iBooks Author, rather than the book's content itself. It states that "this restriction will not apply to the content of the work when distributed in [another] form." So, there it is -- writers everywhere can happily go back to tearing up their own work again. TUAW, PCMag[1]

source : engadget

Server outage turns Harmony Link into a paperweight

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:18:00 PST

The Cloud is great place right? It's all puppy dogs and ice cream, until it isn't. We'd suspect that's what Harmony Link users who ditched their old school remotes for an iOS device are thinking right about now. You see while typical Harmony remote are only programmed via MyHarmony.com, the Harmony Link apparently requires a quick phone home to work at all. That's according to a number of users at Logitech's forums starting yesterday morning claiming their Harmony Link is now a "very nice and sleek paperweight," only showing an error when they try to turn on the TV for their not-so-super Super Bowl party tonight. While we're sure this is a temporary problem and the servers will be restored before too long, it does make you wonder why Logitech would design a solution that wouldn't work at all when a server can't be contacted.

[Thanks, Kevin]

Logitech support
engadget

Sony PS Vita demo hardware drops in at US GameStop locations, lets you go hands-on (update)

noreply@blogger.com (balkam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:17:00 PST

Live within the United State's borders? Fingers itching to spend some quality with Sony's latest portable gaming sensation before the First Edition Bundle lands on February 15th? Good news is here then, since GameStop has equipped "over 3,300" of its retail stores with PlayStation Vita demo kiosks. The rigs will you to score some quality hands-on time with many of its upcoming titles, including the likes of Uncharted: Golden Abyss and wipEout2048 -- perfect if you're not sure about reserving one just yet. Hit up the source link below to find a Vita-packing location near you, and don't forget to check out our review of the Japanese variant if you need even more help making up your mind in the meantime. Full press release after the break.

Update: We're hearing from many of you in the comments, noting you're finding Vitas at some GameStop locations locked-up, and for your eyes only. So heads-up: your mileage may vary. We also want to add that according to GameStop's website, it currently has 4,460 stores in US, meaning there's a very solid chance the one near you might not be included in the demo.

Update 2: Also worth note, a few other folks have mentioned that certain BestBuys will also let you get paws on one.

[Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.]

source : engadget