Microsoft has officially announced their newest product for the Xbox 360, Xbox Smart Glass, and it will turn your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch into an extension of your favorite console games.
Imagine playing a game of Halo and using your iPhone to show you the mini-map, or your iPad to talk with team mates, and you have the right idea. And while you won’t be able to stream full games from your Xbox 360 to your iPhone or iPad, this still sounds pretty great.
The iOS version of Namco’s classic 3D swords-and-sorcery fighter Soul Calibur has been in the App Store for about a month now (and recently got an update guaranteeing 60FPS gameplay on all A5 devices), but if you want the true Apple Soul Calibur experience, you should check out the latest sequel for the consoles, Soul Calibur V. Only there can you create a character that looks exactly like Steve Jobs, then make him bludgeon sexy miniskirt babes, whip-tailed lizard men, and cyborg nights to death with a literal Apple. Awesome.
Apple has made another addition to its team this week with a former Microsoft Product Marketing chief, Robin Burrowes, joining the ranks to become the head of App Store Marketing for iTunes Europe. Burrowes was previously part of Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE team, and he’s not the first gaming executive to head for Cupertino as Apple gets serious about battling consoles head on.
Facing a storm of criticism over the working conditions in factories building iPods, iPhones and iPads, Apple today for the first time released the names of 156 global suppliers along with a report showing mixed success obtaining fair working conditions. One bright spot: fewer children are working on the much-prized Apple devices.
Foxconn workers at an Xbox plant in China threatened a mass suicide earlier this month after the manufacturer reportedly refused to pay compensation it had promised earlier. Today, Microsoft and Foxconn have announced that the dispute has now been resolved.
Apple production partner Foxconn has been tied to worker suicides in the past, but a new wrinkle emerged earlier this month. According to reports, a group of 300 Chinese employees building Xbox 360 game consoles threatened suicide by jumping off the roof of a factory.
Microsoft has recently shown a surprising willingness to develop all sorts of software for rival mobile operating systems, with a number of popular releases for iOS devices in particular. Many believed, however, Microsoft would make Xbox LIVE games exclusive to its Windows Phone platform in a bid to encourage gamers to adopt Windows Phone devices.
But according to a recent Microsoft job listing, it seems that may not be the case. The software giant is currently looking for an experienced developer who will “bring the latest and greatest gaming and entertainment experience to mobile platforms including Windows Phone, iOS, and other mobile platforms.”
Microsoft seems more than willing to spend its time on developing software for Apple’s iOS platform, despite it being a direct competitor to its Windows Phone operating system. Why? We don’t know. But we like it.
Especially when the company throws up gems like Kinectimals. My kids love this game on the Xbox 360, which takes advantage of Microsoft’s Kinect accessory, and now it’s available for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Gameloft is famous for producing terrific iOS games that are inspired by hit releases on consoles like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Its upcoming release, Six Guns, will appeal to those who are fans of Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption.This trailer shows off the wild west gun slinger in all its glory, and it looks pretty darn awesome.
A new iOS app from Penny Arcade is set to hit the App Store next month with a mission to help you discover your next gaming addiction. Called the Decide-o-tron 8000, the app builds up a library of games based on what you like and what you don’t, then uses its predictive technology to tell you what you should be playing next.