'New generation' Xbox coming in May

Microsoft is expected to unveil a successor to the Xbox 360, pictured, in May. Source: Supplied

MICROSOFT is expected to unveil in May a successor to Xbox 360 videogame consoles that have been evolving into hubs for home entertainment in the digital age.

Microsoft sent out invitations Wednesday to a May 21 event at its main campus in Redmond, Washington at which Xbox team will reveal a "new generation."

Industry tracker NPD Group reported last week that as of the end of March, the Xbox 360 had been the top-selling console in the United States for 20 consecutive months.

More than 70 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold worldwide since they were introduced in November 2005.

A new-generation Xbox would take the field against the latest offerings from Sony and Nintendo.

Sony announced a new generation PlayStation 4 system in February and laid out its vision for the "future of gaming" in a world rich with mobile gadgets and play streamed from the Internet cloud.

Sony spoke ambiguously about the device, leaving much to the imagination during a two-hour presentation in New York City.

Industry insiders anticipate learning more from Sony and Microsoft, and perhaps even getting their hands on new consoles, at a premier E3 videogame conference that will take place in Los Angeles in June.

Low-cost or free games on smartphones or tablet computers are increasing the pressure on videogame companies to deliver experiences worth players' time and money.

Features being incorporated into new consoles include games relying on connections to servers in the Internet "cloud" and synching play, movie viewing and social networking with tablets, smartphones and other devices.

A PlaySation App will let iPhones, iPads or Android-powered smartphones or tablets be used as "second screens" augmenting play taking place on televisions connected to PS4 consoles, according to Sony.

Sony said the PS4 would hit the market in time for the year-end holiday season but did not provide details.

The PS4 will succeed PlayStation 3 consoles that began their lifespan in late 2006.

Nintendo released a new-generation Wii U console late last year but said on Wednesday that the Japanese firm "was not able to maintain the initial sales momentum after the beginning of 2013 due to a delay in the development of subsequent software titles."

Nintendo has been banking on the Wii U to boost its fading fortunes after the original Wii, launched in 2006, proved a huge success as it lured legions of casual gamers with motion-sensing controls.

With the Wii U, Nintendo vowed to start a trend in "asymmetrical play" that gives players using GamePad tablets different in-game perspectives and roles than those using traditional wand controllers.

View the original article here

'New generation' Xbox coming in May

Microsoft is expected to unveil a successor to the Xbox 360, pictured, in May. Source: Supplied

MICROSOFT is expected to unveil in May a successor to Xbox 360 videogame consoles that have been evolving into hubs for home entertainment in the digital age.

Microsoft sent out invitations Wednesday to a May 21 event at its main campus in Redmond, Washington at which Xbox team will reveal a "new generation."

Industry tracker NPD Group reported last week that as of the end of March, the Xbox 360 had been the top-selling console in the United States for 20 consecutive months.

More than 70 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold worldwide since they were introduced in November 2005.

A new-generation Xbox would take the field against the latest offerings from Sony and Nintendo.

Sony announced a new generation PlayStation 4 system in February and laid out its vision for the "future of gaming" in a world rich with mobile gadgets and play streamed from the Internet cloud.

Sony spoke ambiguously about the device, leaving much to the imagination during a two-hour presentation in New York City.

Industry insiders anticipate learning more from Sony and Microsoft, and perhaps even getting their hands on new consoles, at a premier E3 videogame conference that will take place in Los Angeles in June.

Low-cost or free games on smartphones or tablet computers are increasing the pressure on videogame companies to deliver experiences worth players' time and money.

Features being incorporated into new consoles include games relying on connections to servers in the Internet "cloud" and synching play, movie viewing and social networking with tablets, smartphones and other devices.

A PlaySation App will let iPhones, iPads or Android-powered smartphones or tablets be used as "second screens" augmenting play taking place on televisions connected to PS4 consoles, according to Sony.

Sony said the PS4 would hit the market in time for the year-end holiday season but did not provide details.

The PS4 will succeed PlayStation 3 consoles that began their lifespan in late 2006.

Nintendo released a new-generation Wii U console late last year but said on Wednesday that the Japanese firm "was not able to maintain the initial sales momentum after the beginning of 2013 due to a delay in the development of subsequent software titles."

Nintendo has been banking on the Wii U to boost its fading fortunes after the original Wii, launched in 2006, proved a huge success as it lured legions of casual gamers with motion-sensing controls.

With the Wii U, Nintendo vowed to start a trend in "asymmetrical play" that gives players using GamePad tablets different in-game perspectives and roles than those using traditional wand controllers.

View the original article here

Savvy kids of the mobile generation

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

AUSTRALIAN kids are growing up in a world of mobile technology, but how young is too young to let them be part of it?

It's a vexed question for any new parent, especially when toddlers become old enough to grab an iPhone and protest incessantly when they don't get to play with it.

Professor Elizabeth Handsley, president of the Australian Council of Children and the Media, warned parents to wait until their children were at least two before relenting.

"Those first two years are a very important time in a child's life and ideally parents should be making a priority of interacting with their children," she said.

"They shouldn't just stick a gadget in their child's hands and expect them to interact with that instead."

Not that the tech-related trouble for parents ends when a toddler turns two.

Decisions must be made about how long children are allowed to use mobile devices and which apps are best.

"Review the apps - think about how they will help your child's development. Don't just think about how it can keep your child amused for hours while you can get on with other stuff," Professor Handsley said.

"The problem we are hearing is that a lot of parents use them as what we call 'shut-up toys', where they give the iPhone or iPad to the child so that they can get on with their coffee and chat to their friends."

Even the time of day needs to be considered. Paediatric sleep researcher Sarah Blunden said children needed at least a 45-minute break from smart-phones and tablets before bed.

"There is evidence to show that blue light affects sleep-wake rhythms the most, and mobile screens produce a lot of blue light," she said.

Newcastle speech pathologist and mother-of-two Melissa Hayles said she started letting her eldest son Archer use her iPhone shortly before he turned two: "I was amazed by how quickly he picked everything up," she said. "It was just an app with basic animal flash-cards but he picked up the tapping and double-tap and sliding straight away."

Ms Hayles said she limited her son's use of her iPhone and iPad at home.

"We tend to save it for things like when we're waiting for a doctor's appointment or a long car ride," she said.

Child psychologistDr John Irvine said children raised to use technology in moderation would benefit later in life: "It's a matter of keeping the balance," he said. "Most sensible parents will know that if the child is getting obsessed to the point where they will scream if they don't get their turn on the iPhone or iPad, they are probably becoming a bit too reliant on it. But if kids are able to enjoy it and come off it without a problem then it's probably OK."

View the original article here

Savvy kids of the mobile generation

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

AUSTRALIAN kids are growing up in a world of mobile technology, but how young is too young to let them be part of it?

It's a vexed question for any new parent, especially when toddlers become old enough to grab an iPhone and protest incessantly when they don't get to play with it.

Professor Elizabeth Handsley, president of the Australian Council of Children and the Media, warned parents to wait until their children were at least two before relenting.

"Those first two years are a very important time in a child's life and ideally parents should be making a priority of interacting with their children," she said.

"They shouldn't just stick a gadget in their child's hands and expect them to interact with that instead."

Not that the tech-related trouble for parents ends when a toddler turns two.

Decisions must be made about how long children are allowed to use mobile devices and which apps are best.

"Review the apps - think about how they will help your child's development. Don't just think about how it can keep your child amused for hours while you can get on with other stuff," Professor Handsley said.

"The problem we are hearing is that a lot of parents use them as what we call 'shut-up toys', where they give the iPhone or iPad to the child so that they can get on with their coffee and chat to their friends."

Even the time of day needs to be considered. Paediatric sleep researcher Sarah Blunden said children needed at least a 45-minute break from smart-phones and tablets before bed.

"There is evidence to show that blue light affects sleep-wake rhythms the most, and mobile screens produce a lot of blue light," she said.

Newcastle speech pathologist and mother-of-two Melissa Hayles said she started letting her eldest son Archer use her iPhone shortly before he turned two: "I was amazed by how quickly he picked everything up," she said. "It was just an app with basic animal flash-cards but he picked up the tapping and double-tap and sliding straight away."

Ms Hayles said she limited her son's use of her iPhone and iPad at home.

"We tend to save it for things like when we're waiting for a doctor's appointment or a long car ride," she said.

Child psychologistDr John Irvine said children raised to use technology in moderation would benefit later in life: "It's a matter of keeping the balance," he said. "Most sensible parents will know that if the child is getting obsessed to the point where they will scream if they don't get their turn on the iPhone or iPad, they are probably becoming a bit too reliant on it. But if kids are able to enjoy it and come off it without a problem then it's probably OK."

View the original article here

Savvy kids of the mobile generation

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Source: The Daily Telegraph

AUSTRALIAN kids are growing up in a world of mobile technology, but how young is too young to let them be part of it?

It's a vexed question for any new parent, especially when toddlers become old enough to grab an iPhone and protest incessantly when they don't get to play with it.

Professor Elizabeth Handsley, president of the Australian Council of Children and the Media, warned parents to wait until their children were at least two before relenting.

"Those first two years are a very important time in a child's life and ideally parents should be making a priority of interacting with their children," she said.

"They shouldn't just stick a gadget in their child's hands and expect them to interact with that instead."

Not that the tech-related trouble for parents ends when a toddler turns two.

Decisions must be made about how long children are allowed to use mobile devices and which apps are best.

"Review the apps - think about how they will help your child's development. Don't just think about how it can keep your child amused for hours while you can get on with other stuff," Professor Handsley said.

"The problem we are hearing is that a lot of parents use them as what we call 'shut-up toys', where they give the iPhone or iPad to the child so that they can get on with their coffee and chat to their friends."

Even the time of day needs to be considered. Paediatric sleep researcher Sarah Blunden said children needed at least a 45-minute break from smart-phones and tablets before bed.

"There is evidence to show that blue light affects sleep-wake rhythms the most, and mobile screens produce a lot of blue light," she said.

Newcastle speech pathologist and mother-of-two Melissa Hayles said she started letting her eldest son Archer use her iPhone shortly before he turned two: "I was amazed by how quickly he picked everything up," she said. "It was just an app with basic animal flash-cards but he picked up the tapping and double-tap and sliding straight away."

Ms Hayles said she limited her son's use of her iPhone and iPad at home.

"We tend to save it for things like when we're waiting for a doctor's appointment or a long car ride," she said.

Child psychologistDr John Irvine said children raised to use technology in moderation would benefit later in life: "It's a matter of keeping the balance," he said. "Most sensible parents will know that if the child is getting obsessed to the point where they will scream if they don't get their turn on the iPhone or iPad, they are probably becoming a bit too reliant on it. But if kids are able to enjoy it and come off it without a problem then it's probably OK."

View the original article here