gamer

Samsung has spruced up its Series 7 gaming laptop for PC gamers who like some 3D action thrown into the mix.

The 17.3-inch machine has been refreshed with a "SuperBright" 1920x1080 3D LED display, according to Samsung. Fans of 3D movies can also take advantage of the new display courtesy of the unit's Blu-ray drive. And along for the ride is an AMD Radeon HD 7870M graphics card that Samsung says is developed for games and taps into DirectX version 11.1.

The Series 7 Gamer has also gotten a paint job, splashed with a sunny … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- New technology lets students cheat more than ever.

- America's hottest late-night club is Applebee's; photographic evidence.

- Crazy message left on a broken airplane wing.

- Homosexual gamers to hold a "Gaymer" convention.

- Not having a Facebook profile now makes you "suspicious."

- Panasonic ErgotFit headphones cost $5, sound like $50.

- Bathroom break video: Everybody hurts.

Hard-core gamers like a challenge. Just ask gaming business veteran Julie Uhrman.

Uhrman wants to disrupt the gaming industry with an affordable console called Ouya, a name she hopes will become the battle cry of game developers. Her company is soliciting developers to help build an open ecosystem of games on Android, essentially bringing the openness of mobile games back to the TV set.

"It's very ambitious -- it's hardware, it's software, it's building an ecosystem," Uhrman said.

But Uhrman said she believes her team has what it takes to challenge the status quo. … Read more

The sudden disappearance of Apple's 17-inch MacBook Pro laptop after yesterday's WWDC keynote provoked split opinions on CNET. Photographers and videographers will weep, some said. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display has more pixels and will be a great replacement, said others.

Whichever way you slice it, potential suitors of the 17-inch Pro suddenly find themselves looking for a new partner. Alas, here's what you'll soon discover: most 17-inch laptops on the Windows side are "gaming laptops," built clunky, bulky, and leaning toward power over battery life.

(Note: yes, commenters, I agree. Of all Windows laptops, the HP Envy 17 would probably be the closest match. HP still sells the 17-inch version, and it costs as little as $1,249 on HP's website. However, we haven't reviewed the current 17-incher: for the closest equivalent, see our review of the HP Envy 15.)

Here are the closest equivalents we've reviewed at CNET, but you'll rapidly realize that none of them perfectly match what the Pro offered.… Read more

Back at CES 2012, we got our first glimpse of Samsung's new gaming laptop, the Series 7 Gamer, tucked away at Samsung's booth with little fanfare. That laptop is finally available for purchase, and it features Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors and the latest Nvidia graphics in a package that's competitive with what other gaming PC makers are offering. … Read more

There are few words to describe people that don't know that the movie "Titanic" was actually based on a real Titanic, and even fewer to describe the bravado in tweeting about that ignorance, but Jeff musters a few adjectives.

On today's episode, we'll cover the $1 billion Instagram buyout and what you can expect to change once Facebook takes over, all four major U.S. wireless carriers joining forces to create a "lost my phone" database, smart touch-screen displays replacing payphones in New York City, and the shaky future of Best Buy and its former CEO.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--No matter how much you prepare for a trade show like CES, what you see on the floor never quite matches what news you get beforehand.

In the case of Samsung, we had a chance to look at the new Samsung Series 9 and Series 5 Ultra ultrabook, but were surprised by quite a few intriguing laptops at Samsung's booth, which we should expect to see later this year.… Read more

Hooked is an app recommendation engine that helps you find Android games to specifically suit your gaming profile. Because the Android Market is filled with hundreds of thousands of games, many of which are low-quality, it's a really helpful tool for uncovering some of the lesser-known gems available. It takes into account the games you have installed on your device, your gameplay statistics, and if you log in using your Facebook or Google+ account, your social data as well.

To get started, open up Hooked, and rate the apps you already have installed (Like or Dislike). This gives it … Read more

Gamers are possibly the most fun people to shop for. They always want something, and if you guess right, you're a hero for the rest of the year.

There's just so much that brings them insane amounts of joy: a new controller (woot!), the latest game (Batman: Arkham City, anyone?), a geeky gaming headset (hey, it's important), and the mother load of all gamer gifts, a brand-new console.

If you're still unsure which of these pretty sweet options to get for the adorable gaming addict in your life, let CNET's Holiday Help Desk help. … Read more