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This needs no further introduction other than Bad Lip Reading.

HP Envy TouchSmart 4 Touchscreen Ultrabook

Not everyone wants a Windows 8 Tablet.  I don't.  Although there are some nice features they bring to the party, they aren't quite powerful enough (often) to replace anything and become yet another device to charge and keep updated.  That's where something like the HP TouchSmart 4 comes in.  This is a very powerful Ultrabook with all the features of a tablet (almost), plus a lot more expansion and features that are needed for serious users.

Our HP Envy TouchSmart 4 review unit is equipped with a capable Intel i5-3317U processor. This dual-core is of the low-voltage variety, meaning it features a TDP of just 17 watts. TurboBoost 2.0 enables this processor to dynamically clock up single-threaded performance, while remaining cool and power efficient at idle.

Source: TweakTown

Garganutan Graphics Collection (NVIDIA Launches)

Normall we don't post a ton of hardware specific news on the front page, but in the last few days there have been some big graphics card launches from NVIDIA and these do certainly deserve some front-page attention.  We'll keep things as simple as we can and break the reviews down into categories.  I hope you find something useful.

GTX 780 Release Reviews:

 

GTX 770 Release Reviews:

 

"Old" Stuff:

 

Sony Might Join the Microsoft Used Game Ban

Microsoft announced with their Xbox One that used games won't actually be banned - but they will be locked to your gamertag.  This means that a friend can borrow the game if you let him log in with your gamertag, but you won't be buying or selling used games in a store or online.  While some of us consumers are outraged, this is good news for game companies as they get to sell more new copies.  Sony may be joining the Microsoft side - and not just to help game developers.  Microsoft could wipe the players information and reset the game for a fee.  Fees look attractive to Sony apparently.

The biggest issue they’re upset about is that Microsoft will charge players a fee to activate a used game on their console. Of course, it never actually confirmed this during its conference — the information came out through interviews — but Microsoft’s response has been rather dodgy and unclear, and its policy on used games is more confusing now than ever.

Source: VentureBeat

HTC One: Google Edition

A few weeks ago, Google and Samsung announced that the S4 would be available directly from Google with a bse version of Android running on it, which made hardcore Android users very happy. Yesterday HTC announced that they will also be offering the HTC One directly from Google with a base version of Android. Basically this means that you get the pure Android experience without the clumbsy HTCSense skin which is a nice option to have. If you are interested in the Google Edition of the HTC One you'll have to wait until June 26th and save up $600 bucks for this phone. Gizmodo has more details.

On Stage at the D11 conference, Google's Android chief Sundar Pichai confirmed rumors that an HTC One Google Edition running vanilla Android will be available on June 26th for $600. That means the best Android phone in the world will be available unlocked and without the often clunky HTCSense skin. Heck yeah.

PS4 is 'first and foremost a video game console'

This week at a technology conference, Sony's CEO has come out and said that the PS4 is focusing on gamers and making sure their PS4 appeals to gamers. Obviously they will have other "social" features, but unlike Microsoft (which keeps making gamers angry with their Xbox One announcements), Sony appears like they are trying to keep gamers happy at all costs. This is probably a good strategy since every time Microsoft makes an announcement they make people even more mad. Poplygon has more details over here.

Though it will have other uses yet to be revealed, the PlayStation 4 is "first and foremost a video game console," Sony president and CEO Kazuo Hirai said today during the D: All Things Digital conference.

In a briefing with reporters following his onstage appearance, Hirai said that the "most important thing" that the company needs to do in this initial phase is ensure that the next-gen console appeals to gamers.

Motorola's Moto X

Motorola has announced plans to start building their next flagship phone, the Moto X, in Texas. This would make it the first ever smartphone assembled in the U.S. which is probably a good selling point (even though assembly is a minor cost in relation to buying all the components). Motorola is of course owned by Google, but it will be interesting to see if other phone makers will follow suit down the road. Time.com has the story.

Cellphone pioneer Motorola announced Wednesday that it’s opening a Texas manufacturing facility that will create 2,000 jobs and produce its new flagship device, Moto X, the first smartphone ever assembled in the U.S.

The company has already begun hiring for the Fort Worth plant. The site was most recently unoccupied but was once used by fellow phone manufacturer Nokia, meaning it was designed to produce mobile devices, said Will Moss, a spokesman for Motorola Mobility, which is owned by Google.

Video Game Releases & Reviews

As we kick off another week here at BCCHardware, we've got a few game releases compliments of ShackNews to share with you.  There are a few good titles this time around and we even see the PSP and PSVita get some love.  It's been a while since Sony remember that they have portable game systems.

PC
  • Alltynex Second (download - $8)
  • Gunpoint (download - $10)
  • Kamui (download - $8)
  • Marvel Heroes (free-to-play)
  • Panzer Corps: Allied Corps
  • Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 (download - $5)
  • Prime World: Defenders (download - $15)
  • RefleX (download - $8)
  • Remember Me
  • Scrolls (download - $20)
 
360
  • Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 (XBLIG - $5)
  • Remember Me
 
PS3
  • Alfa Romeo Racing Italiano (PSN - PS2 Classics)
  • Remember Me
  • Ultimate Board Game Collection (PSN - PS2 Classics)
 
PSV
  • Limbo (PSN - $15)
  • Quell Memento (PSN)
 
3DS
  • Animal Crossing: New Leaf
 
PSP
  • Class of Heroes II (PSN - $25)

 

If you'd rather have other people try before you buy, check out some of these reviews.  GRID 2 is on the screen over at HardwareHeaven as is Resident Evil: Revelations for starters.  Also, TweakTown shares their thoughts on Metro: Last Light for the PC.

The Start Button is back in 8.1.... kinda

This week Microsoft announced that there will indeed be a Start button coming back in their upcoming 8.1 update, however, it will be a little different than what Windows 7 users are used to. The new start button will allow you to either go directly back to the start screen in Windows 8, or go to an "All Apps" screen where you can arrange your icons to your liking. I guess this is better than nothing and it will be interesting to see if its enough to satisfy desktop users. InformationWeek has more on this story.

Rather than replicating the Windows 7 button, the new version will connect to the Start screen -- that is, to the same Live Tile interface to which Windows 8 currently boots. Users can set the button to summon an "All Apps" view, however, in which app icons can be arranged by usage, installation date, name or category.

The Start button will most likely benefit traditional mouse-and-keyboard users, but users with touchscreens will be able to access "All Apps" by swiping from the bottom of the display. The Start button will be visible at the bottom of the taskbar when the user is in desktop mode but will only appear in the Modern UI if the user moves the mouse to the lower left-hand corner of the screen. Microsoft also said that newly installed apps will only appear on the Start Screen if the user pins them there.

Sony Vita Remote Play for all PS4 games?

Sony has asked all of their developers to include remote play options for the Vita on all of their new PS4 games. This would undoubtedly increase the popularity of the Vita (which hasn't taken off like Sony was hoping), but part of me wonders how happy developers are going to be having to do extra work. IGN has more details over here.

Remote Play compresses the PS4's experience and sends it to the Vita over local WiFi. The entire game can then be enjoyed on the handheld. Essentially, the Vita functions as a dummy terminal with the PS4 doing all of the heavy-lifting. The technology is similar to that used by streaming services such as OnLive, but the quality is greatly improved by the service functioning on a local network.

Windows 8.1

We've been hearing rumors about Windows 8.1 (formerly code named Blue) for a bit, but now some more details about what to expect are coming out. In 8.1 you will be able to finally boot directly to your desktop as well as a few more customization options will be available among other "updates". Microsoft is expected to release a preview version at their developers conference next month if you just can't wait until later this year when it goes live to the public. AllThingsD has more details.

Windows 8.1, due out later this year, will offer new options to personalize the lock and home screens, more deeply integrated Bing search as well as a new version of the Internet Explorer browser. Files can also be saved to Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage service.

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