Events

Soundtrack of Life – a night with SOL REPUBLIC and their headphones

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 1, 2013

Recently we were invited to experience an evening with SOL REPUBLIC, and we got to see and listen to some pretty cool headphones.

SOL REPUBLIC is global consumer electronics company dedicated to enhancing people’s lives through better-sounding headphones. Comprised of music fanatics, SOL REPUBLIC develops its products from the ground up to make headphones that look, sound and feel unlike anything else in the market. SOL REPUBLIC has offices in California, Oregon and New York City and is developing an army of followers, fans and dreamers in its worldwide social media communities.

This is the first time that SOL REPUBLIC has come to the UK, and according to them, they are here a little earlier than planned.

Master Tracks Headphones

Master Tracks are the ultimate manifestation of SOL REPUBLIC’s guiding philosophy to create headphones that have unmatched style and sound. With interchangeable headbands and cables, Master Tracks also allows users to change colours and styles for complete customisation. Like all SOL REPUBLIC headphones, Master Tracks are virtually indestructible. Constructed from SOL REPUBLIC’s proprietary polymer called FlexTech, headbands can be twisted, bent or dropped without worry. For the music fans who have amassed a collection of SoundTrack headband colours, Master Tracks X3 Sound Engines are retroactively compatible with current Tracks cables and headbands.

Continuing with SOL REPUBLIC’s dedication to enhance people’s lives through better sounding headphones, Master Tracks also feature SOL REPUBLIC’s new X3 Sound Engine which not only deliver super-deep bass that stays amazingly tight with smooth, controlled highs but also delivers crisp sounding vocals.

Master Tracks are available now for pre-order at SOLREPUBLIC.com and will be available at leading retailers in April for £169.99 in a choice of three premium finishes and optional separates in Ion Green, Progressive Purple and Fluoro Red SoundTrack headband colours. Master Tracks come with an MFi cable and an all-new reinforced nylon Ripstop Tracks carry case for easy portability and protection. Backed by a 1,000-day headband guarantee where SOL REPUBLIC will replace a band in the unlikely event that it is broken, SOL REPUBLIC continues to set the bar for headphone lovers everywhere.

There are even cool collaborations with the likes of deadmau5:

and TokiDoki:

And the cool thing is that you can change things around if you decide you want a different colour. Oh, and when you buy them you get to put them together yourself, which is rather cool.

The sound quality is really good on the headphones and I look forward to seeing, and hearing more from SOL REPUBLIC in the coming months.

You can learn more about SOL REPUBLIC from their website.

Painkiller Hell & Damnation Zombie Bunker DLC now available

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 1, 2013

0

Nordic Games has released ‘Zombie Bunker’ the third Painkiller Hell & Damnation DLC developed by The Farm 51 for Windows PC.

The latest addition to the hugely popular demon-slaying shooter sees Daniel Garner forced into the hellish world of the Military. Players need to fight their way through to break him out of the chaotic and insane world where the American, Russian and German military have joined forces to create an all-powerful demonic army nightmare.

The Zombie Bunker includes a new single player map, The Bunker, which includes a new boss fight and also a new multiplayer map – DM Fragenstein. In addition, the Stalingrad map (formerly known as Leningrad) has been reworked to now include airstrikes, Zeppelin firebombs and airborne zombie troops.

DLC features include:

· Reworked map: In Stalingrad (former “Leningrad”) – Inbound airstrikes, airplanes and Zeppelins firebomb our hero and even deploy Zombie Soldiers from above!

· Area 51 and Cold War will hit you hard in the reworked map “Military Base” – Space Commandos, UFO boss fight and nuclear missiles

· Two new rocket launchers (environment weapons)

· One new Multiplayer map: DM Fragenstein, playable in various Multiplayer modes

· New enemies: Russian, American, and German Zombie Soldiers as well as their tanks!

· New melee weapon: The “Morgenstern” – Smite your enemies with its spiky ball at short distances, or deploy sticky mines to battle from afar.

· New Silver Tarot card: Armour Regeneration (recharging your collected armour)

The new content is available from: http://store.steampowered.com/app/229230

And here are some more screenshots to keep you going:

Let us know if you play Painkiller Hell & Damnation by leaving a comment below.

Relive the 80s with the Super Adventure Box for Guild Wars 2

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 1, 2013

0

NCSOFT and ArenaNet are delighted to continue the great tradition of larking about on 1^st April with the introduction of the “Super Adventure Box”.

The latest in a growing list of regular, free updates, the “Super Adventure Box” turns Guild Wars 2’s world of Tyria into a 1980s-style videogame. The update, arriving today, introduces players to a 3D land of pixelated rabbits, giant mushrooms and retro music.

“It started out as a fun side project idea”, laughed Colin Johanson, Game Director at ArenaNet. “Originally, we were going to have a laugh with a fake 8-bit update, but the more the team worked on it the more we realised we had something really cool on our hands. We figured; the gaming community are really going to love this, let’s expand on the concept of the Living World in Guild Wars 2 and make it for real”.

“We’ve turned the clock back 30 years”, joked Daniel Dociu, ArenaNet’s multi award-winning Art Director. “With retro-style videogames such a part of the Zeitgeist, we’re excited to marry Guild Wars 2’s cutting-edge gameplay with childhood nostalgia. The results are hilarious!”

The Super Adventure Box features:

Super-Hot Graphics: Featuring ‘cutting-edge’ graphics with more than 256 colours, the Super Adventure Box is a visual feast for the gaming connoisseur. Your character has never explored a world like this.
Awesome New Levels: Three levels full of pogo mushrooms, platform puzzles, bunny tornadoes, and more. Don’t worry about taking a tumble – we’ve turned off the falling damage and turned up the fun!
Big Fun, Big Rewards: You’ll earn “baubles” by slaying varmints and exploring the virtual world of the Super Adventure Box. Exchange baubles for weapons and skills by talking to the shopkeepers inside the Box, or redeem your baubles for special Super Adventure Box weapon skins from asuran inventor, Moto.

Here is the trailer:

Accessible in-game by visiting Moto, a crafty asuran inventor, in the asuran capital of Rata Sum, the Super Adventure Box will be available for one month from today, the 1^st April, 2013.

For more information on the “Super Adventure Box” or to learn more about Guild Wars 2, visit www.guildwars2.com.

We also recently interviewed Colin Johanson about Guild Wars 2, and you can watch it below:

Two Minute Review of the Griffin PowerJolt SE with Lightning Connector

Apple

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 1, 2013

1

When Apple released the iPhone 5 anyone who got one soon realised that many existing accessories were not going to work. Thankfully Griffin quickly released a car charging cable with a Lightning Connector called the PowerJolt SE and here is our two minute review.

Griffin’s PowerJolt SE sports a low-profile plug for your car’s 12 volt accessory outlet, and a powerful 10 watt charging circuit so your iOS devices with Lightning connectors can power up quickly and safely.

A durable captive coiled cable with Apple’s Lightning connector stretches from 23.5 inches (60 cm) to at least 48 inches (121.9 cm) in length – just right for the car. LED power indicator glows white when PowerJolt is properly connected and ready to charge. With its built-in, self-resetting SmartFuse, PowerJolt SE guards against power fluctuations as it charges.

Who are Griffin?

From their website:

Griffin Technology began designing and manufacturing technical solutions with an innovative flair in 1992. We’ve since grown to become one of the largest providers of accessories for personal computing and digital media.

We ask ourselves: What would you like to do with your computer, your TV, your stereo system, your MP3 players, your musical instruments… the technology that enhances your life?

Our approach has given birth to some of the best known accessories in the digital entertainment and personal computer markets, including the iTrip family of FM transmitters and the groundbreaking Evolve Wireless Sound System.

Today, Griffin designs, manufactures and delivers useful and fun solutions for digital entertainment and personal computing to people in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, through major retailers and online.

Features

Fast 10-watt car charger safely powers iOS devices with Lightning connector
Coiled cable stretches from 23.5″ (60 cm) to 48″ (121.9 cm) in total length
Charge iPhone 5, iPad mini, iPad (4th gen.), iPod touch (5th gen.) or iPod nano (7th gen.)
SmartFuse protects with a built-in circuit breaker; no fuses to replace
Certified Made for iPhone

Technical Specifications

Input: 12 to 16 volts DC @ 2 amps
Output: 10 watts (5 volts @ 2.1 amps)

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the 1.4 m cable.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

As I mentioned at the start of this review, when Apple released the iPhone 5 (and also the iPad mini) they had a new type of connector on them, called a Lightning Connector. It’s smaller than the connector on previous Apple devices and it also meant that pretty much every accessory you had, cables, cases, charges, etc., wouldn’t be compatible.

Thankfully Griffin stepped up and released a car charging cable with a Lightning Connector so that if you travel by car you can at least charge your iPhone.

The coiled cable is very sturdy – I’ve been using it almost daily now for a few months and it still looks and feels brand new.

The cable works perfectly and charges my iPhone while having enough length to have the iPhone sit nice and surely in my car whilst charging.

The Griffin PowerJolt SE with Lightning Connector retails for around £20, but as usual look around as there are deals to be had.

If you do a lot of driving and you want to keep your iPhone 5 charged this cable is a no brainer and does exactly what it says on the tin – go get one today.

Learn more from the Griffin website.

Xbox LIVE April 1st One Day Sale

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 1, 2013

0

The Xbox LIVE April 1st One Day Sale with at up to 75% off is now on.

The following list of Xbox LIVE Content that will be on sale Monday 1st April 2013 only.

Is there anything on the list you are interested in? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

OUYA Android Console Launch Date Set for 4th June

News
Tech

Chris Hare

-

Apr 1, 2013

0

OUYA Android Console Launch Date Set for 4th June

The Android gaming console has already been shipped to its Kickstarter backers and will be available from retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, GAME and the OUYA online store this summer.

OUYA raised a record $8.6 million (£5.6m) on Kickstarter when the project’s founders appealed for funding on the crowd-sourcing platform. The console has since gained major developer support from the likes of Double Fine and Words with Friends co-creator Paul Bettner.

“Nine months ago, we shared an idea for an immersive, beautiful and powerful game console that generated an outpouring of support from game developers, gamers, technology enthusiasts, and more,” said OUYA CEO Julie Uhrman.

“With that, we set out to bring the OUYA concept to life, and today, we’re delivering.”
Powered by a Tegra3 quad-core processor, OUYA packs 8GB of Flash memory, 1GB RAM, Bluetooth connectivity and an HDMI connection for hooking the system up to a TV screen.

Skype for Windows 8/RT updated to version 1.6, brings contact blocking

Andrew Edney

-

Apr 1, 2013

0

Skype for Windows 8 has been updated again, this time bringing in contact blocking.

This update contains:

Contact blocking

With this update, we wanted to give our users higher control over who can contact them by adding the ability to block contacts.

To block a contact, select the person’s name to open up the chat window. Bring up the command bar by swiping at the top or bottom of your screen (or right click), and select block. You may also choose whether you want to remove or report the contact request as spam.

Performance improvements

We have improved loading speed and reliability across the application. As a result, contacts load speed should now be a lot faster.

Upgrade now via the Windows Store, and share your feedback by discussing what matters on the Skype Community Forum.

Additionally in this release, we have fixed a number of issues from the previous release.

Download Skype from the Windows Store

Two Minute Review of the StarTech 3m Thunderbolt Cable

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 31, 2013

1

If you need a Thunderbolt cable for your Mac and you need a 3m one, then you might want to check out the Thunderbolt cable from StarTech.com – and here is our two minute review.

This is how StarTech describe the Thunderbolt cable:

Our 3m (9.8ft) Thunderbolt cables offer a dependable, high-quality solution for harnessing the speed and power of Thunderbolt™ technology, delivering full 10Gbps performance while combining both data and video into a single high-performance cable.

The cables support daisy chaining of up to 6 compatible Thunderbolt devices, which ensures streamlined performance and easier setup. Plus, with dual channel, bi-directional data transfer capability and support for power delivery (for bus-powered devices), these Thunderbolt cables offer the robust performance needed for optimal connections.

This high quality Thunderbolt cable is specifically designed to provide a reliable solution for device connections of up to 3m/9.8ft, providing enough cable length to connect compatible devices positioned as needed.

Who are StarTech.com?

From their website:

Founded in 1985 by Paul Seed and Ken Kalopsis, StarTech.com is an ISO 9001 Registered manufacturer of hard-to-find connectivity parts.

Since its inception, our company has been dedicated to making IT professionals jobs easier by helping them identify, find and get the connectivity parts they need to enable their solutions.

Some of the ways StarTech.com makes it easy include:

A broad selection of products from legacy to latest ensure you have access to the parts you need

Friendly, professional Technical Advisors available to help you through live chat, phone and email with extended support hours

Exclusive online tools and resources like the ConXit Connection Wizard simplify the process of identifying and finding the right part

Value-added business services such as order suggestions, listing management and bid process coordination make your business more efficient

StarTech.com serves a global market with operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and Mexico.

What’s in the Box (bag):

The only thing in the bag is the Thunderbolt cable.

Specifications

Features

Dual-channel, simultaneous bi-directional data and video transfers up to 10 Gbps
Supports Power-over-cable, for bus-powered Thunderbolt devices

Applications

Connecting a Thunderbolt-equipped computer to a Thunderbolt-enabled device located up to 9ft/3m away, such as an external drive enclosure, RAID array, monitor, etc.
Connecting two Thunderbolt-equipped Mac computers, for Target Disk Mode file transfers
Connect a Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro to an iMac, to use the iMac as the display for the MacBook Pro

Final Thoughts

If you have a Mac and want to connect to one of Apple’s Thunderbolt devices, or to an external drive that uses Thunderbolt then you will need to buy a Thunderbolt cable. And like most Apple cables they are not cheap. The Apple store sells a 0.5m cable for £25 and a 2.0m one for £35. But what if you want a longer one, say 3.0m? Well Apple don’t seem sell a cable in that size so you will need to look around for one online, and that’s where StarTech.com come in. We have reviewed a number of their products in the past, so when we were given the chance to review one of their 3.0m Thunderbolt cables we said yes.

The cable comes in a simple plastic bag and takes only a few seconds to connect up and get running. Unlike the Apple cables, this one is black, which I personally prefer to the usual Apple white, but that’s just me!

The cable worked perfectly and the extra length proved invaluable so that I could position the external drive I was using on the other side of my desk away from the MacBook Pro on the other end.

StarTech sell Thunderbolt cables in a variety of lengths from 0.5m up to 3.0m and they do sell white versions if that’s what you want.

Cost wise, the 3.0m cable is listed on their website at £68.39 which isn’t cheap, so make sure you really need 3.0m before spending that sort of money on a single cable. Oh and as usual do a search online for the best price as Amazon had it for £54.26!

One thing I did notice on their website was that the shorted length cables are more expensive than the official Apple ones. I haven’t yet tested an Apple Thunderbolt cable to see if their is any performance difference, but bear that in mind when choosing your cable.

So all in all it’s a good quality cable, it’s just a little expensive.

You can learn more from the StarTech.com website.

Halo 4 Forward Unto Dawn finally coming to Blu-ray in the UK

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 31, 2013

0

If you are in the UK and you want Halo 4 Forward Unto Dawn on Blu-ray then you are in luck as it’s finally getting released over here.

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” tells an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice on a scale never before seen in the “Halo” universe, taking fans back to the beginning of the human and Covenant war and leading into the events of “Halo 4.” Set against the backdrop of a United Nations Space Command (UNSC) military academy, a group of highborn cadets are training to be the next generation of soldiers in the UNSC’s ongoing war with insurrectionists in the outer colonial planets. Among these cadets, Thomas Lasky struggles with his doubts about this war, and with the burden of expectations he may not be able to carry. As Lasky comes to terms with his potential as a military leader, the terrifying alien alliance known as the Covenant arrives and turns his world upside down. Inspired by the Master Chief, he must decide what it means to be a hero. “Halo” fans that experience Lasky’s thrilling origin story in “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” will be rewarded with special insights into the story of “Halo 4” and the “Halo Infinity Multiplayer” experience.

Directed by Stewart Hendler (“H+,” “Sorority Row”) and written by Todd Helbing and Aaron Helbing (“Smallville,” “Spartacus”), “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” features a diverse cast of established and up-and-coming Hollywood talent, including Tom Green (“Dance Academy”) as Thomas Lasky, Anna Popplewell (“The Chronicles of Narnia”) as Chyler Silva, Daniel Cudmore (“X2,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “The Twilight Saga”) as the Master Chief, Ayelet Zurer (“Angels & Demons,” “Munich”) as Mehaffey, Mike Dopud (“Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol”) as General Black, Enisha Brewster (“Footloose”) as April Orenski, Masam Holden (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Elizabethtown”) as Michael “Sully” Sullivan, Osric Chau (“2012”) as JJ Chen, Iain Belcher (“Supernatural”) as Vickers, and Kat De Lieva as Dimah.

“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” is backed by a top-tier production team led by executive producers Lydia Antonini and Josh Feldman, former Warner Bros. and Playtone executives, respectively. Continuing its involvement with the “Halo” franchise, Legacy Effects (“The Hunger Games,” “The Avengers,” “Avatar”) is creating specialised costumes and armor, and visual effects are being designed by an award-winning team led by John Sullivan (“The Pacific”). Production services are provided by Herzog & Co.

There are two versions being released on May 27th, the normal Blu-ray version and a

Deluxe Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo that also contains a set of Halo art cards and an A3 poster.

You can pre-order your copy below.

And why not check out the exclusive interview we did with Anna Popplewell about Forward Unto Dawn below:

Sky+ app for Android Updated to version 3.0.2

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 31, 2013

0

The Sky+ app for Android has been updated.

The latest Sky+ App ensures you never miss the latest and greatest TV.

For a start, there’s a full Seven Day TV Listing Guide that presents all your favourite channels.

And for shows that are simply unmissable, we’ve now introduced Series Link for mobile. This ever-so-useful function lets you record entire seasons of favourite shows to your compatible Sky+ HD box. And all with just a few finger taps.

In the app’s Showcase section you’ll find the top TV picks of the week – whether it’s a movie premiere, a big match or a new must-see drama.

Now & Next shows you what’s on and what’s coming up. And beneath individual Programme Details you’ll find Other Airings (which tells you when else a favourite programme is on air) plus alternative programmes you may like.

The Sky+ App also lets you group channel Favourites together to create your very own personal TV guide. Recording couldn’t be easier – you just tap on the Record button alongside your chosen programme and the request will go straight to your Sky+ box. What’s more, the app allows you to record from anywhere in the world.

What’s new in 3.0.2:

– Fixes a bug where some customers are seeing incorrect airing times in Planner items

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bskyb.android.skyplus