Events

Episode Two of the Payday Web Series 2 is Here

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 24, 2013

Episode Two of the Payday Web Series 2 is Here

When left the Payday crew, they were trying to make their escape from the First World Bank vault as security closed in on them. Problem one – they need to get out alive. Problem two – they need to get the cash out. Problem three – those are the least of their problems!

Nominated for 7 awards at E3 2013 and winner Polygon – Editor’s Choice Award E3 2013 and Co-Optimus – E3 2013 Game of the Show, Payday 2 the game releases on Steam, PS3, 360 this August – pre-order now to receive the Lootbag DLC.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbFrvg8J9rY?feature=player_detailpage%5D

Arma 3 Beta Available on June 25th

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 24, 2013

1

Bohemia Interactive confirmed the 25th of June as the official release date for the Arma 3 Beta. Building upon the well-received Arma 3 Alpha, the Arma 3 Beta features a varied selection of brand new content – including 10 vehicles, 7 weapons, 4 showcase missions (Combined Arms, Supports, Commanding & Night), 2 multiplayer scenarios and 4 challenges.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Stratis (20 km²), the Arma 3 Beta turns its focus towards firepower and logistics. The Challenges game mode will also be making its first appearance, enabling players to practice their weapons handling and movement across a selection of firing drills. Plus, all of the content from the Arma 3 Alpha will be available, alongside the popular scenario editor and modding support.

Joris-Jan van ‘t Land, Project Lead on Arma 3, adds:
“Having just showed off the Beta for Arma 3 at E3 2013, we are keen to get it into gamers’ hands quickly. Bringing some heavy firepower and additional transport options will allow for more diverse scenarios in both singleplayer and multiplayer. We also can’t wait to open up the Steam Workshop scenario publication, which will make content-sharing with other players much more convenient.”

People who are currently participating in the Arma 3 Alpha will gain access to the Arma 3 Beta through an automatic Steam update. Those who are new to Arma 3 can join in by purchasing the Arma 3 Beta (which includes a version of the full game) from Steam or Store.bistudio.com.

The price of the Arma 3 Beta, in comparison to the Arma 3 Alpha, will be increased. The regular Arma 3 Beta will be available for 34.99 EUR/29.99 GBP/44.99 USD (current price: 24.99 EUR/19.99 GBP/32.99 USD), while the Arma 3 Digital Deluxe Edition will be sold for 44.99 EUR/39.99 GBP/59.99 USD (current price: 39.99 EUR/34.99 GBP/49.99 USD). Please note that the current (heavily discounted) Alpha deal, which includes Beta-access and the full game, will still be available until Tuesday June 25th.

Those who would like to sponsor development further have the option to purchase the Arma 3 Supporter Edition (69.99 EUR/59.99 GBP/91.99 USD) from Store.bistudio.com. The Arma 3 Alpha Lite, a free but limited variant of the Arma 3 Alpha, will be discontinued after June 25th.

More information on Arma 3 can be found on http://www.arma3.com

Bayan Audio announces the Soundbook portable wireless stereo speaker

Andrew Edney

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Jun 24, 2013

0

Soundbook from Bayan Audio is a small yet powerful, portable wireless stereo speaker sporting a range of functions, that’s ready to play when you are. Simply open the cover and in seconds you’ll be amazed by the rich, clean audio delivered by this compact, beautifully designed device.

Soundbook works both as a speakerphone and FM radio – perfect for whether you’re on the move, in the office or at home. What’s more the very latest Smart Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology has been combined with aptX codec to ensure the widest connectivity and enhanced performance, allowing you to make the most of your media. In addition, auto-pairing NFC makes connecting to compatible mobile devices a simple touch, and TDMA noise rejection ensures clear, uninterrupted streaming whilst the built-in battery is ready to power your playlist with up to 10 hours on a single charge.

Coming in two classic colour options – Silver/ Turquoise or Charcoal/ Burnt Orange, Soundbook is designed without compromise using materials that are both tactile and precision-made. Attention to detail is intrinsic to both its build and superior sound quality.
The elegant aluminium casing and ballistic nylon cover/stand with concealed FM antenna add strength and integrity as well as marking out Soundbook’s distinctive look.

Key Features

* Up to 10 hours streaming wireless music on a single charge
* Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology for maximum compatibility
* Advanced audio compression technology for more detailed sound via aptX
* Integrated FM radio with ‘invisible’ aerial
* Built in Microphone for hands-free conference calling
* Auto connect / pairing with Smartphones or Tablets with NFC
* Solid aluminium casing with flip-back case and stand
* TDMA noise rejection eliminates interference from other electrical equipment around you so you can continue to enjoy your music
* Priced at £149.99 including VAT.

Travel-friendly design with more than a hint of luxury:

Constructed with a slim and sleek aluminium casing with concealed aerial, Soundbook exudes style and luxury. Available in a choice of two colours (silver/turquoise or charcoal/burnt orange) you can match your favourite style as well as your music taste and it is the perfect size and shape to slip into your bag, making it easy to carry anywhere and everywhere you travel.

Soundbook boasts a strong, ballistic nylon cover which doubles as an on/off switch, so you don’t need to remember to switch it off to save battery and you simply open it to play. The cover also flips over to act as a stand, providing stability when you need it most and protecting Soundbook in your bag or suitcase.

With international power adaptors included in the box, Soundbook is equipped for travel far and wide, for both business and pleasure.

Automatic conference call mode for hassle-free chat:

You won’t need to worry about being out of reach whilst enjoying your music – Soundbook automatically switches to conference-call mode when a call comes in, allowing you to use the built-in microphone to make hands-free conversation a breeze. Once you’re finished, Soundbook simply switches automatically back to your music so you won’t miss a beat.

Advanced technology for a simple, high quality connection:

Using the latest Smart Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology, including advanced audio compression technology aptX, Soundbook delivers quality audio playback from a number of devices including Smartphones, Tablets and Notebook / PCs. The Smart Bluetooth 4.0 is also compatible with version v2.10 and above

Integrated NFC technology ensures a hassle-free, fast and easy way to pair with compatible source devices – requiring only a single touch to connect and get started with your playlists.

Soundbook defies its small size with 15W stereo, powerful bass and detailed top note reproduction, a combination that provides the first class listening experience you would expect from Bayan Audio. So whether you’re in your hotel room or relaxing in your living room, Soundbook is powerful enough to fill the space with your favourite music.

Pricing & Availability:

Soundbook from Bayan Audio will be priced at £149.99 including VAT and will be available to buy at www.bayanaudio.com from 7th July 2013.

Technical Specifications:

Amplifier Power Output 15W Stereo
Drive Units 2 x 1” long throw neodymium, 1 x 2” passive bass radiator
Frequency Range 70Hz to 20 kHz
Bluetooth Bluetooth – a2dp music profile with aptX + hands free profile
Power input (charger) voltage 100V – 240V ~ 50 / 60 Hz
Battery Life > 10 hours
Inputs 3.5mm Aux audio jack input, Bluetooth 4.0 aptX (built in), FM radio (built in), microphone (for hands-free calling)
Outputs 3.5mm audio output for connection to other speakers or headphones
Auto Connect / Pairing One touch connect and disconnect with Bluetooth 4.0 or integrated NFC
Dimensions 160mm wide x 88mm tall x 38mm deep

Deus Ex Machina 2 – Play the First Playable Demo

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

-

Jun 24, 2013

0

Deus Ex Machina 2 – Play the First Playable Demo

The world’s first interactive movie Deus Ex Machina 2, brings you the first playable demo, Fertilizer And Birth! Deus Ex Machina 2 is the re imagination of the classic 1984 Game Of The Year, Deus Ex Machina, the first true multimedia video game ever made. Written by Mel Croucher, creator of the original game, published by Automata, the first video games company in the UK, this brand new version is a darkly comic cradle-to-grave roller coaster of your entire life. It takes you on a surreal journey from before your own birth, all the way through the temptations and dangers of your life, and beyond your own death. Christopher Lee’s narration ranges from chilling to deeply moving as he takes over the role played by “Doctor Who” Jon Pertwee in the original version. The music’s great too! The late lamented Ian Dury has been remastered for a “live” reprise of his original role, including his kick in the teeth duet against video games that encourage greed and violence.

Deus Ex Machina 2 has been translated into 19 languages, the soundtrack album has been released, and the book of the game includes the no-holds-barred inside story of how the computer games industry started and where it’s heading. But before the reborn version of his classic game is let loose, Mel Croucher is determined to get as many players involved as possible to have their say on how it looks and plays. “All I had to do was stay alive for another thirty years and wait for the technology to catch up,” Croucher says. “That and wait for the wonder of crowd-funding to be born.” He declares, “Back in the day, we never sold out to banks, advertisers or parasites, we only ever dealt direct with our players. Now we can reward them in advance thanks to mechanisms like Kickstarter.”

Guild Wars 2 Sky Pirates of Tyria coming Tuesday

Andrew Edney

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Jun 23, 2013

0

ArenaNet today announced the latest Guild Wars 2 content update, Sky Pirates of Tyria, which will is scheduled to go live on June 25. The update brings players a robust update to the ongoing Living World saga, along with a new dungeon to explore, new events, rewards and features, not to mention the announcement that Custom Arenas and Spectator Mode is coming out of beta.

In regards to the Living Story content, Lion’s Arch is in chaos following a murder at the Dragon Bash. Inspector Ellen Kiel is spearheading the investigation and is gathering teams of deputies to capture the perpetrator. Players will need to sharpen their weapons and skills to track down the slippery culprit responsible for the crime. Players will join together and partake in multiple events that will lead them through thrilling content and discoveries as part of this update.

Details of the update include:

New Story Dungeon: Aetherblade Retreat – Find the hidden entrance to the Aetherblade base and take the fight to the pirates. It’ll take skill, courage, and no small measure of agility to battle through to the Aetherblade Captain and First Mate.
Sea of Sorrows Scavenger Hunt – In this new, permanent content, players search for clues to the locations of 12 plaques that have been set up to honor the history of the city and its founder, in the novel Sea of Sorrows by our very own Ree Soesbee, narrative designer, ArenaNet, hitting store shelves and Amazon on Tuesday, June 25.
New Rewards – A variety of new rewards are available, including Aetherblade caches, a First Mate Horrik miniature companion, a stylish monocle and more.
Skill and Trait Balance Update – The largest balance patch ever is being introduced in this build, which includes significant updates to traits and skills to introduce more viable build diversity. Every profession trait line is seeing changes. Updates also have been made to some less popular skills to improve their effectiveness.
Custom Arenas and Spectator Mode leaves Beta – Custom PvP arenas allow players to host private matches, and customize their map settings. This feature is leaving beta, which means that Custom Arena Starter Kits will be available for anyone to purchase in the Gem Store. Spectator Mode also is officially out of beta. Together, these two features allow for practice, competitive play and tournaments.
Mortar Mastery Joins the Growing List of World vs. World Abilities – Players can increase their mortar effectiveness by training in Mortar Mastery. Improvements in this line include increasing mortar blast radius, beefing up on damage, reducing skill recharge, and even adding a new skill, Mortar Barrage.

And in case you missed it, we recently interviewed the Guild Wars 2 Game Director Colin Johanson:

Check out our review of Guild Wars 2

Are you playing Guild Wars 2? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Two minute review of the mophie juice pack for HTC One

Andrew Edney

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Jun 23, 2013

0

If you have an HTC One and you find that you never have enough battery power then you need an external battery pack. How about a case with an integrated battery pack? That’s where the new juice pack from mophie comes in.

Here is how mophie describes the juice pack :

This protective hard case with an integrated rechargeable battery is designed to double your power. No more worrying about bumps, scratches, or having to search for an outlet in the middle of the day. Just flip the switch and charge anywhere.

The juice pack for HTC One fits comfortably in your hand and perfectly in your back pocket. It complements the contours of your phone without adding too much bulk. Edge to edge security ensures you’re protected from the everyday wear and tear.

Designed to support key features of the HTC One, the juice pack’s pass-through design allows you to access the universal remote without removing it from the device as well as provide full accessibility to buttons, speakers and camera. You can flip through your favorite shows and stay powered up at the same time.

With it’s Pass-Through design, USB Charge and Sync, Stand-by Switch and LED Power Indicator features, you will never be left powerless or without knowing when you need to juice up.

Who are mophie?

mophie describe themselves on their website:

mophie is a California-based, award-winning designer and manufacturer of mobile intelligent devices and accessories. It is widely recognized and highly acclaimed for its creative designs and innovative solutions. Mophie was the proud developer of the Juice Pack, first ever “Works With iPhone” portable battery case certified by Apple Inc. All mophie’s products are developed to address real consumer and business needs and are seamless integrations of industrial, electronic, software and artistic designs. Mophie has operations in Michigan, California (Orange county), and China. Its products are available in Apple Stores, Best Buy, AT&T stores and other major retailers worldwide.

Specifications

Dimensions: 2.88 in x 6.06 in x 0.67 in
Weight: 5.05 oz
Battery Capacity: 2500 mAh

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the case, a manual and a charging cable.

A Closer Look

Using the juice pack

The juice pack actually came with a charge, so that was really useful. When you want to charge it yourself just plug the charging cable into the helium and plug the other end into your computer or other USB charging device.

You can check on the progress of the charge by pressing the button and see how many of the charging lights are lit. If all four are lit then you are done.

Fitting your HTC One into the helium is simple – just pull the bottom of the case off, slide your HTC One in and then clip the bottom part back in. When you are ready to charge just click the switch on the back from red to green and away you go.

Here is how the HTC One looks when its in the case.

You can see all the buttons are still easily accessible.

Final Thoughts

I have used other mophie products on previous phones and so when I head that they were releasing a juice pack for the HTC One I wanted to try it out.

It is really light-weight and its very durable. It is also really easy to use and adds a significant amount of battery power to your HTC One (although the HTC One had a pretty good battery life to begin with – but you can never have enough battery power!). Yes it makes your HTC One bulkier than it was without the pack attached, but I would happily trade the slimness of the “naked” HTC One for the juice pack any day of the week on the grounds I’m not worried about running out of power anymore.

If you have an HTC One you should really consider buying the juice pack if you don’t want to risk running out of power and on top of that it adds a lot of protection to the HTC One should you happen to drop it. Yet another excellent product from mophie. Now if they could just make one even thinner I would be even happier.

Available now for £89.95 the juice pack for HTC One is available in both black or silver finishes.

Learn more from the mophie website.

Win a Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac goody bag

Apple
News

Andrew Edney

-

Jun 23, 2013

0

If you have a Mac and you wanted to run Windows, or another OS then you could use software such as Parallels Desktop 8, and we have three special Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac goody bags to give away.

New and enhanced features of Parallels Desktop 8 make life even better for people who love their Macs and want to simultaneously run Windows apps like Internet Explorer, OneNote, Quicken and more. Bringing together the newest versions of the world’s two most popular operating systems –OS X and Windows – opens up a world of opportunity by allowing users to choose how they want Mac and Windows to collaborate. From having the familiar Windows desktop in full screen to having Windows run invisibly, Parallels Desktop 8 delivers powerful performance to run Windows applications, even graphic-intensive ones, like they were made for a Mac. Use Mountain Lion’s Dictation feature in Windows apps, organize Windows “Metro-style” applications in Launchpad, and enjoy the brilliant Retina-display resolution in Windows applications.

Each Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac goody bag contains a copy of Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac, a notebook and a keyring, and we have 3 goody bags to give away.

So all you have to do to win a bag is to click on the Contact Us link here or at the top of the page and tell us what you would like to run on your Mac – simple!

Usual contest rules apply, and the three winners 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 Saturday 29th June, so good luck.

Good luck and thanks to our friends at Parallels for the goody bags.

Exclusive interview with Ashly Burch, the voice of Tiny Tina from Borderlands 2 at E3 2013

Andrew Edney

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Jun 23, 2013

1

At E3 I was fortunate enough to get the chance to sit down and talk with Ashly Burch, the voice of the lovable Tiny Tina from Borderlands 2.

Ashly was at E3 taking part in a panel for Turtle Beach called “Heroines and Holograms”.

Over to Ashly:

And thanks again to Ashly for taking the time to talk to me.

Borderlands 2 Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep is the fourth and final DLC for Borderlands 2 included in the season pass and will be released on June 25th.

Borderlands 2 Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep 12 minute gameplay video

Andrew Edney

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Jun 23, 2013

0

Borderlands 2 Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep DLC is out in a few days and we have a 12 minute gameplay video to share with you.

Here is the 12 minute video showing lots of new gameplay for Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep:

Borderlands 2 Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep is the last DLC for Borderlands 2 and will be released on June 25th.

And stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Tiny Tina herself, Ashly Burch.

Will you play it? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Review of the WD Black 4 TB Desktop Hard Drive

Andrew Edney

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Jun 23, 2013

3

With storage requirements becoming bigger and bigger all the time, WD have a 4 TB drive in their Black range, and here is our review.

WD Black hard drives are designed for enthusiasts and creative professionals looking for leading-edge performance. These 3.5-inch desktop drives are perfect for high-performance applications like photo and video editing, gaming and power PCs.

Dual processor – Twice the processing power to maximize performance
Colossal cache – Bigger, faster cache of up to 64 MB means faster performance
Dual actuator technology – A head positioning system with two actuators that improves positional accuracy over the data track(s). The primary actuator provides coarse displacement using conventional electromagnetic actuator principles. The secondary actuator uses piezoelectric motion to fine tune the head positioning to a higher degree of accuracy
StableTrac – The motor shaft is secured at both ends to reduce system-induced vibration and stabilize platters for accurate tracking, during read and write operations
NoTouch ramp load technology – The recording head never touches the disk media ensuring significantly less wear to the recording head and media as well as better drive protection in transit

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

A Closer Look at the Drive

Using the Drive

I connected the drive to my Windows 8 machine:

If you use the drive as your primary hard disk, Windows Experience rates it as as 5.9.

Performance Tests

HD Tune Pro

The average read speed was 127.1 MB/s.

The average write speed was 128.5 MB/s.

CrystalDiskMark

Showed a higher read and write speed.

Final Thoughts

The WD Black drive comes in a variety of sizes from 500 GB all the way up to the 4 TB version we are reviewing here.

This is one of the only 4 TB drives on the market today so if you need a lot of storage, and a good speed (7,200 RPM) then you really should look at this drive closely.

Also, this is the only 4 TB drive on the market that comes with a 5 year warranty. Now this may not seem like a major selling point to some people but believe me over the years I have had my fair share of failed drives and so it’s nice to know that anytime during that 5 year period WD will replace my drive if I have a problem – after all, you are spending a lot of money on it!

WD’s dynamic caching algorithm improves performance in real time by optimizing cache allocation between reads and writes. For example, if there’s an overwhelming percentage of read traffic as opposed to write traffic, the drive automatically allocates more cache for read data, which reduces congestion and improves overall drive performance.

The performance of the drive is very good – although if you are looking for a super fast boot drive for Windows then you might want to look elsewhere, but if you want a reliable, good performing storage drive then this will be right up your alley.

The retail price for the 4 TB drive is around £229.99 but as usual look around for a good deal, and that price should soon drop as more companies release higher capacity drives.

Learn more from the WD website.