Xbox 720, Xbox Loop -- whatever Microsoft ends up calling it, that hot rod of a console looks to be on deck for a late fall 2013 release. According to IGN's sources, this successor to the Redmond gaming throne is purported to pack a GPU based on AMD's 6000 series of chips and will boast silicon circuitry that catapults its performance past Nintendo's upcoming Wii U by 20 percent. If you're looking for a more apples to green X's comparison, this next-gen console's graphical capabilities are also reportedly six times greater than its 360 progenitor. While MS is likely holding back its monstrous new platform for a big E3 reveal, it appears the company's still whittling down its spec list, with dev kits to be issued later this August. No mention was made of its rumored Kinect 2 integration, but we're more than certain that famous hacking tech will be front and center.

Alienware may have just upgraded its Aurora gaming rig, but that's not to keep the company from giving more diminutive form factors some love. Just this evening, the subsidiary of Dell announced the X51, a slim gaming PC that's designed to orient itself either vertically or horizontally on the desktop -- complete with an Alienware logo that properly rotates depending on positioning. The system includes both Core i3 and i5 options, and features a slot-loading optical drive with an option for Blu-ray. While it's no shocker, the X51 can be upgraded to 8GB of RAM and a full 1TB of storage. Further, the case accommodates a single, full size NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 graphics card, (with the GTX 555 available as an upgrade), and features an external power supply that's available in 240W or 330W versions. Users can also expect HDMI 1.4, on-board WiFi, USB 3.0 and digital 7.1 surround sound. As a nifty trick, the computer's accent colors can be conveniently modified with the Alienware Command Center software. Touting immediate availability, customers can place orders for the X51 right away, with configurations starting as low as $699. For the complete set of specs that make up this Mini-ITX gamer, just follow the break.

Alienware X51 Product Specifications:

• Intel Core i3 Dual Core (standard) and Intel Core i5 and i7 Quad Core Processor Options
• Intel H61 Express Chipset Architecture
• Mini-ITX Motherboard
• Powerful NVIDIA Graphics Card Options
  • 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 (Standard)
  • 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 555
• Configure with up to 8GB of DDR3 Memory (4GB Standard); 2x 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM Slots
• Fast 7,200RPM 1TB Hard Drive
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
• Slot-Loading Dual Layer DVD Burner (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader
• Internal High-Definition 7.1 Performance Audio with Waves MAXX Audio Software
• Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Wireless LAN (standard)
• USB 2.0 (6x); USB 3.0 (2x); Microphone In; Headphone/Speaker Out; HDMI 1.4 Output; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet; Front, Rear and Center Speaker Ports; SPDIF Digital Output (TOSLINK); SPDIF Digital Output (Coax)
• Alienware 240 Watt Power Supply (Standard) or optional 330 Watt Power Supply
• Dual-orientation tower system dimensions: h: 13.5" (343mm) x w: 3.74" (95mm) x d: 12.52" (318mm)
• Starting Weight: 12.1 lbs. (5.49 Kg.)

LG TO INTRODUCE ITS FIRST LTE TABLET

Expanding LTE Leadership into Tablets to
Meet the Needs of Consumers' Faster Lifestyles

SEOUL, Jan. 18, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its first LTE-capable tablet, the Optimus Pad LTE. Initially launching in Korea, LG has equipped the tablet with both LTE technology and True HD IPS display, the two features that have helped LG differentiate its latest smartphone, Optimus LTE, from the competition.

"With tablets generating five times more traffic than the average smartphone, it's not a huge jump to assume that tablet users need and want faster connectivity," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "The combination of LG's LTE technology with the tablet form factor is a clear advantage for consumers who use a tablet as their primary consumption device when on the move."

Check out IBM's 305 RAMAC (Random Access Method of Accounting and Control) hard disk and those gripes about dragging around that USB thumb drive soon evaporate. This 1956 HDD was composed of 50 24-inch discs, stacked together and taking up 16 sq ft of real estate. The once-cutting-edge monstrosity was capable of commanding an annual fee of $35,000 and stored up to 5MB of data. Sure, by modern standards it's a pretty modest capacity, but the RAMAC still weighed in at just shy of a ton. Our technological forefathers could have done with that exoskeleton prototype.

RealID take two. Last year, Blizzard announced its misguided strategy to connect players across all of its franchises, requiring users to be identified by their real names. The result was one of the most epic, rant-filled forum threads of all-time. Enter BattleTags, same idea, but with user-created nicknames instead of the name you sign your checks with.

WoW Insider directs our attention to the BattleTags announcement from Blizzard. RealID will still be available for those who want to stay connected with gamer friends they actually know in real life, while BattleTags will allow Battle.net users to connect with people they meet online and still maintain anonymity.

BattleTags will be optional, but those who do use them will have a single identifier across all of Blizzard's games, forums, and community sites. The system is now getting a test run in the Diablo III beta, and there is no word yet on when it will be ready for prime time. For more details, check out the official BattleTag FAQ.