Possibly. It is at least a serious contender. All gaming systems require a few vital things: speed, great video, memory and plenty of storage for all of your games. In the world of Android tablets, these elements are usually in short supply, especially at a reasonable price. Archos is trying to change that with their G9 Android tablets.
The entry-level Archos G9 tablets will start hitting stores worldwide on September 30th, 2011 (available for pre-order on September 20th) with the following configuration: Archos 80 G9
- 1 GHz dual-core processor
- 8 GB flash storage
- Retail price of $299 US
- OMAP 4 dual-core processor up to 1.5 GHz
- 10.1 inch multi-touch widescreen (four point)
- Android Honeycomb 3.2 with Android Market
- Adobe Flash 10.3 support
- 1080p HD video with HDMI out for mirrored output
- Storage capacity of 250GB
- Built-in GPS, compass and G-sensor
- WiFi and Bluetooth
- HD front camera (720p encoding)
- Microphone
- Kickstand
- Etc., etc., etc.
- Check out the impressive full list of tech specs for the 101.
- Retail $469 US
Archos G9 tablets also come with a suite of Google mobile applications including:
- Google Talk with video chat
- Gmail
- YouTube
- Google Maps with Street View and Navigation
- Google Calendar (beta)
With 250 GB to store games and media, you have to wonder what formats are supported. Well, just about every format is supported.
To get the best multimedia experience on the G9 tablets Archos have replaced the standard Android multimedia apps with the Archos multimedia app suite: 12 years of multimedia experience distilled into Video, Music and Photo apps. Able to decode Full HD (H.264 HP, 1080p) videos and with massive codec, format and subtitle support - the days of converting video are over.
See the full list of supported formats and codecs
Plus the 250 GB storage is a hybrid configuration to save battery life.
“Wanting to give users the best of both worlds, Archos paired the Seagate Momentous Thin hard drive with a dedicated 4GB flash caching system. This Archos engineered hybrid solution offered on all Archos G9 hard drive tablets is designed to limit spinning and to keep the drive powered down when not in use, which will protect it when on the go as well as preserve battery life.”
The dual-core 1.5 GHz G9 series will be available in stores and online in October with the following recommended retail price:
- Archos 80 G9 16GB - 1.5 GHz at $329
- Archos 80 G9 250GB – 1.5 GHz at $369
- Archos 101 G9 16GB – 1.5 GHz at $399
- Archos 101 G9 250GB – 1.5 GHz at $469
All of the G9 tablets are also upgradable to 3G connectivity by simply plugging in the Archos 3G Stick.
Plus - they all come with Angry Birds pre-loaded so you can immediately start taking down those smug little egg-stealing pigs.
For more details on the Archos G9 tablets visit www.archos.com or follow Archos on Facebook and Twitter.
As if I needed one more reason to purchase Dead Island, BradyGames comes along with the Dead Island Map App. This is the only authorized app for Dead Island and will be released on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 to coincide with the game’s release in North America. Think of it as your personal tour guide to one of this year’s hottest gaming vacation spots. Grab it for only $2.99 on Tuesday at the Apple AppStore.
(Check out more screenshots in the Gallery below.)
The app was developed in conjunction with publisher Deep Silver, and contains detailed maps of every square mile of Banoi Island, a resort paradise gone horrifyingly wrong. The maps are scrollable and zoomable, turning iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches into handy navigational tools. The app also pinpoints the location of every collectible ID Card, Banoi Herald excerpt, and Investigation Tape—more than 150 items total! Each item is accompanied by a screenshot detailing the location and descriptive text to guide users to the exact spot in question. The app also features an Objective Complete check box that allows users to track which items have been located and which ones remain undiscovered. An interactive Legend allows users to toggle on/off any of the collectible types and show/hide hidden or found items. Official Dead Island music immerses users in the mysterious and dangerous atmosphere of the game.
Dead Island Map App Features:
- Explorable maps of every area in the game
- Locations of all collectibles, including:
- ID Cards
- Banoi Herald excerpts
- Investigation Tapes
- Objective Completion tracking
- Official music from the game
Want more Platform Nation Dead Island coverage? Look here.
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Dead Island has released two new treats for those of us anxiously awaiting the release of Dead Island this coming ?Tuesday (September 6,2011).
First we have the official release trailer. Deep silver has given us some gorgeous trailers in the past (remember the first one which was a reveal in reverse?) and this one, even though it is straight forward, is no exception.
“The comic introduces journalist Roger Howard, who has traveled to Banoi to investigate the illegal exploitation of the island’s resources. During his investigations in the Royal Palms Resort hotel he discovers a terrible surprise that no one could ever expect…”
“The story was created by Marvel Custom Solutions by the creative team of writer William Dailey, along with artists Jorge Lucas, Juan Santacruz, Diego Olmos, Carlos Rodriguez and Sergio Arino. The comic also features an eye-catching cover by Christian Nauck.”
Want more info about Dead Island? Check out all the previous Platform Nation coverage, visit the Official website, www.deadisland.com, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
PAX attendees have the opportunity to play Dungeon Defenders this weekend, nearly two months before its release. In addition, you will be able to play a never before seen player vs. player DLC pack. But wait - there’s more.
Throughout the day, grab a Dungeon Defenders T-Shirt or play in PvP matches at 1pm and 4pm to win an exclusive, signed Dungeon Defenders art print!
“Dungeon Defenders doesn’t come out until October 19, 2011, but don’t let that stop you from getting in on the action! Stop by the Reverb Communications booth (#3652) this weekend, August 26-28th at PAX Prime in Seattle to play Dungeon Defenders and for your chance to grab exclusive swag!”
Dungeon Defenders blends tower defense with action-RPG for a perfect puree of four-player co-op goodness. Players control one of four distinct classes in an epic bid to fight back an ancient evil. A combination of real-time strategy and fast-paced hack and slash action must be used to prevail!
2K Games is giving us some more eye candy from Borderlands 2. This includes two new shots from “Lootfest” that is making its North American debut this weekend at PAX. Stop by and say hello to 2K at booth #3417 and make sure to tell them Platform Nation sent you.
Hungry for more details? Read on.
- Gunzerker Leads a Cast of All-New Characters and All-New Classes: Step into the role of the Gunzerker, whose highly deadly skills allow him to dual-wield any two weapons found in the game. Not only that, you will build on that skill to do more things with two guns than you ever imagined possible. Dual machine guns? Cool. Dual rocket launchers? Of course! Dual Sniper Rifles? Sure, if that’s your thing! Want to try other styles? More tactical perhaps? There are multiple classes to choose from!
- Dynamic Co-op online, split-screen and LAN: Share your adventures with friends both online and via LAN. Borderlands 2 features a seamless system enabling you to drop in and drop out of a campaign without ever having to restart the game. On top of that you can even take your new gear from any game to any other!
- World Connected Story: You will find yourself left for dead in the frozen tundra of Pandora as you begin your quest of revenge and redemption. Expose the evil surrounding the Hyperion Corporation and take on the perpetrator of a universe-wide grand deception — the nefarious Hyperion CEO, Handsome Jack. (Oh, also: he’s stolen credit for the opening of the Vault.)
- New Badass Gun System: An entirely new take on the groundbreaking procedural system means millions upon millions of possible weapons. The variety and style of guns in Borderlands 2 is staggering, and you’ll see tons of new and innovative ways to engage foes on Pandora. Fire, electricity, corrosive acid, and much more will all be at your disposal as you fight your way through the Hyperion Corporation’s forces!
- 87 Bazillion…Everything: In addition to the new gun system, you will lust after procedurally generated shields, grenades, Alien Artifacts, class mods and much, much more. And you thought the original Borderlands had a ton of loot!
- Brand new environments on Pandora: Hunt through entirely brand new areas of Pandora that are more alive than ever! From the arctic tundra, through the dangerous grasslands, past the mysterious corrosive caverns to beyond, you’ll be surprised by the unpredictable world of Pandora at every turn!
- Brand new enemies: A whole slew of new enemies are out there to kill you in Borderlands 2. Hulking, gorilla-like Bullymongs, vicious predatory Stalkers and the Hyperion mechanical army, run by Handsome Jack, are just some of the new enemies you will be facing off against on Pandora. New strategies will need to be created for every fight, as enemies now interact and aid each other to ensure you don’t get far in the world of Pandora.
The sequel to America’s favorite country dance video game is coming; Country Dance 2 for Wii will be in store for this Holiday season. This will be the first Country Dance game make for the Wii platform.
Country Dance 2 features over 30 of today’s hottest country tracks from chart-topping artists like George Strait, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Montgomery Gentry, and many, many more. Building upon the simple gameplay loved by fans of Country Dance, Country Dance 2 amplifies the fun with an all new sing-a-long feature, duet dancing, a new calorie-counting exercise mode and more!
Also announced are fifteen confirmed tracks to be included with Country Dance 2:
- Ashton Shepard – “Look It Up”
- Billy Currington – “People Are Crazy”
- Blake Shelton – “Honey Bee”
- Carrie Underwood – “All American Girl”
- Easton Corbin – “Roll With It”
- Eric Church – “Hell On The Heart”
- George Strait – “Here for a Good Time”
- Gwyneth Paltrow – “Shake That Thing”
- Hayley McLean – “Good Time Bone”
- Josh Thompson – “Won’t Be Lonely Long”
- Kellie Pickler – “Tough”
- Little Big Town – “Little White Church”
- Miranda Lambert – “Gun Powder and Lead”
- Montgomery Gentry – “What Do Ya Think About That”
- Rodney Atkins – “Take a Back Road”
That’s a track list worth shakin’ your Badonkadonk to. Dust off your boots, get your hat blocked and get ready to kick up a good time. Get a head start on your steps by checking out “Susan’s” screen shots below.
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You may recall during E3 2011 we brought you the official announcement of the sequel to Trials HD. Now RedLynx is ready to give the public a peek at the new Trials Evolution. Having spent many, many, MANY hours playing Trials HD and working with the Track Editor, I had developed a short wish list for future releases. I don’t know how RedLynx got hold of my list but based on this press release, I can check every item off my list.
“The first chance to play Trials Evolution before its release will be at the Gamescom videogame exposition in Cologne, Germany during the week of August 15. The following weekend, the game will arrive at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle Washington, giving gamers on two continents an opportunity to preview what could be the most ambitious downloadable console title yet.”
The release goes on to list new features including:
- Multiplayer – both local and online
- Challenging but balanced single player game
- Outdoor environments and curved driving line
- Full-featured track editor
- Global track sharing
- Bike and rider customizations
For all of us waiting for the release of War In The North, Warner Bros. has thrown us another glimpse into the game. If you recall, the last trailer, Touch Point, focused on the crossing of the storylines between the trilogy of movies and the video game. This time around, we learn about the relationships forged among the characters as they go to war, side by side.
“Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment releases the Official Fellowship Trailer delving into the events and characters, which chart the path of turmoil, depicted in the upcoming 2011 video game, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. In the face of an ancient evil rising from the shadows, players will form the beginnings of a Fellowship vital to the continued life of Middle-earth.”
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North will be released in Fall 2011 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. A specific release date has yet to be announced.
Tolkien fans, here is a new look at the forthcoming game. This trailer explores the “Touch Points” where the plot of the game crosses the plot line of the original trilogy.
“The Lord of the Rings: War in the North takes gamers to the unexplored locations of Northern Middle-earth, while also encompassing regions and characters well-known from the award-winning movie trilogy.
Crossing paths with Aragorn in Bree, seeking Elrond’s counsel in Rivendell, these critical names from the movies will set our Fellowship’s journey in motion. Traversing the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood - gathering place of Sauron’s forces - the Fellowship of three begins an expedition to Gundabad and to Carn Dûm itself, their path forever splintering from their brethren in the East. While these iconic film characters depart for the East, our Fellowship in the North will encounter many of the same gruesome enemies. Giant spiders, orc warrior armies and trolls, the darkness pervades all of Middle-earth.”
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North will be released in Fall 2011 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. A specific release date has yet to be announced.
Bethesda Softworks has thrown the cover off a new IP under development at Arkane Studios. Being classified as a “First Person Action Game”, very few other details are available until July 15th. Dishonored will be the cover story on the August issue of Game Informer, which hits news stands on July 15, 2011.
“Under the direction of co-creative directors, Raphael Colantonio, lead designer on Arx Fatalis®, and Harvey Smith, lead designer on Deus Ex®, Dishonored is set for release on the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows® in 2012.”
Keep an eye on the Game Informer website and the Official Game Website for details.
