Events

Guardians of Middle-earth now has the wizard Radagast available for download

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Feb 2, 2013

Today gamers can download and play as the wizard Radagast in Guardians of Middle-earth on Xbox LIVE Arcade! This new Guardian character will release for PlayStation Network soon.

In Guardians of Middle-earth, gamers team up as the most powerful heroes from the greatest fantasy epic of all time, bringing up to 10 players together in a competitive multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game. Featuring select characters from the film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the game allows players to develop and master more than 20 iconic characters. Play as Gandalf, Gollum, Legolas, Sauron and more, forming memorable and unlikely alliances with and against friends. Gamers can connect with other players via an in-game voice communication system, as well as access to a comprehensive online stat and leader board system where they can track friends’ victories and defeats, and more. Now available at select retail stores and via download for Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Network.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions also released new character art, bio, ability details and a new video about playing as Radagast, which gives a sneak peek into his enchanter abilities that deal significant ability damage and help support his team members by withstanding special enemy attacks. Access these assets below.

In addition, Guardians of Middle-earth players will be able to compete in “The One Road” challenge this weekend, where gamers will compete for the “Most Wins on a One-Lane Map” from Feb. 1 through Feb. 3 to win 500 XP, 20,000 Gold, and three Mithril level items.

Radagast marks the next epic addition to player rosters in Guardians of Middle-earth, with Season Pass holders set to receive three more battle-hardened Guardians in the coming months, and more to come as well. Players will also get a chance to sink their swords and hammers into the new Survival mode very soon!

Here is the trailer:

If you have PlayStation Plus, then right now Guardians of Middle-earth is free, so grab it while you can!

Are you playing Guardians of Middle-earth? Let us know what you think of it by leaving a comment below.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS app available for iOS and Android

Apple

Andrew Edney

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Feb 2, 2013

0

A STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS app, based on J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Paramount Pictures film, is now available to download for free from the App Store and Google Play. Users who have the app will have unprecedented access to all STAR TREK content, as well as the opportunity to participate in missions and win valuable prizes.

Utilizing the latest technologies from Qualcomm Incorporated, such as Qualcomm Labs’ Gimbal platform and Qualcomm Vuforia augmented reality platform, the app will allow users to delve deeper into the Star Trek universe by interacting directly with materials from the eagerly awaited film to unlock additional content and experiences. The users collect points, see content, and work their way through the Star Trek Academy.

Highlights of the “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” app include:

· A geofencing function for location-based experiences such as encouraging viewers to go to the movies;

· An audio scan function that can be turned on to automatically recognize and reward users for watching “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” content on TV and other media;

· An image scan function that enables users to interact with images printed or viewable in the real world;

· New “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” content, such as videos, images and wallpapers delivered directly to users’ mobile devices;

· Exclusive opportunities and special offers only available to app users.

To download the app, visit www.StarTrekMovie.com/StarTrekApp

Unfortunately at the moment the app is only available in the US App Store!

Sleeping Dogs is UK’s best-selling new videogame IP of 2012 and there is more to come

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Feb 2, 2013

2

Square Enix London Studios announced that its award-winning undercover cop drama SLEEPING DOGS has become the UK’s best-selling new videogame IP of 2012 at retail, according to figures recently released by Chart Track. Offering an incredible open world adventure, players have delved into the action on Hong Kong Island in their millions, exploring the extensive story-driven campaign and game-extending downloadable content.

SLEEPING DOGS launched with a commitment to six months of add-on content and over the coming months the campaign continues with a collection of downloadable packs offering gameplay to suit every taste. During the first three months of 2013, players can look forward to:

Year of the Snake

Wei Shen’s story continues in Year of the Snake as he rejoins the ranks of the Hong Kong Police Department in a series of new missions set immediately after the main game. A vicious end-of-the-world cult is taking root in the back streets of Hong Kong… the Cult of the Snake. Hell-bent on cleansing the city of its evils, they cannot be negotiated with as they pursue a path to their righteous salvation. With an arsenal of weapons, including teargas guns and electroshock pistols, new outfits and abilities, Wei must enter a race against the clock to bring the cultists to justice before Judgment Day.

Movie Masters Pack – OUT NOW

With three powerful new outfits, the Movie Masters Pack empowers players to become their own kung fu hero. Don the outfit of the lone Vigilante, become a heroic legend with the Unknown Warrior outfit or coat yourself in armor and take on all manner of attacks while wearing the Bronze Warrior outfit.

Wheels of Fury Pack

Drug smuggling is big business for Hong Kong’s triad gangs and Wei Shen’s longtime friend Dr Tang has created the wheels to give the Sun On Yee the edge over their rivals. A weaponised supercar, the prototype DZS-90 will give Wei Shen enough armour and firepower to take control of business. Seize the streets back from the 18K with a series of upgrades and add-ons available on completion of each mission, building into the ultimate supercar available both in missions and in the open world.

Law Enforcer Pack

No criminal in Hong Kong is safe from justice. The Law Enforcer Pack gives players their most comprehensive access yet to police department gear, including two cop outfits, a new weapon and five police vehicles.

The Monkey King Pack – OUT NOW

Voted for by the SLEEPING DOGS community and created bespoke by United Front Games, the Monkey King Pack lets players take on the form of the mythical Sun Wukong. Bestowed with the power of the immortals, Wei can wield a powerful two-handed staff against the demons of the Hong Kong underworld. The Monkey King outfit includes its own buff, signature weapon and vehicle.

Have you played Sleeping Dogs? Let us know what you think of it by leaving a comment below.

Compete for $1 Million in Worldwide Call of Duty : Black Ops II Tournament

Andrew Edney

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Feb 2, 2013

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It’s time for gamers the world over to mark their calendars, because the ultimate high-stakes Call of Duty competition is coming this April, forever changing the face of competitive eSports. The Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox, featuring a $1 million Call of Duty: Black Ops II tournament, will take place in Hollywood, CA 5-7^th April.

Activision Publishing and their award-winning studio Treyarch, in partnership with Xbox® Major League Gaming (MLG) and the Electronic Sports League (ESL) will bring together 32 of the world’s most skilled multiplayer teams on the Xbox 360 to compete head-to-head in Call of Duty: Black Ops II in a live-streamed spectacular to be broadcast to the masses.

“More people play Call of Duty multiplayer every day than watch the average regular season game of the NBA. The scale and passion of the Call of Duty fan base is simply humbling, and yet there is no formal way to find out who amongst those millions of players is the best of the best, until now,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “Watching the performances of the very best Call of Duty players is already a mass spectator sport on YouTube and Call of Duty Elite. We are going to bring the best players in the world to Hollywood to compete on the ultimate stage, for the ultimate prize. And we are going to invite our entire worldwide fan base to join in the fun.”

Beginning today, players interested in participating in the tournament can go to https://elite.callofduty.com/esports and register for a free Call of Duty Elite account – it takes just a few seconds. Once registered, teams of four can vie for entry into the Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox tournament by competing in the February season of League Play in Call of Duty: Black Ops II on Xbox LIVE®, which opens today. Following the close of the February season, the top eight eligible teams will earn coveted spots in the Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox, including a trip to Hollywood this April to compete for the $1 million tournament purse.

“It’s an absolute honour to have players and fans celebrate the thrill of competition on such a grand stage,” said Mark Lamia, Treyarch studio head. “From the very beginning of development for Call of Duty: Black Ops II, we committed to making eSports an integral part of the game, and it’s going to be awesome to watch the best teams in the world battle it out for everyone to see.”

Additionally, teams competing in the recently announced MLG 2013 Pro Circuit featuring Call of Duty: Black Ops II (www.majorleaguegaming.com) will vie for a chance to enter the Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox. At the MLG Winter Championship, 15-17^th March, in Dallas, Texas, the top eight teams will earn trips to Hollywood to play against the best Call of Duty players in the world. Joining them will be eight winning teams from the ESL’s European Finals (http://cod.esl.eu) taking place 16-17^th March, in the famous ESL Arena live eSports Studios in Cologne, Germany.

Remaining seats in the 32-team tournament will be made available internationally across Asia, Australia, and Brazil, with territory-specific qualification details to be revealed locally as they become available and at https://elite.callofduty.com/esports.

Further details on the Call of Duty Championship, presented by Xbox, including full rules and regulations, Call of Duty: Black Ops II maps and modes for the tournament, prizing distribution, travel accommodations and more will be made available at https://elite.callofduty.com/esports.

Download Issue 9 of The MagPi Digital Magazine for lovers of the Raspberry Pi

Andrew Edney

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Feb 2, 2013

0

If you have, or are interested in the Raspberry Pi, then you might want to download the new issue of The MagPi digital magazine.

This is how the Raspberry Pi guys describe the magazine:

The MagPi, a free online magazine dedicated to the Raspberry Pi, whose first issue was released a few days ago, is a perfect example of that. It’s been put together entirely by volunteers, guided by Ash Stone, Jason “Jaseman” Davies, Meltwater and other names you may recognise from the forums and comments on this site. I was broadly aware they were up to something, but I was amazed at the scope of what they sent me to look at earlier in the week, and I’ve been really, really impressed by the first issue. There are Debian and Puppy guides, articles on computing history, ideas for robotics projects, tutorials in Scratch and Python (with code you can type in yourself, just like in the good old days), features about the Raspberry Pi itself, and other goodies to dig into. I really can’t recommend it enough, and if you haven’t been lucky enough to get to the head of the queue, you don’t need a Raspberry Pi to find it useful (you might actually find the magazine good preparation before yours arrives).

It is a really interesting read – so go download it today, and let us know what you think!

Download the new issue of The MagPi here Check out the videos we made with Eben Upton Check out our unboxing of our Raspberry Pi

StableBit Scanner 2.0 for Windows Home Server 2011 updated to version 2.3.0.2851 BETA

Andrew Edney

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Feb 2, 2013

0

StableBit Scanner 2.0 for Windows Home Server 2011 updated to version 2.3.0.2851 BETA

StableBit Scanner 2.0 for Windows Home Server 2011 has been updated to version 2.3.0.2851 BETA.

An advanced hard disk surface scanner, monitor and more.

Monitors all your hard drives and ensures that every bit holding your precious data is readable.

2.3.0.2851 BETA

* Always perform update check after log in (non-WSS).

* Stopping the service now properly exits the service process.

* Fixed issue with local SMART warning notifications (non-WSS).

Download the latest version from here

Twitter Confirms up to 250,000 Users Compromised in Hacking Attack

News

Chris Hare

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Feb 2, 2013

0

Twitter Confirms up to 250,000 Users Compromised in Hacking Attack

Twitter has confirmed that up to a quarter of a million user accounts may have been subject following a security breach by “sophisticated” hackers.

In a post made to Twitter’s official blog on Friday, the social networking firm explained the steps it would be taking to safeguard users following an incident in which it shut down a live attack on the company’s servers.

“This week, we detected unusual access patterns that led to us identifying unauthorized access attempts to Twitter user data,” said Bob Lord, Twitter’s director of information security. “We discovered one live attack and were able to shut it down in process moments later.

“However, our investigation has thus far indicated that the attackers may have had access to limited user information – usernames, email addresses, session tokens and encrypted/salted versions of passwords – for approximately 250,000 users.

Twitter users whose accounts may have been compromised will automatically be logged out and receive notification that they need to create a new password.

“As a precautionary security measure, we have reset passwords and revoked session tokens for these accounts,” Lord continued. “If your account was one of them, you will have recently received (or will shortly) an email from us at the address associated with your Twitter account notifying you that you will need to create a new password.

“Your old password will not work when you try to log in to Twitter.”

Lord encouraged Twitter users to follow “good password hygiene” – both on the site and across the internet, and encouraged users who did not have strong passwords to reset their information.

Citing similar attacks on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, he also suggested that users should follow US Department of Homeland Security advice and disable Java on their computers.

“This attack was not the work of amateurs, and we do not believe it was an isolated incident. The attackers were extremely sophisticated, and we believe other companies and organizations have also been recently similarly attacked,” Lord added.

“For that reason we felt that it was important to publicise this attack while we still gather information, and we are helping government and federal law enforcement in their effort to find and prosecute these attackers to make the Internet safer for all users.”

App Update: Facebook for iOS now at version 5.4.1

News

Andrew Edney

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Feb 2, 2013

0

Facebook for iOS has been updated to version 5.4.1.

What’s New in Version 5.4.1

Bug fixes

Download Facebook for iOS from the Apple App Store

Sony Teases PlayStation 4 Announcement for February 20

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Feb 1, 2013

0

Sony has released a teaser site that appears to indicate the upcoming announcement of its next game console.

The site includes a video inviting viewers to “see the future” as the PlayStation cross, square, circle and triangle symbols glow with electricity.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-3GMHIgR-U?feature=player_embedded%5D

The announcement will be revealed on February 20 at 6pm ET (11pm GMT).

Sony’s next console – codenamed Orbis and more commonly referred to as PlayStation 4 – will reportedly use new user accounts and a new controller design.

It was recently claimed that Sony’s next console will feature 4K resolution support in line with a rumoured new range of Sony TVs.

Additional hardware details were leaked last year, while EA’s Frank Gibeau revealed that he had seen both the PS4 and new Xbox, and suggested that the consoles would introduce gaming to a further billion people.

Sony CEO Kaz Hirai recently hinted that the company’s next console could arrive after Microsoft’s next Xbox system.

Ni No Kuni : Wrath of the White Witch out today

News

Andrew Edney

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Feb 1, 2013

0

Namco Bandai have released Ni No Kuni : Wrath of the White Witch and you should definitely go buy it!

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is developed by LEVEL-5, the studio behind the smash hits Dragon Quest VIII, Dragon Quest IX, and the Professor Layton series. LEVEL-5 collaborated with the legendary Studio Ghibli to create the cut-scenes in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Studio Ghibli is world renowned for creating memorable anime masterpieces including My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away. The in-game music was composed by Joe Hisaishi the famed composer of musical scores for over 100 films including many of Studio Ghibli’s greatest productions and was performed by the Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra.

To celebrate the launch of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch players connecting to the PlayStation Network will receive, for free, two exclusive familiars developed especially for the Western release: Draggle and Golden Hurly.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is available now; exclusively for the PlayStation®3system with both English and Japanese voiceovers included as well as French, Italian, German and Spanish texts at retailers and on the PlayStation Store.

The original soundtrack of the game composed by Joe Hisaishi can be purchased worldwide exclusively at Wayô Records shop.wayorecords.net. It includes all 33 tracks from the game on 2 discs plus a bonus collector’s item: 20-page booklet featuring artworks, lyrics and background information.

Our review of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch should be live shortly.

Check out our Let’s Play Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch