Sony PlayStation 4
The eighth generation game console from Sony, the PlayStation 4 was introduced to the world in February and is expected launch in time for the 2013 holiday season. The system will see Sony embrace an infrastructure similar to that of many modern gaming PCs, rather than the Cell Architecture that defined the previous iteration. By utilizing the x86-64 instruction set, the system will be more open to developers – and with Blu-ray discs fast becoming the industry standard, the PS4 will be in a strong position to offer players the ultimate at home gaming experience. It will, however, make backwards compatibility with PS3 games an impossibility, fortunately gamers should be able to stream these titles through the online store of the PlayStation Plus online service.

Other features include integrated social media, a faster Blu-Ray drive that enables true 1080p, and a revamped DualShock controller with integrated touch commands similar to the company’s PS Vita system. The system will also maintain the PS3′s commitment to motion gaming, with enhanced Move controllers and a new version of the PlayStation Eye peripheral to be available at launch.

Xbox One
Though ostensibly a game console, the recently revealed Xbox One, sets out to be a one stop entertainment machine. The system takes full advantage of Microsoft’s Kinect technology, which will now come standard with the system, to incorporate voice and motion commands into more than just games. At the console’s announcement press conference, developers displayed an ability to switch between games saved on the device’s hard drive and live TV by stating commands like “Watch ESPN” or “Call of Duty.”

The Kinect has also undergone a significant upgrade, with the new sensors able to detect movement within 13 billionths of a second. It will also allow users to manipulate media with similar motion controls and enter “snap” mode, which will allow them to use two forms of media at once – i.e. playing a game while scrolling a strategy guide on the internet. While the PS4 will come in a number of packages, the Xbox One available at shipping will boast an 8 core CPU and 9 gigs of memory, as well as a 500 GB hard drive.

Which console will you be picking up – PS4 or Xbox One?

Warning: it’s very addictive.

Enjoy!

Input devices
Sure, you could make do with your existing keyboard and mouse, but why compromise on your gaming experience? Specialized gaming keyboards and mice can help you take your game to the next level, especially if you’re a fan of titles with complicated user interfaces that require extensive hotkey mapping. The Logitech G19 and Corsair Vengeance K90 gaming keyboards are both great options for serious gamers. The Logitech G19 features a color LCD panel and custom-color illuminated characters while the Corsair Vengeance K90′s Cherry MX Red mechanical key switches are coveted by gamers.

Designed for MMO players, the Razer Naga gaming mouse sports 17 fully programmable buttons and three interchangeable side grips for improved comfort and control. If you’re looking for both powerful control and wireless freedom, the Logitech G700 gaming mouse might be your best bet. It has 13 programmable controls for performing single actions and complex macros.

Audio
Your games might look great, but how do they sound? For the serious PC gamer, a decent audio setup is essential.

If you’re looking for a great gaming headset, the Creative Sound Blaster Tactic3D Wrath is an excellent choice. Featuring THX TruStudio Pro technology for superior audio effects like surround sound, as well as dedicated equalizer controls and a battery life of eight hours, the Tactic3D Wrath is ideal for gamers who take their audio seriously. This headset also features a built-in microphone, which is perfect for socializing with your guild in online games.

Alternatively, if you want to experience crystal-clear audio without a headset, the Bose Companion 2 Series II Multimedia Speaker System is hard to beat. These speakers utilize Bose’s proprietary TrueSpace technology designed specifically to optimize PC audio, in addition to dual device input, a stylish magnetic enclosure and automatic tonal balancing for excellent audio quality.

What are your favorite PC gaming accessories?

Although this Saturday, May 4th is just another day to some people, for fans of this legendary series of films, it is Star Wars Day. To prepare for Star Wars Day 2013, check out these exciting products and get ready to restore balance to the Force and bring peace to the Galactic Empire. Just remember – Han shot first.

• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2: What could be a better way to get into the mood for Star Wars Day than by assuming the role of a powerful Sith warrior? Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC, follows the exploits of Galen Marek, one of Darth Vader’s apprentices, on his quest for justice after suffering a betrayal at the hands of the notorious Sith lord. Unleash a devastating array of attacks on your enemies, including Force lightning and mind tricks, or wield dual lightsabers and cut through swathes of enemies in your path.

• Toys and playsets: If you’ve got kids, and fondly remember watching the epic struggles of Luke Skywalker and his friends unfold on the big screen, there are many ways you can introduce your children to the joys of the Star Wars universe at Newegg.com. We have dozens of costumes, toys and accessories in stock, all of which enable your little ones to assume the role of their favorite characters and bring the fight between good and evil in a galaxy far, far away to your backyard. From Jedi robes to Jedi Master lightsabers, nobody brings Star Wars to life like Newegg.

• Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI): Of course, nothing beats the thrill of reliving the conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire like watching the actual Star Wars movies. First, make sure you have a proper home theater system that offers the optimal viewing experience. Then, have a Star Wars marathon by watching all six films in a row with Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray!

Ready to make the jump to lightspeed? Then set a course for Newegg.com with these special May the 4th deals and join the fight against Darth Vader and restore balance to the Force this Star Wars Day.

Prizes include a Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Touchscreen Convertible Ultrabook, Canon PowerShot A4000 IS 16 MP Digital Camera, KitchenAid Artisan Mixer, DeLonghi All-in-One Coffee Maker & Espresso Maker and Hamilton Beach 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Follow @Newegg on Twitter or Instagram 
2. Submit your favorite photo of you and your mom (or if you’re a mom, a photo of you and your son/daughter) to either Twitter or Instagram
3. Tag your photo #NeweggMomsRock and @Newegg
4. All entries must be received by 11:59 pm PT on 5/12/13 to be eligible. Once the contest period is over, one winner will be randomly selected among eligible entries and contacted via Twitter or Instagram.

Additional contest details: 

Open to US residents only. Limit one entry per person during the giveaway period. In the event that more than one entry is received from any one person, the first entry processed will be considered the only valid entry. By posting your photo, you are also agreeing to let us share it as the winning photo.

Good luck!

 5/13/13 UPDATE:

Congrats to the winner of our Mother’s Day Photo Contest @Inez_Freeman! We hope you enjoy your prizes!

1. NES USB Controller

This plug-n-play USB controller looks just like the classic NES controller! It features an eight-way directional pad and four digital buttons. It works with both PC and Mac for plenty of old school gaming fun!

2. Atari 10-in-1 TV Games

With the Atari 10-in-1 TV Games System, you have a completely self-contained gaming system. Take 10 classic video games with you wherever you go – all you have to do is hook it up to your TV. Games include Centipede, Pong, Asteroids, Missile Command, Real Sports Volleyball and more!

3. 1 GB Mix Tape Memory Stick

Remember the days before digital music and MP3 players? If you do then you probably made compilations of all your favorite music to share with your friends and loved ones on good old fashioned blank cassette tapes. With this 1GB Mix Tape Memory Stick, you can store up to 900 minutes of quality digital music – perfect for creating your own unique compilation of songs for friends.

4. iHome Portable FM Stereo Boombox for iPhone/iPod

This re-imagining of the classic stereo boombox easily fits any iPhone or docking iPod model without inserts. It has an FM radio, class “D” amplifier coupled to 4″ carbon composite woofers and 1″ dome tweeters, 5 band graphic equalizer with LCD display and a remote control.

5. Pyle PRT15I Retro Home Telephone for iPhone/Android/Blackberry

When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone he would’ve never imaged how far his creation would have come. The Pyle PRT15I is a telephone designed with the styling of the early 20th century with the future in mind. The handcrafted wooden body and brushed copper accents give this piece an authentic feel. This phone may look like an antique rotary but it’s been updated to work with the latest mobile smartphones on the market today!

6.  Retro Vintage Turntable System

Combine classic record playing with today’s audio files with this Retro Vintage Turntable System! Tune into FM/AM radio or use it to play CDs, MP3s, cassettes and vinyl records. This turntable will definitely catch your eye and can easily become the center piece in any room.

History Eraser

Spring cleaning
Over time, the thousands of websites, online searches and downloads a smartphone user accesses can have a detrimental impact on their device’s performance. To keep things clean and tidy, Android users should install a history management tool, such as History Eraser. This handy app comes in both free and premium versions, and enables users to delete all the clutter that accumulates on their device over time. With a simple, intuitive interface and a variety of customizable options, History Eraser is a great way to free up some valuable space and keep your phone working at an optimal level.

Antivirus protection
One crucial aspect of mobile devices that is overlooked by many users is antivirus protection. You wouldn’t leave your desktop PC vulnerable to malware and viruses, so why would you do the same for your smartphone?

One of the best apps to protect your Android against all manner of surreptitious threats on the web is avast! Mobile Security. Just like its desktop counterpart, the mobile version of this antivirus and software protection suite ensures that all websites and downloads are free from viruses, and enables users to remotely lock their device in the event it’s lost or stolen. This app also allows users to scan their device’s SD card as well as all incoming messages, downloads and websites for hidden surprises.

Memory management
As users begin to amass a collection of apps, the performance of their handset can take a hit, and with so many hidden processes vying for a slice of the device’s processing power, things can get sluggish. To combat this problem and wring every last drop of power from their handset, users should install a memory management tool like Auto Memory Manager. Featuring a range of presets and an intuitive slider interface, this program enables users to configure how much system memory is allocated to each kind of process, from games to communication tools running in the background.

What other apps do you use to ensure that your Android smartphone is running smoothly?

Overclocking 101
Simply put, overclocking means pushing your PC’s internal components further than their specified speeds. For example, if your computer’s CPU runs at 2.6GHz, overclocking it would mean pushing the processor’s speed to maybe 2.8GHz. Contrary to popular misconception, you don’t need a high-powered liquid cooling system if you only plan on nudging your PC’s CPU up a speed grade or two, but if you really want to push your processor to the limit, you might want to invest in a dedicated temperature control unit. Similarly, many CPUs can withstand moderate overclocking, as every motherboard manufactured is set to a benchmarked speed to optimize performance within “safe” parameters. This doesn’t mean, however, that it can’t work a little harder – or faster.

Tweaking the BIOS
Overclocking is done by making adjustments to your computer’s BIOS settings. During your PC’s boot cycle, press either “Delete” or “F12″ to access your motherboard’s BIOS. From here, you may be able to access the CPU Clock Ratio setting. Another important setting is the BLCK Frequency, which, when adjusted along with the Clock Ratio, can result in significantly faster speeds.

It’s worth noting, however, that not all CPUs can be overclocked. If this is the case, you won’t see any options to change the Clock Ratio in the BIOS and you’ll have to invest in a faster motherboard. Fortunately, Newegg.com has dozens of the latest – and fastest – computer components, from motherboards and RAM to GPUs and cooling systems.

Of course, delving into the inner workings of your PC’s BIOS should only be done if you’re confident you know what you’re doing. Changing settings in the BIOS can render your PC useless if you’re not careful, so if you’re not sure what to do, either back up your hard drive and use a separate partition for BIOS tweaking or simply leave it alone.

For a more in-depth look at overclocking Intel’s 3rd Generation Core Processors, check out this video from Newegg TV:

We’ re excited to announce that we have just released our Newegg for Google TV app to allow customers to browse, search and purchase items on Newegg.com directly from any Google TV device, from the comfort of their couch or bed.

The Google TV app can also sync with Android smartphones, allowing the phone to act as a remote control for navigating the Newegg app on users’ TV screens. To take advantage of this feature, users must have the Newegg mobile app installed on their Android phone and pair it with the Google TV app.

In addition to being able to shop Newegg from a Google TV device, the app also has built-in robust social functionality, making it possible for users to share their purchases with friends and family. Additionally, the app is integrated with Newegg TV, making it easy to watch the latest product overview and unboxing videos directly from Google TV.

The Newegg for Google TV app is available now in the Google Play Store for free and is compatible with Android versions 2.2 and up.

If you own a Google TV, download the app and let us know what you think!

CCleaner
Over time, browsing the web, installing and removing software and even general computer use can clog up your machine. Even if you take great care to keep your PC running smoothly, there are a lot of background processes and digital footprints left behind by common software applications that can adversely affect how well your computer runs. To ensure your machine is performing at optimal levels, install CCleaner or CCleaner Professional by Piriform. This handy tool enables you to quickly and easily delete your browser’s cache files, uninstall old programs, get rid of obsolete registry values and more. Running CCleaner once a week is an excellent way to keep your PC in top shape.

Auslogics Disk Defrag
Auslogics Disk Defrag makes defragmenting your computer’s hard drive a snap. Routine computer use can lead to files being moved and saved under different names, both of which can take up valuable space on your machine’s drive. Auslogics Disk Defrag enables you to analyze how efficient your hard drive’s disk usage is, before defragmenting it to ensure that those pesky file remnants aren’t affecting your computer’s performance. Depending on how much you use your computer, you shouldn’t need to defrag your hard drive more than once a month.

Duplicate Cleaner
No matter how organized you may be, from time to time you’ll probably come across duplicate files hidden away in the depths of your PC’s hard drive. Not only can these files take up additional space, duplicate documents can also lead to a range of problems, such as compatibility issues and permissions conflicts. To eliminate duplicate files, install Duplicate Cleaner. This application enables you to search entire hard drives and identify and kill duplicated files.

What other programs do you recommend for spring cleaning your PC?