3.2

Deciding when to release a video game involves a carefully planned strategy and knowing your competition. At times it feels like a publisher is watching the cards, observing patterns, and learning when to bet.

2K Games pulled some its own crafty rescheduling when the publisher pushed back The Darkness II from its initial fall 2011 release date to February 2012. It was a smart move on 2K's part because had it been delivered on time, it may have got lost in the ether that was an already overcrowded holiday gaming season.

Now I'm not privy to the actual specifics of why it was bumped, but avoiding military-shooter-mageddon 2011 was the right play--mostly because The Darkness II is a great game that deserves its own chance to step into the light.… Read more

Many people believe their dreams reveal deeper insights. Dream journals or dream diaries let dreamers record their dreams while they're still fresh in their minds, which means as soon as they wake up. Lightened Dream is a freeware dream journal, but it also promises to help you understand, interpret, and even control your dreams. While the software is well-executed, the psychological concepts are less convincing. But we think skepticism is a sensible way to approach any such program, let alone one with as many unique twists as Lightened Dream.

LucidCode's highly unusual EULA requires users to swear not … Read more

Details for Sprint's next Android-powered tablet have leaked online and if you thought the carrier was going high-end you'd be completely wrong.

According to a leak obtained by SprintFeed, we can expect to see the ZTE Optik arrive in early February with a $100 price tag. You'll still have to sign a two-year agreement with a minimum rate plan, but things could be worse.

Hardware for the 7-inch ZTE tablet is impressive for the money and includes a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 16GB storage, and 1GB RAM. Running Android 3.2 Honeycomb, its additional specifications include a … Read more

With TimeComX Basic, you can tell your PC to shut down, go into hibernation, and run a variety of processes automatically on schedule, after a certain time, or when activity drops. This free program improves and expands your control over a range of automated processes and activities in Windows. Optional password protection, automatic screenshots, and logging make it a great choice for parents, employers, and others concerned about unauthorized access or activity on their computers.

TimeComX's unique interface is clean, efficient, and attractive, beginning with a row of icons accessing Global Settings, Passwords, Profiles, and Logs. The main view … Read more

Toshiba claims it is going to introduce the world's thinnest 10-inch tablet at the Consumer Electronics Show next week in Las Vegas.

The company's Japanese-language Web site says it's the thinnest and lightest 10.1-inch tablet in the world.

Though Toshiba's not revealing a model number, it's probably a good bet that the mystery tablet is one already available in Japan: the Regza AT700. Or the very similar Toshiba Excite, slated to appear in in the U.S. later this month.

And, yes, it is thin. All 7.7 mm of it. The iPad 2, by comparison, is 8.8 mm thick. At 558g, it's slightly less than the iPad's 613g. … Read more

Though the Android-based Motorola Xyboard tablet from Verizon has taken its lumps from reviewers, my initial take is a bit more upbeat.

So, let's get the bad news out of the way first. CNET Reviews didn't like the price (among other things) for this follow-on to the original Xoom tablet.

I agree. If you opt for a month-to-month broadband connection for a 10-inch 16GB Xyboard, you have to pay $699 plus the first month ($30 for 2GB). That's about $730 just to walk out of the store--and about $100 more than the initial outlay for the 16GB … Read more

Sprint today announced that the Android 3.2 Honeycomb update is now ready for its Evo View 4G tablet.

Following closely on the heels of HTC's similar announcement for the Flyer, the update brings a number of important changes.

For example, the HTC Scribe digital pen will now work with all applications, essentially turning it into a navigation stylus. Additionally, the Evo View 4G now supports document signature capture, a feature that will surely please business users.

The carrier cautions that, once installed, users will find that the home screen has been reverted to the "out of box&… Read more

Taking a page out of Amazon's playbook, Archos has unveiled an Android tablet priced at just $199.

Outfitted with Android Honeycomb 3.2, the new Archos 70b is expected to reach consumers worldwide in January, missing the holidays but potentially serving up some competition to pricier tablets.

An enhanced version of the Archos 70 IT Gen 8 tablet, the 7-inch 70b offers a more powerful ARM Cortex A8 1.2 GHz processor and a higher-resolution 1024x600 pixel multitouch screen. The new tablet also boasts a 3D graphics accelerator, while RAM has been doubled to 512 megabytes.… Read more

XyBoard tablets will launch at Verizon stores on Friday, as Verizon takes another shot at selling Motorola tablets--now sleeker and faster.

Stores contacted in suburban and downtown Los Angeles Thursday night said "live units" will be available for the first time Friday and units should be available for purchase.

Update: A Verizon spokesman said today that the tablets would be in "all stores by Monday, Dec. 12." But he added that some stores have them and are selling them on Friday. Three stores randomly contacted by CNET in Los Angeles have Xyboards on display and available for purchase. Same for stores randomly contacted in Ardmore, PA and North Dartmouth, MA.

The tablets are a fairly radical redesign. The 10.1-incher is iPad 2-thin (about 9mm) and has squared-off corners. While the 8.2-inch design is a first for Motorola.

Xyboard salient specs:… Read more