Events

Activision announces Fast & Furious: Showdown game

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 7, 2013

The explosively popular franchise built on speed is heading to console, as Activision announced that they plan to launch Fast & Furious: Showdown.

The game was developed through a license deal with Universal Partnerships & Licensing, and will be available to players, coinciding with the Fast & Furious 6 theatrical release in May, 2013. Fast & Furious: Showdown delivers an adrenaline-packed experience on Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Nintendo’s Wii U and 3DS, and Windows PC.

In true Fast & Furious form, players will get behind the wheel of the some of the hottest vehicles and race across epic locations around the globe. Players can team up through two-player co-op, and take part in a collection of high-stakes driving missions. The game provides the ability to switch between key roles from driver, gunman, tactician, to daredevil. Players can also build and modify their dream car with a variety of fantastic upgrades and performance perks. Also included is a Challenge Mode in which players can test their skill at completing over-the-top objectives and an online leaderboard allows racers to compare challenge scores with friends and gamers around the world for ultimate bragging rights.

Fast & Furious: Showdown will be available 24^th May, 2013 and the game is rated PEGI 12.

Two minute review of the mophie juice pack helium for iPhone 5

Apple

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 7, 2013

3

If you have an iPhone 5 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 helium from mophie comes in.

Here is how mophie describes the juice pack helium:

Ultra-thin, 1500mAh protective battery case made for iPhone 5. Feel the difference in the palm of your hand; 13% thinner than any of our previous iPhone juice packs. It’s so thin, you won’t believe there’s a battery inside.

Engineered with edge-to-edge protection and outfitted with 80% more battery life to keep your iPhone 5 safe and charged, the juice pack helium allows you to truly Do more. Its elegant, thin design makes it the perfect accessory, easily fitting into any pocket or handbag. The enhanced forward-ported acoustics redirects the iPhone audio towards you, optimizing playback and maximizing your experience.

Simultaneously charge your iPhone and juice pack together with the included micro-USB cable. Use the LED indicator to check battery levels before you head out and flip the standby switch when you’re ready to use the juice pack’s battery or when you need to recharge your iPhone while on-the-go.

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: 2.49 in x 5.49 in x 0.59 in
Weight: 2.44 oz
Battery Capacity: 1500 mAh
Product Compatibility: iPhone 5

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the helium case, a manual, a charging cable and a pass-through headphone adaptor.

A Closer Look

And here is the helium next to my iPhone 5 just to show the thickness.

Using the juice pack helium

The helium 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 iPhone 5 into the helium is simple – just pull the bottom of the helium off, slide your iPhone 5 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 iPhone 5 looks when its in the helium case.

You can see all the buttons are still easily accessible.

If you want to use headphones you may need to use the included pass-through headphone connector.

Final Thoughts

I have used other mophie products on previous iPhones so when I heard about the helium I couldn’t wait to try it.

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 iPhone 5. Yes it makes your iPhone 5 slightly bulkier than it was without the helium attached, but I would happily trade the slimness of the “naked” iPhone 5 for the helium any day of the week on the grounds I’m not worried about running out of power anymore.

The mophie juice pack helium is now a permanent fixture with my iPhone 5 and I am confident that for most, if not in all my daily activities, I won’t run out of battery again, which has probably been my biggest criticism of the iPhone.

The inclusion in the box of he pass-through headphone cable was a good idea and it ensures that any set of headphones should work perfectly even if you are using the helium.

If you have an iPhone 5 than frankly you need the mophie juice pack helium if you don’t want to risk running out of power. Yet another excellent product from mophie. Now if they could just make one even thinner I would be even happier.

Available now for £59.95 on www.mophie.com, the juice pack helium is around 13 percent thinner than previous juice pack air versions released for the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, and is available in a metallic gunmetal soft touch finish.

Soladapt Converts your Normal Monitor into a Touch Screen Monitor

Gadgets
News

Chris Hare

-

Apr 7, 2013

1

Soladapt Converts your Normal Monitor into a Touch Screen Monitor

If you are looking at the new OS from Microsoft Windows 8, We all know that it is really designed for touch but what if you don’t have a Touch Screen monitor for your PC. What should you do, got out and buy a new Touch Screen for Windows 8, I have the answer for you from the good people from Soladapt, has designed an overlay for you monitor to turn it into a Touch Screen monitor, that works on 15 inches to 159 inches.

The Soladapt will work on Windows machines and also Mac desktops and iMacs. With prices starting from £109.99 you can see you can save a lot of money if you use an overlay than buying a new touch screen monitor. I was lucky to have a quick demonstration at The Gadget Show Live at NEC in Birmingham if you watch the video below you can see a quick demo of the product.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eDab91930U%5D

Size

General Size 15 inch to 159 inch

Fit in with Panel display device

Performance

Touch Mode Single-point touch, Multi-touch, drag, draw-line, rotate, zoom in/out

Resolution(Interpolation) 4096*4096

Linearity Error <1.5mm

Response Speed <15ms

Mechanical

Input Method Finger or gloved hand (rubber ,cloth or leather)

Touch Times Unlimited

Touch Activation Force No minimum touch activation force is required

Minimum Touch Object 2.5 mm X 2.5 mm

Vandal-proof No break by 1-pound steel ball dropping from 130 cm high

Surface Durability Surface durability is that of glass, Mohs\’ hardness rating of 7

Optical

Glass: Without glass, 4mm glare, AG (anti-glare), or AR (anti-reflective) glass

optional

Light Transmission 92%

Gloss Antiglare surface (curved or flat): 95 ± 15 gloss units or 65 ± 15 gloss

units

Environmental

Temperature Operating Range: -20°C ~ 70°C;

Storage Range: -40°C ~ 85°C

Relative Humidity Operating Range: 0%~90% RH (no dew falls)

Storage Range: 0% to 95% RH (no dew falls)

Altitude Up to 3,000m

Ambient Light

Direct sunlight 90°to ±30° to the display surface Touch detection

operational

Direct sunlight all angles to display surface Free of false touch reports

Electrical

Operation Voltage Typical +DC 5V, +4.75V to +5.25V

Power Supply

Size under 52”(include 52”)USB or PS/2 Interface, power ripple

max.200mV rms

Size above 52”(52” not included): external AC-DC power adaptor

Interface Full Duplex USB 2.0 (Full Speed) Plug and play compatible

Serial RS-232. Baud Rate: 9600, 8 Data Bits, 1 Stop Bit, No Parity

Current Typical 150MA@+5VDC; 350mA, maximum

Power <1.5W, operating current<300mA

Electrostatic Protection 15 kV air / 8 kV contact discharges (EN61000-4-2,1995 :Level 4)

Controller Integration inside touch panel

Agency Approvals CE, FCC, Rohs

LEGO Legends of Chima : Laval’s Journey new screenshots

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 7, 2013

0

LEGO Legends of Chima : Laval’s Journey, developed by TT Games, is scheduled to be available for the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system and for the PS Vita system in summer 2013 and for the Nintendo DS hand-held system in autumn 2013. Players will embark on an amazing adventure into the world of Chima where the brave warrior Laval and his allies are called upon to fight for justice.

And here are the new screenshots:

For more information, visit: www.LEGO.com/chima

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

Call of Duty World Championship Finals this weekend

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 7, 2013

0

The Call of Duty World Championship is happening this weekend, and you can watch it live.

More info is on Xbox.com and CallofDuty.com. You may also have noticed its on your Xbox Dashboard too!

There are a number of European teams in the final:

The finals are being live streamed on Xbox LIVE via the Live Event Player at 1am UK / 2am CET on Monday April 8.

If you stay up late to watch it let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Win a copy of Tomb Raider on Xbox, a book and Kick Energy Drinks – The Winners

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 7, 2013

1

Last month saw the launch of Tomb Raider and the return of one of gaming’s most iconic characters, Lara Croft. Developed by Crystal Dynamics, this gritty reboot depicts the first adventure for a young and inexperienced Lara Croft in a story which charts the journey of an ordinary woman who finds out just how far she must go in order to stay alive.

To celebrate the release of Tomb Raider, we teamed up with Square Enix and Microsoft to give three lucky adventurers a copy of the game on Xbox, a book and a case of Kick Energy drink.

And here are the three lucky winners:

Christopher J.

Thomas H.

Ellie J.

You should be receiving your prizes shortly.

Thank you to everyone for entering – we have a lot of great contests coming up shortly so keep an eye out and keep checking out Connected Digital World.

Tomb Raider is out now www.tombraider.com

Company of Heroes 2 Pre-order incentives announced

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 7, 2013

0

SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. have announced that customers who pre-order Company of Heroes 2, the eagerly anticipated strategy game from Relic Entertainment, Inc., from participating retailers will receive additional in-game bonus content for free.

Eligible customers will get access to a ‘Theatre of War’ mini-campaign when it becomes available post launch, allowing them to experience a new single player story from another part of the war. They will also receive the Winter Ambush and Voronezh Front skin packs to customize the look of their multiplayer vehicles.

As well as the single player content and multiplayer skins, eligible pre-order customers will receive two new multiplayer commanders to customize each army. The German army will receive the Joint Operations Doctrine, specializing in precise artillery strikes and the Offensive Spearhead Doctrine for players who want to use heavy armour and airstrikes to crush their opponent. The Soviets will unlock the devastating Anti-Infantry Tactics Doctrine, enabling units like flamethrower tanks and the Conscript Support Tactics Doctrine which allows for rapid reinforcement in the heat of battle.

Underpinned by the cutting-edge Essence 3.0 Engine, Company of Heroes 2 brings tactical strategy to life like never before, thanks to the realistic ColdTech weather system, the revolutionary dynamic line of sight system TrueSight, and realistic destructibility.

It is 1941 and the beginning of what will become the most brutal conflict of World War II, as Germany launches a full-scale invasion of the frozen tundra of the Soviet Union which would result in over 14 million military casualties. Take command of the iconic Soviet Red Army in brutal frontline warfare to free Mother Russia from the invading Nazis. Your strategic skills and tactical expertise hold the power to tip the very balance of this conflict in the sequel to the critically acclaimed and multi award-winning Company of Heroes. Engage in visceral tactical combat that will define you as a military leader and challenge you to wield the might of the Soviet Empire as you smash your way to Berlin.

Company of Heroes 2 will be available for PC in June 2013. For more information check www.companyofheroes.com,

What do you think of Company of Heroes 2? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Check out our interview with Quinn Duffy

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Arrives in UK

News
Phones

Chris Hare

-

Apr 6, 2013

1

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8.0 has gone on sale in the UK. The WiFi-only, 16GB model of the mid-sized Android tablet is available to purchase from the Samsung Experience Store at Westfield Stratford City for £339, with a wider release to follow.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 with S Pen.

Powered by a 1.6GHz A9 quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, the Galaxy Note 8 comes with a 1280×800 pixel screen and runs the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box.

Other specifications include HSPA+ support, dual-band 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4, a 4600 mAh battery and support for Samsung’s S-Pen stylus.

For a limited time from April 15, customers who order the tablet will receive a free content and services bundle worth £60, which includes free 50GB Dropbox for two years, a two-month subscription to The Times newspaper and a £20 voucher to spend in the Samsung Learning Hub.

Preview of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 6, 2013

1

We recently got a special behind closed doors preview of the first level of the new LEGO Marvel Super Heroes game from Warner Bros.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes features an original story written by Mark Hoffmeier crossing the entire Marvel Universe. Players take control of Iron Man, Spider-Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Wolverine, Dead Pool, Black Widow and many more Marvel characters as they unite to stop Loki and a host of other Marvel villains from assembling a super-weapon capable of destroying the world. Players will chase down Cosmic Bricks as they travel across an open-world LEGO Manhattan and visit key locations from the Marvel Universe, such as Stark Tower, Asteroid M, a Hydra base and the X-Mansion.

The general story, at least what we were told as part of the introduction is that Silver Silver has come to Earth only to be shot down and his Surf Board has been destroyed. Parts of the Surf Board, which are now called Cosmic Bricks, are scattered around and both the good guys and the bad guys want to collect them.

There appears to be a lot of humour in the game, with some funny one-liners and little things that you may not spot at first, for example when Hulk lifts up blocks made of sand they crumble and he gets sand in his hair and he’s not very happy about it! And as you would expect that are lots of quips from Iron Man, although it was a little strange hearing a voice other than Robert Downey Jr’s. That said Warner Bros wouldn’t comment on whether they were the final voices and the Autumn release date is still a way off yet.

Personally I am happy just playing as Iron Man (and who wouldn’t be) but you will need to play as different characters during different levels, often jumping between characters in order to complete tasks that will enable you to move on to the next part of the level. For Iron Man at least there will be a number of different suits throughout the game, and they will be introduced as the story calls for them. And the SHIELD Helicarrier will make an appearance too!

There will also be a freeplay element with you having the chance to play as characters that are not involved or as involved in the main story.

You will be able to play the game on your own, or in co-op mode with a friend, the choice is yours. We didn’t get to see co-op mode but expect more information to be released on that soon.

I really liked what I saw of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and I can’t wait to see more and actually get some hands on with it. From what I did see its a lot of fun, and with around 100 playable characters to choose from everyone should be happy. The buzz around Marvel and the Avengers will certainly help get people interested in the game, as will Iron Man 3 and Thor 2, both of which are out in the cinema this year.

The game will be out in the Autumn on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Vita and PC from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by TT Games.