Game Review: Assassin’s Creed III Liberation for PS Vita

Jim McCarthy
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Game Review: Assassin’s Creed III Liberation for PS Vita

UbiSoft released Assassin’s Creed III Liberation for the PS Vita on October 30th. Here is my review!

AC3LiberationBoxArt

UbiSoft released Assassin’s Creed III Liberation for the PS Vita on October 30th.  This was a fairly highly anticipated Vita release, and Andrew picked me up a copy.  Before we get into the review details, let’s set the stage about the game:

Game Overview

The year is 1765. As the events leading up to the American Revolution heat up in the North, Spanish forces plan to take control of Louisiana in the South – but they have yet to reckon with Aveline, a deadly Assassin who will use every weapon and ability in her arsenal to win freedom for her land and her people.

Whether silently eliminating her enemies with slow-motion chain kills or luring them into deadly traps, Aveline strikes mortal fear into the hearts of those who stand in her way.

As an Assassin, Aveline soon finds herself on an unforgettable journey that will take her from New Orleans’ crowded streets, to voodoo-haunted swamps and ancient Mayan ruins. She will play a pivotal role in the turbulent birth of a new nation as she fights for freedom, not only for herself, but for her fellow citizens.

Designed exclusively for the PlayStation Vita system, you’ll take full advantage of the Playstation Vita system’s dual touchpads, motion detection, and built-in camera to execute slow-motion chain kills, pickpocket unsuspecting victims, and pursue your enemies in a canoe. This is no mere port; it’s an immersive experience designed purely for the PlayStation Vita system.

And check out this trailer video:

Now onto the review!

Gameplay

The game lets you take on the persona of Aveline, an assassin in New Orleans in 1765.  Aveline is the child of a slave mother and a wealthy father, letting her live in both parts of 18th century Louisiana.  You traverse the world of Louisiana and Mexico, dispatching enemies and solving the mystery of what happened to her missing mother.

The Good

This game is a faithful reproduction of the console series; you play an assassin, wander the game world dispatching evil enemies of the Assassin’s Brotherhood, and get to experience the old world.  The story line is interesting, and the addition of pistols, muskets and poisoned blowguns is a nice change.

The combat mechanics are well-developed and easy to control on the PS Vita.  Using the blow gun and her fists are easy!  And targetting by tapping the screen is convenient.

The graphics are impressive and take good advantage of the PS Vita’s screen.

The Bad

The flip side to the fact that it is a faithful reproduction of the console game is this: the gameplay gets repetitive after a time.  There are only so many times that you can stab someone in the back in a crowd and then battle 5 guards!

In addition, the storyline does not hang together very well.  I was confused as to why Aveline is battling in the streets to free slaves, and at one point, she ends up leaving New Orleans for the bayou with a very poor transition.  The storyline development from Drake’s Uncharted was much better developed and was more effective in reeling me in.

UbiSoft added a new dimension to this game, allowing you to purchase ships and to run Aveline’s family trading business.  You can buy goods in New Orleans and transport them to cities in the Caribbean, sell them and book a profit that helps you to purchase items in the game to make you more effective.  The concept is nice, but the controls are not well-executed and are not documented in the game instruction manual.  I could not figure out how to send a ship to a given city, managing to accidentally order the ship to sail but being unable to figure out how to do it again.  I would like UbiSoft to add the ship sail command to one of the preexisting menu selections to make this a better game feature.

The PS Vita controls with the rear touchscreen would not work consistently for me.  In order to pick someone’s pocket, you need to use the rear touchscreen.  I was only able to get it work once, and I am not sure what I was doing wrong.  It might have been my fault, but if I can’t figure out the game element quickly and replicate it consistently, it points to an issue with the control design.

Bugs.  Everywhere.  This game was not ready for release, and this really mars the gameplay experience.  For example, I noted several instances where people in the town were walking into walls and not turning around.  Minor, I know, but annoying.  And then there was one scene that requires you to roll a ball through a maze by tilting the PS Vita to activate a game element.  The puzzle had a bug that caused the ball to roll off the maze through the maze walls.  Of course, the ball would not respond correctly to my input for a good 30 minutes before it crashed.  Reloading the game solved the issue, but this should not have happened.  Another example is a scene that requires you to pull yourself hand over hand on vines to scale across a cavern.  However, the control that allows you to jump off of the vine did not appear, meaning that I was stuck over a 300 foot deep hole, hanging from a vine.  Again, reloading the game solved the issue.  There are more examples, including a reputation scale that somehow went from anonymous to full-on enemy of the people with no real causation.  Once your reputation meter goes red like that, guards immediately attack you as you walk across the town, making it hard to accomplish your goals.  Reloading the game also solved this, but as you have probably surmised by now, reloading the game to fix bugs is a common activity with Assassin’s Creed III Liberation.

Overall Assessment

Assassin’s Creed III Liberation brings the AC experience to the PS Vita.  It is a fun game, but the implementation here has some serious gaps.  Bugs mar the gameplay experience, and even when it works well, the gameplay gets a bit repetitive.  If you are a fan of the AC series and you want to play it on the PS Vita, go ahead and pick it up.  Overall, I give Assassin’s Creed III LIberation a 3/5.

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Acer Launches New C7 Chromebook

Jim McCarthy
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Acer Launches New C7 Chromebook

Acer has launched a new Chromebook, the C7, with a price tag of $199/£199.  Read on for details.

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Acer has added the C7 to Google’s line of Chromebooks.  Available in the UK/US starting on 13 November, sporting an 11.6” display, 3.5 hours of battery life and a price of $199/£199, it joins the slightly more expensive Samsung Chromebook.  Here is part of the blog post announcing the product:

The new Acer Chromebook

The new Acer C7 Chromebook delivers a hassle-free computing experience with speed, built-in security and the simplicity of automatic updates. It features a full-size keyboard, fully clickable trackpad, an extra bright 11.6-inch display and over 3.5 hours of battery life. Powered by an Intel Core processor, the Acer Chromebook is fast—boots up in 18 seconds, resumes instantly and high-definition videos play smoothly (yes, videos like Gangnam Style in 1080p, in case you’re one of the few left who hasn’t seen it).

You can easily store your stuff on the Chromebook or in the cloud, with a 320GB hard drive and 100GB of free storage on Google Drive.

As you’d expect from a Chromebook, it’s easy to share with others around the home. Moms, dads, siblings or even your roommate can all have separate accounts and simply log in to get things done. And because Chromebooks bring you the best of Google, if you use products like Gmail, Drive, Maps, YouTube and Google+, your stuff is always available and everything just works.

Starting tomorrow, the Acer Chromebook will be available for $199 in the U.S. on Google Play, BestBuy.com and rolling out this week in select Best Buy stores. In the U.K., it’s available on Google Play, Amazon UK, PC World and Currys. We’re working hard to bring it to more countries soon.

Check out the full blog post.  So what do you think; is this an interesting choice for you?  Sound off in the comments.

Google Blog Post Announcing the C7

CloudBerry Backup Adds Sydney, Australia Location for Backups

Jim McCarthy
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1
CloudBerry Backup Adds Sydney, Australia Location for Backups

CloudBerry’s WHS add-in, which supports v1, 2011, SBS 2011 Essentials and  Windows Server 2012 Essentials, has added the ability to store your backup data in Amazon’s Sydney, Australia location, minimizing latency when accessing the data from Australia or New Zealand.  Read on for details.

CB Logo

CloudBerry’s WHS add-in, which supports v1, 2011, SBS 2011 Essentials and Windows Server 2012 Essentials, has added the ability to store your backup data in Amazon’s Sydney, Australia location, minimizing latency when accessing the data from Australia or New Zealand.  Here is the announcement:

We are pleased to announce that CloudBerry Backup for WHS (v1, 2011, SBS 2011 Essentials and  Windows Server 2012 Essentials) , the product that automates data backup directly to Amazon S3, Amazon Glacier, Windows Azure and a few other cloud storage version 3.0.2 is released.

The new version comes with the full support for the new AWS region in APAC (Sydney) region.

Starting today, customers can back up their data in the new Asia Pacific (Sydney) Region to reduce latency to end-users based in Australia and New Zealand.

Check out the CloudBerry blog post here, and if you are in Australia or New Zealand, you may want to add this location to improve performance.

CloudBerry Blog Post

Nokia Lumia 920 Turely Sim Free Goes On Sell!

Chris Hare
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1
Nokia Lumia 920 Turely Sim Free Goes On Sell!

We all expected the Nokia Lumia 920 to remain exclusive to EE here in the United Kingdom, at least until other carriers launched their own 4G networks next year. But UK retailer Clove.co.uk has announced that a SIM-free model will be on sale from Tuesday 13th November.

Which means you can avoid those pricey 24-month 4G tariffs from EE, and use the handset with your existing plan on any UK network. The SIM-free device will only be available from Clove in white to start with, and it’ll be priced at £520 (approx. $825). You can pre-order yours today.

The Lumia 920 is Nokia’s latest flagship Windows Phone device. It comes with Windows Phone 8 pre-installed, and packs a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. It also has a 4.5-inch 1280 x 768 display, and an 8.7-megapixel rear-facing camera with Carl Zeiss optics.

Will you be ordering a SIM-free Nokia Lumia 920 today?

Via: Clove

Microsoft Creates Giant Slide to promote ‘fast and fun’ Windows 8 at Bluewater

Chris Hare
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0
Microsoft Creates Giant Slide to promote ‘fast and fun’ Windows 8 at Bluewater

Microsoft has started its UK marketing activity for its new Windows 8 operating system by installing a giant slide in the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent over the weekend of the 2nd to the 4th November. I was lucky to have time with my family to have a go on the slide.

The tech giant set up the slide over the weekend, giving shoppers an alternative to using the stairs and presenting Windows 8 as “fast and fun”.

Every slider had their picture taken as they went down the slide, receiving a print photo of themselves afterwards and a copy was sent to your mobile device for you. Their pictures were also shared on a giant LED screen, managed by digital outdoor media owner RAM Vision, in the shopping centre, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

Yes me (Rockwell) on the slide just having a little fun to bring the kid back home.

 

Participants who tweeted a picture of themselves with the #fastandfun hashtag were entered into a competition to win prizes, including an HP tablet.

The campaign was conceived by Microsoft’s agency Jam, with Slice handling the experiential build.

The launch of Windows 8 is a major milestone for Microsoft, as it seeks to better compete with Apple and Google.

4G Mobile Auction Bidding to Start in January

Chris Hare
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0
4G Mobile Auction Bidding to Start in January

Bidding in the UK’s planned auction of spectrum for fourth generation (4G) mobile will get underway in January, with the new services expected to launch in summer 2013.
Ofcom will oversee the sale of the largest amount of spectrum in the British history, enabling more mobile operators to offer 4G services to consumers.

As more and more people use mobile devices connected to the internet every day, it is considered vital that the UK upgrades to a faster network technology.
4G offers speeds on smartphones and tablets comparable with home broadband connections. It is also more ideally suited to high-bandwidth data services, such as streaming high-quality video, watching live TV or downloading large files.


Ofcom expects that a typical 4G user will get a download speed of around 5-7 times faster than existing 3G networks. This means that a music album will take around 3 minutes to download on a 4G phone, compared to 20 minutes on 3G.
Existing 3G speeds are around 1Mbps, and the average 4G speed is around 6Mbps, although the network technology can go much higher depending on a number of variables, such as distance to the cell tower.
EE, the joint venture of Orange and T-Mobile, is already offering 4G mobile to consumers after repurposing its existing 1800MHz spectrum.
The company is retailing a number of 4G phones, such as the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3, along with 4G contracts, although the service is only available currently in 11 cities (with plans to extend to 17 by the end of the year).

Ofcom will oversee the sale of the 800MHz spectrum that was previously used for analogue television in the UK, and the 2.6GHz band, so that other providers can get into the 4G market.
The new spectrum will be used to deliver superfast 4G mobile speeds to people in cities, towns and villages across the UK, with 98% coverage expected in 2014/15.
Ofcom has said that December 11, 2012, is the provisional deadline for the submission of applications and an initial deposit from prospective bidders, such as O2 and Vodafone.
The regulator will then qualify the applications to determine who will be permitted to take part in the auction, before the bidding begins in January 2013.
Bidding could take “a number of weeks” and it will be run online over software built specifically for the auction.
Winners will be handed 4G licences in February/March, and it is expected that new services will be launched in May/June.
Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: “Today marks an important shift from preparation to the delivery of the auction, which will see widespread 4G mobile services from a range of providers. “The entire industry is now focused on the auction itself, with a shared goal of delivering new and improved mobile services for consumers.” Ofcom has set the reserve price for the spectrum that is being auctioned at a combined today of £1.3 billion, although it is thought that the sale will actually bring in more than £4bn for the UK government.

A closer look at the HTC Windows Phone 8S

Andrew Edney
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0
A closer look at the HTC Windows Phone 8S

Its been almost two weeks now since Microsoft officially announced Windows Phone 8. At the lunch event we got to look at some of the new hands. Here we take a look at the HTC Windows Phone 8S.

CDW - A closer look at the HTC 8S Windows Phone 8 - 2

This is the second Windows Phone 8 device from HTC. They are launching this at the same time as the Windows Phone 8X.

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There are multiple colours to choose from – I quite like the white one!

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The 8S comes with a WVGA 800×480 4” screen and 4GB of onboard storage, which can be expanded.  The camera is a 5mp shooter.  This is a lower-end phone aimed more at budget-minded buyers. But don’t let put you off as its a very nice phone.

And here is the 8S with its big brother the 8X.

CDW - HTC 8S and 8X comparison

What do you think of it, and also of Windows Phone 8? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the HTC Windows Phone 8X

Andrew Edney
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1
A closer look at the HTC Windows Phone 8X

Its been almost two weeks now since Microsoft officially announced Windows Phone 8. At the lunch event we got to look at some of the new hands. Here we take a look at the HTC Windows Phone 8X.

CDW - A closer look at the HTC 8X Windows Phone 8 - 2

Capture your greatest moments with this ultra-wide-angle, front-facing camera – perfect for self-portraits and full-screen Skype calls. And if it’s dark outside, don’t worry. The built-in f2.0 lens, back-side illumination (BSI) and ImageChip ensure that photos turn out well in any light. Add exclusive Beats Audio and a brilliant display optimised for varied lighting and viewing angles, and you have a phone that’s bursting with life.

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And here is the Black one and the Blue one – personally I prefer the black, what about you?

CDW - A closer look at the HTC 8X Windows Phone 8 - 1

The HTC Windows Phone 8X is the flagship Windows 8 phone from HTC and it is a very nice device. The 8X has 16GB of onboard storage and does not have any kind of expandable storage option, which puts this device at a disadvantage vis-à-vis the Lumia 920 and the ATIV.  The screen is 4.3”, which is great, and the device carries a 720p resolution.  The camera is the same as on the related Android device and has a great reputation for quality.  The 8X also has an amplifier and Beats Audio to help with music performance.  The battery is not removable.

And here is the 8X with its baby brother the 8S.

CDW - HTC 8S and 8X comparison

What do you think of it, and also of Windows Phone 8? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8

Andrew Edney
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1
A closer look at the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8

Its been almost two weeks now since Microsoft officially announced Windows Phone 8. At the lunch event we got to look at some of the new hands. Here we take a look at the Nokia Lumia 920.

CDW - A look at the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 - 19

The Nokia Lumia 920 has PureView camera technology with Optical Image Stabilisation and a Carl Zeiss lens that captures blur-free pictures and videos – even if your hand is shaky or you’re in low-light conditions. Along with a PureMotion HD+ display and built-in wireless charging, it redefines your smartphone experience.

Specs

There is a charging stand available for the phone.

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And you will also be able to charge the phone by placing it on the charging pad.

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There are also a number of accessories for the phone available.

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And here is a closer look,

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One of the main drawers for me to this phone is the battery life – I would certainly be interested in seeing how it performs in the real world.

It was a very nice phone to handle, with a lovely screen and was very responsive.

And I loved the wireless charging pad – being able to leave the phone one the pad at night by the bed and have it charge would be great.

What do you think of it, and also of Windows Phone 8? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A closer look at the Samsung ATIV S Windows Phone 8

Andrew Edney
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2
A closer look at the Samsung ATIV S Windows Phone 8

Its been almost two weeks now since Microsoft officially announced Windows Phone 8. At the lunch event we got to look at some of the new hands. Here we take a look at the ATIV S from Samsung.

CDW - A look at the Samsung ATIV S Windows Phone 8 - 14

  • Premium Windows Phone 8 experience
  • 7GB free storage with SkyDrive
  • 4.8″ HD Super AMOLED display
  • 1.5GHz dual-core processor
  • 8MP auto-focus camera and 1.9MP front VT camera
  • Dimensions: 137.2 x 70.5 x 8.7 mm (5.40 x 2.78 x 0.34 in)
  • Weight: 135 g (4.76 oz)
  • microSD card support up to 32 GB
  • Internal 16/32 GB storage, 1 GB RAM

The ATIV S has a physical Windows button on the bottom of the phone, along with a back and a search button.

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Here’s a quick look at Windows Phone 8 in action.

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And here is a closer look at the ATIV S itself:

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I have to say that I really like the ATIV S, and this is certainly the handset I would look at buying for my Windows Phone 8 experience.

Unfortunately the ATIV S has yet to be released and recent rumours suggest it won’t be available until some time in December, however I did see a display set up today in Phones4U and they seemed to think it was coming very soon.

What do you think of it, and also of Windows Phone 8? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

X-Dream Rocker Ultra Gaming Chair from BoysStuff

Andrew Edney
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1
X-Dream Rocker Ultra Gaming Chair from BoysStuff

Do you play a lot of video games? If so, you might want to look at the improved X-Dream Rocker Ultra Gaming Chair, after all, Christmas is coming.

X-Dream Rocker Ultra

Originally recommended by T3 last year, the new improved X-Dream Rocker Ultra Gaming Chair (RRP £299.95) is the best chair available for games, movies and music. The comfort of premium upholstery and headrest is now enhanced with black padded flip arms for total flexibility. High end features of wireless 2.1 surround sound, subwoofer and vibration motor get you close to the action as you hear every footstep, feel every crash, punch or gunshot. While the control panel lets you adjust the volume and vibration levels. Compatible with all major games consoles, TVs, Smartphones and MP3 players. X-Dream Rocker Ultra chairs are easy to set up and can be “chain” linked for a true theatrical experience.

The X-Dream Ultra Gaming Chair provides pure quality in all-round performance – by design it guarantees seated comfort and comprehensive multimedia surround sound experience.

The chair comes with a superb quality wireless 2.1 surround sound system. The chair incorporates a subwoofer and vibration motor so that you can truly immerse yourself in your chosen entertainment.

The chair is compatible with almost any device with an audio output. This includes all major games consoles, tv’s, smart phones and MP3 players.

The chairs control panel allows you to independently control the level of volume, base and vibration you wish to experience.

The chair has black padded flip arms designed for maximum comfort and flexibility.

The chairs are capable of being “chain” linked for that genuine theatre like experience.

The chair has a one year manufacturers guarantee.

Specifications:

  • Wireless 863 mhz audio
  • 2.1 Audio Surround System with 2 speakers
  • Vibration feedback and subwoofer
  • On stand with adjustable reclining function
  • Separately adjustable volume, vibration and bass
  • Fold up padded flip arms for manoeuvrability
  • Seat folds for storage
  • Multi-link player connection
  • UK (BS) adaptor included Output 9 volt, Input 110/240V
  • Internal Amplifier
  • 2 x Stereo, surround sound satellite speakers
  • Chair colour: Black with gray detailing.
  • Separately adjustable powered subwoofer (with excellent sound reproduction, vibratory lifelike bass, and a huge volume range, to enhance experience of gaming, music and movies)
  • Stand for additional height while sitting
  • It works with Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Nintendo gaming units and all major game platforms, including handheld units such as PSP and DS lites
  • It also will work with your TV, DVD, VHS, and stereo system, your MP3 and iPod player and your phone if it has a standard earphone jack.
  • Can also work with powered amps (up to 80 Watt)
  • Integrated wireless receiver
  • Breathable fabric and double foam – Comfort to the max!
  • Wireless adaptor included
  • RCA cable/wireless adaptor included
  • The unit connects through the audio out connection (or headset connection) on your TV so is compatible with HDMI and Scart, and all other units with an audio out connection.
  • Dimensions: when assembled – 105cm x 90cm x 68cm
  • Weight: 29kg

You can buy the X-Dream Rocker Ultra Gaming Chair from BoysStuff.

The Greatest Video Game Music 2 out now

Andrew Edney
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The Greatest Video Game Music 2 out now

The Greatest Video Game Music 2 played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra is out now and if you are a video game fan it’s a must have.

The Greatest Video Game Music 2

Performed by the world famous London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Greatest Video Game Music 2, features 17 brand new, classical orchestrations of some of video game’s most cherished musical themes. The album is a sequel to 2011’s hugely successful The Greatest Video Game Music, also recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, which has sold almost 100,000 copies to date, making it the best selling video game music album of all time.

The track listing is as follows:

· Assassin’s Creed: Revelations – Main Theme

· The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Far Horizons

· The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker – Dragon Roost Island

· Final Fantasy VII – One-Winged Angel

· Mass Effect 3 – A Future for the Krogan/An End Once And For All

· Halo – Never Forget/Peril

· Sonic the Hedgehog – A Symphonic Suite

· Chrono Trigger – Main Theme

· Luigi’s Mansion – Main Theme

· Kingdom Hearts – Fate of the Unknown

· Super Metroid – A Symphonic Poem

· Diablo III – Overture

· Batman: Arkham City – Main Theme

· Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Icarus Main Theme

· Fez – Adventure

· Portal – Still Alive

· Little Big Planet – Orb Of Dreamers (The Cosmic Imagisphere)

I have to say I haven’t played all of those games, in fact, if I have to be honest, I have only played half, but having listened to the music there are a few I will have to try!

This is a really good soundtrack to have playing in the background whether you are playing a game, or just relaxing. I have listened to it quite a few times now.

Have you listened to it yet? What is your favourite track? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Review of the Samsung SSD 840 PRO

Andrew Edney
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Review of the Samsung SSD 840 PRO

Last year we revived the Samsung SSD 830 series and it was our favourite SSD. Now a year later Samsung have released the 840 series and we have been testing the PRO model.

CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 1

Unrivaled Performance

Samsung’s SSD 840 PRO Series is a high-performance SSD, capable of delivering up to 100,000 IOPS Random Read Speed and 540MB/s Sequential Read Speed—an SSD of unrivaled high performance. Built with an advanced MDX controller, Samsung’s SSD delivers high speeds regardless of data type, unlike competing controllers that greatly favor compressible data.

Superior Reliability

As the world’s #1 DRAM, NAND Flash, and SSD supplier; Samsung SSDs are designed and built completely in-house. The Samsung SSD 840 Series is optimized for exceptional, sustained performance and unrivaled reliability through its specially-engineered wear-leveling and garbage collection algorithms backed by a generous 5-year limited warranty.

Performance Sustainability

The Samsung SSD 840 PRO Series provides the same excellent performance throughout its entire lifetime even under extremely heavy workloads. In fact, the sophisticated MDX controller is capable of maintaining peak performances under punishing conditions for more than twice as long the nearest competitor.

Business Friendly Features

The 840 SSD 840 PRO Series introduces three important hardware features for businesses: Worldwide Name (WWN), LED Indicator support, and AES 256-bit Full Disk Encryption (FDE). The first two features make it easier to integrate the 840 PRO SSD into server and storage systems while the AES Encryption helps safeguard data against attack. By encrypting all information on the disk at the hardware level, there is no detrimental effect on performance.
Plus, Samsung’s Magician software has been completely redesigned and includes several business-friendly features including Drive Health Status, Total Bytes Written (TBW), and Disk Scan & Error Reporting functionality. This allows IT managers to monitor drive health and plan hardware replacement cycles.

SSDs

Solid State Drives, or SSDs, are innovative data storage devices that deliver high performance, reliability, and quality by using NAND Flash memory instead of the magnetic disks used in traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). SSDs provide very fast PC booting and application loading speeds and perform exceptionally well in multi-tasking environments – all while consuming less power, emitting very little heat, producing no noise, and offering outstanding stability compared to conventional HDDs.

Specifications

Specs

A Closer Look

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Using the 840 Series

The 840 Series SSD is easy to install and use. It comes with Samsung’s SSD Magician software (see Final Thoughts for more on this).

Magician

Performance Testing

Here is our usual suite of performance testing – all testing was conducted via a SATA III 6Gb connection.

The spec of the machine used to do the testing is as follows:

  • Windows 8 Pro, 64-bit version
  • 16GB RAM
  • Intel Core i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40GHz

Windows 8

This gave me a Primary hard disk rating of 8.1, which is the highest I have ever had this rating. The 830 series gave me a 7.7 rating.

Windows 8

HD Tune Pro

The average Read speed was 299.8 MB/s (the 830 scored 259.6 MB/s).

CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 4

The average Write speed was 265.3 MB/s (the 830 scored 246.9 MB/s).

CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 5

File benchmarking was as follows:

CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 7CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 6

CrystalDiskMark

CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 8

Samsung Magician

The Samsung Magician Software has an option that enables you to run some benchmarks and perform tweaks.

This is before:

CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 10

And after:

CDW Review of the Samsung SSD 840 Pro - 11

What’s interesting to note is that my Read’s are faster, but my Seq. Write is slower afterwards.

Final Thoughts

The 840 PRO comes in three different sizes – 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. For this review we had the 256GB model.

The drive is fast, very fast and work’s very well indeed. There are a number of really great features with the drive too!

Unfortunately at the time of writing this review, Samsung had yet to release the updated version of their Magician software (at the time of writing they had just released version 3.2 which does support the 840 but not all of the features), meaning that certain features cannot yet be tested. Rest assured though, when version 4.0 is released (and it should be later this year) we will test it and let you know. I am eager to test out the full disk encryption (FDE) functionality.

I was very impressed to see that Samsung are pushing the reliability of the 840 as they did with the 830. My 830 was used constantly for over a year and I didn’t have a single problem with it.

Price wise, the 128GB starts around £120 and goes up from there.

It is also nice to see that the pricing is very similar depending on which kit you go for – so for only a few extra pounds you can get the cables and either the mounting brackets or spacer.

The warranty period on the series 840 PRO drives are 5 years, which in a most cases increases the warranty period by 2 years over it’s competitors, so well done Samsung!

So I cannot rate this SSD highly enough – it is fantastic! It is the best SSD I have ever tested and now is my main drive!

The Series 840 PRO SSD is available now.

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Learn more from the Samsung website

Hitman: Absolution – The Ultimate Assassin trailer

Andrew Edney
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Hitman: Absolution – The Ultimate Assassin trailer

Square Enix has released a new trailer called Ultimate Assassin.

Hitman-Absolution_Tools-of-the-trade[2]

“INTRODUCING: THE ULTIMATE ASSASSIN”, the stunning conclusion to the seven part INTRODUCING series. Do you have what it takes to walk in the shoes of Agent 47? Fearless, deadly and unstoppable – the Original Assassin is back!

Created entirely from original gameplay moments, INTRODUCING is dedicated to show the richness, depth and possibilities surrounding the living and breathing world of HITMAN: ABSOLUTION – powered by IO INTERACTIVE’S new proprietary  GLACIER 2 technology.

Here is the new trailer:

Hitman: Absolution is scheduled for release across North America, Europe and PAL territories on November 20, 2012 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC.

Are you getting Hitman: Absolution? If so let us know by leaving a comment below.

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