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Nintendo says that it has no plans to develop for mobile platforms, including Apple's iOS or Android, the company told Bloomberg in a phone conversation today.

Nintendo's Yasuhiro Minagawa told Bloomberg that its long-standing strategy of developing games only for its own hardware "hasn't changed and won't change."

Prior to Minagawa's comments, Nintendo's shares were on the rise due to speculation that the company might follow Pokemon and develop games for smartphones, since it's a minority stakeholder in that company. However, Nintendo told Bloomberg that Pokemon is an independent company, and … Read more

Desktop time and date displays are nothing new to Windows, which traditionally lags behind the aftermarket when it comes to timekeeping. There is no shortage of such displays; most are free, and many reproduce analog clock faces, though most use digital displays. Some are simple and straightforward yet almost completely customizable, like DS Clock from Duality Software. It displays the time and date in a wide range of formats in an unobtrusive, compact linear window. It synchronizes with atomic clocks and time servers around the world. It also displays pop-up reminders using Calendarscope, and it's compatible with Swatch Internet … Read more

The CEA had its yearly line show earlier this week and we spent a little time in the Philips booth checking out several new audio products the company intends to release this year, including a handful of AirPlay-enabled speakers.

In case you don't know what AirPlay is, it's a wireless-streaming feature found on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or any Mac or Windows PC running iTunes (see "10 things you need to know about AirPlay" for more info). Right now you can only stream video to your TV using Apple TV but lots of AirPlay-enabled speakers … Read more

At the company's E3 2011 press conference, Nintendo was overjoyed in celebrating 25 years of Zelda. About half that time ago along came a game called The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which is now widely regarded as the best game in the Zelda franchise.

Though the 3DS is still a relatively new platform, a 3D version of the classic title has been developed for redistribution, enabling a whole new generation of gamers to experience the legendary title.

We've been playing Ocarina of Time 3D for well over a week now and here are our final thoughts.

Jeff: The 3D remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a somewhat bittersweet example of Nintendo's almost stubborn attitude toward the development of new titles. Yes, Ocarina of Time is arguably the best Zelda game ever, but we really wish Nintendo could give the 3DS the brand-new 3D Zelda adventure it deserves. Sure, Ocarina of Time is almost 13 years old and we'd imagine a healthy chunk of 3DS owners did not get to experience the game when it was first released on the Nintendo 64.

I experienced something totally unique when jumping back into Ocarina of Time 13 years since playing the N64 version. It's been so long that I'd forgotten some of the reasons why I fell in love with the original. For one, the gameplay and controls are ultraprecise and the sense of accomplishment in defeating bosses, solving puzzles, and understanding what to do next is as satisfying as ever.… Read more

It was the first thing that came to mind while I was sitting down at Sony's press conference last week. For me, the most shocking news to come out of E3 2011 was the price of the PlayStation Vita: $250 for the Wi-Fi-only version.

A portable console that has the graphical chops to be compared to its living-room cousin is certainly impressive, but the fact that it'll go for the same price that the Nintendo 3DS is currently being sold at is worth a double take.

I've already compared the two portables side by side in terms of specs, but now having played on the PS Vita, I'm even more curious about how the public will react when it goes on sale at the end of 2011.

In terms of overall experience, the PS Vita easily trumps the 3DS in graphics, horsepower, and even areas where Nintendo originally dominated--not to mention both of the 3DS' screens pale in comparison with the Vita's 5-inch OLED monster. The 3DS wowed us with its first-to-market augmented reality games and cards, but I found the Vita's AR interface to be much smoother and robust. When trying it out last week with the Vita launch game Little Deviants, I was told the camera-enabled augmented reality demo was running at 60 frames per second. I don't have the hard numbers on the 3DS, but I'd be shocked if it runs at more than half that.… Read more

For many gamers, going to E3 is an unfulfilled dream. Attendance is tightly controlled (depending on your definition of tight), so unlike a boat show or comic book convention, you can't just buy a ticket and show up.

But if you do someday make it to E3, the show secrets presented here may help you get the most out of the experience. Regular attendees eventually work out most of these tips, but we're always open to new suggestions--feel free to list your own E3 secrets in the comments section below.

(Note: Also below is a handy list of … Read more

Among all the myriad events and announcements of E3 2011--some bombastic, some evolutionary--the unveiling of the Wii U was one that, no matter who you asked, generated some degree of mixed feelings. As gaming press and players, what we saw from Nintendo's future console controller produced sensations of excitement, skepticism, ambivalence, and intrigue.

That might be due partly to the expectations that Nintendo set for itself. The Wii was a new experience, a new idea. It also might be due in part to Sony's PSVita stealing some of the spotlight a day before; the handheld device actually has … Read more

The big booths, high-profile games, and general spectacle of E3 all ranked very highly with attendees, according to the informal polling conducted during and after the show. Everyone has his collection of the best and worst games, and it's a dangerous minefield to step into that subjective field, so I'd rather avoid that (still, some of my favorites are easy to pick out).

There were, however, a handful of annoyances and missed opportunities. Some are long-term issues, others may have a quick fix. If you're interested in what E3 missed the boat on this year, check out our list below, and offer your own suggestions in the comments section at the end.

The console company press conferences failed to highlight some of the best games. Sony, Microsoft, and, to a lesser extent, Nintendo all use their respective preshow press conferences to highlight notable upcoming games, both first-party (those actually published by Sony, Microsoft, etc.) and from other publishers such as EA.

We saw the latest Call of Duty, Uncharted, and Zelda games, but several of the most notable contenders were missing. Perhaps it was because they weren't calculated to be key sales drivers, in the way that Call of Duty is, or because key partnerships required press conference stage time at the expense of other games.

I'm inclined to agree with a games industry executive who told me immediately after the show that the hottest E3 buzz-builders were BioShock Infinite, Skyrim, and Batman: Arkham City. Of those, BioShock got a brief plug at the Sony press conference while the other two went unmentioned.… Read more

LOS ANGELES--Another year, another show floor filled with bright lights, thunderous music, and scantily dressed women showing off big-budget studio games. Sometimes it feels like E3 never changes.

Yet, I've been to roughly 10 E3s in my life dating back to the Sega Dreamcast debut, and in my first on-the-show visit in a few years, the landscape has subtly and definitely altered from years past.

So here are my final observations about this year's show.

Everyone wants to be accessible. The … Read more