Xbox 360 owners around the world should find themselves a seat, cancel all of their upcoming appointments and prepare themselves for an Xbox LIVE download blitz, as Microsoft has announced that more than 40 new entertainment based apps will land on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace in the coming days. The Redmond based company have announced that they are committed to launching a total of 43 new apps between now and the Spring of 2013, with a large portion of the new app releases hitting the market immediately. Although some territories may not see the new additions for the next few days as they propagate through the system.
In a move almost contemporaneous with Instagram's significant update for iOS, Twitter has announced its intention to integrate photo filtering into its iOS and Android apps. Instagram's effortless application of a varied range of filters have made it a huge hit with point-and-shoot photographers, and it's a hit Twitter simply cannot miss.
Since being acquired by Facebook for close to a billion dollars all those months ago, it's fair to say Instagram hasn't changed a great deal. The tried-and-tested method of facilitating photos, filters, comments and likes hasn't gotten any less popular as we approach the end of 2012, and today, Instagram has pushed out a couple of new features to keep Instafans happy-snapping.
Everybody uses USB flash drives. No matter how kitted-out your setup is, no matter how advanced your assault on the wires is; if you're saying you don't have a USB flash / pen drive at least tucked away somewhere for emergency data transfer, then, well, you're a liar. They may be convenient, useful, and in the case of mine, washing machine-proof, but that doesn't mean to say we wouldn't like to see more functionality. Wireless-ness would seem the natural progression, and King Jim has come through with such a product, naming it the Paketta.
The collaborative effort of Google and manufacturer ASUS, the Nexus 7 tablet is one of the most popular Android devices on the market at the moment for a variety of reasons. It has power, style, and a price many can relate to; not to mention the fact it runs on the vastly-improved Android Jelly Bean. But the Nexus 7 hasn't only proved to be a hit with the general consumer, modders and developers have had a field day, and despite Google's decision not to include a microSD card slot, users have still had a lot of fun toying with the innards of the Nexus 7's software. Today, things have gotten even better courtesy of XDA-Developers member Tasssadar, with the introduction of a multi-boot tool for the coveted slate, and as ever, we've got the full details after the jump!
Deals from retailers are plentiful at this time of year - particularly on electricals - and Amazon has joined in with the festive fun by pushing a spectacular deal on one of its own-branded products. The Kindle Fire HD is a fine example of a tablet combining good, solid features with a respectable price tag, and for one day only, you could save a whopping $50 off the price of the 8.9-inch configuration.
There's a depressing inevitability about the talk of the iPhone 5S so soon after the release of the iPhone 5. Still, with Apple having released the iPad 4 just seven months after the March launch of the iPad 3, we should perhaps expect another swift update from the Cupertino company. Jeffries analyst Peter Misek - famed for commenting on future products of the fruit company - has waded into the pool of iPhone 5S rumors by suggesting it could be arriving as soon as June, with a better camera and NFC among other features.
Call of Duty may have taken the plaudits as the biggest console release of the year, but just prior to that, the record - albeit short-lived - was held by Halo 4. Being the first major Halo release post-Bungie, many were apprehensive and skeptical about whether the popular franchise could once again pull in the gamers, but the early sales figures have certainly proved otherwise. Halo 4 fans whom adopted the game early have another treat in store today as the initial installment of the Crimson Map Pack becomes available. It's the first of three in a series, and will set you back 800 Microsoft Points for three new multiplayer maps. Want details? We've got 'em after the break!
It has been around 7 months since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S III to the world, but it still remains one of the most popular and powerful Android devices on the market and has managed to do a fantastic job in succeeding Samsung's previous S II device which is still a firm favorite in the Android community. We all know by now that companies like Samsung and Apple don't rest on their laurels when it comes to manufacturing and launching their next big product, and it looks like Samsung could be set to make a Galaxy S4 announcement early next year during the CES trade show that is being held from January 8th - 11th.
Best Buy has been doing its best in recent weeks to save consumers some financial outlay, first by offering a $25 gift card to those who purchased an iPhone 5 directly from their online store, but they have now extended their seasonal goodwill by doubling that bounty and is now offering a $50 discount on the initial handset cost of all iPhone 5 models.

