Let's face it, technology changes about as often as you change your Facebook status! For us nerdy types, the yearning for personal jet packs and smell-o-vision is constantly gnawing at our brains like Augustus Gloop with a chocolate covered bicycle.
Oooooh, shiny!
Who doesn't adore any shiny new gadget that makes life easier or just gives us a new way to waste time? Admit it, you know you're as much of a gadget junky as the rest of us!
Cell Phones Make The Toilet More Fun
Cell phones and other mobile wizardry are almost as important nowadays as a hand or pizza. Come on...who doesn't drool over the latest and greatest handset or mobile operating system? Be sure to check in with us to see what's hot...or is gonna be hot!
WTF? LOL! OMG! LMFAOBBQ!
Memes make the web go 'round. As long as the internet breathes, there will always be a new double rainbow, psychotic cat, stupid backyard wrestler or washed up celebrity waiting to fill us with anonymous ridicule and bliss.
If Only You Had More Thumbs...
Whether you're a fan of video games or table gaming, we're here for you. We're here for you like a big 16-thumbed, Mountain Dew fueled, Dungeon Master that tastes like Doritos and profanity-laced victory.
Google updated the Google Drive app for Android devices today, bringing with it a few new features and an updated interface. The interface has been changed from a list view, to a more simplified card based interface. The look and feel is definitely more aesthetically pleasing especially when it comes to viewing photos. If you'd like to keep a local copy of a file, or some files on your device, there's now a "download a copy" option in the action menu. There's also a new document scanner that allows for easier tracking and filing of paperwork, especially for all you road warriors out there. Simply choose "scan" from within the action menu and you're golden. Digital record keeping, without the cost. I use Google Drive quite a bit, and these two features alone have me excited, but what about you guys? Any Google Drive users happy for some new functionality?
Yesterday was a pretty big day for Microsoft as they officially unveiled their next-gen gaming system, the Xbox One. The Xbox One announcement comes almost a full 3 month after Sony fired the first shots of the next-gen console wars, and there was plenty of info to digest. Most notably, we actually got to see what the system will look like well ahead of next month's E3, along with some explanation of system hardware and functionality. We're going to dive into that and more with our recap of the Xbox One announcement.
Microsoft has been looked at as a leader in the gaming console space when it comes to hardware. Let's face it, even with the RLOD issue that has plagued many-a-gamer, the Xbox is still chosen over the Playstation almost 4 to 1 thanks to its popular hardware, in addition to a stellar game library. As far as what's on board, Microsoft and chip set maker AMD teamed together to make a custom 8-core CPU on which the One runs. There's also 8GB of RAM, a 500GB hard-drive, along with USB 3.0 ports, an 802.11n wifi adapter built into the system. In addition to all that goodness, Microsoft has also included both an HDMI In, and HDMI Out port, which will allow your console to double as a set-top box, working in conjunction with the receiver from your cable or satellite provider.
The Xbox's iconic game controller hasn't been changed much, but still received a much needed refresh along with some new tech inside to bring it up to snuff with the next-gen capabilities of the Xbox One. Microsoft opted to make the controller more ergonomic for all those gaming hours you'll be putting in, along with new vibrating triggers. There's also an improved D-pad, better analog sticks, and a battery compartment. The Kinect kit will now come included with all Xbox One systems and brings with it most of the centralized features of the system. Microsoft really drank the Kool-Aid last time around with the success of the original Kinect Sensor, and this time around they seem to be doubling up on the popular peripheral. For starters, the Kinect sensor essentially aims to make your system as hands-free as possible, while enhancing your gaming experience as well. There will be a huge focus on voice commands that will allow users to turn the system on or off, launch Internet Explorer, or perform tons of other functions all using your voice.
On the inside is where the meat and gravy lies. One HUGE elephant in the room is the fact that at the core of the next Xbox lies Windows 8. Windows 8 has been met with both praise and hatred, with the latter being most common. With that being said, gamers will have to wrap their head around this premise really, really fast: the Xbox One isn't really a game console. It's a media hub. That's why it's there, that's what it'll be used for. Microsoft made no bones about this aspect during the big reveal, and even announced a partnership with the NFL that will allow a customizable experience around game broadcasts. There's also the Skype integration, which will allow users to make video calls, start group chat sessions, and even Skype while playing a game.
Games. That's what everyone is here for right? What's Microsoft and Xbox One bringing to the table when it comes to games? Let's get this out of the way right now: the Xbox One will not be backwards compatible. None of your old controllers, headsets, or Kinect Sensors will work, and neither will any of your games. Games themselves will require an installation, so once you purchase a game, you pop the disc into the system, it installs the game software and viola, you'll no longer need the disc. If you plan on letting a couple of your buddies borrow your game disc for a little freebie install, think again. Microsoft has stated that there will be a fee for pre owned games, and they made no mention of how much that fee will be. Microsoft did say there will be a slew of Xbox exclusives headed to the One, including the intriguing Quantum Break. Essentially, it's TV show within a game, in which the show provides clues, or hints, as to what your objectives will be for a particular mission in the video game will be. Sounds confusing? Yeah.... we know. Oh look, a trailer!
Microsoft also announced the upcoming Forza Motorsport, which will go head-to-head with Sony's upcoming Gran Turismo title, and about 13 other titles that will be headed to the console. One thing that Microsoft and gang was very mum about was the question of whether or not users will be required to always be online. There has been a ton of speculation surrounding this subject in particular, and Microsoft has expertly danced around it.
That's about all we know as things stand right now, but one thing's for sure; next months E3 just got a whole lot more interesting.
Sony just announced via Twitter that they're looking for better ways to stream movies through the Playstation 3. The ultimate goal is to provide faster, more adaptive streaming video to give users a premium experience. In order to do so, users can begin to "test" videos with this new tech, by heading to the Playstation store and renting any of the HD or SD movies that have been marked down to $1.99 or 99¢.
Microsoft has finally unveiled the next generation Xbox, and I will admit, it looks and sounds amazing. Rocking 8GB of RAM, a 500 GB Hard drive, an 8 core processor, and a blu-ray drive, the Xbox One is definitely looking to eat the Playstation 4's lunch. One interesting tidbit with the Xbox One is that Xbox's UK Director has confirmed that the system will not work without Kinect being connected. With specs right in line with what Sony announced for their Playstation 4, it looks like it will be the selection of games, along with each manufacturers system specific hardware (controllers, web cams, motion sensors) that will win the next-gen console war. While complete specs are still being introduced, it looks like we are in for one hell of a competition.
Developing.....
Samsung has been steadily hard at work with it's takeover of the tech world. This time around, they have set their sights firmly on the mid-size tablet market with the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. The Note 8.0 aims to snag some of the spotlight that Google's smash-hit tablet the Nexus 7, and more importantly Apple's iPad Mini. Using the already successful formula from the Galaxy Note Phablet, Samsung has turned one of its most beloved smartphones into a full blown tablet. Does the Galaxy Note 8.0 have what it takes to dethrone either the Nexus 7 or iPad Mini? Read on to find out...
The body of the Galaxy Note 8.0 is reminiscent of an over sized Galaxy Note, complete with plastic body. There's an 8 inch WXGA(1280x800) TFT display, that does the job, but I wish Samsung would've opted for a bit higher resolution screen. That being said, the Galaxy Note still has a slightly higher pixel density than the iPad Mini, (189 ppi versus the iPad's 169) so the screen is better than it's next closest competitor. I'm sure Samsung wanted to be able to keep cost down, but with their available screen tech I would expect they'd want to do something more to make the Note 8.0 stand out amongst its competitors. As far as weight is concerned, The Galaxy Note 8.0 is definitely on the light side, and i could actually slip it right into my pocket (depending on what kind of pants I was wearing) most of the time. On the front of the device lies the 2MP front facing camera, and at the bottom lies the three standard navigation buttons (Menu, Home, Back).
As far as software goes, the Note 8.0 comes with Jellybean (Android 4.1.2) preinstalled. That being said, users can expect to enjoy the fruit of all the recent upgrades Google has done to their native apps. In addition to the standard Google apps built in you can also expect to see Samsung's apps make their mark within the core of the tablet's UI. WatchOn, is one of Samsung's newest pet projects and it makes very good use of the Notes IR Blaster giving users a simple set-up option along with the ability to bring TV programming onto the tablet. WatchOn generally worked without a hitch, but I did notice an abnormal amount of battery drain while using the app for extended amounts of time. S Voice has seen a major improvement and an uptick in functionality, in order to allow it to better compete with Siri and Google Now. S Voice is a solid alternative but I found myself relying more on Google Now simply because it's more integrated with my Google account, and let's face it, Now is better.
I loved the translation of the Galaxy Note features over into a full blown tablet interface. S Note has made it's triumphant return along with a slew of new features and updates. Formula completion for those who use the Note's note-taking ability to solve mathematical formulas, Updated sketch capabilities for those would be artists, along with a sleek cut, copy and paste system makes the Note 8.0 one of those must haves for users who seek a little more function out of their tablets. With the enhanced S Pen, users can simply trace around an object, or photo, and the Note will take the traced area and add it to your clipboard, or save it to your gallery for future editing. It may not sound like a big deal, but I personally used this feature quite a bit and it comes in handy, especially when it comes to sharing the latest memes with grandma on Facebook (that rape sloth is a gem isn't he?).
Considering the screen quality on the Note 8.0 I didn't have exceptionally high hopes for the internal hardware, but I walked away pleasantly surprised. Rocking a 1.6 GHz Samsung Exynos quad core processor, the Note 8.0 moved swiftly and without fail 90% of the time. With performance comes a price though, as battery life was a little below average for me. While the battery wasn't the absolute worst that I've seen, I've definitely used better. With Wifi on, my usual round of social networking, YouTube, and the occasional movie I would average right around 8 hours of continual usage. Again, not terrible, but not the best, especially when I could snag more from the Note 10.1 while connected to LTE.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 is a wonderful tablet, and it works well for what I'd use it for. Given the fact that the model I reviewed was Wifi only and carries a hefty price tag ($399), I would be more likely to chose an iPad Mini or Nexus 7 in light of the price and performance of those two tablets. If you're looking for a smaller, lightweight, quad-core, Android tablet with an advanced productivity suite, the Galaxy Note 8.0 is for you.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
