Fully Charged: Twitter may bust 140 character limit, and PlayStation 4 sales surge

Twitter could bust 140 character limit

Perhaps the most uniquely defining element of the Twitter experience is the 140 character limit, which keeps thoughts short and sweet… or at least spread across multiple tweets, as needed. The company has played with the format a bit, allowing comments atop retweets, but now it is reportedly considering busting open the format entirely.

According to Recode, Twitter is considering allowing up to 10,000 characters for tweets, although you’d only see it by expanding the usual, compact tweet. That’s the current limit for direct messages on the service, and it could be used to allow people to post blog-length missives, extended lists, and whatever else they please on the service.

Granted, that takes away from the original spirit of the service, but as Twitter tries to generate more profit for its investors, the company is reportedly pushing for ways to reinvent itself. In fact, the initiative is reportedly called "Beyond 140," and we could see it in action before the year’s first quarter comes to a close. And while CEO Jack Dorsey wouldn’t confirm the proposed new limit, he did tweet out a response hinting that lengthier dialogue is coming.

[Source: Recode]

PlayStation 4 sales surge

Anyone who thought cheap smartphone and tablet games would kill consoles must be feeling pretty silly right about now, as the PlayStation 4 continued its ongoing sales spree across the holidays. Nearly 36 million units have been sold now in just over two years, with 5.7 million of them sold during the holiday window.

By contrast, Microsoft didn’t release specific numbers for the Xbox One, instead claiming it was a "record holiday" and that 2015 was a "monumental year for Xbox." The PlayStation 4 has led console sales for most of the months since the consoles shipped in late 2013, and would seem to have a significant lead over the Xbox One, although both seem to be selling steadily. Your move, Nintendo.

[Source: Engadget]

EA Sports UFC 2 out in March

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Following the company’s UFC-less EA Sports MMA, 2014’s EA Sports UFC was a decent start to its relationship with the world’s largest mixed-martial arts promotion, and now the publisher is back for a second attempt this March.

EA Sports UFC 2 will ship on 17 March worldwide (15 March in the United States) for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with Ronda Rousey as its cover star and new features that should add more depth to the fighting experience. Check out the new trailer above.

[Source: Polygon]

Gold Nexus 6P comes to States

Interested in the Nexus 6P, but been holding out for the Matte Gold option that was exclusive to Japan? Good news if you’re in the United States: Google and Huawei have brought the phone to the Google Store and Best Buy, although it’s only available in 32GB and 64GB models for now. It’s priced the same as the other colours, so grab your wallet if you want a glistening Nexus in your pocket.

[Source: Android Central]