Fully Charged: Buy Google’s 3D world-mapping Project Tango tablet, and free PS4 and XB1 games

Project Tango tablets go on sale

Prior to yesterday, getting your hands on one of Google’s experimental Project Tango development tablets – with its 3D motion-tracking cameras – meant being invited to purchase one, and then spending US$1024 (about £668). But now anyone can purchase the dev kit, and it’s half-price too.

Is Google about to unleash a new version, or was it just time to open up the floodgates a little? We don’t know, but if you wanted to play around with the company’s bleeding-edge, depth-sensing hardware – which really isn’t meant for consumers at this time – you can now do so for just US$512 (about £334) from the Google Store.

[Source: Google Store]

HBO Now coming to Android

Apple had an early exclusive on HBO Now (shown on Apple TV) – the standalone service that doesn’t require a cable or satellite subscription (unlike HBO Go) – on phones and tablets from early April, but at I/O 2015 yesterday, Google announced that the app is headed to Android devices this summer.

And it’ll work with Chromecast (on both Android and iOS), as well, so you’ll be able to easily enjoy it on your TV. If you’re in the States, that is: it’s still unclear if or when it’s coming to the UK. Until then, you’ll still have to get your Game of Thrones fix elsewhere.

New Xbox One controller?

It appears that a new version of the Xbox One controller – with a headphone jack built right into the bottom panel – will be released in the coming weeks. The Xbox Support page was prematurely updated with a diagram of a controller with the jack included, and it says, "Only available on controllers released after June 2015."

Otherwise, the controller looks completely identical, so we wonder how much fanfare there will be for the release (perhaps at E3 next month?). Currently, Xbox One controllers require an adaptor to use headsets with 3.5mm jacks. A Microsoft spokesperson declined comment when asked by Polygon, saying, "the team is focused on showcasing more games and experiences at E3 but has nothing else to share at the moment."

[Source: Polygon]

June’s free PS4 and XB1 games

Got a PlayStation Plus subscription? In June, you’ll be able to grab Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, Skulls of the Shogun: Bone-A-Fide Edition, Super Exploding Zoo, and Futuridium EP Deluxe for free, with the last two of those also available for Vita owners. And PlayStation 3 folks can download Call of Juarez: Gunslinger and Cloudberry Kingdom for free.

Over on the Xbox side of things, Xbox Live Gold members will have free access to Massive Chalice (which is just releasing on 1 June) and Pool Nation FX on Xbox One, while Xbox 360 owners can download Just Cause 2 free from 1-15 June and Thief from 16-30 June. Free games: get ’em while you can.

[Sources: PlayStation.Blog, Major Nelson]