halo

Microsoft's Halo 4: $220M in first 24 hours

Microsoft said that its new Halo video game racked up $220 million in sales during the first 24 hours. In doing so, the company said, the game beat sales records set by previous installments of the series.

Also, Microsoft said that Halo 4 was on target to exceed the $300 million sales mark for its first week.

The title is the first of a new trilogy in the series, and the first to add onto the storyline developed in Halo, Halo 2, and Halo 3 by the franchise's creator, Bungie Studios. Halo 4 launched exclusively on the Xbox 360 … Read more

Battle begins between Foursquare, Yelp

Tuesday's CNET Update is rating you on a 10-point scale:

Today's tech news roundup looks at the growing competition between Foursquare and Yelp. Foursquare launched a new 10-point ratings system for local businesses, which is what Yelp has been doing. But Yelp has been creeping in on Foursquare's territory recently by highlighting friend activity. Yelp also rolled out an app update that displays restaurant menus and reviews of each menu item.

Amazon is now offering a payment option of $8 a month for Prime, the same price as Netflix and Hulu. The yearly $80 subscription is still … Read more

Halo 4 trailer 'Scanned' hits Web, courtesy of David Fincher

The official Halo 4 launch trailer, "Scanned," has hit the Web. And it is impressive.

The two-minute trailer takes a look at Master Chief's back story, examining his time as a child and then his path to war hero. The trailer also shows off his new antagonist: "an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe," to quote 343 Industries, the Microsoft-owned development house that built the game.… Read more

New iPhone 5 case offers to fix purple flares

At least one accessory maker is hoping to pick up some business with what has been perceived as a shortcoming of the iPhone 5's camera.

Fotodiox, an Illinois-based company, has a new case out called the camHoodie ($24.95) that promises to "greatly reduce purple lens flare."

There's no magic behind that claim, just a piece of rubber that acts as a lens hood to keep stray light from coming in. It's held on by a case designed to keep the back and sides of the phone from getting nicked.

The issue in question is … Read more

Apple publicly addresses iPhone 5 purple halo issue

After privately telling an iPhone 5 user that the purple halo sometimes produced by the device's camera is due to how users are framing photos, Apple has gone public with suggestions for preventing the flare on images.

Soon after the device went on sale last month, owners began complaining of a purple color showing up on the edges of photos, an issue that typically occurs when a light source is immediately nearby, though it can occur even when the light is off frame. It can also affect both photos and videos.

Earlier this month, an AppleCare support representative responding … Read more

Apple says iPhone 5 purple camera halo is totally normal

Apple has told at least one customer that any purple halos found in photos taken on the company's iPhone 5 are considered normal and due to the angling of the device.

Gizmodo today posts what it says is a reply from an AppleCare support representative named Debby to an iPhone 5 owner who called the company complaining about the issue.

"Our engineering team just gave me this information and we recommend that you angle the camera away from the bright light source when taking pictures," AppleCare rep Debby writes in an e-mail. "The purple flare in the image provided is considered normal behavior for iPhone 5's camera." … Read more

iPhone 5 camera users reporting purple halo on certain photos

A purple halo seems to be the latest glitch affecting some iPhone 5 owners.

Detailed by forum users at tech review site AnandTech, the flaw reportedly occurs on photographs if you aim your iPhone 5 camera toward a bright light source such as the sun or an incandescent light. If you then move the camera so the light source is off screen, a purple halo effect can be seen through the camera. That effect also shows up on any pictures that are taken.

One poster displayed separate photos with an artificial light source and with the sun off screen, and … Read more

Halo 4 gets a $399 Xbox 360 bundle

Attention, Marines! Over the weekend at Comic-Con in San Diego, Halo 4 developer 343 Industries and Microsoft unveiled a $399 Xbox 360 console bundle featuring some fancy aesthetics and accessories.

Due on November 6, the custom-designed 320GB Halo 4 Xbox 360 features futuristic silver and blue markings on a see-through gray shell. To justify the massive cost for the elder console, the package includes two colorful controllers, a copy of Halo 4, and a wired headset.

Gamers also receive "Xbox Live tokens for exclusive Halo 4 in-game and avatar marketplace downloadable content," according to Xbox patriarch Major Nelson. … Read more

Microsoft aims for the jugular with Xbox ecosystem

LOS ANGELES--It's been a big year for the people behind Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console, and its growing ecosystem. Month after month, the machine tops the console sales charts, and it boasts some of the most anticipated exclusive games in the industry.

This week, of course, the Xbox team is cheek-by-jowl with all of its partners and developers, and its competitors. It's E3 week, after all. And at its Monday media briefing, and at its mammoth booth at the Los Angeles Convention Center here, Microsoft has been touting its latest attempts at separating the Xbox from … Read more