Gadgets
Project Ara details emerge, suggest that we’ll be able to build our own flagships
Project Ara is one of my favorite smartphone projects and the fact that Google is indeed keeping this project atop and is continuing development means that the innovative idea will end up on shelves soon enough. Google has been working on a PhoneBloks-type of modular smartphone that would allow users to keep using components even if others have been damaged or outdated. If you’ve a hard time following that idea, Project Ara allows you to choose your components, including display, chipset, camera and other hardware piece by piece and build your phone like you would a Lego toy.
The benefits of Google’s endeavor to create interchangeable components, in my mind, are a handful and the modular smartphone would be a great opportunity to raise awareness about how wasteful we have been. Once you get tired of your camera, would like to upgrade, or the sensor just got old, you can slide your camera out of the phone and replace it with a new module. The rest of the phone won’t suffer any damage or won’t need any tinkering with. It’s pretty high-tech right? In any case, Google has given out new details about Project Ara and what kind of components the company plans to include in the project.
The first piece of hardware revealed by Google to be used in Project Ara is the NVIDIA Tegra K1 CPU, which we’ve seen in the new HTC Nexus 9 tablet. Even though the Nexus 9 does have its issues and Android 5.0 Lollipop needs some fixing up before it can keep up with the CPU, the Tegra K1 chipset in the slate is pretty-high end and will tackle anything you throw at it. We’ve also learned that Marvell’s PXA1928, a communications processor with 4G capabilities and a Rockchip CPU should also be available as components. Lucky winners at Google I/O are still waiting on their Project Ara prizes, but the smartphone is growing fast. The Project Ara Developers Conference should be kicking off in January and the new modular smartphone should be making an appearance there. We hope this goes commercial before we hit 2016.
Despite Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls 6 was not confirmed as an Xbox exclusive a few months ago. This happened because Xbox executive Phil Spencer indicated that target platforms hadn’t been selected yet, but it always felt like he was talking about the game being years away rather than the RPG being on PlayStation.
If you’re still holding out, Microsoft plans to release The Elder Scrolls 6 just on Xbox and PC. Documents from the company’s FTC lawsuit were recently released. In the document, Bethesda’s announced titles (both as a publisher and developer) are listed, and The Elder Scrolls 6 is listed for Xbox, PC, and nothing else.
We expected this, but The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced before Microsoft acquired its developer. The Elder Scrolls is a beloved franchise that’s been on various platforms for generations, so this isn’t Starfield.
However, the game isn’t due until 2026 at the earliest, according to the paper, and who knows what the gaming landscape will be like then.
Xbox CEO Phil Spencer’s mid-2020 dystopian email suggests the business was interested in buying Warner Bros Interactive and Bethesda. Even more alarming, the CEO calls buying Nintendo a “career moment” and “good for both companies” — and there are even rumors that Microsoft was interested in Valve.
While Spencer warns that acquiring Nintendo would be “hostile action” but “playing the long game”, the unprecedented corporate convergence is shockingly casual. He added: “Nintendo is taking a long time to realize their future is off their hardware. A long time… He even ended the chat with a smiling emoji to make it look more evil.
Spencer claims that Warner Bros Interactive was “gettable” when Microsoft was rumored to acquire it. He adds that “we wouldn’t own any of the IP which hurts long-term flexibility”. Because most Warner Bros Interactive developers work on franchises like Batman, Harry Potter, and others, the studios are worth little without the brands.
The email is over three years old, but it reveals Microsoft’s blasé approach to acquisitions and its goals. While its eventual acquisition of Activision Blizzard may have changed its plans, this leaked exchange suggests that Microsoft will not stop until it has absorbed as much of the industry as possible, even targeting Nintendo.
Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor director Stig Asmussen is leaving Respawn Entertainment for unknown reasons. Asmussen had planned a trilogy for Cal Kestis, but it appears another author will need to write it.
Bloomberg reports that an EA spokesperson said: “Stig Asmussen has left Respawn to pursue other adventures, and we wish him the best. Veteran Respawn leaders will lead Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.”
This move is surprising, but Asmussen leaves on a high note. Jedi: Survivor is a great game despite its performance issues, which is rare for a Star Wars game. We’ll see where Asmussen goes, but we’re excited.
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