Archive

Xbox Announces The Music Room

Andrew Edney

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May 20, 2013

Microsoft have just announced The Music Room – a new interactive two-part series delivering the hottest up-and-coming bands direct to your living room, only on Xbox Live.

Hosted by Laura Jackson, our first show features a thrilling line up with special guest, former Libertines co-frontman Carl Barat, and performances from Everything Everything, Don Broco and Swim Deep.

Xbox Live Gold members can watch all the action on Wednesday, 29^th May at 20.30 BST, plus enjoy live interactive polling which puts fans in the driver’s seat to determine the show’s finale in real-time. If you miss it don’t worry, you can watch highlights on catch-up including individual tracks and more.

Stay tuned for news of the second show on 25^th June, plus more exclusive entertainment events coming to Xbox Live soon.

For more information about Xbox Live Gold, please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/live.

Find out more about the bands here:

• Everything Everything: www.everything-everything.co.uk

• Don Broco: www.donbroco.com

• Swim Deep: www.facebook.com/SWIMDEEPUK

First Total War ROME Novel Revealed as Destroy Carthage

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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May 20, 2013

0

Pan Macmillan, SEGA of America, Inc., SEGA Europe, Ltd and Creative Assembly today announced Total War: ROME – Destroy Carthage will be the first in a grand series of Total War inspired novels written by bestselling author David Gibbins and released alongside the latest game in September 2013.

Working closely with developers at Creative Assembly and calling on his years of experience as a fiction writer and lecturer of history, David Gibbins is creating an original story that will captivate the authenticity, quality and scale of Total War: ROME II.

The story follows Fabius Petronius Secundus – Roman legionary and centurion – and his rise to power; from his first battle against the Macedonians, that seals the fate of Alexander the Great’s Empire, to total war in North Africa and the harrowing events of the Siege of Carthage.

Epic, packed with action, yet remaining character-driven at heart, Destroy Carthage explores how significant the Carthage campaign was on a personal level for each man who made war revealing the importance of loyalty, honour and ambition.

Pan Macmillan along with US sister company, Thomas Dunne Books won the rights in October 2012 to publish a four part series of novels inspired by the award winning, SEGA published, Total War franchise.

“The Total War game series is all about conquering your own personal version of history, in a world we make as authentic to the period as possible,” Rob Bartholomew, Brand Director at Creative Assembly commented. “David’s novel is a fantastic opportunity to further indulge in the kind of what-if story-telling our players enjoy”.

“It’s been hugely exciting for me to work on this novel.” David Gibbins, bestselling author commented. “The story of Rome’s struggle with Carthage is truly a story of total war, of a conflict spread over more than a century, in which annihilation of one side was the only possible outcome. It’s been fascinating for me to reimagine the lead-up to the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC through the eyes of a fictional legionary, Fabius. The story has been very close to my own work as an archaeologist at Carthage itself – it’s fantastic to be that close to real history, and that’s what makes my novels come alive for me.”

Total War: ROME: Destroy Carthage will be published in September 2013 to tie in with the global release of the game. The first novel in the series will be localised into Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese and Hungarian and is available for pre-order from supporting retailers now. For more information about the book and to watch the exclusive teaser trailer, head to www.totalwarbooks.com

You can find out more about Total War at www.totalwar.com

Welcome to the World of Batman: Arkham Origins (Trailer)

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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May 20, 2013

0

Welcome to the World of Batman: Arkham Origins (Trailer)

Welcome to the World of Batman, Batman: Arkham Origins features an expanded Gotham City and introduces an original prequel storyline occurring several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City. Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous villains and assassins, the game showcases a young, raw, unrefined Batman as he faces a defining moment in his early career as a crime fighter that sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight. As the story unfolds, witness identities being formed and key relationships being forged.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pnK8akbd2M?feature=player_detailpage%5D

Out 25th October 2013 Worldwide, Preorder to play as Deathstroke. Are you going to preorder Batman : Arkham Origins.

Ouya E3 Booth Open to the Public

Chris Hare

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May 20, 2013

0

Ouya’s E3 booth will be open to the public, it has been revealed. Located in a car park outside the convention centre, the Android console will be playable for members of the public and not just pass holders at the gaming expo.

Head of developer relations Kellee Santiago said it would give developers a chance to demo their games to media, industry attendees and “random people on the street”.

“We’re going all out to ensure we get the best equipment, and we’re also engineering it with the elements of an outside location in mind,” she said.

“We’re confident this will turn out to be an awesome event that you and your teams will be proud of!”

Ouya’s launch was recently pushed back from 4th June to 25th June to ensure more consoles would be available at retail.

The console raised a record $8.6 million (£5.6m) on Kickstarter when the project’s founders appealed for funding on the crowd-sourcing platform.

It has since gained major developer support from the likes of Double Fine and Words with Friends co-creator Paul Bettner.

Powered by a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, Ouya packs 8GB of Flash memory, 1GB RAM, Bluetooth connectivity and a HDMI connection for hooking the system up to a TV screen.

GAME recently announced that it is taking pre-orders for the console, which will retail at £99 in the UK and $99 in the US.

Kingston Releases MobileLite Wireless for Apple and Android Mobile Devices

Apple

Andrew Edney

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May 20, 2013

0

Kingston Digital Europe today announced the release of MobileLite Wireless. MobileLite Wireless is the next generation of the innovative Wi-Drive portable wireless storage device Kingston released in 2011, for Apple and Android devices.

The new reader is enhanced as it wirelessly streams movies, music, photos and documents from USB Flash drives, microSD (with included adapter) and SD/SDHC/SDXC cards. MobileLite Wireless also serves as an emergency mobile charger when the user’s phone battery gets low.

Kingston’s new MobileLite Wireless is the ultimate companion to keep up with one’s active lifestyle, giving users access to unprecedented mobile essentials at a great price. It is as easy as plugging in any USB Flash drive into the USB port to quickly watch and share movies or view and share files wirelessly on mobile devices. The SD/SDHC/SDXC slot enables fast, easy sharing of images with friends and family by removing the card from a camera and plugging it directly into the MobileLite Wireless. The included adapter allows the same access and sharing for microSD cards used in many mobile phones and tablets.

MobileLite Wireless also serves as an emergency backup battery charger to keep devices going longer. The charging feature works with most mobile phones as it charges them via the device’s USB slot. MobileLite Wireless has a rechargeable battery which can handle up to five hours of continuous use as a wireless reader, easily handling long road trips.

MobileLite Wireless allows streaming and sharing of data with up to three users simultaneously. Like the Wi-Drive, the new device allows simultaneous connections to both device and router via Wi-Fi so, for example, one can stream music and browse the Internet at the same time. The MobileLite Wireless app is available now for Apple devices and soon for Android and Kindle Fire. Support for Windows Phone OS, Windows PC and Mac are forthcoming.

The feature-rich MobileLite Wireless has a suggested price of £49.99. It is available via e-tail in the United Kingdom at Amazon.co.uk. It will be available globally soon via a ramped regional rollout.

A video with a demonstration of the MobileLite Wireless is available here. The MobileLite Wireless is backed by a one-year warranty, free technical support and legendary Kingston reliability.

Kingston MobileLite Wireless Features and Specifications:

· Inputs for Storage: USB and SD ― reads SD, SDHC, SDXC and microSD (with included adapter)

· Dimensions: 124.8mm x 59.9mm x 16.65mm

· Weight: 98g

· Wireless Network Interface: Wi-Fi 802.11g/n with wireless security (WPA2)

· Rechargeable Battery: up to 5 hours of continuous use

· Battery: built-in Li-Polymer 1800mAh 3.7v

· Local Storage: wirelessly transfer files to and from the MobileLite Wireless app and the MobileLite Wireless hardware

· Camera Roll support¹: allows users to move photos from their mobile device to MobileLite Wireless in order to free up space

· Cable: USB to micro-USB cable included

· Operating Temperature: 0°C to 40°C

· Storage Temperature: -10°C to 45°C

· Guaranteed one-year warranty, free technical support

· Customisable Device Name (SSID): User selectable Wi-Fi priority list when there are multiple APN/Key available

· File Support²: MobileLite Wireless can store any file type. Playback and viewing are based on the files supported by the mobile device

· General file format support:

• Audio: MP3, WAV

• Video³: m4v, mp4 (H. 264 video codec)

• Image: jpg, tiff

• Document: pdf

Deadpool : Exclusive Worldwide First Play at MCM London Comic Con

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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May 20, 2013

0

Visitors to MCM London Comic Con on 24-26 May will get an exclusive worldwide first to play of Deadpool, Activision’s exciting new actioner starring Marvel Comics’ iconic anti-hero.

The publisher says that show attendees will have the chance to get hands-on with two levels from the upcoming game, which will be released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC (via Steam) on 28 June.

As if getting a worldwide exclusive first play isn’t enough, you’ll also be able to take part in a range of special Deadpool activities across the weekend:

•    Everyone who plays the game will get a free and exclusive Deadpool poster with artwork that has been especially created for MCM London Comic Con by a Marvel artist.
•    Everyone who pre-orders Deadpool from GAME at the Activision stand will walk away with an exclusive Deadpool T-shirt (while stocks last).
•    At 2pm on the Saturday of the show, Activision will be giving away 1,000 awesome Deadpool masks – don your epic new headgear and do some Deadpooling!
•    Get your picture taken against the Deadpool photo wall emblazoned with an image of the iconic marvel character, tweet it with the hashtag #DeadpoolGame and on each day of the show Activision will pick one lucky tweeter who will win a copy of the game (to be sent to them when it releases).

For an exclusive world first play of Deadpool plus a wealth of other games, movies, comics, anime, sci-fi and cosplay entertainment, visit MCM London Comic Con, 24-26 May at Excel London.

Review of the Motorola RAZR HD smartphone

Andrew Edney

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May 20, 2013

3

The Motorola RAZR HD smartphone has been very popular in the US, and now its here in the UK – and we had the chance to test it out.

This is how Motorola describe the RAZR HD:

The new Motorola RAZR HD means you don’t have to slow down for an instant, as running on 4G gives you life at super speed. Enjoy instant downloads, the fastest internet searches and seamless video and movie streaming without having to worry about battery life, as the Motorola RAZR HD delivers great performance on a single charge. Plus, you can use SMARTACTIONS to extend your battery life further still to get even more hours of fun.

Features

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
1.5 GHz dual core processor
1 GB RAM
4.7″ Super AMOLED HD screen with Corning Gorilla Glass
Long-life 2530 mAh battery
Manufactured with DuPont Kevlar fibre
8 MP camera & 1.3 MP front facing camera
Micro SD card up to 32 GB
Mini HDMI port
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0
67.9 x 131.9 x 8.4 mm
146 grams
4G ready

Specifications

A Closer Look

Using the RAZR HD

Syncing the RAZR HD to your computer is very simple – just plug it in, let the Motorola Device Manager install and away you go.

If you are familiar with an Android based smartphone there won’t be any surprises with the look and feel of the OS.

The quality of the rear camera is very good – this was taken through a window.

Final Thoughts

The first thing I noticed about the RAZR HD was it’s size – compared to a lot of other devices it’s actually quite large. Now if you are in the market for a phone with a large high quality screen then this won’t put you off. While it may be big, it is also rather thin too!

And talking of the screen, the quality is really good – the colours are great, and picture and video playback look excellent.

The RAZR HD is currently running Android 4.1.2, so it’s not the very latest Android build, although it’s not that old either. Motorola say that a future update will bring it up to date though, so watch out or that soon.

The real selling point for the RAZR HR is the battery life. Motorola claim it will last all day, and in our tests that was certainly the case, even under heavy usage. After a full day of emails, web surfing, wi-fi access, phone calls and video playback, there was still battery left in it. So if battery is the most important thing for you then you should seriously look at the RAZR HD. One thing I was surprised at though was that there was no way to replace the battery, or have a spare. A lot of Android devices these days allow you to change the battery, but to be fair, if you can get a full days use out of the RAZR HD why would you need a spare?

Another reason for there not being a replaceable battery is that the phone is “splash proof”. Unlike the Sony Xperia Z, the phone isn’t waterproof, but even having some water protection is better than nothing – after all, how many of us have spilt liquid on or near our phones before?

One of the minor disappointments with the RAZR HD is it’s spec. It’s not a bad spec, but it’s not earth shattering either, and there are a few other notable devices with a better spec that may be higher on peoples wants list.

The price will be dependant on which network you go with and how long your contract is (as with any device) and certainly for some of the tariffs out there I can see consumers picking the Sony Xperia Z unless battery life is the most important element.

You can learn more from the Motorola website.

Are you Ready For The Next Forza Game?

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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May 20, 2013

0

A new feature for the next Forza game may have been uncovered, according to a new report on Siliconera.

A new trademark for Forzavista describes a new feature which “allows players to obtain statistical information of internal and external features of a vehicle and to virtually navigate and operate those vehicles.” The trademark is linked to the usual categories of “computer programs, namely, game software for use on computers and video game players.”

Image of Forza Horizon

Forza 4 included a feature known as ‘Auto Vista,’ which make it seems even more likely that this new trademark will be part of the next Forza game, although we’ll no doubt find out for sure either at tomorrow’s Xbox reveal or at E3.

You can check out the trademark here.

Adobe Photoshop Express app comes to Windows 8 and RT

Chris Hare

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May 20, 2013

0

Adobe Photoshop Express app comes to Windows 8 and RT

Adobe Photoshop Express has launched as an app on Windows 8 and RT. The app is available for free, while additional “premium” options are available at a price.

Free basic editing features such as cropping, rotations and a red-eye remover are optimised for easier use on touch-screen devices.

Colour adjustments, auto-correction and 15 one-touch filters known as “looks” are also available for free.

At £2.19, 20 additional filters can be downloaded as an in-app purchase, as well as a noise reduction feature which costs £3.50.

It is also possible to upload images to Adobe Revel, which allows syncing across different devices.

Mario to Dominate Next Nintendo Direct

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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May 20, 2013

0

Nintendo has confirmed that its next Nintendo direct will show off a new 3D Mario title, along with more information on the new Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.

The news comes via Nintendo’s twitter feed, which in itself comes after Nintendo confirmed it would not hold a traditional pre-E3 showcase this year.

Are you excited for what Nintendo has to show next or not?

Call of Duty: Ghosts Gets a Small Teaser Before the Xbox Reveal

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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May 20, 2013

0

Here is a little teaser trailer or something along those lines. The team at Infinity Ward have posted up a small moving image of Call of Duty: Ghosts, giving us a small glimpse of what’s soon to be shown off in full at the Xbox reveal tomorrow.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0bTEc7fsis?feature=player_detailpage%5D

Are you ready for the Xbox Reveal Tomorrow, What are you looking for forward to in the next console….

Win a copy of the Raspberry Pi For Dummies book

Andrew Edney

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May 19, 2013

8

For anyone who’s new to the Raspberry Pi and not sure how or where to begin, Raspberry Pi For Dummies is the ideal companion and we have 2 copies to give away.

The Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized computer that, when plugged into a screen and a keyboard, can do many of the things that a desktop PC does, and a whole lot more too. With the Raspberry Pi, you’re free to experiment by connecting up electronics circuits, you can learn to program in Scratch and Python, learn to manage your programs and files with Linux, and build a low cost media centre. Raspberry Pi For Dummies contains everything the reader needs to know to get them up and running – from downloading and installing the Operating System and connecting to other devices, to discovering and installing great free software, and carrying out projects such as editing photos, managing budgets, creating web pages, programming games, and building your first electronics projects.

Although initially intended for schools to help improve computer science skills amongst students, the Raspberry Pi has also been adopted by techies and hobbyists – so much so that when first released, worldwide demand completely outstripped supply.

Written by veteran tech authors Sean McManus and Mike Cook, Raspberry Pi For Dummies will also appeal to those who want to teach programming, basic electronics and Linux Systems Admin skills, guiding beginners as they embrace this exciting new technology.

So all you have to do to win a copy is to click on the Contact Us link here or at the top of the page and tell us what you would like to do with your Pi.

Usual contest rules apply, and the two winners will be selected at random. This contest is open to anyone in the world, just make sure you tell us where you are! And you can enter more than once, just only one entry per day will be accepted.

The contest closes Saturday 25th May, so good luck.

Good luck and thanks to our friends at Wiley for the books.

Raspberry Pi For Dummies book out now

Andrew Edney

-

May 19, 2013

1

For anyone who’s new to the Raspberry Pi and not sure how or where to begin, Raspberry Pi For Dummies is the ideal companion.

The Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized computer that, when plugged into a screen and a keyboard, can do many of the things that a desktop PC does, and a whole lot more too. With the Raspberry Pi, you’re free to experiment by connecting up electronics circuits, you can learn to program in Scratch and Python, learn to manage your programs and files with Linux, and build a low cost media centre. Raspberry Pi For Dummies contains everything the reader needs to know to get them up and running – from downloading and installing the Operating System and connecting to other devices, to discovering and installing great free software, and carrying out projects such as editing photos, managing budgets, creating web pages, programming games, and building your first electronics projects.

Although initially intended for schools to help improve computer science skills amongst students, the Raspberry Pi has also been adopted by techies and hobbyists – so much so that when first released, worldwide demand completely outstripped supply.

Written by veteran tech authors Sean McManus and Mike Cook, Raspberry Pi For Dummies will also appeal to those who want to teach programming, basic electronics and Linux Systems Admin skills, guiding beginners as they embrace this exciting new technology.

As with the Dummies series, the book is very well laid out and covers everything you would want to know about the Pi, including how to get started with it, programming, exploring electronics and a whole lot more. There are numerous illustrations and examples, including code for you to enter which should really help you get to grips with the Pi.

Raspberry Pi for Dummies is just over 400 pages long and is a must have for anyone who wants to do more with their Pi.

The book retails for £17.99 but Amazon have a really good price for it right now – see the link below if you are interested in buying it.

Do you have a Raspberry Pi? What have you done with it? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Infinite Crisis: Gaslight Joker profile video released

Andrew Edney

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May 19, 2013

0

Get an extensive look at Gaslight Joker in a new Champion Profile video for Infinite Crisis that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment released.

The prosperous Age of Invention’s most infamous serial killer, Gaslight Joker wades into fights with sweeping strikes of cleaver and ham, often followed by his “pets,” a ravenous swarm of starving rats.

Here is his profile video:

What do you think of them? Let us know by leaving a comment below.