Warner Bros Movies for Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, if you have a movie lover to buy for, you might want to consider some of these movies from Warner Bros.

The Meg 

Jason Statham versions a giant shark – who wouldn’t want to watch that!

Nolan 4K Collection

This includes, Dunkirk, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, Interstellar and The Prestige.

2001: A Space Odyssey 4K

 The classic that every movie fan should own!

Harry Potter 4K Boxset

The Harry Potter collection in 4K is an amazing addition!

DC 5 Film Collection

This set contains Justice League, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man of Steel.

All of these titles are available to buy now, and with the 4K versions you are certainly in for a treat!

ID@Xbox Releases for December 10th – 14th 2018

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Each week a number of new ID@Xbox titles are released. Here is the roundup of the releases for this week.

Kingdom Two Crowns

Build your kingdom and secure it from the threat of the Greed in the next evolution of the award-winning micro strategy franchise! Experience new technology, units, enemies, mounts, and secrets in the brand-new solo or co-op campaign mode.

Doom and Destiny

Be ready for the nerdiest adventure of your life! Journey with four everyday friends into this turn based hilarious JRPG filled with parodies and cameos! Nerds are storming fantasy and it’s awesome!

Desert Child

You are a hungry, young hoverbike racer who needs to get off Earth before it E-X-P-L-O-D-E-S. Hunt bounties, throw races, and do whatever you can to get to Mars and win the Grand Prix.

Below

Test your adventurer mettle against The Isle’s procedural subterranean labyrinths. Explore a large, interconnected underworld crawling with cunning wildlife, deadly traps and stalked by a shadowy presence. Survive the perils of The Depths and unearth what lies below… or die trying..

Plague Road

Rescue survivors, fight monsters and explore a once great city fallen to plague in a dark fantasy game combining turn-based tactical strategy and roguelike elements.

Lazy Galaxy: Rebel Story

Start a Rebellion! Lead your ships to take down the evil O’Xelg base in this squad-based roguelite shoot-em-up!

Knights of Pen & Paper 2 Deluxiest Edition

Prepare to inhabit a world of chivalry, class warfare and off-beat pop references in the sequel for the successful and award winning game Knights of Pen & Paper! 

Knights of Pen & Paper 2 is a turn-based, retro style, pixel-art adventure full of danger, intrigue, death, and saving throws!

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realm

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms is an official Dungeons & Dragons strategy management game. Assemble a party of champions and master the art of Formation Strategy. Upgrade your heroes, collect unique gear, and unlock new Champions in regular new events.

Kingmaker: Rise to the Throne

Two royal knights, Edmund and Randall Ulmer, are tricked into a conspiracy against the crown. Pursued by the royal guard and ruthless conspirators, the brothers embark on a dangerous journey that will uncover the kingdom’s shameful secrets, restore the honor of the Ulmer family and change their fate forever.

Rally Racers

Wacky cartoon racing at its best, Rally Racers is an action packed family racing game that’s fast and furious fun for all. Cars bash and battle each other to racing glory, picking up special weapons, boosts, recruiting race mates from the opposition team, performing stunts and completing challenges to be first over the finish line.

See you next week for another round-up of the new ID@Xbox releases.

Simon’s Cat Launches Merch Shelf on YouTube

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Simon’s Cat, adored animated YouTube character, recently announced the launch of its Merch Shelf feature on YouTube. Just as the brand has hit 1 billion views on its channel, for the first time, fans of one of YouTube’s most popular pets can shop while they watch, directly under videos.

YouTube and Teespring recently announced the expansion of their merch shelf feature in Europe, giving content creators the opportunity to sell custom merchandise directly under their videos. The feature was launched in the US in June, which saw click-throughs grow to 30% greater than all other traffic sources, a place where creators can get closer to their viewers by offering them convenient access to products they have made themselves.

Simon’s Cat, features the mischievous and often hilarious antics of a fat white cat and his owner Simon. The YouTube channel has reached 4.8 million subscribers, 1 billion views, 6 million Facebook fans and 1 million Instagram fans, proving him to be one of the most popular cats on the YouTube scene. In an industry where pets become social media stars, earning their owners an income that would make some of the biggest social media stars envious, this beloved cartoon is taking a step further in to the merch industry which is currently worth $263 billion. 

Simon’s Cat will be offering fans a diverse range of t-shirts, hoodies, jumpers and baby grows. There are also Christmas options, including a sweater reading: “All I Want for Christmas is Mew”. 

Simon’s Cat was created by award-winning illustrator, animator and director Simon Tofield. First seen on YouTube in 2008, the series celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year. Simon’s Cat is a worldwide phenomenon topping one billion views on YouTube from audiences in over 100 countries.

About Teespring

Teespring was founded by Evan Stites-Clayton and Walker-Williams in 2012. The business idea was sparked while the pair were students at Brown University and wanted to create a t-shirt to remember the a beloved Providence dive bar while it was being shut down. During the process they encountered the logistical challenges associated with the traditional options of t-shirt manufacturing and so decided to create a solution. In the form of Teespring, they launched simple website to take pre-orders and would handle producing and shipping them if enough people purchased the shirt.

About Simon’s Cat

Animated hit Simon’s Cat was created by award-winning illustrator, animator and director Simon Tofield. Born on YouTube in 2008, the series features the mischievous and often hilarious antics of a charming cat and his long-suffering owner, Simon. Endemol Shine UK acquired a controlling share in the company in 2015.

This year Simon’s Cat is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, marking a decade since its launch on YouTube with the first Simon’s Cat animation, Cat Man Do. Simon’s Cat is now a worldwide phenomenon topping one billion views on YouTube from audiences in over 100 countries, and the original video has now been watched over 60 million times.

Review: Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse

When I watched the first trailer for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse my MARVEL fanboy heart skipped a beat because it finally looked to me that Sony Pictures, who if you do not know owns the Spider-Man license from MARVEL, have finally found the right and the best way to tell stories in that world and after just returning home from seeing the film, I am all a buzzing and a tingle because not only have they indeed found the best way to use the Spider-Verse going forward, but they have made the best Spider-Man film yet.

I am not kidding when I say that either, this is the best Spider-Man film both live action and animated I have watched yet, it is actually rather crazy just how good this film turned out to be on so many levels being someone who knows the Spider-Verse well from comic books, graphic novels to animation and films but it works so well to introduce newcomers to the various characters that the film brings to life with one character in particular, Miles Morales. I am so please and have been hoping for years now that Sony focus on using Miles as their Spider-Man whilst they let MARVEL Studios use Peter Parker for the MCU as he is the perfect choice to build a franchise around which is exactly what they managed to achieve with this film.

I must start though by talking about how impressive and amazing the animation is in this film, it is just stunning and leaps out of the screen at the audience by utilising so many different art styles through out that are so cleverly in tune with the story being told and the characters on screen. I love how Mile’s emotions and thoughts are all enhanced by the visuals around him such as his thoughts becoming comic book speech bubbles all around him and the colour pallet is vibrant and street which is at the core of his personality. I loved all the new looks for iconic characters and villains that using a multiverse so brilliantly allows the artists to go to town with. It is easily one of the best animated films you will see and even more so for a comic book adaptation.

Just as the visuals help tell Mile’s story, the soundtrack is just as vibrant and connected to Miles and I loved it so much that even before the credits had finished, I already had the soundtrack playlist bookmarked ready to play on Spotify before I left the cinema. The music is very much part of what makes up Miles’ character and it punctuates everything about him and how he feels as well as complimenting all the action scenes and epic moments through the story. The synergy between every component of the film is as close to flawless as it is meticulous in the attention to detail for every scene all the way through the film. It just makes this new take on all things Spider-Man so much more fresh modern.

The story itself  is truly so well written that it focuses as much on celebrating all things Spider-Man as it does introduce Miles as a new Spider-Man to an audience who may not know him. Miles is just a normal kid at the start of the film who has a clear passion for music and drawing art with graffiti art being his true talent. Miles has all the troubles that a young teenager would have such as going to a school he does not like to struggling to connect with his dad who we saw from the trailer is a straight-shooting Cop which makes Miles’ hobby of tagging streets with his art problematic. Miles is a very popular kid where he lives and watching how he knows everyone and seeing how everyone knows him is quickly contrasted against him at school where he is practically ignored, leaving him feeling isolated as he stays at the school Monday to Friday before going back home. Miles is simply a kid trying to find his way in the world before his life is changed forever.

The story is genius in both using and showing the Multiverse, which thanks to the scheming of King Pin experimenting with a massive Hadron Collider, accidentally breaks through into five parallel dimensions and grabbing the Spider-People from there into Miles’ world. It also brought in a radioactive spider which as you would expect, finds and bites Miles turning him into a Spider-Man of his own. There is just so much fun in having Miles encountering all the different Spider-People from Gwen Stacy as Spider-Woman/Gwen to Spider-Man Noir, voiced incredibly by Nicholas Cage, to Peni Parker and her Spider-Powered Robot to Spider-Ham, the talking pig Spider-hero who is fantastically the most cartoonish of all the heroes. But it is with the middle-aged Peter Parker that Miles has the most time and connection with, excellently voiced by Jake Johnson. This Peter Parker has been a hero for 22 years and has beaten every villain and saved New York in every way possible and is feeling more than just a little burned out by superhero life. We also learn that the hero life has taken a toll on his personal life with him both marrying but then being divorced from Mary Jane. He is reluctant to help train Miles in how to become Spider-Man but soon comes around. Seeing all the different Spider-People together brings some really fun light-hearted moments to the film with some lovely set pieces such as Miles trying to help an unconscious Peter Parker web-sling away from the bad guys. The most fascinating thing is how these very experienced heroes take to Miles who has only just gotten his powers, with the threat of Kingpin breaking all of reality with his actions. They know they not only have to stop him but also get home themselves, but are aware that Miles is just not ready to be Spider-Man enough to help them.

Which is where this film really becomes majestic in its story telling, because with all the noise of having five different Spider-heroes around and the huge threat of Kingpin, the story maintains the heart of the film so sensibly and effortlessly in keeping it centred on what it is really all about, the origin story of Miles Morales. The struggles Miles has with adapting to his powers and accepting the responsibility of what those powers means is a very moving tale to tell. From the moment his world’s Peter Parker makes him promise to put an end to Kingpin’s machine, Miles feels the weight of that burden and with each failed attempt to learn how to use his powers making feel even more isolated around the Spider-Heroes as much as he felt at school. When he tries to reach out to his dad who he knows as a cop has a problem with Spider-Man being a vigilante, he feels he cannot tell him the truth and when a family loss happens and he is prevented by the situation from being there for him, it all takes a toll on this young hero to be. Even the other Spider-People know he is not ready and force him to stay behind as they head off to the big fight with Kingpin.

Miles rising to become the hero he is destined to become is a powerful moment and the story gives him this moment without the clutter or distraction of everything else going on. The audience will feel what Miles is feeling because the writing and animation is so good that you instantly connect with him and understand his emotional state and can both empathise with him and cheer him on throughout. The tone can switch on a dime from light to dark but wise enough never to stray too much into either for too long but never dilutes the deep moments when the story needs Miles to take a moment to be serious which is why Jake Johnson was such brilliant casting for the role of Peter Parker because he can certainly do comedy but when Miles’s own situation begins to snap his character from the funk he is trapped in, they share a real moment that only makes Miles even more of a hero and a true Spider-Man.

It is because it manages to deliver on telling a great origin story for Miles, setting up the multiverse and introducing iconic Spider-Heroes with an amazing voice cast behind them, as well as laying the foundation for Miles’ adventures being Spider-Man that when you take in how great the animation is alongside one of the best film soundtracks in a comic book film and you can see why this film is being so celebrated and rightly so. This really is what Sony Pictures should devote their time in doing for their Spider-Verse license and with their plans scuppered a little following the failed Andrew Garfield era of Spider-Man and Venom doing every it can to not mention or use anything Spider-Man just yet, an animated franchise with the whole Multiverse to dive into and Miles as the main Spider-Man going forward is for me, the best and only way forward. Spider-Man does not have to be Peter Parker and if this film does nothing else then get people to accept Miles Morales as a genuine Spider-Man, then it has done its job.

Thankfully it also does everything else so brilliantly that you  should definitely make the time to go see this film this holiday season, you will come out happy and smiling and looking forward to even more animated adventures with Miles. Plus, his suit is legit awesome!

*There are two post credit scenes to stick around for so make sure you stay right to the very end of the credits, it is absolutely worth the wait!*

Micro Revolutions The next generation of electric Micro Scooters – the Falcon and the Condor

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Engineered by the awarding winning Swiss innovators at Micro Scooters – the small but mighty Falcon is one of the most efficient ways to cover 10km in less than half an hour. Better still it folds down in seconds to make carrying and storing it a doddle.

Falcon
£999.95

Anyone needing to cruise over a longer range, of up to 20km, should choose the Falcon’s big brother, the Condor. It is a fraction heavier but, thanks to having slightly larger anti slip rubber wheels than the Falcon, it offers a higher level of comfort.

THE FALCON – the ultra-compact sprinter

SPECIFICATIONS:

COMFORT ««««
PORTALBILITY «««««
WEIGHT: 7.9KG
RANGE: 10KM
RECHARGING TIME: 1 HR
UPHILL: 15% INCLINE UP TO 500W
EASY FOLD DESIGNSPEED CONTROL: TWIST THROTTLE & MOTION CONTROL (KICK-ASSISTANCE)

Condor Electric Scooter
£1099.95

Both the new scooters boast 500W of power (enough to conquer even the steepest hills in London) as well as regenerative charging, a 1-hour recharge and a twist grip throttle for instinctive braking and acceleration.

THE CONDOR – the convenient cruiser

SPECIFICATIONS:

  • COMFORT «««««
  • PORTALBILITY ««««
  • WEIGHS: 10.8KG
  • RANGE: 20KM
  • RECHARGING TIME: 1 HR
  • UPHILL: 15% INCLINE UP TO 500W
  • EASY FOLD DESIGN
  • SPEED CONTROL: TWIST THROTTLE & MOTION CONTROL (KICK-ASSISTANCE)

 

Review: Aquaman

There is no way of ignoring just how problematic the DC Expanded Universe films have been so far, with Justice League missing the beats on so many levels but the success of Wonder Woman has kept fans excited for more. From Justice League came the expectation of future standalone films featuring the other new members of the team with The Flash and Cyborg but it was Aquaman who has become the last hero standing to get his own film next to the sequel to Wonder Woman in 2019. So, it falls to Jason Mamoa as Arthur Curry to try and redeem the DCEU and for me, he does a bloody good job of it!

The story is set after the events of Justice League with a Russian submarine being attacked by pirates before Arthur appears and goes full hero mode kicking the pirates butts and saving the crew. This is a really solid and incredible opening with superb action and effects but also showing a far more grounded Arthur Curry that is far more like Jason Mamao himself than the Aquaman we saw in Justice League. There is just something very natural about the comedy which works so well with Mamoa from the one-liners he delivers to the physical comedy with just the look he gives to camera. This is a much more enjoyable version of Aquaman than then cocky arrogant and over the top surfer dude personality he had in Justice League which I am so relieved they pulled him back from for his own film as the beach party ‘dude’ Arthur Curry was more than annoying.

Going into Aquaman I was a little worried about how much the trailers may have spoiled things because the trailers were full of big set pieces from the film but I can happily say that though they did showcase quite a lot from the film, the film itself is a 145 minute rollercoaster of a film that throws so much at the audience that is staggering how much they have put into this first Aquaman big screen solo adventure. It is quite astonishing just how much of the Aquaman lore has been put in the film and it just keeps throwing things at you from fights to world building story to character story arcs, this film really is relentless at throwing things at the audience all the way through. Arthur Curry’s origin is told well at the start but so is the origins and history of Atlantis along with all the new characters introduced in the film.

It is crazy just how much lore is put to the audience especially with Atlantis as we learn about the first king, the current political landscape of all the Ocean Kingdoms, which is a lot to take in, even in over two hours of film. But we also get to see the origins of Black Manta and his desire for revenge on Arthur Curry from the opening action sequence in the game to learning about the relationship between his mother Queen Atlanta and his father leading to his refusal to accept or be a part of Atlantis. This is all of course designed to being the audience into the DC comic world of Aquaman and even though as a DC Fanboy I already knew most of this, it is delivered in a very clean way for new fans to learn and understand but because so much is dropped into the story, a younger audience may find it hard to keep track of it all with the use of flashbacks to Arthur’s childhood thrown into the beats of the story unfolding on the big screen.

But what is important and is sensibly always kept on top of the education into Atlantean life, is the journey of Arthur from hero to King of Atlantis. You understand his reluctance to want to help when Princess Mera appears before him to warn him that his half brother Orm, desires to become more than just the would be King of Atlantis, but to also become Ocean Master, someone with the power to command every army of the Kingdoms of Atlantis. His goal, to attack the surface world and take over the world, seeing them as weak and inferior who do nothing but attack and destroy the oceans with their pollution and hunting. Arthur must confront him and reclaim the throne if he is to put an end to his brother’s threat. This is a really standard super hero plot with a hero and a big bad guy to stop but Aquaman manages to take it to really quite epic levels with so much going on both in the story and on screen because as much story and lore is put into the film, there are so many fights and action sequences that it is close to exhausting to see our heroes constantly fighting.

Thankfully the action set pieces are amazing when you consider that a good amount of them all take place underwater that I would say if you have the chance to see this in IMAX then do so because the effects are mind blowing and the best special effects work WB Pictures has pulled off for the DCEU. Atlantis is so bright and colourful as we are introduced to it for the same first time that Arthur himself is seeing this iconic DC Comics place of legend with the technology of their vehicles and seeing all the different Kingdoms and their peoples come to life is a real thrill. The fight scenes are amazing as well with a great blend of live action stunts and special effects making each one a feast for the eyes that by the end of the film I was quite relieved to sit back and watch the credits roll just to catch my breath from it all.

As Arthur undertakes his journey to save both the world of man and Atlantis from the war his brother is determined to bring upon them, Aquaman uses so many different types of story telling along the way. You first have the classic super hero film then it becomes an adventure and treasure hunting film before throwing in some political drama and character roads of discovery which are all merged together, which is a very brave move but for me it all actually works tremendously well. That said, there is a whole section midway through that I feel could have been removed and the story would not have suffered from its removal and with so many action sequences and fights, the audience excitement for them can feel a little tired by the end. The final act almost falls flat story wise but still manages to round things off nicely. There is just the constant feeling that DC and WB have felt the need to literally put everything they can into this film to soft reboot the DCEU in a way by making this the epic film that Justice League should have been for fans.

I do have a few niggles such as with this story being set after Justice League there is a common-sense question about why Arthur does not put a call into Diana, Bruce and Clark and especially Clark, because with so much at stake and a war about to begin, why wouldn’t you call in the Justice League or the big guns like Superman. In fact, what is very noticeable is how much this film stays away from referring to the other heroes with Mera only mentioning that Arthur helped defeat Steppenwolf but then nothing about the other heroes are mentioned in any way, even once an attack on the surface takes place forcing Arthur to stop the possible war, even the battle armour he wore in Justice League’s big fight is no longer to be seen. I also feel that Black Manta could have been used in a far better way then how he was, though he was built up to be a very credible threat to Arthur he always feels like the side factor in the big plan of the film.

I thoroughly enjoyed Aquaman far more than previous DCEU films to date. It was big and loud and told it’s story well with a brilliant cast of actors who all brought their characters to life with a really fun and rewarding story for new fans and diehard DC fans alike. This really is a great popcorn film and a great way to end the year with over the holiday period. Aquaman is a big film and whilst there is an argument to be made about how over the top they went with the action and delivering Aquaman lore, this is the type of DC film I would want to see more of and if they could take this same approach and strength in visual effects to doing a Flashpoint film at some point, I would be beyond happy at the prospect. A lot of groundwork has been laid down here should the future of the DCEU continue from this point or even if they stick to doing solo character films.

I do have to say that Jason Mamoa is incredible as Aquaman, a character who has been seen as a joke character by far too many not knowledgeable in the character and his world. But Mamoa and this film have made Aquaman a tier 1 DC hero on the big screen and I would happily watch more adventures with him in the lead. I do wish that the same effort and detail to story telling that is here would have been the same formula that Justice League followed but it is positive to see that feedback and lessons have been learned from those mistakes. With Wonder Woman 84 and Shazam! Coming in 2019, I do hope we get to visit Arthur and Atlantis again.

So grab the largest bag of popcorn you can find, sit back and just enjoy what is a really fun comic book film that should have been how DCEU films should have been made all along. Bright, fun and bigger than life!

*There is a mid credits scene to wait for but after that you can head home, hopefully smiling*

First look at the Mi Mix 3 coming to the UK in early 2019

Today at an exclusive preview of the new Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 event in London we got a little hands-on time with the device before it goes on sale early in 2019.

The Mi Mix 3’s features include:

  • All-screen display with tiny bezels (93.4% screen-to-body ratio)
  • Sliding screen with the selfie cameras underneath
  • A 6.39-inch Full HD display
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset
  • 6GB RAM, 128GB storage
  • 24 + 2MP front cameras with a selfie light
  • 10W wireless charging and a wireless charging mat included
  • Dual 12MP + 12MP rear cameras

The physical sliding mechanism on the Mi Mix 3 uses magnets, and Xiaomi promises a “satisfying click” as it locks into place. You can Slide the phone also answers calls and can give you a shortcut menu, as well as giving access to the selfie cameras.

When the Mi Mix 3 comes out early in 2019 the UK will get Onyx Black and Sapphire Blue colours, price and release date will be announced soon.

Big Crown: Showdown out this Friday for PS4/Xbox One and PC

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To celebrate the release of multiplayer party brawler Big Crown: Showdown on PS4, Xbox One & PC this Friday, December 14th (Nintendo Switch in early January), Sold Out organised for some familiar faces to swing by and fight for the crown! Who will reign supreme in this very royal showdown?

GRIS unveils its emotional launch trailer

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Nomada Studio is set to release their debut project as a team on Thursday, December 13 with the emotive narrative platformer GRIS. Launching on Nintendo Switch and PC, GRIS is the story of a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality.

Featuring the artwork of renowned artist Conrad Roset and scored by Berlinist, GRIS has already been named one of the Best Games of 2018 by media, influencers, and other game developers.

Available on Nintendo Switch and PC tomorrow 13th December.

VOXI offers mobiles phones for the first time

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VOXI by Vodafone, the UK’s first mobile offering dedicated to customers aged 29 and under, has launched VOXI x Phones through a unique collaboration with PayPal.

Available now, VOXI offers a wide range of smartphones including the latest iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, providing a more flexible and affordable way to purchase a smartphone with no upfront cost and 0% interest. As an exclusive launch offer, customers who purchase any iPhone with VOXI will also get a pair of Beats X earphones at no additional cost.

VOXI gives customers who want unlimited data for social media, the latest smartphones and the freedom to buy a phone without being tied into a lengthy mobile contract. Offering low monthly instalments over 30 months for its range of smartphones via PayPal credit, VOXI customers have full control over their phone payment terms with the flexibility to make additional payments to reduce the length of term, or pay off what’s left to get the newest upgrade.

Starting from just £17.50 a month with a £10 VOXI plan, customers can choose from a range of phones including the latest iPhones, Samsung Galaxy S9 and Huawei P20. The new iPhone XR is available from £39 per month including a £10 VOXI plan which includes Endless Social Media, 6GB of data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. Please see voxi.co.uk/phones for a full range of devices available.

VOXI plans let you use selected social apps and websites as much as you like, without eating into your general data allowance. This includes Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp. Customers also have unlimited calls and texts along with free roaming in 48 European destinations at no extra cost.

Review of the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro (Global Version)

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro which was launched recently in here in the UK in November for the global version of the Mi 8 Pro, priced at £499.99 available from Mi.com and Argos.

Design

So the old premium design language of Aluminium build and glass on the back and front is back with the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro. The design looks quite good on the phone, and here we have the best in class work of colours which Xiaomi will surely be proud of.

What comes in the box for the Mi 8 Pro you get the Mi 8 Pro, sim tool, a clear case and user guide and the USB Type C headphone adaptor as the phone don’t come with a headphone jack and also the type C usb cable.

With Dual tone finish on phones is still a long way to see in most of them, and hence dual tone finished phones are still very rare.

Talking about the placements of different things on the phone, we have the front sensors which include the IR projector, IR Camera, Front camera, and other sensors onto the phone inside the notch which is quite wide in order to accommodate all the above along with the earpiece. The Face unlock on the Mi 8 Pro is not available at the moment waiting for the Over the Air coming very soon, shame it wasn’t available for the review.

Surrounding the same is the big display while at the bottom there is a noticeable bezel. At the back, we have a vertically placed camera unit and that does help the phone a long distance.

Build quality of the phone is great and there is no issue with the device when it comes to the feel of the phone it is at par with other devices in the market which deserves the flagship tag. The phone feels premium and at the same time solidly built which makes it certified to be used daily with a normal protection case.

Display

We have a 6.23 inched display onto the device which is actually an AMOLED unit. This unit is capable of producing some really great images with its 16 million colours which are available to be produced. Due to the help of AMOLED display phone have a great screen to body ratio of over 80% and even the screen is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 and even comes with HDR10, DCI – P3, and MIUI 10 technology for the display. Even with the build in fingerprint sensor into the display, it’s still very quick to unlock with this technology.

Keeping all these in mind the display unit is quite vivid and at the same time, contrast levels are really great all due to the AMOLED display. Blacks on the screen are pure black and hence when you are using the phone out in the bright sunlight the phone is easily legible while during the night-time too if you are using a night mode you will have the best in the class experience of using the phone during the night.

Performance

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro comes with the best in class Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset which is based upon 10 nm platform making the device one of the most power efficient ones. With 8GB RAM option while for the storage side, there is only a single option of 128 GB.

Coming to the real world performance of the phone it performs really well and you have the joy of using the best in class hardware at a relatively low pricing. Day to day chores are taken care by the phone with ease and there is no issue whether the phone can handle any app or not, because most of the apps are like a gameplay for it, and the top of the line games are like daily chores for the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro.

Camera

Star of the show is the camera of the phone which is one of the best parts of Xiaomi Mi Devices, coming to the setup on the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro we have it as a dual 12MP sensor where the primary one is having aperture value of f/1.8 while the other one happens to have f/2.4.

The primary sensor also comes with a bigger pixel size and 4–axis OIS making the phone a great shooter even in low light. The secondary camera on the phone is equipped with 2x optical zoom lens making it great for taking portrait pictures.

In the real world, the camera is quite good and the images turn out to be great with a good amount of saturation, contrast, and even a good amount of vividness in the pictures.

When it comes to the front camera it is a 20MP unit making it a great shooter for selfies, most of the selfie lovers are going to love it for the sharpness and quality in the pictures taken with the front camera. None of the users is going to be left behind when all their friends are going to be there in the selfie of over with 10 people.

Camera Samples

Taken on a speeding train

Battery

The Mi 8 Pro comes with a 3000 mAh battery, due to the Snapdragon 845 chipset as it is constructed over 10 nm platform which makes it really efficient and hence there are no issues when the phone has to be on standby as it will be taking less of the battery.

Charging the phone is no issue as it comes with Type-C fast charger and hence you are surely goanna is charged all times to go and take pictures or game whenever your friends want you to play. Another great thing about the phone is the that the standby time of the phone when it is not connected to the internet is over 48 hours hence the phone can be kept as a secondary device due its battery life and capacity, although this is normal for most of the flagships phone. Still, if you are someone who likes to talk to their friend the whole day long then Xiaomi’s Mi 8 Pro is the best choice.

Specs

Dimensions: 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6 mm
Weight: 177 g
Screen: 6.21-inch, 18.7:9, 402 ppi (1,080 x 2,248)
CPU: Snapdragon 845
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB
Battery: 3,000mAh
Cameras: 12MP+12MP rear / 20MP  front
OS: Android 8.1 Oreo

Verdict

The clear star of the show the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro will take the credits of being the best, when it comes to the camera, build quality, and performance the phone surely wins ahead. Even if the back of the Mi 8 Pro has fake chipset etc it’s still cool to see.

Shame no wireless charging or any waterproofing for the device.

Protect the Home with Hive View Outdoor Camera

Centrica Hive today launched its smart external camera, Hive View Outdoor, taking its security proposition outside the home. Designed to keep people informed of activity around their property, the visually striking camera is equipped with new technology, a simple, flexible installation process and must-have security features to deliver greater peace of mind and protection.

Available immediately to buy through Hive and Amazon, customers can now purchase professional installation, as well as take advantage of a broader range of Hive Video Playback Membership subscriptions to access recordings for 30 days.

Hive View Outdoor is weatherproof, element-proof and equipped with automatic night vision, and is mains powered to work 24/7, detecting sound, motion or people, and sending notifications once recording starts.

A live HD feed gives immediate viewing, with content captured and securely stored for later viewing. Two-way audio allows people to speak directly through the camera, whereas smart notifications provide thumbnail images of the person detected to help customers quickly check who’s there.

Revealed in October for pre-order, Hive View Outdoor has been in high demand by new and existing customers, exceeding its early sales expectations.

Tom Guy, Global Product Director, Centrica Hive commented: “We are thrilled by the level of interest shown in Hive View Outdoor. It makes all the work our team has carried out over the last few years immensely satisfying and further strengthens the importance of listening to our customers. We are inspired by their insight and are continuously encouraged to create technology and services that meet their needs, giving a real positive impact on day to day lives.”When the Hive View Outdoor is connected to other Hive devices, extra layers of smart security can be created using Hive Actions. Linking Hive Lights to the Hive View Outdoor will make it look like someone’s home, while connected to a Hive View means customers can rest easy knowing their whole home is looked after, inside and out.

Captured video is securely stored remotely and can be viewed and downloaded for free for 24 hours. Once downloaded it can be kept forever. Hive Video Playback Membership extends access to content for 30 days, giving optional extra reassurance, even when away for an extended period.

Hive View Outdoor is Hive’s third collaboration with renowned designer and fuse project founder Yves Béhar, and shares the same elegant design philosophy as seen in other Hive devices. Simple to set up, it works within minutes of installation and is managed through the intuitive Hive app. Once on the wall, the magnetic mount allows it to be easily manoeuvred to offer the best possible view with its wide 130° lens and safely secured through an anti-theft mechanism.

A robust roadmap is in place to enhance the camera, providing customers with richer features. Adjustable Activity Zones will allow customers to choose areas to monitor, while Automated Sounds, such as a dog’s bark, will help deter unwanted attention. These are expected to arrive early 2019. Pricing and availability, Hive View Outdoor is available to purchase from  Hive and Amazonat £179 or £339 for two.

Customers can also opt for Hive Video Playback membership from £3.99 per month.

Review: GODS Remastered

I am of a certain age that when it comes to remastered game,I can remember pretty much each original version so the level of nostalgia can be very high even if the game was not quite the classic the marketing would claim it to be. But every now and then, someone takes a game to remaster that is so old that it even tests my ancient memory. Harking back to my Amiga days and this particular title I do remember but admittedly came as a real surprise and so my first reaction to it was simply ‘why’. It was time to revisit a very old-school platformer in GODS Remastered.

GODs Remastered is about as random as you can get in terms of taking a game from a bygone era and giving it a modern refresh and as above, was very unexpected indeed to find out that GODs had been selected. I do remember this being quite a tough old school platformer but that could well be due to the old school joystick I used when playing on my Amiga back in the day. GODS was very different to the more colourful platformers I was fond of back then for the AMIGA such as ‘The New Zealand Story’ and ‘Rainbow Islands’ and stood out because it was full of Greek mythology and monsters and you got to play as Hercules himself, who accepts the challenge of the Gods of Olympus to clear out their citadel of Four invading Guardians but only because the Gods have offered whichever hero defeats them, anything they want so of course Hercules being smarter than your average bear, simply asks to have a seat beside the Gods in Olympus.

First thing with any Remastered game you will notice are the visuals and to be perfectly honest, they do look far better now then they did all the way back in 1991 on the games original release, but not by that much.They have been cleaned up and happily they have kept to the same Bitmap Brothers iconic art style but it has certainly just been cleaned up rather than a complete overhaul. You can switch back to the original art style as well with a button press and whilst it is chalk and cheese between the original and this remastered version, it wouldn’t be my first reason to pick this up if honest. What I was really smiling about though was the work done to clean up and improve the original musical score and audio effects in the game which for me is where the nostalgia really came from and hit home

What has been kept the same is the gameplay, and whilst itfeels a little clumsy in 2018 to be running and jumping in a 2D environment, itfeels exactly as it did back then which is helped a little by using a modern controller over the clunky old school joystick. Screens are filled with enemies and traps to avoid and you can shoot with various weapon types but in the end ,it really is just about hitting the fire button constantly as you move around which is a very 90s platforming style of fighting. The jumping is still clumsy as it was back in the day and enemies follow the same standard pattern making them easy to identify and react to. When you look at modern 2D action platformers like Dead Cells and Sundered for example, this kind of game play does feel incredibly dated which will make this a very niche title.

It is the little things though which still stand out today and it is because this is a 1990s original game that made them such a treat to rediscover such as finding the secrets and hidden switches in the levels as you search for the key to open the exit to that level. In 2018 such things would all be fully expected to find but it is fascinating to see that these mechanics from almost 30 years ago are still being used today in gaming, and being able to trace such mechanics to games almost 30 years ago on very different platforms is why I love this hobby we know as video games.

So, whilst GODs Remastered does not break the internet in terms of being the best remastered out there right now, in terms of revisiting a long-gone era of AMIGA gaming was fun for me especially as both an AMIGA user and fan of Bitmap Brothers games from the 90s. Gameplay is very hit and miss but is faithful to the original game that those like me who do remember the original GODs will recognise it instantly. But that is probably where the appeal for this remaster will end, it is a novelty at best and at £16 asking price for it, is a little hard to recommend but it would be a perfect title to be included in the Xbox Games Pass as it is worth playing if for nothing more than to showcase how much platform games have evolved since the 90s giving modern 2D platformers a new appreciation.

A nostalgia purchase at best and something to show a younger gamer if like me, you know people who missed the 90s gaming scene altogether.It left me reflecting on fond memories of my Amiga days and slightly tempted to grab my old Amiga 1200 from storage to play some old games, but this is a difficult one to recommend you rush out and buy now but instead wait to the sales to see if it appears should you want to revisit or just experience some very classic gameplay which has been given a fresh coat of visual paint.

Ghost Recon wildlands free two-part mission announced

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Ubisoft announced that Tom Clancy’s GhostRecon Wildlands will introduce a free Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier®–themed special mission featuring iconic characters Scott Mitchell and John Kozak as part of Special Operation 3.In this third major update of Year 2 content, players will be able to team upwith Mitchell and Kozak for this free two-part special crossover event starting today, December 11, on all platforms.

Exclusive Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier–themedcontent will be introduced to the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands main campaign and PvP mode, including two new Future Soldier–inspired Ghost War PvP classes and a PvE mission, Operation Silent Spade. In Operation Silent Spade, Ghost Leader Scott Mitchell calls on Nomad and his team to help rookie John Kozak investigate a plot that links the Santa Blanca Cartel to a nuclear threat. The special challenge is playable solo or with up to four players in co-op.

Upon completing Operation Silent Spade, players will be rewarded with the Optical Camo Backpack, perfect for a stealth approach. In addition to the rewards for completing the challenge, players can further customise and arm their Ghosts with the Silent Spade Pack, which include a weapon and new customisation items.

Special Operation 3 will also bring two new Ghost War PvP classes, Vanguard and Sharpshooter, inspired by Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Future Soldier characters. Vanguard uses sensor grenades to uncover and highlight hidden enemies in the area of effect to his team, while Sharpshooter charges his shots by using his Long Range Specialist ability, which at a full charge enables him to negate the effects of sway and bullet drop. In addition to two new classes,this update will also contain two new PvP maps, Lithium Mine and Outskirts.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Wildlands Year 2 Pass offers seven-day earlyaccess to the two new Ghost War classes starting December 11, along with oneexclusive customisation pack. Non-owners of the Year 2 Pass will be able toaccess the new Ghost War classes starting December 18.

PC players wanting to share the experience with friends can gain Battle Crate rewards including Spec Ops and Ghost War Crates, via the PC Referral Program from December 11 – February 11, 2019. Invited friends who purchase the game will also receive Battle Crate rewards, including one Ghost War Crate and OneSpec Ops Crate. The more friends players invite, the more rewards they will receive.



Special Operation 3 will also bring two new Ghost War PvP classes, Vanguard and Sharpshooter, inspired by Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier characters. Vanguard uses sensor grenades to uncover and highlight hidden enemies in the area of effect to his team, while Sharpshooter charges his shots by using his Long Range Specialist ability, which at a full charge enables him to negate the effects of sway and bullet drop. In addition to two new classes, this update will also contain two new PvP maps, Lithium Mine and Outskirts.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Year 2 Pass offers seven-day early access to the two new Ghost War classes starting December 11, along with one exclusive customisation pack. Non-owners of the Year 2 Pass will be able to access the new Ghost War classes starting December 18.

PC players wanting to share the experience with friends can gain Battle Crate rewards including Spec Ops and Ghost War Crates, via the PC Referral Program from December 11 – February 11, 2019. Invited friends who purchase the game will also receive Battle Crate rewards, including one Ghost War Crate and One Spec Ops Crate. The more friends players invite, the more rewards they will receive.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Year 2 will continue to expand the Ghost Recon universe with free major Special Operation updates, each featuring a unique theme, updates to the PvE campaign with free special content and special challenges with exclusive rewards, community-requested features and updates for the Ghost War 4v4 PvP experience. The development team is committed to supporting the game with free new content and improvements to the core experience.