On Gear Live: Circuit Breaker: The Tech Newsletter that Elevates Your Gadget Game

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New WWE World Heavyweight Championship Belt

We're given you a look at the upcoming WWE 2K15 video game, as well as a look at the limited edition WWE 2K15 Hulkamania Edition. Now, here's your first look at the new WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt. The company will be updating its logo to that of the one it uses for the WWE Network after SummerSlam in about two weeks, and updated the World Heavyweight Championship with the new logo. Belt collectors are already looking into getting their hands on replicas, and the WWE has discounted the replicas of the current World Championship belts.


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iphone 6 September 9

As we have previously speculated, Re/Code is reporting that Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 6 on September 9th at a special event. The next iPhone design has already leaked, and we've already given you a look at both the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 design and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 design as well. Of course, they lack the fit-and-finish that Apple will undoubtedly put on them (we hope those thick antenna breaks will be eliminated and streamlined!) September 9th is also a few days after Samsung is rumored to introduce the Galaxy Note 4 during IFA. A perfect time for Apple to jump into the phablet game with a 5.5-inch smartphone.

We also guessed that Apple will release iOS 8 on September 16th, and release the iPhone 6 itself on September 19th based on previous timetables. We'll see how our guesses hold up come September 9th.


WWE 2K15 Hulkamania Edition

Yesterday we gave you a look at the first WWE 2K15 screenshot as posted by John Cena on Twitter, and today we have news on the WWE 2K15 Hulkamania Edition. This one will be exclusive to next-gen consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One,) and will feature a bunch of extra limited edition content when it goes on sale on October 28th here in North America. Aside from a copy of the WWE 2K15 game, the package also includes:

  • Exclusive premium packaging
  • Collectible art card autographed by Hulk Hogan
  • A Funko Hollywood Hulk Hogan vinyle figure
  • A piece of authentic canvas taken from the ring where Hulk Hogan returned to Monday Night Raw on March 10, 2014
  • Two pre-order launch exlusive Hulk Hogan characters (Hulkamania & Hollywood)
  • Two pre-order launch exclusive playable Sting characters (Surfer & Crow)

2K Games will only be making 25,000 of these, so if you definitely want to get in on the $99 Hulkamania Edition, you should probably go ahead and pre-order it now.


Latest Gear Live Videos

We are giving away a bunch of cool gadgets that are geared to amp up your summer, thanks to AT&T! As always, if you're a Gear Live Patron, you get 25 bonus entries. Here's a look at what we are giving away in this contest:

Jawbone mini Jambox: Okay, for real, who doesn't wanna have music with them when by the pool or at the beach? A lot of us have a seemingly unlimited amount of music accessible by our smartphones and tablets, and the mini Jambox allows you to stream it over Bluetooth. At the next family BBQ, you'll be the star of the show.

Jawbone UP24: Fitness wearables are all the rage these days, and if you like tracking your stats or are looking for a motivational tool, then it's easy to see why. With the UP24, you can monitor your fitness throughout the day, and even track your calories and water intake. At night, it'll even keep track of how well you are sleeping, which is probably not well if you're out camping in a tent. The device connects to your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth LE, so the battery lasts a full week, and there's no plugging anything in to sync.

Bodyguardz Screenguardz Pure: I always thought it was kind of silly for people to protect their smartphone screens with a thin plastic film. The Screenguardz Pure is a super-thin piece of tempered glass that can actually take a real beating, and exceeds the hardness of steel. That's protection.

Enter our Summer Gadget Bundle giveaway now!

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel--also, we are giving away awesome perks for our Patreon backers - thanks for your support!

 
Here's how to get the show:
[Download] - iPod-formatted H.264
[Download] - 720p HD
[Download] - 1080p MP4

Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 517: Summer Gadget Bundle Giveaway


OS X Yosemite

OS X 10.10, better known as Yosemite, represents the next-generation in Apple's desktop operating system. Yosemite brings a new look to the desktop experience, and also ties OS X and iOS together through a feature called Continuity that I bet will make work a lot easier for Apple users. With any big change, customers will wonder if their older hardware will be supported. We recently received this question from a reader named Steve:

Q: I'm excited to check out OS X Yosemite once it launches, the redesigned interface looks great! My MacBook Air is from 2010, and I was curious if you knew if it would run Yosemite without any issues, or if I have to upgrade my computer?

A: I agree--I think the look and feel of OS X Yosemite is a breath of fresh air. I've been using the Developer Preview since it was made available at WWDC 2014, and when I use a Mac that is running Mavericks or earlier, it already feels like a big step backwards from a design perspective. Now, on to system requirements! The nice thing about Yosemite is that Apple hasn't changed any of the system requirements from what was required to run Mavericks. In other words, all Macintosh products capable of running OS X Mavericks will be supported by Yosemite; as with Mavericks, 2 GB of RAM, 8 GB of available storage, and OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or later are required to upgrade. To make it easier to figure out if you're specific Mac is compatible, here is a listing of all the Apple hardware that is Yosemite-capable:

  • iMac Mid-2007 or newer
  • MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later), (15-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later), (17-inch, Late 2007 or later)
  • MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
  • Mac Mini (Early 2009 or later)
  • Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
  • Xserve (Early 2009)

As you can see, anyone who has bought a Mac within the past five years is covered and will be able to run OS X Yosemite. Mac Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook aluminum buyers as far back as 2008 are also good. In fact, some MacBook Pro and iMac buyers from back in 2007 can even get in on the Yosemite action, and those computers are now 7 years old! This is a pretty large blanket of Mac users that will be able to enjoy the next generation of OS X, and I comment Apple for including as many Macs as it did.

OS X 10.10 Yosemite is set to launch later this fall, and will be available exclusively on the Mac App Store. At WWDC, Apple announced that it will be made available completely free to its users. Can't beat that!


Microsoft Cortana

Curious about how Cortana made her way from assisting Master Chief in Halo over to helping you out on Windows Phone? During a sit-down with Microsoft's Marcus Ash, he spoke to us about what it took to get Cortana just right on Windows Phone and to be seen as a legitimate competitor to Apple's Siri.

First, the Cortana logo was the first thing Microsoft has to get right. Originally, they didn't want a physical representation. The thought was that people could think it was creepy if it is "too human." They also didn't want it to be like Clippy, the infamous character from Microsoft Office that was hated by many. It was also decided that Cortana couldn't be just a voice, since it wouldn't feel the same.

Initially, Microsoft tried to use the Xbox Live avatar idea, but that was odd due to everyone having the female Cortana voice. Then they started playing around with the circle. A circle can stretch, bounce, and transform. They also tried triangles, diamonds, hearts, and the ability of letter the user choose any of these. At the end of the day, the circle next to Metro on the start screen looked good, so that was what Microsoft decided on. The next issue was that a simple circle isn't iconic, and is hard to brand. That's when the Windows Phone team met with the Halo team at 343 Industries.

Click to continue reading How Cortana made the leap from Halo to Windows Phone


sensordrone bluetooth sensor

Today in the Gear Live Deals Shop we're got an awesome 25% discount on the Sensordrone Bluetooth Sensor. Connect this thing to your smartphone over Bluetooth, and you've got a supercharged device that can monitor things like carbon monoxide levels, temperature, weather, gas leaks, and more. Other sensors include light, pressure, color, and proximity. It's good enough to be our Deal of the Day! There are almost a dozen apps you can download that can take advantage of the data that the Sensordrone provides, with more to come. Check out the video below that gives more details.

Save 25% on the Sensordrone

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for other deals, be sure to check out our Newegg Promo Code thread. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, be sure to follow @TechPromos for the latest deals.

Click to continue reading Deal of the Day: 25% off the Sensordrone


PS4 Xbox One Wii u games

This year, E3 had one of those showing that only happens once every 8-10 years. E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is the biggest video game conference in the world, and it's where game publishers show off what they're working on. E3 2014 was unique because it was the first one after the release of two major consoles--the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. Developers got to show for the first time full portfolios dedicated to the new hardware, and it was glorious. There was a lot to see during both the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation media briefings, and Nintendo surprised many with game announcements of its own. I figured I'd whittle things down and share the ten games I was most excited about, in no particular order.

Click to continue reading 10 upcoming games I can’t wait to play


Recently, we gave you a look at the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, and today we have the 5.5-inch design for you! Apple will announce the iPhone 6 next month, and word on the street is that for the first time, it will announce two new sizes for its flagship smartphone, the 4.7-inch and the 5.5-inch. What do you think of this one? For me, I think it's a little too big, but we know that there are a lot of people out there who love the large phablet form factor. Are you gonna pick up the iPhone 6? If so, which size are you gonna go with? Let us know in the comments, because we're curious!

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel--also, we are giving away awesome perks for our Patreon backers - thanks for your support!

 
Here's how to get the show:
[Download] - iPod-formatted H.264
[Download] - 720p HD
[Download] - 1080p MP4

Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 516: Super-sized iPhone 6 5.5-inch preview!


John Cena WWE 2K15 screenshot

2K Games has released the first in-game screenshot of WWE 2K15. Initially tweeted by John Cena, the image shows WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Cena, staring down Randy Orton in the ring. As you can see, the visuals (at least here,) have been vastly improved. Not only are the character models sporting a more realistic look, but the focus blur is on-point as well. WWE 2K15 will be the first WWE title available for both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and will also be available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 when it's released on October 28 in North America (and October 31 internationally.) If you pre-order WWE 2K15 now, you get two playable Sting characters for free on launch day.

Update: 2K just announced the exclusive WWE 2k15 Hulkamania Edition!

Click to continue reading First next-gen screenshot of WWE 2K15 revealed


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