gaming

iOS vs Android: The game dev edition

When the iPhone arrived six years ago, it was the hot commodity. It didn't take long for Apple's sleek, powerful smartphone to dominate the mobile phone market -- and one of its greatest draws was a rapidly growing software marketplace, curated and quality controlled, bringing extraordinarily useful features to what was essentially a pocket-size computer.

However, competitors weren't far behind. Some have continued on, others have failed, but by far the biggest is Internet giant Google's mobile operating system, Android. In fact, the number of Android devices activated outnumbers iOS devices by a mile -- 750 million Android to 600 million iOS.

Nevertheless, as we and many of you well know, the iTunes app marketplace seems vastly superior in quality of content, in spite of Apple's barriers to entry, such as a registration fee for app sellers, and the fact that Google Play is rapidly catching up in terms of quantity and downloads. Apple has pipped 50 billion downloads across over 900,000 apps, while Google Play is currently counting down to that number across 750,000 apps. But there's an even greater discrepancy in app revenue. A massive 76 percent of the entire revenue generated by apps goes to iOS -- leaving the other 24 percent of the pie to all other operating systems.… Read more

Review: Dots offers a unique twist on Match 3 gameplay

Dots is a very attractive and ultimately fun twist on the classic Match 3 genre of mobile games. Using familiar tropes such as the 60-second time limit, high score tracking, and multicolor game board, it's immediately accessible, but just different enough to be engaging beyond the initial playthrough.

As expected, Dots places dots onscreen in a number of colors. You have to drag your finger across them in order to take them off the screen. The five-second tutorial covers this nicely and prepares you for the 60-second high score run. Try to match as many adjacent dots as you … Read more

Scientists dissect the weather in 'Game of Thrones'

In the fictional "Game of Thrones" world of Westeros, only one thing seems more inevitable than the show's unending wanton violence and each of the story's heroes meeting an untimely death: winter is coming.

Fans of the HBO show based on George R.R. Martin's novels will know that the problem for the various Westorosi clans is that exactly when winter will arrive and how long it will last is anyone's guess. Summer in the fantasy world may last for years, but when winter sets in -- and there's no apparent way to predict when that will happen -- it can last for generations.

Now, at last, science is stepping in to aid fans and Ravens alike by positing an explanation for why all efforts to adopt an effective system of fictional meteorological forecasting seem so hopeless. A group of graduate students from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University have published a research paper (PDF) suggesting that the most likely cause of the unpredictable weather in Westeros is that the world is orbiting not one, but two stars.… Read more

Facebook mimics Twitter with hashtags

CNET Update is #trending:

In this episode of Update:

- Follow trending stories on Facebook with hashtags.

- Get excited for universal game controllers for iPhones and iPads.

- Lose a dimension when ESPN drops its 3D channel.

- Keep track of all the Galaxy S4 smartphones, as Samsung reveals the S4 Active.

- Print anywhere from your Android phone with the Cloud Print app.

CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under three minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for a breakdown of the big stories, hot devices, new apps, and what's ahead. Subscribe to the … Read more

Game change: iOS 7 welcoming game controllers is a big deal

With one small feature, iOS 7 might introduce the biggest change in iOS gaming since the App Store.

There's something I've wished for on both the iPhone and iPad for years: a true, universal, dedicated game controller. iOS 7 has granted my wish: indeed, one of the small but very significant additions to the next mobile OS announced at WWDC allows for third-party controllers. It's funny this happened to be announced during E3, because it just might be the trigger to change the mobile gaming industry.

Why it's big Third-party accessory-makers have tried making game controllers … Read more

Amazon runs out of 'Launch Edition' PlayStation 4

If you're hoping to preorder the PlayStation 4, turning to Amazon might not be your best bet.

The company's initial supply of "Launch Edition" PlayStation 4 units has been exhausted. Amazon has now resorted to selling the "Standard Edition," which won't be available until December 31. When clicking on the "Launch Edition" option on Amazon's page, the company indicates that it's unsure "when or if this item will be back in stock."

Luckily, those looking for a PlayStation 4 on launch day -- which Sony is keeping … Read more

Video gamers outperform nongamers in vision test

Ladies and gentlemen, may I now present your deep thought of the day: People who play video games are better at playing video games than people who don't play video games.

OK, new findings out of Duke may be a bit more complex than that, but there's not much of a spoiler alert to this one. Hours spent at a gaming console seem to translate directly to a test, taken at a computer, of how the brain tracks visual stimuli, according to a new study at the Duke School of Medicine.… Read more

Xbox One and PS4: Two peas in an E3 pod

Who won E3 so far? Was it the Xbox One? Or, was it the PS4 that kicked its butt? Did Sony dominate, totally smack down Microsoft, and run away with Best in Show?

All I know, from a distance, is this: boy, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 look a lot alike.

The picture above is from a classic "Star Trek" episode featuring two different alien races that fought bitterly but were more alike than they dared to admit. Sound familiar?

The moment the PS4 was unveiled, in its boxy glory, you couldn't help but be reminded … Read more

Game of Drones: Where UAVs meet paintball

Mucking around with monarchical politics and swords is all well and good, but a remote-controlled toy drone involves around 98 percent less decapitation and at least 54 percent more fun. At least we assume that's part of the reasoning behind Game of Drones, a collective of artists, inventors, robot builders, video producers, and designers who modify drones for a bit of friendly competition.

In the past, the team has created an "unbreakable drone" and a teeny-tiny drone fitted with a rocket launcher. But the most recent drone allows its pilot to play paintball -- via remote control. … Read more

Nvidia: Next-gen consoles still can't keep up with our chips

Nvidia doesn't seem happy with news that Advanced Micro Devices has all but won this generation's console cycle.

The company pointed out Wednesday in an interview with The Verge that, while the next-generation consoles are notably more powerful on the graphics side, they still can't compete with the chips Nvidia is producing on the PC side.

"I'm glad the new consoles are here," Nvidia Senior Vice President Tony Tamasi told The Verge. "If for no other reason than to raise the bar." He also pointed out to The Verge that his company'… Read more