The Geekender October 14th, 2012: iPad Mini dates, Xbox dashboard update and a new Doctor Who clip

The Geekender October 14th, 2012: iPad Mini dates, Xbox dashboard update and a new Doctor Who clip

New Xbox dashboard update launching tomorrow

Xbox Music
Xbox Music

The long-awaited newest dashboard update for the Xbox 360 looks to be arriving tomorrow, bringing with it the all-new Xbox Music service and setting up the eventual Smart Glass functionality. Xbox Music, the replacement for the old Zune marketplace, offers several models for music: subscription, a la carte, videos, and smart mixes. This leads us to the eventual inclusion of SmartGlass, even more Kinect options, and further links to Windows 8 and the company’s phone & tablet offerings.

Visually, this isn’t as big of a change as NXE to BOX-E, but it should make things much smoother if you’re already invested into the Microsoft  infrastructure.

Source: The Verge

Apple’s iPad Mini to be announced October 23rd?

iPad Mini
Image via Fast Company

According to buzz around the web since last year, there’s a new 7.85″ iPad coming. We know, “why would Apple fall in line with a smaller iPad” when the one they have now is selling gangbusters, and Steve Jobs himself once swore against a smaller device? Well, money, of course. Many consumers haven’t moved on from their iPad 2’s to the iPad 3 yet, so what’s the best way to capture their cash? Bring out a smaller device, just as powerful as the iPad 2 and built on a cross between the iPhone 5 and iPad 2’s screen. That’s how. The new device looks to be slightly more widescreen than Apple’s previous tablets, which works well in upscaling iPhone apps to the device with minimal effort.

Another tablet? Yeah. But a smaller one priced between $200 and $300 could put a bullet into the Vita and the 3DS on its death bed. Rumored to be announced on October 23rd and just in time for the shopping season, the “Mini” is perfect for kids (hey, and adults, too!) who want a gaming, movie, music and reading device that would actually fit in their cargo pants and purses. These 7″ tablets may be the final nail in dedicated handheld gaming’s coffin.

Source: All Things D, Fast Company (image)

New official clip gives closure to Doctor Who’s Amy and Rory

Goodness! Just when we felt that the ending to the Mid-Season finale of Doctor Who was bittersweet, along comes this new clip from BBC! Though it eventually ended up on the cutting room floor before it was ever filmed, the epilogue — titled “P.S” and written by “Pond Life” writer Chris Chibnall, was meant to put the final wraps on what happened to Amy and Rory, and what happened to Rory’s father, Brian.

The BBC went ahead and strung together a few of the storyboard sketches, along with some somber music and a voiceover, to create the piece. We *DON’T THINK* it’s canon, but who knows with the show. Either way, it’s a fantastic “what if”, innit?

Source: BBC