Archive

Lenovo Announces the ThinkVision Pro2840m 4K Displays at CES 2014

Chris Hare

-

Jan 6, 2014

Lenovo Announces the ThinkVision Pro2840m 4K Displays at CES 2014

Also Lenovo announced today, at the CES 2014 the ThinkVision Pro2840m, one of the best value 28 inch feature packed 4K professional displays and the ThinkVision 28, a smarter display that is not only a ultra-high definition monitor but also is an Android enabled entertainment centre.

“Lenovo is set to establish itself as a leading provider of premium display products with two new world class monitors that set the bar for UltraHD performance and great value,” said Victor Rios, vice president and general manager, Think Desktop, Workstation and Visuals, Lenovo. “The ThinkVision Pro2840m is a must have display for professionals looking for ultra-high resolutions and the ThinkVision 28 defines an emerging category of premium monitors with a smart element for ultimate flexibility for tech savvy customers.”

World Class 4K Display Performance
Designed with CAD/CAM, data analysis or purely for high definition entertainment, the ThinkVision Pro2840m is a feature packed 28 inch UltraHD premium display for the discerning professional who requires an uncompromised visual experience. With a 3840×2160 panel, the latest premium ThinkVision monitor reproduces a stunning image that is vibrant, sharp and detailed and colour reproduction is second to none.

Users will enjoy the clean and ergonomic infinity glass design featuring touch sensitive buttons and dual speakers and the monitor is mounted on a full function stand that allows tilt, swivel and rotate for maximum productivity. An array of ports complete the picture for connection to multiple external devices.
ThinkVision Pro2840m is a must have display for professionals wanting the latest 4K technology at an incredibly affordable price backed by a three year warranty.

4K Smart Display for Serious Work and All-out Fun
Lenovo’s commitment to PC plus innovation is unrelenting and the introduction of a new smart display is no exception. Ideal for home office use with its stunning infinity glass design, the new ThinkVision 28 is a game changing 28 inch ultra- high resolution monitor featuring a 3840×2160 panel that offers a wide range of connectivity options delivering maximum productivity for tech savvies.

The ThinkVision 28 is more than just for work. At the touch of a button, the ThinkVision 28 transforms into a true entertainment hub. On demand content is streamed seamlessly through the familiar Android interface thanks to NVIDIA Tegra-powered technology and ten point multi-touch ensures a fully interactive experience for all the family.

With its ground breaking design and full entertainment features, the ThinkVision 28 not only offers a stunning viewing experience, but revolutionizes the concept of visuals technology by combining an ultra-high resolution display with powerful system on a chip (SOC) technology.

Panel Size 28-inch 4Kx2K monitor
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Viewable Area 620.93mm(H) X 341.28mm(V)
Resolution 3840×2160 (157 PPI)
Colour Gamut 72%
Tilt Angle Forward 5 degree /Backward 25 degree
Swivel Angle 45 degree/45 degree
Lift 110mm
Integrated Connectivity DP+mDP+HDMI+MHL, USB BC 1.2, 3x USB 3.0 and 2x USB 2.0, MHL
Sound 3.5mm stereo audio, Integrated 2×3 watt speakers
Green Features Energy Star 6.0, TCO Display 6.0, TCO Certified Edge 1.2, TUV Green Mark, EPEAT Gold, ULEnvironment Gold, China Energy Label Tier 1, Carbon Foot Print, 85% Recycled Plastic
Screen Dimensions 648.9 mm(H) X 369.3mm (V)

Pricing and Availability
The ThinkVision Pro2840m will be available from April 2014 and is expected to start at $799.
The ThinkVision 28 smart display will be available in selected markets from July 2014 and is expected to start at approximately $1199.

Lenovo Shows off Thinkpad X1 Carbon at CES 2014

Chris Hare

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Jan 6, 2014

0

Lenovo Shows off Thinkpad X1 Carbon at CES 2014

Today at the CES 2014 Lenovo, announced the third generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the world’s lightest 14 inch ultrabook and the ThinkPad 8 tablet. Lenovo also introduces the new ThinkPad OneLink Dock Pro, an enhanced docking solution through a single cable connector.

“Lenovo continues to push the boundaries of design and technology as we aspire to create the best products in the market. Our obsession in the pursuit of perfection is evident with these smarter devices designed to enhance the way people interact at home and at work,” said Peter Hortensius, SVP and president, Think Business Group, Lenovo. “The ThinkPad X1 Carbon delivers a stunning user experience with the best professional display and new interactive methods and represents another step in our PC plus journey.”

Professional Redefined
The New X1 Carbon is a beautiful contradiction. Uncompromisingly light, weighing only 2.8 pounds, it is virtually indestructible. The lightest 14” Ultrabook in the world has all the power and durability that the modern professional requires. Born from the same stock as aircrafts and racing cars, the X1 Carbon is forged from Carbon Fiber, which weighs less than magnesium and aluminum but is stronger than both.

The X1 products have a reputation for pushing boundaries, both in design and usability, and the new X1 Carbon is no exception. It actually adapts to the way users work thanks to technology which is a whole generation ahead. The New X1 Carbon features the Adaptive Keyboard, which dynamically adjusts based on the software or application being used to highlight the most relevant keys. The new ultrabook also integrates voice and gesture control, allowing users to interact with their PC in modern and familiar ways.

The New X1 Carbon also improves the viewing and touch experiences for users. The new ColorBurst Display provides sharper, brighter images at higher resolutions with better viewing angles for a superior visual experience, whether users watch a movie or create presentations. And for customers who are on the move, the new X1 Carbon utilizes Rapid Charge technology, providing an 80% charge in under an hour. Coupled with an up to 9 hour battery life (over 70% improvement from the last generation) and optional built-in 4G capability, the new X1 Carbon has all the mobility and connectivity customers need wherever they go.

Lenovo has improved docking experience on a thin and light device, the new X1 Carbon utilizes the OneLink connector that eliminates cable clutter. This allows users to get power, Gigabit Ethernet, and dual display support through a single cable via ThinkPad OneLink docking solutions.

High Performance Docking Through a Single Cable
The new ThinkPad OneLink Pro Dock combines all necessary docking features and functions, including power, through a single cable connection to Lenovo notebooks equipped with an OneLink connector. The ThinkPad OneLink Pro Dock includes multiple USB ports, audio and Ethernet connections and driver-free dual video support through DisplayPort and DVI on selected models. The integrated 90W AC adapter also provides power for the notebook, supports rapid charge and can also charge other devices such as a smartphone.

ThinkPad 8 – Professional-Ready Tablet with Three Modes
A premium 8 inch tablet constructed of machine-cut aluminum, the compact ThinkPad 8 comes equipped with the technologies professionals need to be successful. It caters to those who want a more portable device without sacrificing the ability to connect to a keyboard and display for a full PC experience. Use it in Tablet Mode on the go. Connect it to the optional keyboard base, dock or monitor for Desktop Mode. Or flip its optional Quickshot Cover over the tablet to convert into Tent Mode.

In addition, it allows users to capture photos and videos intuitively and easily with the Quickshot cover. Users just peel back the tablet’s cover to expose the 8 MP high definition camera, triggering the camera app to open. Once captured, users can view and edit their photos and videos on the super bright 8.3 inch 1920×1200 display and transfer them wirelessly using Miracast technology or view them via a cable using its microHDMI port. Supporting a full PC experience, ThinkPad 8 is armed with the latest Intel Bay Trail Quad Core processor, up to 128GB of storage, a microUSB 3.0 port, LTE² connectivity and a full Windows8 Pro experience for professional needs.

Businesses can also opt for a variety of service and support solutions to fit their needs. Lenovo’s new Advanced Exchange warranty upgrade option in the U.S. and Canada raises the bar on the tablet support experience. This upgrade provides a replacement tablet the next business day after determining that a customer’s tablet has failed. The customer simply ships back the original tablet in a pre-paid shipping box and keeps the replacement. With the same serial number as the original tablet, the replacement makes it easy for businesses to track and manage leased products.

Lenovo Services offers Integrated Solutions
Lenovo’s comprehensive portfolio of Services provides relevant and integral value to businesses. With a committed focus on customer, quality and responsiveness, Lenovo Services offers innovative and integrated solutions to ensure maximum productivity. Warranty Extensions, Upgrades, Accidental Damage Protection, Keep Your Drive, Priority Technical Support and a complete set of factory and automated deployment services help organizations effectively bridge the gap between consumer and business.

Pricing and Availability
Models of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon start at $1299 and availability will begin late January. The OneLink Dock Pro is available now at $179.
ThinkPad 8 convertible tablet configure to order models start at $399 and Topseller models start at $429 and will be available late January.

Apple’s 12 Days of Christmas 2013 Day 12 The Rolling Stones Sweet Summer Sun Live

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Jan 6, 2014

2

Apple is continuing it’s annual 12 Days of Christmas, and for day 12 its The Rolling Stones Sweet Summer Sun Live.

You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps and books for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get the special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go.

To access these gifts, the Region Format setting on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch needs to match your iTunes Store account.

You need to download the app and then each day for 12 days there will be something free.

Day 12 The Rolling Stones Sweet Summer Sun Live

That’s it for this year! What has been your favourite?

CES2014: Linksys Announces Retro-Inspired WRT Line of Networking Products

Jim McCarthy

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Jan 6, 2014

1

CES2014: Linksys Announces Retro-Inspired WRT Line of Networking Products

Linksys today announced that they are re-introducing the retro-inspired WRT line of high-performance wireless networking products. Read on for details!

Linksys today announced that they are re-introducing the retro-inspired WRT line of high-performance wireless networking products. Remember the won’t-die WRT54G router from 2002? You know, the Linksys router that was built like a tank and was the best-performing router in its class? I still have one and it still works, even after a lightning strike took out a LAN port! Well, Linksys is trying to tap into the continuing goodwill associated with that product in its new AC1900 flagship high-performance router line with the introduction of the new WRT1900AC router and related product line. Here are some product shots of the router:

The WRT1900AC sports four antennas, which should deliver these benefits:

Project large, overlapping Wi-Fi patterns for maximum signal strength and coverage;
Engineered to enhance dual band communication;
Adjustable to customize your wireless signal for single or multi-story buildings;
Removable to accommodate antenna upgrades; and,
4 antennas provide antenna diversity for a more robust connection with wireless clients.

Here are the specifications:

Interfaces

1x Gigabit WAN port
4x Gigabit LAN ports
1x USB 3.0 port
1x eSATA/USB 2.0 port

Processor

1.2GHz dual-core ARM-based

Memory

128MB Flash
256MB DDR3 RAM

LED

Power, Internet, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, LAN 1-4 (10/100Mbps or
1Gbps), USB 3.0, USB 2.0, eSATA, WPS

Operating Frequency

2.4GHz and 5GHz (concurrent) – you could also say “simultaneous”

Data Rates – Maximum speeds:

2.4GHz:

600Mbps (802.11n)
54Mbps (802.11g)
11Mbps (802.11b)

5GHz:

1.3Gbps (802.11ac)
450Mbps (802.11n)
8 54Mbps (802.11a)

Antennas

4 External Antennas, adjustable and removable

Storage File System Support

FAT, NTFS, and HFS+

Management

Parental Controls
Media Prioritization (QoS)
Network Map
Remote Management (Linksys Smart Wi-Fi)
Wireless MAC Filtering
Backup/Restore Router Configuration

This should be a high-performance router with a 1.2 GHz dual core processor and Smart Wi-Fi onboard. Speaking of which, Smart Wi-Fi will add an additional network mapping feature called Network Map, which should give you a better idea of what devices are connected, how they are connected and what they are doing. Here is a quick infographic that shows the new feature:

In addition, Linksys will be selling WRT accessories during 2014, including high-gain antennas, a NAS unit, and bridge and extender products.

Last but not least, OpenWRT will be fully supported from day one on the WRT1900AC, and Tomato and DD-WRT support is also planned. If you like to use open-source firmware with your router, the WRT1900AC will give you that opportunity in a high-performance AC1900 router.

I’ll leave you with a trip down Router Memory Lane with this fun infographic that shows the history of Linksys WRT routers. I look forward to testing the WRT1900AC. In the meantime, enjoy this.

CES2014: LaCie Introduces Silver-Plated Luxury Sphere Hard Drive

Storage & NAS

Jim McCarthy

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Jan 6, 2014

0

LaCie today announced a silver-plated luxury external hard drive called the Sphere. Read on for details!

LaCie today announced a silver-plated luxury external hard drive called the Sphere. Intended as a luxury gift item, this 1TB hard drive system is encased in a silver-plated steel case and connects to your computer with USB 3.0. The price is $490 and availability is expected soon. Here is the press release:

Old World Luxury Meets Modern Technology with LaCie Sphère, Design by Christofle

PARIS, FRANCE – Today, two brands known for elegant design announce a silver-plated hard drive: LaCie™ Sphère™, design by Christofle. Whether gracing the table of a 19^th Century prince or the desk of a modern-day CEO, a piece by Christofle makes an impression. Building on LaCie’s initial partnership with Christofle that produced the Galet™ USB key, the Sphère integrates Christofle’s luxurious heritage with the industry’s latest technology.

The handcrafted hard drive is enclosed in a spherical case of silver-plated steel. Due to its round shape, the LaCie Sphère requires a careful manual plating process. It is stamped, silver-plated and finally polished for a perfect brightness in Christofle’s silversmith workshop in Yainville (Normandy), France. The highly reflective finish makes the hard drive a decorative piece to accompany any upscale home or office workstation.

“The shape of the globe inspired the design concept for the LaCie Sphère. The sensual and strong silhouette naturally led us to the product name,” said Thierry Oriez, president and CEO, Christofle. “We combined our obsession with the reflection of silver with LaCie’s technical expertise to create a hard drive that exudes elegance and sophistication like no other.”

“With the Sphère, LaCie and Christofle have once again thought outside the box. In an industry where square thinking is the rule, this product reflects LaCie’s innovative edge,” Philippe Spruch, executive vice president, Seagate branded, CEO and chairman of the board, LaCie.

LaCie technology

The LaCie Sphère gracefully connects to a computer with a single USB 3.0 cable that also powers the hard drive. The USB 3.0 connection delivers fast performance to quickly back up business documents or a media library. A blue LED illuminates the front of the LaCie Sphère to indicate hard drive status. Additionally, the 1TB hard drive comes equipped with LaCie’s software suite: Backup Assistant for easy and automatic backup, Private-Public for password protection, and Eco Mode for energy savings.

Availability

The LaCie Sphère will be available this quarter in a 1TB capacity through the LaCie Online Store, select concept stores, and Christofle retail stores and corners. The LaCie Sphère comes with a 2-year limited warranty.

Here are some product pictures:

CES 2014: LaCie Announces Thunderbolt 2 Storage Solution

Storage & NAS

Jim McCarthy

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Jan 6, 2014

0

CES 2014: LaCie Announces Thunderbolt 2 Storage Solution

LaCie today announced a new Thunderbolt 2 storage solution, the Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2, which they claim as the fastest Thunderbolt 2 equipped storage product on the market. Read on for details!

LaCie today announced a new Thunderbolt 2 storage solution, the Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2, which they claim as the fastest Thunderbolt 2 equipped storage product on the market. Pricing is TBD and this device is expected to be available in Q1 2014. Here is the press release:

LaCie Debuts World’s Fastest Portable Storage at CES 2014

Paris, France – Today, LaCie announced the Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 at the 2014 International CES Show. The new LaCie Little Big Disk, one of the first storage solutions enabled by Thunderbolt 2, is the fastest portable storage solution on the market. It delivers speeds up to 1375Mb/s, which is several times faster than any mobile USB 3.0 hard drive. In addition to its industry-leading performance, LaCie worked with designer Neil Poulton to bring a cutting edge look to the product. For the first time, the Little Big Disk features a sleek, black finish to its fully aluminium enclosure.

Perfect for no-compromise video professionals, the new LaCie Little Big Disk permits streaming and editing of 4K or 3D video while in the field – a giant leap forward for mobile post-production workflows. The LaCie Little Big Disk is powered by a set of 500GB PCIe Gen 2 SSDs in RAID 0 that deliver a perfect blend of performance and capacity that accelerates in the most demanding workflow.

With the fastest SSDs on the market, LaCie had to optimize the Little Big Disk’s interior design to improve the cooling efficiency, while keeping it as silent as possible. By incorporating a thermo-regulated fan, it only turns on when necessary and produces nearly zero noise. As a result, the LaCie Little Big Disk delivers the best possible performance without disrupting the creative professional workflow.

“Thunderbolt 2 creates an entirely new way of thinking about 4K workflows, specifically the ability to support raw 4K video transfer and data delivery concurrently,” said Jason Ziller, Marketing Director for Thunderbolt at Intel. “LaCie’s Little Big Disk brings this advanced capability to a small, sleek and very portable storage solution that works with 4K streams in the field in ways previously not possible.”

“It’s no small feat, incorporating the most advanced storage technologies into a portable product,” said Erwan Girard, Business Unit Manager, LaCie. “With the Little Big Disk, LaCie engineered a remarkably powerful product to fit in the palm of your hand. Something no one else in the industry can claim.”

At CES, LaCie demonstrates how the Little Big Disk lets videographers work directly from RAW files, getting full quality from footage and seeing the edits in real time. LaCie will show how professionals can capture 250 gigabytes of 4k footage on a Little Big Disk in the field, and then transfer the content to the post-production team in under 10 minutes.

This announcement follows the unprecedented success of LaCie’s Thunderbolt Series and further asserts the company’s commitment to deliver high-quality products featuring the latest Thunderbolt technology.

Availability

The LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2014 through LaCie’s resellers and LaCie.com. Thunderbolt cable included. The LaCie Little Big Disk is protected by a 3-year limited warranty.

Here are some product pictures:

CES 2014: LaCie Introduces 1TB Fuel to Expand Mobile Device Storage

Jim McCarthy

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Jan 6, 2014

0

CES 2014: LaCie Introduces 1TB Fuel to Expand Mobile Device Storage

At CES 2014, LaCie has announced a new portable hard drive with wi-fi capabilities, intended to expand the storage on your mobile devices. Read on for details!

At CES 2014, LaCie has announced a new portable hard drive with wi-fi capabilities, intended to expand the storage on your mobile devices. Called Fuel, it is aimed at people who travel with mobile devices and want to bring more content than their device has internal room to store. Used in conjunction with an iPad or Android tablet, the Fuel allows you to store large amounts of content and to use a dedicated app to enjoy it on your device. With wi-fi pass-through capabilities built in, you can also stay connected to the internet while enjoying your content. This is similar to the Seagate Wireless Plus that we told you about at CES 2013; pricing is expected to be $199. Here is the press release:

LaCie Fuel Expands iPad Capacity to 1TB

PARIS, FRANCE – Today, LaCie announced Fuel: a go-anywhere wireless hard drive for iPad®, iPhone® and Mac®. Without requiring Internet access, the LaCie Fuel™ adds 1TB of external storage capacity to compatible mobile devices. Users can store up to 500 movies, 160,000 songs or 190,000 photos, and share them with up to five devices at a time. What’s more, AirPlay® compatibility means users can easily stream movies onto the big screen via Apple TV® or music to compatible speakers.

Wirelessly expand your ipad

The LaCie Fuel lets users access enormous media libraries right from their iPad. With 1TB of storage at their fingertips, they don’t need to pick and choose what they load onto their mobile device. Not only does the LaCie Fuel let them access all their media files while they’re on the go, it also has plenty of extra space to accommodate future needs.

“The mobile industry is ubiquitous. Consumers rely on their mobile devices more than any other personal technology,” Philippe Spruch, executive vice president, Seagate branded, CEO and chairman of the board, LaCie. “The LaCie Fuel enriches mobile entertainment by providing consumers with ample storage and untethered accessibility. By name, form, and function, the LaCie Fuel lets users sustain their digital life.”

Access and share content

The LaCie Fuel lets users go off-the-grid and still have access to their files. With up to a 10-hour battery life*, the LaCie Fuel lets users enjoy their media all day without needing Internet or cables. The product creates its own Wi-Fi network, much like a router, so other devices can connect directly to it without the need for Internet access. In addition, the LaCie Fuel acts as a hotspot when connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi. This feature lets the LaCie Fuel share Internet access with other connected devices.

With AirPlay compatibility, the LaCie Fuel lets users mirror content playing on a mobile device to a TV with a single tap. This allows users to view everything from vacation photos to home videos stored on the LaCie Fuel on the largest screen in the house. They can also take advantage of Airplay-enabled speakers to listen to their favorite playlist on the LaCie Fuel.

Sync and transer files

The LaCie Fuel appears as an external drive on a computer, so users can wirelessly upload or download files without draining battery power from their laptop. And with Dropbox integration, they can sync files between a computer and the LaCie Fuel automatically. This means that every time they add music, movies, or photos to the Dropbox folder on their Mac, the change is reflected on the LaCie Fuel – or vice versa. If users want to speed up the transfer process, the LaCie Fuel offers a universally compatible USB 3.0 port to transfer media libraries up to ten times faster.

App for easy media access

LaCie Fuel marks the first product collaboration between Seagate and LaCie. The wireless hard drive features streamlined file access, thanks to the free Seagate Media app – available for iOS®, Android®, and Amazon Kindle®. It automatically organizes files by type, making them easy to browse. Users can stream videos or music, open office documents, and enjoy full-screen navigation. The app makes browsing a media library a visual experience with support for photo and video thumbnails, plus cover art for music. For more information about the Seagate Media app, visit http://www.seagate.com/services-software/apps/seagate-media-app/.

Watch this video for a close-up look at the LaCie Fuel, and to see how it lets users go further and play longer.

Meet LaCie Fuel

Availability

The 1TB LaCie Fuel will be available soon through the LaCie Online Store and LaCie Resellers for $199.00 (MSRP). The Seagate Media app is available for iOS®, Android®, and Amazon Kindle®. For more product information, visit www.lacie.com.

Here are some product pictures:

I’ve had a review unit since just before Christmas so stay tuned for a review article soon!

Win a LeapFrog LeapReader Junior

News
Tech

Andrew Edney

-

Jan 5, 2014

0

We just took a closer look at the LeapFrog LeapReader Junior and now we are giving you the chance to win it.

A love of books starts long before children can read, and its benefits can last a lifetime. Using the same touch technology as the LeapReader Reading System, the LeapReader Junior book pal is designed to encourage toddlers’ natural desire to explore.

Parents can download audio for up to five books for the book pal, and each LeapReader Junior board book introduces reading basics or different preschool skills—such as letters, numbers and early vocabulary—through 24 playful activities and more than 150 audio responses.

Open-ended questions and fun sound effects encourage children to take charge, as they touch any part of any page to bring words, pictures or activities to life. And the book pal can learn a child’s name to make getting ready to read a personal experience!

So all you have to do to win the LeapFrog LeapReader Junior is to click on the Contact Us link here or at the top of the page and tell us what your child’s favourite story is – simple!

Usual contest rules apply, and the winner will be selected at random. This contest is open only to those in the UK – sorry! You can enter as many times you as you like, but only one entry per day will be counted.

The contest closes Sunday 12th January, so good luck.

Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII Exclusive Interview with Motomu Toriyama and Yuji Abe

Andrew Edney

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Jan 5, 2014

0

LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII will be released in March and I recently had the chance to sit down with Motomu Toriyama and Yuji Abe to talk all things Lightning.

The world of Nova Chrysalia has only 13 days until total annihilation, with the citizens of four distinct regions each experiencing the end of the world in unique ways. In Yusnaan, the setting for this sequence, the inhabitants have a hedonistic frame of mind: if the world is going to be destroyed soon then why not go out in style?

Against this background strides Lightning, a legendary warrior on a god-given mission to save the souls of mankind…

Motomu Toriyama is the Director of LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII and Yuji Abe is the Game Designer Director, so over to them:

Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII will be released in March 2014 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

So what do you think of Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the LeapFrog LeapReader Junior

Andrew Edney

-

Jan 5, 2014

1

With technology being used to help children learn new skills, LeapFrog have the LeapReader Junior to help your child with their first steps to reading.

A love of books starts long before children can read, and its benefits can last a lifetime. Using the same touch technology as the LeapReader Reading System, the LeapReader Junior book pal is designed to encourage toddlers’ natural desire to explore.

Parents can download audio for up to five books for the book pal, and each LeapReader Junior board book introduces reading basics or different preschool skills—such as letters, numbers and early vocabulary—through 24 playful activities and more than 150 audio responses.

Open-ended questions and fun sound effects encourage children to take charge, as they touch any part of any page to bring words, pictures or activities to life. And the book pal can learn a child’s name to make getting ready to read a personal experience!

After their child has played, parents can connect the book pal to the free, online LeapFrog Learning Path to see their child’s progress and get printable activities to expand the learning fun!

The full LeapReader Learn to Read System library features more than 80 interactive books, puzzles, maps and more

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the LeapReader Junior book pal, a sampler board book (the audio pre-loaded for you), a USB cable and a user guide.

A Closer Look at the Pal

Final Thoughts

The LeapReader Junior pal reads aloud each page, and each picture has its own sound too. The pal is small enough for a child to hold in his or her hands, but not so small that there is a risk of swallowing it!

The pal can hold up to five books, and then if you want to change them you have to connect the pal to your computer and upload the books – it’s very quick and easy though.

The LeapFrog LeapReader Junior is appropriate for Ages 12 Months to 3 Years and will make an excellent addition to your child’s learning.

The LeadReader Junior pal is around £25, and the books are around £9.99, however always look around as the books can often be found for under £5 online, and with 80 to choose from there should be something to help your child learn. You can also choose between a green pal or a violet one.

Learn more from the LeapFrog website.

Review of the WD My Book for Mac 3TB external drive

Andrew Edney

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Jan 5, 2014

0

Back in September we told you that WD had redesigned their My Book for Mac external hard drive range, and now its time to review the 3TB one.

My Book for Mac features ultra-fast USB 3.0 connectivity giving users the speed and capacity they need for their creative endeavours. This drive is Mac-ready and works seamlessly with
Apple Time Machine for quick and easy backups. Password protection with hardware encryption ensure your files are protected from unauthorised access.

Who are WD?

From their website:

We are thousands of people worldwide working to enable you to store, collect, access, and use a vast and growing body of digital information. Our reliable hard drives and solid state drives, marketed under the WD and HGST brands, are everywhere that digital information and content is found: in the cloud, supporting your mobile digital lifestyle; in business and personal computers; in external storage devices; in the digital video recorder in your home; and in sophisticated medical, military, aerospace, automotive, manufacturing and telecommunications systems. We also make media players that enable you to enjoy your digital content on the biggest screen in your house – your TV. Our customers range from some of the largest companies in the world to individual users like you.

Specifications

What’s in the Box?

A Closer Look

Using the My Book

You can connect the My Book to your Mac via either USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 with the cable provided in the box.

A quick look at the info on the drive:

Apple’s 12 Days of Christmas 2013 Day 11 Mr Crab Illusion Labs

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Jan 5, 2014

4

Apple is continuing it’s annual 12 Days of Christmas, and for day 11 its Mr Crab Illusion Labs.

You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps and books for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get the special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go.

To access these gifts, the Region Format setting on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch needs to match your iTunes Store account.

You need to download the app and then each day for 12 days there will be something free.

Day 11 Mr Crab Illusion Labs

I wonder what it will be tomorrow?

Review: Tiny Brains (PS4)

Sam Thompson

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Jan 4, 2014

0

Speahead Games hopes to revitalise the coop puzzler genre on PS4 with Tiny Brains. Only a mad scientist’s selection of hopefully devious puzzles can stand in the way of freedom for our rag tag bunch of super powered critters.

Unfortunately for ‘Mr Scientist’, his woeful experiments upon a harmless family of rodents have left them with unusually useful powers with which to escape a maze like situation. Filled with puzzles that conveniently require each of the various creatures talents, utilized in combination, seems the perfect setup for a coop game. One can create blocks of ice, another can push, conversely, one can pull; finally one can switch places with certain objects. Let the four player mass confusion commence!

As opposed to remembering each of the rodents names, which for reference are: Pad, Minsc, Stew and Dax, you’ll instead rely on their individual colour palettes to distinguish them in moments where time is of the essence. For some reason, the backlight on the Dualshock 4 also changes to correlate with the selected character too, not altogether that useful unless perhaps you’re sat opposite your coop partner and don’t mind being constantly distracted by the pad’s, vibrant, changing colours.

If multiplayer’s not your bag, then singleplayer should suffice at a push, the game is somewhat dynamic, meaning that areas should change depending on how many people are playing, making it physically possible! Whilst you’re on your lonesome, you can switch between each of the characters at a whim. The upside of playing by oneself is of course the lack of distractions, therefore letting you solve the games puzzles rather quickly, the challenge therefore, is being able to complete sections that were designed with multiple players in mind. Fortunately, when you switch character, the game renders in slow motion for a few seconds, letting you utilize your powers with plenty room for manoeuvring.

Unfortunately, the games diversity in puzzles let’s it down; you’ll quickly realise that there are only around three or four separate styles of brain teaser that repeat throughout the campaign. There’s the standard, get across to the other side of the room using the same tactic that was mentioned early on in the game. The frustrating, ‘ball must be pushed up a hill whilst avoiding obstacles’ puzzle. Another being the old, protect the chick by pushing it onto segments of a platform that don’t set on fire and finally, the fighting parts. These are odd. There are many ways to despatch the steroid induced chickens that swamp you; due to your powers, you can lure, push and pull them into the gratuitous bottomless pits that adorn the arenas. Whereas the little chicks can also be vanquished by creating a block of ice and squishing them, you can also take the tried and tested Mario route and simply jump on their heads too.

It seems odd that there appears to be more ways of playing as an intensive chicken farmer than there is of solving the games main puzzles. Whilst playing solo especially, you’ll often complete a puzzle via some exceptionally sketchy diagonal jumping and think, was that really what they wanted me to do? Whereas it’s either that, or hope you don’t get partied up online with a few irksome players who refuse to understand what you could possibly mean by placing an icon with the touchpad, indicating where they should go to help solve the puzzle.

For better or worse, you won’t be enjoying the myriad of brain teasing antics for too long as the length of Tiny Brains isn’t it’s strongest suit, 3-4 hours will easily be enough to polish off the campaign mode and a few challenge rooms too. Other modes become unlocked once you’ve completed it, primarily focusing on challenges and generally tarting about with your friends, but once you’ve had a few goes, there’s nothing to really drag you back.

The general visual appeal seems to flit between cutesy and simple to bland and mundane. The characters masquerade their own detail due to the nature of the game’s zoomed out, almost grainy viewpoint. Instead of seeing the uniqueness of each character, you’ll once again resort to calling them by colour. The soundtrack is fairly inoffensive if not a little underused, in fact the only time it seems to really kick in, save for (hopefully) a homage to portal during the credits, is when you’ve failed a section which can feel a little sarcastic.

There can be a lot of entertainment to be had with Tiny Brains; unless you’re interested primarily in singleplayer, there’s a reasonable amount of content too. If however you do want to play it alone, you’ll find yourself at the credits within an afternoon, along with a perplexed expression upon your face that has little to do with the games puzzles. Play with a bunch of friends however; a grin is all but guaranteed.

Reviewed on PS4, also available on PS3 and PC.

CES2014: iLuv Announces SyrenPro Wireless Speaker

Jim McCarthy

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Jan 4, 2014

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CES2014: iLuv Announces SyrenPro Wireless Speaker

iLuv announced their SyrenPro wireless speaker, which is their first wireless speaker to support wireless stereo when two are paired together. Read on for details!

iLuv announced their SyrenPro wireless speaker, which is their first wireless speaker to support wireless stereo when two are paired together. Here is the press release:

iLuv Extends Line of Syren™ Bluetooth® Speakers at 2014 CES with SyrenPro™

-iLuv Introduces Its First Bluetooth® Speaker with TrueWireless Stereo™-

Las Vegas, NV – January 3, 2014– iLuv Creative Technology, the premier provider of the most comprehensive line of accessories for the mobile lifestyle, today introduced its newest addition to the award-winning Syren™ line of speakers, the SyrenPro™. This speaker comes equipped with an array of innovative new features, such as TrueWireless Stereo™, which allows users to wirelessly pair two SyrenPro™ units to create a powerful stereo sound system.

“With SyrenPro™ we wanted to take the innovation and quality of the original Syren™ to the next level,” said Jason Park, Marketing Manager at iLuv Creative Technology. “We strive to constantly evolve and incorporate the latest technology into our products so they best fit the needs of our consumers. iLuv is proud to display this cutting-edge product at CES 2014.”

SyrenPro™ is ready to face the elements with its new weather- and UV-resistant body, making it the ideal speaker for outdoor entertainment. The new TrueWireless Stereo™ feature allows two SyrenPro™ units to be paired wirelessly via Bluetooth®, creating a full stereo sound system. The speaker also features iLuv’s jAura® sound technology which delivers a perfect balance of high, middle and low range frequencies, while its unique design creates a sound chamber for deep, rich bass. For convenience, SyrenPro™ includes voice prompts for easy pairing and an aux-in port to connect to devices without Bluetooth®. It is powered by a rechargeable battery for up to 4 hours of playtime. SyrenPro™ is available in black and white.

SyrenPro™ will be on display at the iLuv Booth #12027 at CES January 7-10 in Las Vegas. The booth will also feature brand new products from iLuv, including Bluetooth® speakers and hi-performance earphones.

Pricing and Availability

SyrenPro™ will have an SRP of $149.99 and will be available at select retailers in January.

Follow us on Twitter @iLuv_World, or friend us on Facebook at iLuv Creative Technology.

I’ve been very happy with the quality of the iLuv speakers that I’ve seen; this looks like an interesting entry in the wireless speaker market! Check out this product picture: