MMN Tech

Xbox 3 may include Radeon HD 6670, and that's not so bad

2012-01-31T21:57:00.001-05:00

It turns out the Xbox 3 will not be the state of the art system the original was upon its release. According to IGN, the successor to the 360 will feature Radeon HD 6670 graphics. Naturally the internet is outraged, as they tend to get over such things. The next Xbox will definitely not rival the best gaming PCs of today. That might not be such a bad thing.

When Microsoft released the 360 in 2005, it shipped with their state of the art Xenos processor. They wanted to create a console that would rival the most powerful Windows PCs of the era. As a result, they chose to use a modified Radeon X1800 XL. It was considered an enthusiast chip, and part of ATI's flagship line of cards.

One year later, Sony selected the enthusiast grade nVidia GeForce 7800 GTX for the Playstation 3.

Using high end chips certainly extended the life of the two consoles. While no longer cutting edge, they still hold their own against more powerful systems. By comparison, the weaker Wii has already passed its sell-by date. However, using high end hardware came at too great a price.

The HD6670 may not be a power house but will be cheaper and run cooler than the Xenos

Microsoft and Sony sold their current consoles at a loss for many years. Sony in particular struggled to lower manufacturing costs for quite some time. Both systems sold for $400 and $500 respectively. Since the recession, the desire to fork over that kind of cash for a toy has waned. $300 is the magic price point.

Using a cheaper graphics chip makes a lot of sense. While console gamers care about graphics, they don't care as much as their PC gaming brethren. What matters is whether there will be a noticeable improvement over the 360. When Microsoft says it will be six times faster, there is a legitimate case to argue that. Seven years and five generations of graphics cards have passed by, with a new generation about to be released. Even a lower end card such as this will offer clear improvements. Especially if Microsoft adopts DirectX 11, and it's tickle trunk of visual enhancements.

Image source: Xbox360Cheats.com

MMNTech's position on SOPA

2012-01-17T15:09:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot of talk about the SOPA bill lately. For those who don't know, this is also known as the Stop Online Piracy Act. It's a sweeping piece of legislation that would effectively give private entities the power to remove websites from the internet. It's also pits content producers at war with content providers.

SOPA and it's companion PROTECT IP bill promise to curtail "foreign" piracy of copyrighted content. However, the bill as it is remains far too vague and open to interpretation. Due process through the courts is not required for the government to pull a site. An accusation of copyright infringement is all it requires. It would allow private corporations free reign to censor the internet. In many ways, it is not dissimilar to China's Great Firewall.

This presents a huge threat to sites like Google, YouTube, and Facebook, as well as smaller internet entrepreneurs like Channel Awesome, and MMNTech. While it is an American bill, the internet community has chosen to draw the line here. Other countries are also contemplating similar legislation.

I oppose all attempts to censor the free flow of knowledge in any form. Our society relies on this to grow, and the internet is the best tool we have today for this. While piracy may be a problem, SOPA opens far too big a loophole for abuse and should be scrapped entirely. It was a bill drafted and supported by only a hand full of media conglomerates. They are the only ones that stands to benefit this, should it become law.

If you live in the United States, please take the time to write your congressional representatives and tell them that you oppose the bill. The Obama administration has already come out against the bill, and I applaud them for doing so.

If you have the time, it may also be worth it to let SOPA's supporters know that you oppose their attempt to censor the Internet. A complete list can be found below.

Many websites including Wikipedia and Reddit will be taking action against the bill on January 18th. They will switch off for the day in protest. MMNtech supports them in their endeavours.

SOPA supporters:

ABC
BMI
CBS
Comcast/NBCUniversal
Disney Publishing Worldwide, Inc.
EMI Music Publishing
Entertainment Software Association
ESPN
Major League Baseball
Marvel Entertainment, LLC
MasterCard Worldwide
Motion Picture Association of America
National Cable & Telecommunications Association
National Football League
News Corporation
Random House
Scholastic, Inc.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony Music Entertainment
Time Warner
Universal Music
Universal Music Publishing Group
Viacom
Visa Inc.
Warner Music Group
Entertainment Software Association

How big would a modern tube computer be?

2012-01-17T13:41:00.001-05:00

Modern computing turns 66 this year. It was in June 1946 that ENIAC, the first general purpose computer, was turned on. That got me thinking. If the transistor had never been invented, how large would a modern tube powered computer be?

ENIAC weighed 27 tonnes for its 17,468 tubes and other components.

So I Googled vacuum tube weights and came up with a rudimentary number of about 150g per tube. This was for a large triode that appears similar to the ones used in ENIAC. Tube Diodes and triodes share a similar function to modern day transistors. They amplify and gate electrical signals.

My computer has an AMD Phenom II X4 955. It clocks in at 758 million transistors. At 150 grams a piece for each tube, this comes to a whopping 113,700 metric tonnes. That's heftier than a Nimitz Class aircraft carrier.

ENIAC was big...

The original iPhone 4 had about 200 million transistors. It would be about half the size of the RMS Titanic.

Intel's fastest consumer chips, the Core i7 hexes, have about 2.270 billion transistors. It would weigh in at 340,500 tonnes The weight of three of those aircraft carriers.

A vacuum tube 6-core Core i7 would tip the scales, larger than 3 aircraft carriers

Of course this is just for the tubes alone. That doesn't include the relays, wiring, resistors, capacitors, and mounting racks to hold it all together. It's pretty staggering how far we've come in the last half century of computing.

Q&A: Why does the Xbox look better than the PS3?

2012-01-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

It's pretty clear that Sony's Cell is more powerful than the Xbox. It was designed for high performance super computing. Yet despite its power, the PS3 doesn't look that much better than it's contemporaries. In fact, sometimes it looks worse. Graphics can occasionally look muddy or washed. You've probably heard that Sony went with a weaker and more outdated graphics chip than Microsoft did. This isn't the case.

Both Sony and Microsoft went with slightly tweaked, off-the-shelf graphics chips for their consoles. The Xbox 360's Xenos GPU, produced by ATI, is similar to the Radeon X1800 XL. The PS3's nVidia RSX is virtually identical to the GeForce 7800 GTX. Both chips have identical specifications to their PC gaming counterparts. Naturally, you'd think the Xbox's chip would outperform the Playstation's. In real world tests, it doesn't.

The PS3's graphics look washed and blurry in the original Assassin's Creed. From Techblog.com

Pound per pound, the 7800 GTX is the fastest. I compared the two chips using Tom's Hardware's GPU charts from 2006. The ATI chip is only faster in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and only in an outdoor environment. Even then, improvements are marginal: about two frames per second difference. The GeForce beats it at everything else.

The PS3 actually has the more powerful CPU and GPU of the two consoles. So why does it tend to look worse, or struggle with certain games like Oblivion? It's counter intuitive.

Crysis 2 is another example of where the PS3 falls short. Notice the missing details. From Androidguide.ru

The potential culprit left is memory. This is where things get complicated. Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 have 512mb of RAM. The Xbox shares the entire 512mb block between it's CPU and GPU. The PS3 splits it into two 256mb blocks dedicated to the CPU and GPU.

The Xbox dynamically allocates it's memory usage. Basically, if the CPU only needs 128mb of RAM, then the GPU has the rest. It uses these for textures and other things it needs to store and quickly retrieve. The more memory the GPU has, the bigger the textures it can store. The bigger the textures, the better the image.

The Xbox 360 shares it's RAM between the GPU and CPU.

The PS3 on the other hand is locked in at 256mb. At the time of it's release, this amount of memory was considered outdated. That's another myth about it's graphics. In fact, cards with 512mb or more were largely restricted to the enthusiast segment at the time. More RAM helps performance, but not by much. The two PC cards we looked at have 256mb and 512mb for the ATI and nVidia cards respectively. When we drop the 7800 GTX down to 256mb, performance suffers but only marginally. Even at high resolutions, both chips are evenly matched with nVidia still retaining a slight performance lead.

So how much performance does a graphically intense game of the period use? I loaded up Flight Simulator X on the PC and calculated it's ram usage to be about 650mb evenly split between GPU and CPU. Keep in mind that PC isn't an embedded system. So about 50mb of GDDR are likely being used for other stuff that's running in the background. Namely the desktop.

That's not the say that the PS3 wouldn't benefit from more memory, though not necessarily for graphics. The Cell is a very powerful CPU hampered by a limited amount of system RAM. Our quick test shows that a period game easily consumes more CPU memory than the PS3 has. That's not including all the other things Windows does in the background.

In recent third party games, the differences are much less noticeable. From Attackofthefanboy.com

Ideally, the PS3 should have had 1gb of RAM, split in a 512/512 configuration. At minimum, 512mb of RAM should have been allocated to the CPU. So why didn't they do this? Simple, because it would have cost too much.

The PS3 is very much a system built on compromises. At launch, it was already going for $600, which Sony was selling at a loss. Estimates peg actual manufacturing costs to be over $800. While the addition of pricey Blu-ray was heavily criticized, that eventually paid off in spades for Sony. The problem lies with other parts within the system.

Sony used Rambus XDR memory, which is notoriously expensive. It's faster than the Xbox's GDDR3 on paper, but real world performance improvements are dubious at best. On top of that, they insisted on full hardware PS2 backwards compatibility. The original PS3s literally had a Playstation 2 shoehorned inside them. Had they cut that from the beginning and focused on adding more memory, they would have had a better console.

That still doesn't explain why the PS3 doesn't look as good as the Xbox 360. The real answer is much more simple. At the time, nVidia and ATI were fighting a fierce arms race to build the best GPU. There were two schools of thought going at the time. One was to build a chip optimized for raw power. A GPU that, clock for clock, could produce higher frame rates and higher resolutions than its competitors. The other idea was to build a chip that focused it's power on producing the sharpest and most vibrant images. nVidia went with speed, ATI went with image quality.

Uncharted 3 shows was a properly programmed game can do with the PS3. From Gamersyde.ca

However, and it's a big one, there are exceptions to this rule. Sony's first and second party developers have created some beautiful games for the system. Games that exceed the Xbox in image quality. That's because these games are better optimized for the hardware. That's what it all boils down to: how the developer programmed their game.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T20:51:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas from MMNTech!

Image courtesy of Fail Blog WIN!

Need a video converter? Here's three of them

2011-12-07T22:07:00.001-05:00

Every now and then, you'll need to convert a video. Whether you're editing some family films or just want to rip a DVD to your iPhone, different devices require different formats. Here's three great converters to get the job done fast.

Handbrake (Mac/Windows/Linux, free)
Most devices use the the advanced video format (AVC) also known as H.264. If you need to convert any video into AVC, Handbrake will do it, fast. It's designed to do just one thing and one thing well. Of course it does have a few frills, like deinterlacing, freely adjustable bit rates, cropping, and presets for most Apple devices. On Mac and Linux, it also supports 64-bit processors for about a 10% speed bump. It will convert most DVDs in real time, which is pretty quick for a CPU converter. Handbrake open source program, works with all major operating systems, and it's completely free.

SUPER Media File Converter (Windows, free)
SUPER is clunky, a tad on the slowside, and not exactly the most user friendly program out there. Even finding the download link on eRightSoft's website is a chore. However, it's one of the few free converters out there that will literally convert anything into anything. Got an MPEG that needs to be in DV format? Done. It's one of the few programs that actually supports professional formats such as DV, so it's often my go to when editing.

Media Espresso (Windows, $37.56 on sale)
Cyberlink's converting program isn't cheap, but it does have one thing going for it. It will tap into the power of your computer's graphics card. There's a lot of power hidden in there too. It's the most user friendly and straightforward program on our list. It's basic drag and drop converting. Select your file, drag it into Espresso, hit the convert button your device, and it does the rest. You can also set up custom profiles with today's most common video formats. Where Espresso shines is speed. Using my Radeon HD 5770, I can convert a two hour DVD in just 20 minutes. It would normally take the full two hours using Handbrake. Unlike other GPU converters, it works with Intel, nVidia, and AMD graphics chips. If you need to convert big video files fast, and have a reasonably powerful graphics card, it's well worth the expense.

Vita's media will cost a lot of dollas

2011-11-30T17:38:00.001-05:00

Sony never met a proprietary format it didn't like. Beta, Minidisc, Bluray, Memory Stick. Joining it is the PS Vita Memory card. Like all other Sony formats, it's incompatible with other devices, completely unnecessary, and as we learned this week, very expensive.

Sony announced four size formats for the new PS Vita Memory Card. It will range from 4gb to 32gb and be priced between $30 up to a whopping $120 for the 32gb model. By comparison, commonly used SD cards in the same sizes range from $6 to $70. Sony's own failed Memory Stick Pro Duo cards retail at $95 for 32gb. This makes Sony's Vita cards the most expensive flash storage cards around.

Contains gold, platinum, and unobtanium... which is my theory for the high price

Like the PSP before it, the Vita has no built in storage. As PC World correctly points out, this bumps the true cost of the Vita to at least $320 with tax factored in. That's even before you buy any games or accessories. In other words, Sony is repeating the same mistakes it made with the PSP.

With companies trying to push downloadable games over retail copies, I find the high markup on storage puzzling. It made sense when there were no alternatives, but the iPhone and Android have changed the game. It's certainly not going to convince people to drop retail.

Source: PC World

Images courtesy of PC World and Meme Generator

Sonic Generations Review

2011-11-28T21:09:00.000-05:00

We've said it time and time again. You got your hopes up only to have your dreams dashed. This time I can say it with confidence. The Hedgehog is back. In fact, Sonic Generations is easily the best Sonic game in 15 years.

As a long time Sonic fan, I don't make the above claim lightly. I was a huge fanboy back in the Genesis heyday. I mastered every game of the main series, played every other at least once. I religiously watched Sonic SatAM, and collected all the Archie Sonic comics. I loved the blue blur. To seem him fall so low in the 3D era pains me. It's like watching a piece of your childhood die.

Saga is trying hard to turn their struggling mascot around. We've seen three major releases in the last year. Each one has improved upon the other. Generations finally manages to capture the spirit of the Genesis games, while at the same time perfecting them for the modern era.

Story & Gameplay

Thankfully, Generations keeps it simple for once. No bad dialogue, no weird ineterspecies romance. The story is kept light. Sonic's friends are captured by a time beast and thrown into the White World. This acts as the level select screen. There's no unnecessary over-world, which is refreshing. The story has plenty of nods and in jokes for fans. It even mocks the ludicrous stories and bizarre characters the 3D era is known for.

The game is structured like a classic Sonic game. There are nine zones with two acts each. Each zone is taken from the nine games released in the main series, from Sonic 1 up to Sonic Colours.

The zones are split into a Classic Sonic act and a Modern Sonic act. Seeing the chubby Sonic of yesterday puts a smile on any fan's face. Seeing him race through modernized versions of Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant managed to put a huge grin on mine. Everything is just perfect with these classic levels. The focus on speed, speed, speed is gone. Instead, we return to good old fashioned platforming. That's really what the original series was all about. Physics are as close to the original Genesis games as you can get. You do tend to loose momentum in rolls quicker. The jumping is spot on though, a big improvement over Sonic 4.


Green Hill Zone looks great in the 21st Century

Compared to the original Green Hill Zone in 1991

After that first act, you move on to 3D Sonic. I actually enjoyed playing these levels just as much as the classics. Building on what they learned in Unleashed and Colours, Sega has perfected Sonic in the third dimension. There's a lot of great speed but a lot of good platforming. You get the feeling of a blistering pace, but without the cheap deaths that went along with previous games. One difference over the past is a boost gauge, which allows for temporary bursts of speed. You fill up the gauge by collecting rings, and doing mid air "tricks".

Both classic and modern levels are just a blast to play. The difficulty feels just right. It gets harder as the game progresses, without overwhelming the player. There's no sense of cheap traps here. Except maybe in Chaos City. Why Sega would want to revisit that rotting disaster known as Sonic 2006 is beyond me.

The game can be completed in a few hours. Some reviewers have complained about the length. I think they forget how short the original games were. Though Sega is not completely cheap here. Each zone has several challenge levels for both classic and modern Sonic. Completing these will more than double the game time. Plus, you get to unlock lots of goodies by finishing them.

Graphics & Sound

Sonic Generations is a gorgeous game. Sega has really taken attention to detail seriously. They're good at making their games pretty. The levels are crisp and colourful, which is nice in today's shades of grey games. The recreations of the Genesis levels in 3D are stunning and true to the classic design. Levels have been carefully designed to add challenge and excellent platforming.

As fast and as beautiful as the game is, modern consoles can't keep up. Sega took the unfortunate step of trading fluid motion for beauty. Sonic has to be played at a high frame rate to create smooth motion. In traditional games, this was 60 frames per second. The PS3 and Xbox 360 can only manage half that. It creates a fair bit of lag and motion blur. This takes a lot away from the Sonic experience.

Sonic Generations is a beautiful game best played at the PC's fast frame rate

The best platform to play Sonic Generations on is the PC. The game still has a locked frame rate, unfortunately. However, it will run at a full 60 frames per second on Windows. This is how the game should be played, provided you have a powerful enough system. In my case, I'm running an AMD Phenom II X3 at 3.0ghz, Radeon HD 5770 1gb, and 4gb of RAM. This is enough to run the game at full speed without breaking the bank.

The game has no major technical issues. There's the occasionally frame rate hiccup but glitches are at a minimum. Thankfully, Sega learned from the disastrous Sonic the Hedgehog 2006.

Aside from looking good, the game sounds amazing as well. Even in it's darkest days, music has always been the Sonic series' strong suit. We're not getting anything new here. Instead, Sega has recreated and reinterpreted classic tunes with help from their original composers. The new versions of the old Genesis tracks really stand out for classic Sonic fans. Listen for your self. As you play, you can unlock the original tracks for a blast from the past. Even as a Sonic fan since the beginning, I still prefer the new versions.

Conclusions

Sonic Generations is the best console game in the series since Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Period. Sega has made a lot of mistakes with their flagship series. This is the game that finally gets it right. Classic Sonic plays like classic Sonic should. Modern Sonic is fast and fun. Both modes balance each other perfectly.

That said, the game isn't perfect. It has a few pitfalls. Later levels return us to a few cheap deaths, and the frame rate is too low on consoles. Some have complained that the game is short too. While that's true, it's no shorter than the Genesis classics.

Sonic Generations is a pure and unabashed lip service to fans who started with the series' roots. It's a fantastic game that really shows what Sonic should be, and what he can be. No stupid stories, no nonsensical friends. Just pure speed and smart platforming.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

What Works
-Classic Sonic plays like classic Sonic
-Colourful graphics and reinterpretations of classic levels
-Re-imagined music will make Sonic fans smile
-Modern Sonic gameplay finally perfected
-Lots of stuff to unlock, with missions that add variety

What doesn't work
-Cheap pit deaths in later levels
-Low frame rate on consoles

Nintendo 3DS Review

2011-11-03T16:01:00.002-04:00

It's been a rough year for Nintendo. Stocks have plummeted, executives are taking pay cuts, and Mario has gone back into plumbing. At the centre of the storm is the 3DS. The little system is stirring up a hornets nest. Is it really as bad as gamers say? Is it too expensive and gimmicky? You bet! It's all those things and more, packed into a worthy successor to the DS dynasty.

What's in the box

The 3DS currently retails at a more reasonable $169.99, a reduction of $80 off the original launch price. The box contains the usual goodies. The system itself, a charger and dock, thick manual, warranty cards. It also comes with a few surprises. The 3DS comes with generous a 2gb SD card to get you downloading. Are you listening Sony? It also ships with a small deck of AR cards for the built in augmented reality games. Conspicuously missing is Nintendo's usual Wii style pack-in game cartridge. Given the high price the system originally commanded, I would think that would be a given.

The box includes manuals, AR cards, charger dock, 3DS, and charger (not pictured)

The system itself resembles the older DS Lite and DSi. It's about the same size and weight. Numerous improvements have been made over it's older brothers. The 3DS now contains an analogue nub, which makes true 3D games more playable. The shoulder buttons have also been raised a bit, to give them a better feel in your hands. Something that simple is a huge improvement.

Analogue nub, better buttons, fingerprinty piano black finish.

Your eyes bleed 3D

The real star of the show is the glasses-free 3D display. Until now, most consumer 3D screens have required the use of glasses. Instead the 3DS uses something called a parallax barrier. Tiny slats are used to display a different image for each eye. This gives the illusion of depth.

The display is just gorgeous. It features a wide screen aspect ratio for the first time. The 800x240 display gives a similar resolution to the PSP. The 3D mode works very well, though it's somewhat underutilized. A lot of games are still using pop-up book graphics. Experiments will depth will come.

You get the gist of it. Games look good. No 3D for you on 2D camera though.

3D will take some getting used to for some people. About 10% of the general population won't notice the effect. Others may get headaches from it. Nintendo provides a slider to adjust the intensity of the 3D effect, so you can tune it to something more comfortable.

It may be a gimmick but the 3D display is where the 3DS really shines. Ocarina of Time has never looked better.

Of course, the second touch screen from the DS remains. Sadly, it is not wide screen but they did up the resolution to 480x320.

Bad battery

The downside with the fancy screens and souped up graphics is battery life. In a word, it's pitiful. Expect to get just three to five hours of gameplay depending on the brightness. It does have a fairly large battery, so why is power consumption so high? I've tracked it down to a couple of potential sources. The processors in the 3DS use an older, less efficient design. New mobiles use smaller transistors, which use less power. It's an easy fix that will be included with an inevitable redesign. The 3D screen also consumes a lot of energy. The paralax display requires a brighter backlight. Battery life can be extended by using lower brightness settings, or turning 3D off.

Pop-up Pics, grainier than a Saskatchewan wheat field

The 3DS features three VGA cameras. The front facing camera is unchanged from the DSi. It can take photos of the user and plaster them on Miis and other in-game avatars. Don't expect to be using your 3DS to do any Skype video chats.

The two rear facing cameras are where the fun is. At least if you find grainy, eye hurting photography to be fun. As one would expect, the 3DS can take 3D pictures. The quality is questionable at best. The pictures come out quite blurry and have noticeable gain, even in decent lighting conditions. Nintendo has obviously packed the lowest quality mobile cameras they could find into this thing. Even the cheapest cell phones have 2.0 megapixel cameras in them, and have for some time. By comparison, the 3DS's cameras are 0.3 megapixel.

The 3D effect ranges from okay to quite poor. It all depends on what you're shooting and the angle you shoot at. I've had some that have come out quite well. Others make my eyes want to bleed. It works best with medium shots. Closeups produce a disorientating effect that makes my brain hurt, while wide shots produce nothing noticeable. On the plus side, you can edit your photos to adjust the intensity of the 3D effect. Fine tuning what each eye sees can make better looking photos. Overall, the 3D photos do look better on the device than 2D photos taken with the same camera do.

The rest of the photo app is pretty basic. It allows you to "graffiti" your pictures. Basically, you can draw on them, and that's pretty much it. Obviously it's meant to be easy to use for children. I didn't expect Photoshop Express, so I can't dock points for simplicity. I just wish the pictures it took weren't so awful.

Note: I'd show you how bad the pictures are but the SD card doesn't want to cooperate with either of my computers. I'll post them when I fix it.

Hardware odds and ends

For online connectivity, the 3DS has 802.11G Wi-Fi. It's a major improvement from the DS's painfully slow 802.11b connection. Also, like the iPod Touch, it features an accelerometer and gyroscope for basic motion control, and a microphone for audio recording. All of these work well, though most are not yet integrated into games.

I like the hardware a lot. It feels like the most grown up member of Nintendo's portables. Nintendo finally has something that can rival Sony's portable in the hardware department. Mostly everything works well. Unfortunately, that's only half the story.

System Software

Software can make or break a game system, and the 3DS's just isn't very good. That's not to say it's bad. It just hasn't had time to mature. Still, it remains the number one problem with the system. It feels like Nintendo rushed the launch without really thinking things through.While none of the launch titles were particularly bad, they weren't particularly good either. Fortunately, things are starting to change for the better.

The system software is the most immediate change you'll see. It's also the most radical. The OS on the DS was the next best thing to useless. Nintendo has borrowed a few pages from Sony, the Wii, and Apple this time around. Apps and games are laid out in a grid on the touch screen. The top screen shows the app's title in fabulous 3D. We get a white, neat theme that has become a trademark of Nintendo since the Wii came out. It's a huge leap ahead of the hideous and utilitarian desktop on the DS.

The 3DS system software is a vast improvement, and more Wii-like than the DS

Not only is the interface prettier, it's more functional. Nintendo has been kind enough to include some apps to get you started. Some are new, some are a carryover from the DSi.

The reality you're about to see may contain artificial ingredients

To get us started, Nintendo has added a couple of augmented reality (AR) games. AR uses the cameras to blend digital imagery with a real world backdrop. As I mentioned earlier, the system comes with a small deck of cards that can be used with AR GAMES. Only one card is useful, the rest just make Nintendo characters appear on your rug. The actual games are basic shooting and bowling. It's a bit gimmicky but then again, this is Nintendo we're talking about.

Speaking of gimmicky, Face Raiders, the other AR game, is one of the most bizarre I've played. It used the front facing camera to take a picture of your face. Then it slaps your image on malevolent floating balls that attack by... kissing you. This one uses the accelerometer to and cameras. Your goal is to shoot the balls, with little balls, before they get you. Once you defeat the boss mug, that's one level down. Take pictures of your friends, so you can slap them with your balls too. Face Breakers may be stupid and weird, but it's the most entertaining of the two built in games.

It can play music and video, but so does my watch

Besides games, the 3DS has some old and new media capabilities. The photo app has been updated, and can now take 3D pictures. Aside from that, not much has changed from the DSi. You can still view albums and draw on photos. That's about it. The music app can both record and playback sounds. It also has a few neat filters that you can play around with. Even an 8-bit one to turn your favourite songs into chip tunes. Sadly, there's no equalizer. Music playback quality is pretty good tough. The only major flaw is the clunky album navigation system. Remember the old school nested folders from MP3 players from days of yore. They're baaaack.

The 3DS offers a brand new media feature on top of photos and music. It can now play videos, sort of. Nintendo Video automatically downloads videos of the week for you. All in 3D of course. It's like their own version of Youtube. The content on it is actually not bad. There's music videos, artistic and indie shorts, and stuff from CollegeHumor. Great, except for one big problem. You only have access to four videos at a given time. On top of that, once they're gone, they're gone. You can't go back and watch old videos. You're forced to live with what Nintendo picks for you. To make matters worse, you can't even load your own movies onto it. The only other option is Netflix. An app for that can be downloaded from the store. Since I don't have a subscription (and used up my free trial long ago), I couldn't test that feature.

Smiles at everyone she meets on the Street

Finally our last piece of new software: StreetPass. It's Nintnedo's attempt at adding social networking to the 3DS. Like the Wii, you can create a Mii, a cartoon avatar of yourself for online gaming. With StreetPass, your 3DS scans for other 3DS systems and logs their owner's Mii. You can visit other Miis in the Mii Plaza. There you can interact and play games with them. I'm not sure if I like this feature. It seems pretty limited, plus this system is for kids. I'm not sure I'd want it logging information about total strangers, or beaming out my info. Of course there are parental controls, but still. The whole thing just feels underdeveloped, like a lot of Nintendo's online gaming features. They still haven't caught up with the likes of Sony, Apple, and Microsoft in that department.

Games, glorious games. Where art thou?

Now finally, we get to the games. The 3DS had one of the most underwhelming launch lineups that I can recall. I think this is the biggest flaw with the system. The software for it feels rushed. The launch titles have one standout with the rest being pretty dull around the edges. At worst, many of the games feel overpriced.

While it's easy to dismiss Apple as the new kid on the gaming block, they did start a revolution. They priced their games dirt cheap. When the average full featured title for the iOS platform costs just $7, charging $40 for a similar experience becomes hard to justify. Nintendo hasn't really changed their pricing strategy since the Gameboy. Like Sony, they've failed to take advantage of their own app store to compensate, by making these titles impulse purchases.

The store is a bundle of random categories that change weekly. Cut the Rope is a pricey $5!!!

It seems Nintendo doesn't really know what to do with the 3DS. You'd think a company that makes games would know how to make games for their new flagship portable. Of the handful of blockbuster titles the 3DS does have, two are ports from the 90s. A few more are ports of DS games with slightly enhanced graphics and audio. While there are a few original games coming down the pipe, they're still few and far between.

The software experience on the 3DS isn't good. The system does have a lot of potential. Sadly, nobody wants to give it the time of day: not Nintendo, not third parties. They've already written it off as a failure. I think if Nintendo started taking better advantage of the eShop, and lowered the prices of the games, they could have something to compete with Apple and Sony. They just got to get people making good games for it first.

Conclusion

The 3DS is an excellent portable that suffers from a Napoleon complex. The hardware is fantastic, but it really comes up short in the software department. It could be so much more than a gimmick, because the games do look fantastic on it. I think the successor to the venerable DS deserves a lot better treatment.

If you've managed to get this far in my review, you're probably wondering whether you should buy it. If it was still at $250, that would be a definite no. However, I think Nintendo has finally hit a pricing sweet spot that could really challenge the Vita and iPod Touch. If you're a fan of Nintendo, or even just a few of their franchises, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, you may want to hold off until a redesign, or at least until the software situation gets sorted.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

What works:
-Gorgeous glasses-free high resolution 3D screen
-Analogue nub a big improvement over the DS
-Charging dock a neat feature
-3D camera and Augmented Reality are neat gimmicks
-Better quality stylus
-Improved connectivity and social networking
-Better buttons
-Feels like a more grown up DS
-New $169.99 price tag offers nice value

What doesn't work
-Battery life
-Poor image quality with camera
-Lack of standout games
-Price of some games
-Underdeveloped, cluttered, and overpriced eShop
-Bundled apps unimpressive
-Online gaming still a pain

iPhone 4S gets a gory dissection

2011-10-13T19:28:00.001-04:00

You want to see Siri take it all off. She's been a naughty user interface, and the people at iFixit are just the guys to show you. Each time Apple releases a new product, they're guaranteed to gut it just to find out what makes it tick. Today, they tackle the iPhone 4S.

What did they find new inside? Not much. It's fundamentally identical to the iPhone 4. The key difference, of course, is the Apple A5 processor. It's a dual core beast. They claim it runs at 1ghz, though some have said only 800mhz. Even at a lower clock rate, it's still a very powerful chip, falling just behind the 1.2ghz powerhouses contained in the latest Android phones. Impressive.

iFixit plays striptease with Siri and the iPhone 4S

The big question is how much RAM does it have. Samsung and HTC have been cramming 1gb of DDR into their phones. According to iFixit, the 4S had the same 512mb it's predecessor had.

Curious about what other things lurk inside Apple's latest phone? Hop on over to iFixit for their full teardown.

Source: iFixit

Image courtesy of iFixit.com

The great RIM death watch

2011-10-12T18:25:00.001-04:00

No dice if you're trying to send out BBMs today. Server problems at RIM are causing Blackberries world wide to go down. This means all the Crack addicts out there will have to go without email, web, messaging, and apps for the time being. At least the phone part still works, though RIM isn't looking very smart at this point.

The problem was caused by a switching failure in RIM's servers, causing a backlog of data. They said services would be restored by Tuesday. However, they have since said they aren't sure when it will be back. The outage originated in Europe, Africa, and Asia and has since spread to North America.

This is the latest round of troubles for Canada's largest smartphone maker. The company is trying to get a leg up on major competitors such as Samsung and Apple. Market share of Blackberry phones has been on steady decline since the iPhone launched in 2007. The Playbook tablet, their supposed iPad killer, was met with a cold reception earlier this year.


I've been texting my Blackberry friends all day and nothing. Is my iPhone down?

Some analysts are already on a RIM death watch. One Canadian bank is calling for the company to oust longtime CEOs Lazaridis and Balsillie. Company shares have hit a 52-week low at just under $20, down significantly from their $70 peak back in February.

Source: Reuters via Dailytech

Steve Jobs Dies

2011-10-05T22:17:00.000-04:00

Legendary inventor and Apple founder Steve Jobs, has died. He was only 56. Jobs had been struggling with cancer for several years. The illness forced him to step down as CEO of the electronics giant earlier this year.

News of his death comes just one day after the unveiling of the iPhone 4S. Apple CEO Tim Cook released the following statement.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates also left his condolences.

I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.

Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.

The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.

For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.

Love or hate Apple, Steve Jobs was a visionary. Much of the technology we use today was influenced by his creations. He was one of the last true visionaries in corporate America, and proved the American dream still lived. Our thoughts go out to his family. He will be missed.

Source: Engadget

iPod Lives, Zune Dies

2011-10-05T11:30:00.002-04:00

The beat goes on for the iPod Classic. Contrary to rumours, Apple will keep making and selling the iconic music player. Meanwhile, things are not looking so good for the Zune. Microsoft's music player and iPod killer is official dead.

According to the Zune website, Microsoft announced that "Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players."

The Zune has had a bumpy history. It was created as Microsoft's answer to the iPod and iTunes. It even looked and functioned similar to Apple's venerable player.

The device was launched in 2006 to mixed reaction. While certainly as good as the iPod, it had its problems. Namely a poorly implemented copy-protection system. It was unable to play certain files using PlaysForSure, Microsoft's own DRM scheme. The original Zune was also plagued with a clock bug, which corrupted the system software at January 1st, 2009 at 12am GMT.

Despite it's initial shortcomings, the Zune eventually grabbed ten percent of the US marketshare for all MP3 players. Given the sea of choices at the time, and the dominance of the iPod, it seemed Microsoft was onto something. The original Zune 30 gave way to larger capacity models, a "nano" version, and finally the Zune HD. The latter was an attempt to capitalize on the success of the iPod Touch. With it's nVidia Tegra Processor, unique touch interface, and OLED screen, it was arguably the best Zune. Many of the Zune HD's software features would be implemented in Windows Phone 7.

Zune 4/8/16 and it's nano sized cousin

Despite great hardware and good software to back it up, the Zune continued to trail in the market. By 2008, sales were dipping. GameStop decided to stop selling the player at their stores due to lack of interest. However, 2008 happened to mark the Zune's international launch. The Zune was made available in Canada. This was the first time it had been sold outside the US.

Perhaps that was the Zune's downfall. It never attracted the same international audience that the iPod did. Microsoft went as far to actively discourage international customers from accessing certain online features. The Zune also failed to clearly differentiate itself from Apple. It was too similar to the iPod, and sold at the same price-point, but lacked the same global support.

As smartphones began to replace dedicated devices, the Zune's days became numbered. It was a fantastic player, hampered by poor marketing.

Update: Just after publishing this, I spotted a new article that says the Zune hasn't died after all. I guess neither Apple nor Microsoft knows what to do with their MP3 players. You can still buy the Zune HD for a cool $160.

Title image courtesy of Blogging With Ike

Apple might ditch iPod Classic, Shuffle

2011-09-29T10:15:00.000-04:00

The iPod is nearing the end of the road. Apple news blog TUAW broke the story. They claim a reliable source told them the company will kill the iPod Classic and iPod Shuffle later this year. For anyone who follows Apple, this should be no surprise. The Classic was last updated way back in 2009. Once the flagship product, it's become the black sheep of the iPod lineup. Apple is looking to replace older, non-touch models with it's iPhone derivatives. Despite a higher storage capacity, the Classic is no longer cost competitive against smartphones. At $279, it seems expensive and archaic compared to the virtual Swiss Army Knife that is the iPhone.

For those who really love music, the death of the iPod marks the end of an era.

The 6th generation iPod Classic may be the last.
It hasn't been updated since 2009.

The original iPod first launched in 2001. While it wasn't the first MP3 player, it marked a major paradigm shift for the music market. Apple considered contemporary players to be too big, too clunky to use, or too small to be useful. The company wanted something that could fit 1,000 songs comfortably in your pocket, complete with Apple's trademark user friendliness.

The original iPod was smaller, lighter, and could store an incredible amount of music for the time. The innovative scroll wheel made navigating your music collection a breeze. The first iPod had a 5gb hard drive, which could store roughly 1,000 MP3s. Its rechargeable battery lasted about 10 hours, which was on par with its AA contemporaries.

The iPod and iTunes changed the way we consume music

While Napster had already kicked off the digital music revolution, the iPod supercharged the trend. When the iTunes store launched two years later, putting the CD on death row. Apple quickly rose to become the largest music retailer on the planet. While other companies tried their hands at MP3 players, iPod is still synonymous with the devices.

Smartphones killed the iPod, but it's contribution to music history was legendary.

Update: I'll be restoring a 5th generation iPod Classic. Stay tuned for that tear down.

Big tablet is big

2011-09-21T18:49:00.002-04:00

For today's computers, thin is in. Desktops are dead, laptops are writing their last will and testament. It's all about tablets. The smaller the better. Some folks even think the 10'' iPad is too large. You'd almost think that nobody dreams big anymore. Then you lay your eyes on Martin Drashkov's monstrosity, the MegaPad. The world's first 23'' Android tablet.

"The Android MegaPad is then the next logical step - a modern touch-based computing device with with a screen size that will enable a whole different set of experiences. Unlike tablets, devices like this will make simultaneous use by two users a practicality and will let users more fully immerse themselves in apps and games. In the demo video below, you can see two apps that, while written for phones and tablets, nevertheless demonstrate the usefulness of such a device."

Calling it a tablet is a bit deceiving though. The device is not yet portable. Mr. Drashkov claims he built the device for $600, using off-the-shelf parts. That's as much as the "puny" 32gb iPad.

The MegaPad runs a modified version of Android Gingerbread, which was used due to its adaptability. A video shows it running Google Earth and Fruit Ninja quite well. Martin is a fellow member of the Anandtech Forums, so I'm trying to pry some specs out of him. In the mean time, please bathe in the awesomeness that is the MegaPad.

UPDATE: Martin says he used a Pandaboard for this build. The company bills it as a low cost development platform for mobile software. The processor is a 1ghz Texas Intruments OMAP4430 running at 1ghz. It's based on the ARM Cortex A9, similar to the CPU used in the iPad 2. Graphics are fuelled by a PowerVR SGX540, also similar to the iPad 2's. It also features 1gb of DDR2 RAM, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and can handle encoding and decoding of 1080p video.

There's no word on which screen he used, though I'm guessing it's an Acer T231H, as it's the only full HD touch screen monitor Acer currently sells.

Image copyright Marvel Productions/20th Century FOX

Think twice before suing Sony.

2011-09-15T21:07:00.001-04:00

Sony's changed the PSN terms of service to include a "don't sue us" clause. Basically, by agreeing, you're now forced into binding arbitration should you have a dispute with any Sony entity.

According to the new user agreement for the Playstation Network...

"Other than those matters listed in the Exclusions from Arbitration clause (small claims), you and the Sony Entity that you have a Dispute with agree to seek resolution of the Dispute only through arbitration of that Dispute in accordance with the terms of this Section 15, and not litigate any Dispute in court. Arbitration means that the Dispute will be resolved by a neutral arbitrator instead of in a court by a judge or jury."

Of course you can opt out, by doing things the good old 1950s way.

"RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER WITHIN 30 DAYS. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE BOUND BY THE BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER IN THIS SECTION 15, YOU MUST NOTIFY SNEI IN WRITING WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE THAT YOU ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. YOUR WRITTEN NOTIFICATION MUST BE MAILED TO 6080 CENTER DRIVE, 10TH FLOOR, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045, ATTN: LEGAL DEPARTMENT/ARBITRATION AND MUST INCLUDE: (1) YOUR NAME, (2) YOUR ADDRESS, (3) YOUR PSN ACCOUNT NUMBER, IF YOU HAVE ONE, AND (4) A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH ANY SONY ENTITY THROUGH ARBITRATION."

In order to keep using PSN, Sony is making you agree to these new terms. It's pretty sneaky for them to bury this at the bottom of the terms of service. That whole security breach really stirred up a legal hornet's nest, so looks like they're trying to cover their asses. Naturally, this is the likely result of the class action that emerged after all those credit card numbers were stolen.

This is a good example of the problem with EULAs. Long winded, convoluted contracts that people are expected to "sign" without really understanding what anything in them means. Mind you, this won't effect most people using the service. It just seems a tad unethical to sneak things through like that without first consulting consumers. As if Sony needed a legal advantage if they screw up. What with their legions high priced lawyers crawling out of every crack.

Phoenix Wright copyright Capcom

It's a me, Mario! Mamma Mia, Why you no buy 3DS?

2011-08-04T22:25:00.000-04:00

Things haven't been so super for Mario lately. Peach left him for Luigi, they repossessed his kart, and he's forced to eat beefaroni because real spaghetti is too expensive. Guess he should have sold his Nintendo stock before the 3DS launched.

Nintendo conquered the video game market through innovation. They introduced us to motion and touch screen gaming, then 3D. Now it seems the juggernaut has finally run out of gas. Revenue forecasts have plummeted 80 percent. The company's stock value has dropped 50 percent since last February.

The Nintendo 3DS is being blamed for the company's poor showing. The portable had a stellar launch back in February. Since then, sales have been lacklustre. There's nothing wrong with the 3DS itself. We don't have another Virtual Boy on our hands here. It's a solid piece of hardware that works as advertised, and does a fantastic job at it. However, panicky pundits, such as IGN, are already declaring it a maybe, sort of, failure. That's not the case. The gaming market has changed a lot since the DS launched, yet Nintendo is still using the same approach they've used in the past.

The three things holding the 3DS back are price, lack of software, and increased competition from smartphones.

Legendary game producer Shigeru Miyamoto likes the 3DS, why don't you?

The 3DS is the most expensive successor to the original Gameboy. With inflation factored in, only the Virtual Boy would cost more today. Prices for Nintendo hardware have been creeping up over the years. Studies into manufacturing costs show the company making fat margins on every console sold. It is estimated the 3DS costs about $100 to build. Even assuming marketing and R&D costs the same, $50 per unit is still a tidy profit.

Nintendo has long refused to sell their products at a loss. So does competitor Apple. Logically, that makes sense. However, that sort of thinking changed with the 2008 recession. People don't have as much disposable income as they did during the DS and Wii's heyday. Nintendo products are marketed at a younger crowd. Parents will think twice at dropping that much cash on a "toy".

Competing products, such as smartphones, are being seen as more economical than standalone systems. Apple sells their iPod Touch in the same price bracket as the 3DS. Not only is it a virtual Swiss Army Knife of media consumption, software is a fraction of the price. Most games are under ten dollars. Compare that to 3DS titles, which sell similar products for, on average, two to four times more. That's the advantage of digital distribution. There's less cost overhead, which opens the market wide open. Why spend upwards of $400 buying little Johnny multiple devices when one will satisfy him for half that?

Lol. Stop it, you're killing me!

Gamers scream that iPhone games aren't comparable. They aren't as in depth, or lack the experience of traditional controls. They're partly right, but it's a moot argument. Most of today's most popular games aren't deep, story driven experiences. Angry Birds, Call of Duty and the like offer simplified gaming in bit sized chunks. Enough to satisfy the short attention spans of today's young gamer. iOS actually does have these in depth games, such as Final Fantasy and Zenonia. It can also surf the web, download your tunes, let you shop for a new outfit, and pay your taxes.

Somewhat ironically, the same argument can be made about the 3DS. Games like Steel Diver and Pilot Wings aren't what you'd call deep. They offer the same experience as many $1.99 apps, yet cost significantly more. The system lacks the strong, original titles that Nintendo is known for. What we get is the same glut of shovelware that's infiltrated the Wii. Very simplistic games sold for high prices compared to competitors. The 3DS has few in depth titles coming down the pipeline, and that's it's problem. In trying to adopt a smartphone, app-style, shovelware based business plan, Nintendo is alienating their core fan base.

This doesn't mean the 3DS is a lost cause. The DS went through similar growing pains way back in 2004. The hardware is fantastic. Nintendo just needs to get software production kicked into high gear. No console can be successful if it doesn't have the games to back it up. It doesn't matter how spectacular the technology is. Nintendo will bounce back, as they always have. They just need to learn how to market themselves and their games better in today's app-based world.

Title image copyright Device Magazine
Images copyright Elder-Geek, Funny-Potato

Beer to game by: Lake of Bays a beer for geeks

2011-08-03T19:15:00.008-04:00

Geeks too enjoy a good beer, and some are beer geeks. Lake of Bays brewing company prides itself as a beer for the latter. For those who need to get in touch with their inner craft brew fanboy. Their newest offering is Rousse Red Ale. We've already tried the king of nerdy beers, and it was awful. Let's see if the roi of geeky bière can do any better.

Lake of Bays is a new brewery that opened earlier this year. The company's employees refer to themselves as "beer geeks", connoisseurs of fine brews. They're based in Baysville, Ontario on, as the name suggests, the Lake of Bays. Unlike Rolling Rock, they're totally independent.

Their beer is brewed in smaller batches. While only sporting a small operation, Lake of Bays is widely available across Ontario though the LCBO chain. They currently sell three types: a pale ale, mocha porter, and rousse red ale. The latter is what we're reviewing today.

A quality Quebec-style craft beer to
put Rolling Rock in it's watery place

According to their website, Rousse is a traditional Quebecois red ale. It has a heavy pour to it, and dumps into the glass without much head. It already wins out over Rolling Rock, which looks more like yellow club soda. The beer has a clear malty smell with a dark red colour. It has the shade and consistency of a good root beer. Let's give it a taste.

It's thick, and very flavourful. This is what beer should be like. The toasted malt flavour is very evident. There's nothing watery about this one at all. I can taste a bit of hops bitterness, but it's not overpowering. It has a very slight coffee notes to it to. The flavours are well balanced, making it satisfying to savour slowly.

A heavy dark ale with a lot of flavour to it. The pleasant maltiness is a nice change of pace from yesterday's bread & water.

I prefer dark, malty beers to largers in general. This is definitely a good one. Plenty of flavour with a delightful heaviness, but it's not bitter nor does it leave an aftertaste. It's a good drinking beer, not a beer to get drunk by. You could imagine enjoying this after a day of skiing at Mount Tremblant, or historic pub crawling in Quebec City. It's definitely worth trying during your stay in Ontario.

Title image copyright Beer & Nosh

Drinking the nerdiest beer: Rolling Rock review

2011-08-01T17:40:00.005-04:00

"He'd rather eat, the rotten asshole, of a roadkill skunk and down it with beer." If you're a gamer, chances are you've seen James Rolfe's Angry Video Game Nerd web series. His character is known for a foul mouth, love of bad games, and affinity for Rolling Rock. The beer is popular in Pennsylvania and Rolfe's native New Jersey. The LCBO here in Ontario just started carrying it. I couldn't resist giving the king of nerdy beers a try.

Rolling Rock is a pale larger originally from western Pennsylvania, now based in St. Louis. It's brewed by the Latrobe Brewing Company, as it has since 1939. InBev, a global beer conglomerate behind many famous brands including Budweiser & Alexander Keiths, currently owns them. It is a staple of the AVGN series, and has been since the 2004 pilots. Rolfe's Nerd is seen drinking it to dull the pain of playing bad Nintendo games.

The AVGN made it the king of nerdy beers.

I'm writing this as I try the beer. Rolling Rock has a very light yellow colour and pours with a thick, foamy head. It's very reminiscent of "cheap" beers like Molson Canadian or Budweiser. It has a light grainy, but non-alcoholic smell. So I take my first sip.

Yep, this is classic American beer. It's fizzier than most beers I've had. The level of carbonation is close to soda. I guess you'd say it has a light, clean taste. There's no appreciable amount of hops in it. That's fine by me, as I don't like bitter beers. However, there's nothing else in the way of flavour. It has a faint grainy taste, but no malt. Heavily watered down is a more appropriate way to describe it. It's like drinking club soda with a slice of white bread. This is a bad beer.

Rolling Rock is pale, too fizzy, and incredibly weak.
I feel bad putting it in the same glass as a good craft beer.

I don't like InBev's brands. A lot of their products are a lesser quality, and weaker, than others I've had. Even Keith's allegedly doesn't qualify as an IPA anymore, it being weaker than in the past. This one is exceptionally poor though. James Rolfe has the right idea. Rolling Rock is only good for dulling the pain. It will get you drunk, and that's it. For those that appreciate good beer, look elsewhere. This is a stereotypical American pisswasser. Despite what the label says, premium this ain't.

Enjoy this review? I might be reviewing some more craft beers to game by in the future. Stay tuned.

Title image copyright Cinemassacre Productions

Nintendo 3DS Price cut to $169.99

2011-07-28T13:23:00.007-04:00

Nintendo is slashing the price of the 3DS. Lacklustre sales have prompted them to reduce it to $169.99, a savings of $80.

The company had high hopes for the system but it's fallen far short of what they expected. Despite a stellar launch, sales of the 3D capable device have stalled.

The price cut, the largest one time cut in Nintendo's history, is intended to boost falling hardware sales. Profit forecasts have been cut by 82%, from 110 billion Yen to just 20 billion. As if going from bad to worse, competitor Sony's nearly seven year old PSP continues to outsell the 3DS. The PSP moved nearly 1.8 million units during the first quarter of this year. The 3DS only managed to sell 700,000.

Nintendo is hoping this major cut will attract more consumers to the system. At $250, it is the most expensive successor the the Gameboy by a wide margin. The iPod Touch and PSVita sell at the same price point and offer more features. Nintendo says the price cut will be effective August 12th, 2011. Current owners will be eligible for 20 free downloadable games.

Source: Joystiq

Mini-Review: Dyson Air Multiplier bladeless fan

2011-07-13T10:33:00.002-04:00

Dyson is the Apple of the home appliance world. Their products are innovative, yet they're often accused of charging too much. The company is more known for their wacky line of vacuum cleaners. However, they've recently branched off into electric fans. Their Air Multiplier sure is fancy looking. Best Buy had some on display for the summer so I'd though I'd play with it a bit.

The Air Multiplier claims its bladeless, but it actually not. There's a small impeller fan in the base. It pushes air up through an airfoil ring. Dyson claims this design multiplies airflow by sucking more air through the ring. It's a synergy machine. You supposedly get more out of it than the work it puts in.

Look Ma, no blades. Oh wait, they're in the bottom.

It does work as advertised. You don't get the buffeting you get from a bladed fan. Just smooth air. It provides the same level breeze as a conventional desk fan on low settings. It puts out quite a bit on higher settings, on par with your typical 10'' box fan. Even the smaller units are suitable for large rooms. Whether it actually multiplies the air flow is a moot point, since it's hard to test that.

The Air Multiplier is a fan that works well as a fan. There's not much more to say. If the Air Multiplier was $100, I could recommend it. It's attractive and modern looking. It's just not worth the ridiculous asking price. I've seen it go for $380 in some stores. You might as well buy an air conditioner at that point.

Score: 7 out of 10

What works:
-It's a fan, and it works well as a fan
-Looks attractive
-Lack of external blades makes it safe around children and pets
-Relatively quiet

What doesn't work:
-Jaw dropping price, you're far better off buying an AC unit at this point
-Not much better than cheaper conventional fans

Sonic Generations teaser demo review

2011-06-23T14:10:00.010-04:00

Sonic is back. Today of course is Sonic's 20th birthday. The hedgehog hasn't been doing so well in recent years. After a lot of lacklustre games, Sonic Generations is Sega's makeup present to fans. Sega has managed to achieve what they never could, a game that actually plays like the original.

You get blown way back to the past in the demo. Sega has included the first act of the game; a reimagined Green Hill Zone as "Classic Sonic."

You'll notice some major changes from Sonic 4. The jumping mechanics and speedy rolls are back in their full glory. No more lead lined physics thanks to the new Havok engine.

Generations is a little faster paced than Sonic 1 but the basic gameplay remains the same. The emphasis is more on platforming than raw speed this time around. That's how a Sonic game should be. Run a bit, platform a lot, jump on robots, repeat.

Classic Sonic returns and looks great.
Image courtesy of Playstation Lifestyle

The graphics look absolutely spectacular. Though not a big leap from Sonic 4, things are more squared off this time around. Overall, it just looks better than past games. They've finally got the 2.5D visuals to perfection. One minor issue is frame rate and resolution. You can tell Sega has capped it to 30 frames per second. Sonic can actually outrun the frame rate at times in speedier areas. This causes bad motion blur at times. It's also locked to 720p. There's really no reason why they can't bump it up to 60fps at 1080p. Maybe they will when game gets released in November.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the demo. My only issue was how short it is. I would have liked to see at least one "New Sonic" level included. At least it's good to see that Sonic is finally back in true form. This will be a day one buy for any Sonic fan.

Hurry up and get the demo off XBLA and PSN. It's time limited and will only be playable for the next 20 days.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

What works
-Classic Sonic returns in true form
-Good platforming over raw speed finally makes a return
-Physics greatly improved from Sonic 4
-Spectacular visuals nail the 2.5D gameplay perfectly

What doesn't work
-Frame rate capped too low for this type of game
-Resolution could be 1080p
-Short demo, want to see New Sonic too.

Blog update

2011-06-06T21:35:00.002-04:00

If you're wondering why there have been so few updates lately, I've been on vacation. I've also started working on some other, unrelated projects. I've also been swamped at work. Us blog writers have day jobs too you know, because lord knows this pays nothing. MMNTech has been on hiatus in the mean time. I'm trying to put some stuff on E3 together. Check out @mmntech on Twitter for updates!

Image courtesy of BevWire

How to protect yourself from another PSN attack

2011-05-15T21:08:00.006-04:00

Sony allegedly didn't ensure your data was secure. Moreover, they acted slowly in alerting customers when the Playstation Network was hacked. The ball was dropped in this case.

If we've learned anything from this, it's that your data is never safe. No business can be trusted to keep it in good hands. It's not for lack of trying. Hackers are just becoming more sophisticated. Any computer connected to the internet is at risk, even large data centre servers. It's just a fact of life in our online world.

That's not to say there aren't steps you can take to keep your identity secured. At least as secure as humanly possible. A little common sense goes a long way. Now that PSN is back on line, here's some easy tips to help protect you from a future attack.

Use prepaid credit cards and gift cards online
Thieves can't get access to your credit and debit card numbers if you don't use them. Cash is king, but obviously you can't use it online. That's where prepaid cards come in handy. For example, PSN, Xbox Live, and iTunes have gift cards you can use with their respective services. The cards have a set value and can be bought at most convenience stores. They work like any other gift card.

Prepaid credit cards are offered by companies like Visa and can be used almost anywhere. They're not credit cards exactly. They can't be used for pre-authorized payments. They do, however, work like a more versatile gift card. You can put as much or as little as you want on them, and you can top them up too.

If the numbers of either of these get stolen, you're only out the value of the card. Once that's gone, thieves can't access more funds. Think of it as insurance. Better to pay a smaller deductible than the full value of your car if it gets stolen.

Set up a spam email account
Never use your personal email to sign up for services. That's where the deluge of spam usually comes from. It's also another piece, all be it small, in the identity theft puzzle. Leaked emails can be used for all sorts of nefarious things. Setting up a separate email account keeps thieves and spam out of your personal inbox. With so many free services out there today, there's no reason not to.

Limit the personal information you broadcast
Privacy policies mean squat if someone breaks into a data centre's server. Try to limit the amount of personal information you put online. Facebook is a thief's dream. They can get your address, phone numbers, birth date, email addresses, where you work and go to school, who your friends and significant other are, and even where you've been recently. If the service doesn't require that information, don't post it. Keep as little information online as possible. You wouldn't go walking down the street shouting that stuff, so why do it on the internet.

Trust nobody online
The internet is a wrenched hive of scum and villainy. If you don't know the person in real life, don't trust them. Of course the vast majority of people aren't criminals, but you never know who is. Don't wall yourself off, but don't go spreading too much information either.

Trust your instincts
If something seems fishy, it probably is.

PS3 firmware update prepares you for restored PSN

2011-05-14T20:41:00.003-04:00

What a month it's been for Sony. They've been scrambling to get PSN back up and running, before gamers loose their patience. A firmware update for PS3 has just been launched that will address some security issues. So what does this update do exactly? Crap all, at least until PSN is restored. Once they get it up and running, this mandatory update forces you to change your account password. It's sort of like locking the vault after the bank's been robbed, but I guess it's better than nothing. You can download it now to get yourself ready to go back online. You don't need to log into PSN to grab it. Full press release at the bottom.

There's a lot of talk about compensation for the downtime. US gamers will be getting a month of free Playstation Plus, and complementary identity theft protection. Europeans will get two free PSN games of their choosing. No word on whether other territories will be included.

PS3 System Software Update - Playstation Blog
Posted by Eric Lempel // VP, Sony Network Entertainment

We have been working on a new PS3 system software update that requires all PSN users to change their password once PlayStation Network is restored. The update (v3.61) is mandatory and is available now.

If using a PS3, your password can only be changed on your own PS3 (or a PS3 on which your PSN account was activated), as an added layer of security. If you have never downloaded any content using your account on the system, an email will be sent to the registered sign-in ID (email address) associated with your account when you first attempt to sign-in to PSN. This e-mail will contain a link that will enable you to change your password. In this email, click on the link and follow the instructions to change your password. Once you have changed your password you can sign-in to your account using your new password.

We strongly recommend that all PSN account holders with PS3s update their systems to prepare for when PlayStation Network is back online. The release of this update is a critical step as we work to make PlayStation Network significantly more secure. Thank you for your continued support and patience.

PSN outage exposed Capcom DRM flaw

2011-04-21T20:44:00.004-04:00

Capcom is tasting a bit of UBIsoft's bad medicine. Sony's Playstation Network is currently suffering from a massive outage. Normally, this would mean no more online noob-bashing for a while. That is unless you own Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2, or Final Fight. Capcom started using a DRM system that requires you to be online to play the games. Yes, even for single player mode. With PSN down, gamers cannot access what they've legally purchased. Capcom has yet to comment on the issue.

Sony is working on repairing the problem, but says it may be a few days before PSN gets back up and running. Early rumours that pointed to another denial of service attack have been denied by Sony and the hacking community.

Source: Kotaku

Easter weekend gaming challenge: Sonic Run

2011-04-21T17:38:00.004-04:00

The first MMNtech gaming challenge is honouring a retro gaming hero. Classic Sonic is making triumphant return in Sonic Generations, due out later this year. To commemorate this, we're going to play through the chubby blue blur's classic Genesis games in one run. For this challenge, you must play each game in the original series, in order, from start to finish.

The games are...
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic 2
Sonic CD
Sonic 3
Sonic & Knuckles

This is purely for fun. There's no prize, but you do win extra gaming cred if you use a Genesis and an old CRT TV, or get all Chaos Emeralds in each game. Enjoy.

Your iPhone is spying on you

2011-04-20T11:38:00.004-04:00

Your iPhone knows what you did last summer. Ever since Apple released iOS4, a secret file has been storing your movements. It works by triangulating your cell signal instead of the GPS. It's far from accurate. However, it does show the general vicinity of your travels. The scary part is how easy it is to access this information. Programmer and ex-Apple employee Pete Warden has developed a Mac OS app to access the data. It shows everywhere you've visited as a collection of dots on a map.

For it to work, you need iOS 4 installed on your iPhone or iPad 3G. During the brief three-month period I had it on my iPhone 3G, it shows the general areas I've travelled to. In some cases it's spot on, in others it's miles off.

Regardless of the accuracy, it's a serious privacy concern. Apple doesn't appear to be collecting or using this data in any way. However, they won't say why they're doing it. It's stored only on the phone itself and any computer you synced it to. This kind of information has potential benefits for law enforcement. We've all seen them do it on CSI. This information could be a huge advantage for darker elements too: stalkers, overzealous cops, lawyers, shady government agencies, and private detectives.

Data collected from an iPhone shows the user
took a train trip from Washington DC to New York

There's only one way to get rid of this information. You'll have to restore your iDevice to an old firmware. iOS 3 and older don't collect this data. That's not exactly an ideal solution. The other solution is to encrypt your iDevice backups. Less techno-literate individuals won't be able to hack into it. That should at least keep your data safe from that girlfriend with trust-issues.

Source: The Guardian UK
Image property of MAD Magazine

Obituary: PSP Go

2011-04-19T22:35:00.005-04:00

Today we mourn the loss of the PSP Go. A Japanese blogger, who claims to work for a Sony partner, says the portable is no longer in production. Sony Style Japan no longer lists it on its website. A while back, Amazon listed the Go as "discontinued" on their website. Sony has neither confirmed or denied the reports, only saying they'll support the PSP line as long as it's in demand.

The PSP Go had a difficult life. The system was released to compete with Apple's widely popular iPod Touch and iPhone. It was the first gaming handheld to exclude physical media. The results proved disastrous. Since it couldn't play UMDs, it wasn't compatible with the vast majority of games. Sony was slow to expand the PSN Store to accommodate. Furthermore, gamers complained about its awkward control layout. All this compounded by a $250 price tag for the system alone. A significant jump from PSP value packs which came with games and a memory card for $50 less.

RIP PSP Go.
You were too small, had too few games, and were way too expensive.

Sony has not released sales figures. However, they have admitted it suffered from a lack of consumer interest and poor sales. Learning from their mistakes, Sony returned to physical media with their successor system, the NGP.

UPDATE: Sony has confirmed the PSP Go has been discontinued. The PSP-3000 will remain in production as long as people still buy it.

Source: Eurogamer
Image: Averaging Wrathy

Newegg earns the MMNTech excessive packaging crown

2011-04-15T21:53:00.005-04:00

There's packaging, then there's too much packaging. Some companies are trying to reduce their containers to cut on shipping cost and environmental impact. Others, not so much. Take my recent order from Newegg.

I picked up a single SD card from them. They shipped it in a colossal 8''x8''x6'' cardboard box filled with packing peanuts. Like the other items I covered on this subject, a padded envelope would have been more than enough. I thought their $10 shipping rate seemed awfully high for such a small object.

A mammoth box to ship an itty bitty SD card. Blu-ray case for scale.

I have contacted Newegg's feedback about this. It will be interesting to see if they reply.

Image courtesy of the Muppet Wiki.

Use iFile to beef up your iPad's media storage

2011-04-10T10:34:00.000-04:00

A lot of us are digital hoarders. We have to take everything with us. Sadly, the iPad has one serious flaw. Similar devices allow you to expand storage via memory cards. Apple users are stuck with built in storage. They'll sell a 16gb iPad for $500, but they know that's not enough. What if you could skirt this limitation? Thanks to jailbreak app iFile, it's easier than you think.

iFile tickles open the darkest corners of your iPad. It allows you to view the file system, access previously closed off information, and select files like you would on OS X. Once you start thinking outside the box, you can expect big things from this app. Those big things being extra storage space for all your media files.

For it to work, you'll need to buy the Apple Camera Kit and jailbreak your iPad. Load up some media onto an SD card and slot it into the adapter. Fire up iFile and you should see it mounted under devices, labelled "Flash Drive". Click the file you want to play, select the app you want to play it in, and enjoy.

iFile's interface browsing an SD card with media files.
The OS X-like interface is easy to use.

iFile opens up your device to unlimited storage space for media files. It also works with other files, including documents. You can also use third party card readers via the USB camera dock. There are some caveats though. iFile will not work with USB thumb drives due to the iPad's power limitations. The iPad doesn't seem to like powered hubs either. Nor does it support hard drives. If you can get them to work, more power to you. You also cannot store apps on flash media.

With flash cards so cheap these days, iFile is well worth the $4 entry fee. With double the storage or more, you'll have plenty of room for all your music, movies, photos, and documents. Add more cards and capacity becomes limitless. Perfect for those of us who travel, or just like to lug our giant film collections around. Download iFile from Cydia.

Score: 9 out of 10

What works:
-Opens the door to limitless media capacity for your iPad.
-Allows you to choose what apps you want to open the file in
-Works with all file types supported by both first and third party apps
-Mac OS X like interface for easy navigation

What doesn't work:
-No support for USB thumb drives, though this is a hardware issue
-No support for external hard drives
-Price a bit high

Obscure consoles: Apple-Bandai Pippin

2011-03-30T20:00:00.001-04:00

Apple is a gaming juggernaut today. Millions use their iOS devices to play countless games available on demand. This came at the end of a long road for company. Their Mac OS operating system was never designed with gaming in mind. It long stood in the shadow of the Windows PC. The pre-Jobsian era were dark days. Despite that, they decide to build a standalone console, on the same horrible platform. Like many things Apple did at the time, the Pippin never made sense.

It was the mid-1990s and Steve Jobs had yet to return. The video game market was flooded with consoles already. Naturally, Apple jumped in screaming "me too." The company never intended to release a system on its own. They instead chose to partner with Japanese game publisher Bandai. The result was a beautiful mess.

Looks like PowerBook, plays like one too

Like all Apple computers of the era, the Pippin was expensive and under-powered. The console used a PowerPC 603 processor at 66mhz and had a scant 5mb of RAM. Apple intended to make the Pippin into a low cost computer as opposed to just a game system. Perhaps they were channelling the Commodore 64. Unfortunately, the Pippin excelled at neither. All this came at a hefty $599 price tag.

The "Apple Jack" controller proves
why we don't use trackballs anymore

There was nothing particularly wrong with the Pippin. It worked, and it's games actually did look ok, if not somewhat dated. It was also one of the first consoles to feature a built in modem for online gaming. The controller was unique, featuring a trackball instead of an analogue stick. It also featured Marathon 2, which in many ways was Bungie's prequel to the hit Halo series.

Marathon 2 was the Pippin's most notable game.
Bungie would go on to develop Halo for Microsoft.

Despite it's unique features, the Pippin couldn't shake the high price, or lack of games. Only 18 games were released in the United States. Most gamers found that any capable Macintosh running Mac OS 7 could play them.

PC World put it best when they named the Pippin the 22nd worst tech product of all time.
"Underpowered, overpriced, and underutilized--that pretty much describes everything that came out of Apple in the mid-90s."

Image courtesy of TNW

They have the internet on computers now

2011-03-21T19:32:00.004-04:00

The internet is such a big part of our lives today. Most people forget how painful it was when it first came out. Watching the picture scan line by line, waiting for those tantalizing bosoms... Well, I suppose it had other uses too.

Younger readers won't remember the early days. I've had it since 1994. My parents ran a home business at the time and wanted to use it for email. By the time 1998 rolled around, I had AOL and a shiny new 56k modem. It was cutting edge at the time, though painfully slow by today's standards.

One fellow decided to videotape his experiences with the infantile web. He finally uploaded it to YouTube 13 years later. Behold the glory of ICQ chats and slow loading, cluttered personal web pages. The days before blogs and Facebook "liberated" us from such garbage.

Obscure consoles: Sega Nomad

2011-03-20T16:23:00.001-04:00

Portable gaming isn't what it used to be. The DS and the PSP are downright primitive. Who makes a system that's two generations back? At least that's what Sega thought in the 90s. Why use aging technology for a portable when you could make one on par with the home version. That concept gave us two portables. One amazing and memorable, the other being the Sega Nomad.

In 1991, Sega released the Game Gear. It was essentially a portable Master System. It used the same hardware inside and had a full colour display. It was also the first portable to have media functionality, via an optional TV tuner. Compared to the monochrome Game Boy, the Game Gear was a technological juggernaut. However, it sold poorly due to its high cost compared to Nintendo's system. Battery life was also an issue.

A fat, battery devouring beast of a portable. It was as thick as two Genesis cartridges.

In 1995, Sega took another stab at the concept. The Nomad was even more ambitious. It was a portable Genesis. It had identical hardware, had a high resolution screen, and even took standard Genesis cartridges. It had the entire library of its big brother at its disposal. Furthermore, it had a second controller port and TV-out. Sega originally planned a touch screen, but ruled it out due to cost. At the time, it was the most impressive hand held ever seen. Yet, it sold poorly. Only one million units; one tenth that of the Game Gear.

A lot of things killed the Nomad. It was expensive for starters. Nobody wanted to pay $180 for a portable at the time. It's biggest flaw though, yet again, was battery life. Since it used hardware identical to the Genesis, it had the same power requirements. Gamers had to stuff six AA batteries into the thing just to get it running. That only gave you about two hours of gameplay. It couldn't accept rechargeable batteries either, since they have a slightly lower voltage than standard. The Nomad needed 9v of juice or bust.

The Nomad quickly faded into history. It would be ten years before someone else would successfully challenge the Game Boy dynasty.

New York Times pay wall will fail, hopefully

2011-03-17T19:08:00.005-04:00

The New York Times is setting itself up for a battle with readers. The newspaper giant has unveiled a new, and convoluted plan to force people to pay for web content. Newspapers have always provided their articles for free online. With people used to getting that content for nothing, I question whether people will actually fork over the dough.

The pricing plan is as complex as you can get. Readers get a scant 20 articles for free each month. For $15 per month, you get full access to the NYT website, plus a smartphone app. $25 gets you an iPad app, and $35 grants full access.

The pricing is entirely complex and borders on gouging. Most digital copies are available for a scant $15 a month no matter where you view them. I'm a big fan of PressDisplay's app. They give me all-you-can-eat access to thousands digital papers for $30/mo. NYT's $35/mo is entirely unreasonable.

The New York Times wants us to return to this, online, at twice the price.

Now, I am a journalist. At least that's what my fancy diploma says. I know the news media is struggling. Newspapers in particular are facing funding shortfalls and staff downsizing. That's why I write this site instead of getting paid to work on someone else's.

The problem is ad revenue. Online papers never did develop it beyond a few banners. It certainly falls far short of print editions. The sites were originally meant to be supplements to print editions, but that has changed.

I can't see more than a handful of people paying such an outrageous fee for online news. There are no delivery or production costs. You're only paying the journalists and web developers. Logically the papers should be cheaper. People are not going to jump into paying for something that was free for the better part of two decades. If this plan fails, it could spell disaster for the NYT. Hopefully it does. The news media needs to start innovating and this isn't the way to do it.

Obscure consoles: Nintendo Color TV Game

2011-03-16T12:46:00.001-04:00

Some say they single-handedly saved gaming. When Nintendo's NES came out in 1985, it was a smash hit. The lone console brought the market back from the brink. It was the daddy of modern game systems. However, it wasn't the first for Nintendo. The company's history goes back over a century. Prior to the NES, they made arcade cabinets. Before that, they had the Color TV Game.

The original Color TV Game came in glorious orange
Thankfully Nintendo went with grey for the NES.

Let me take you back to a time when gaming was in its infancy. The year was 1977. The only game available was Pong, a simple table tennis simulator. There were countless different companies making their own copies of this game. Then Atari released the 2600. It had high quality colour graphics and a huge bevy of games. People jumped on it and it quickly dominated the home gaming market. Of course Nintendo, an arcade developer, wanted a piece of the action. Their response to the 2600? The Color TV Game; another Pong clone.

Tennis must have been huge in the 1970s.

The original featured six variations of "Light Tennis". Unlike other Pong clones, it had colour graphics. Colour in the sense that it had white paddles on a green background, as opposed to a black background. The games were controlled with two dials, attached to the console itself. A revised version featured wired controllers and 15 variations of Light Tennis. A third Color TV Game, released in 1979. It dropped tennis in favour of "Block Breaker", a Breakout clone. The systems were only released in Japan.

Miyamoto's handywork, Block Breaker. His first project with Nintendo

Like the Halcyon, the Color TV Game did have something notable going for it. It may not have been the most advanced, or even the most innovate system. Block Breaker would have the biggest influence on gaming. The console's external design was one of Shigeru Miyamoto's first projects. The legendary game designer would go on to create Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, and countless other Nintendo classics.

Japan earthquake

2011-03-14T22:51:00.004-04:00

Japan contributes so much of the technology and culture behind what I cover here. The recent earthquake, one of the most powerful in history, moved a lot of people. The level of devastation is almost unthinkable. There's really no way anyone could prepare for something like this. A once in a lifetime event that happens entirely without warning.

I think the spectacular photos and video have really motivated people to help. Kudos to the Japanese people for maintaining their trademark composure and politeness in times of crisis. Things like this can bring out both the best and worst of people.

I may not make a lot of money, but I decided to donate. If it buys someone a meal and a coffee, I've done my part. If you would like to help too, you can donate through the Canadian Red Cross. Donations are tax deductible. A word of caution though. Beware of scammers trying to take advantage of your generosity. Only donate directly to legitimate and well known charities.

Image courtesy of Jlist

Obscure consoles: RDI Halcyon

2011-03-09T12:08:00.002-05:00

Most of us think the Sega CD was the first disc based console. Sure, it was the first moderately successful one, but optical discs were around long before that. One of the earliest formats was LaserDisc. These 12 inch discs were the precursor to DVDs. They stored analogue video like a VHS but also contained digital soundtracks. Blending the two for gaming was a brilliant idea, which eventually gave us the not so brilliant RDI Halcyon.

When Dragon's Lair hit arcades in 1983, gamers were blown away. It was one of the first games to use LaserDisc as a storage medium. The high resolution, hand drawn graphics were years ahead of their time. Understandably, the game quickly became a legend of weekend arcades. I shutter to think of the millions of quarters dumped into this notoriously difficult game.

In the 1980s, the big goal for console manufacturers was to bring the arcade home. Like Dragon's Lair, the RDI Halcyon was ahead of its time. Perhaps too far ahead.

It too tapped into LaserDisc to bring the Dragon's Lair experience home. The Halcyon had numerous firsts for a home console. First to use optical discs, first to support voice recognition, and the first to render full motion video. Like today's systems, it could also playback video LaserDiscs. The system was entirely voice controlled and could even speak to you. RDI claimed it had an AI on par with HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The Halcyon was ambitious, but the computer technology hadn't caught up with it. Tech specs were the same as the Sega Master System. It has a Zilog Z80 processor and 64k of RAM. Despite that, the system worked as advertised. It brought the Dragon's Lair experience home. However, the speech recognition was seriously flawed, as the above video demonstrates. The system would fail to understand commands, especially if you spoke too slow. The games were also simplistic. Most of them were movie driven and limited to quick-time action. The format wasn't well suited to NES style gaming.

Part of a Flyer for the Halcyon tout's its advanced features.
Click for larger image.

As with any first generation technology, price is what ultimately killed it. The Halcyon sold for $2,500 when it first launched. To put that into perspective, that's roughly $4,800 today. For the same price, you could buy the brand new Apple Macintosh 128k. Coming fresh out of the video game crash of 1983, the Halcyon never stood a chance at that price.

Only two games were released for the system: Thayer's Quest, which was similar to Dragon's Lair, and Raiders vs. Chargers, a football game. RDI went bankrupt shortly after its release and the Halcyon was doomed to obscurity.

I have played Desert Bus

2011-03-07T19:36:00.019-05:00

People complain about realism in games. I often find myself screaming at the TV because the game did something I didn't think was realistic. What if there was a game exactly like reality? Such a game does exist. It's called Desert Bus, and it's a piece of sheer mind-numbing brilliance.

The title itself is a legend in the gaming community. Penn & Teller planned to include it with their 1995 Sega CD game Smoke and Mirrors. It was never released to the public and was largely forgotten. A bootleg version ended up on the internet some time later.

Won't you ride my magic bus?

Desert Bus was a brilliant piece of political satire. It was the brain child of Eddie Gorodetsky, later producer of the "winning" sitcom Two and a Half Men. The game was a response to the violent video game controversy of the mid-90s. The attacks on the gaming industry were largely being driven by then US Attorney General Janet Reno. Gorodetsky wanted to make a game so dull and bland that even Reno would be pleased. As the intro video points out, why waste money on fantasy when you can learn skills valuable to your pathetic life.

Penn & Teller explain the game, with "gameplay" footage at the end

You drive a bus non-stop between Tucson, Arizona and Las Vegas. You travel along an empty desert highway with no other traffic on the road. There are bus stops, but nobody gets on or off. The bus is also governed to 45mph. At this speed, the trip takes a mind-numbing 8 hours to complete. To top it off, the bus pulls to the right, making impossible to set and forget. Should you veer off the road, a tow trucks comes and drags you back to Tucson, in real time. You can't pause the game either. Hitting "Start" only honks the horn.

Desert Bus forces you to play it from start to finish. Should you actually get to Vegas, you get a single point and the option of driving back to Tucson.

"Gameplay" shot with a lone bug hitting the windshield. Supposedly only happens once.
This is about as exciting as Desert Bus gets.

Desert Bus would have been a foot note in video game history. Then in 2007, Canadian comedy group LoadingReadingRun decided to play it, non-stop for charity.

The money went to Child's Play, a charity that buys video games and toys for childrens' hospitals around the world. In the first year, they raised $22,805 and played the game for 4 days and 12hr strait. Penn & Teller have been avid supports of the event, now known as Desert Bus for Hope. The event has raised almost $210,000 over the past four years.

Getting HDTV for free, the director's cut

2011-02-12T21:30:00.002-05:00

This year, analogue TV will cease to exist in Canada. The broadcast industry is being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. This means one simple thing for consumers. After August 31st, 2011, those rabbit ears won't work anymore. Two years ago, I told you how you could get HDTV for free. Today we'll be revisiting over-the-air digital TV, so you're not left with static on the first of September.

Digital TV is a way to bring over-the-air television into the high definition age. It works in the same way satellite television does. Instead of hundreds of stations, you'll still only get the local ones. However, you can now watch them with a crisp, flawless picture. Gone are the days of the snow and ghosting.

DTV in North America uses the ATSC standard. In order to receive this signal, your TV either has to have a compatible tuner built in, or a converter box. All high definition TVs sold in the past few years will have this feature built in. If you're using an older TV, like the old cathode-ray-tube models, you'll need to buy the converter.

This Zinwell DTV converter is available at the Source for $90.
Courtesy of The Source.ca

To call Canada ill prepared for the switchover is an understatement. Finding DTV converters is difficult. The Source sells one model, which retails for $90. You may have better luck importing one from the United States. All converters accomplish the same function. They take the DTV signal and change it to something older TVs can understand. Most now offer an electronic programming guide, like satellite and digital cable have. More expensive units allow you to attach a USB hard drive to record your favourite shows.

Once you got the TV itself sorted, it's time to set things up to receive the signal. If you already have a UHF antenna, then you're done. There's nothing special about "HDTV compatible" antennas. It's just a marketing gimmick. Older ones will pick up the signal just fine. If you're looking to cut the cable, and get HDTV for free, there are plenty of options available.

A old rooftop UHF antenna, like this one,
can still pickup HD-DTV signals

The first step is to setting up your antenna is to find where the transmitter is. Most antennas are directional. You'll need to point it towards the tower to pick up the signal. You'll also need to know how far away the tower is. Larger antenna arrays can pick up signals up to 70 miles (112km) away. However, smaller ones are limited to as little as 15 miles.

Next you need to decide where to mount your antenna. If you live in an apartment or condo, make sure to check with your landlord or HOA first. Some places may not allow permanent mounts. You should try to place the antenna as high as possible. Preferable on the roof of your house, or on a tall mast. Antennas can be mounted in an attic, but it negatively affects their range. Indoor antennas also aren't as good as outdoor models. That's because the radio waves have trouble passing through walls.

A basic installation is pretty strait forward. A "J" mount, the same used to mount satellite dishes, is the easiest to use. It can be attached to a roof or chimney. The old style mast, a staple of homes in the 1950s, is still the best. You can get more height that way. If you're using a directional antenna, but want to receive signals from different towers, you'll also need a rotor. It's a small motor that rotates the antenna via a remote control. Roof and mast mounted antennas should also be grounded due to risk of lightning strikes. Mast installations are best left to the pros, but a roof or attic antenna is a good DIY job.

If the transmitter tower is really distant from your antenna, you may need an amplifier as well. These boost weak signals to make them viewable. However, an amp cannot clean up a bad signal caused by distortions through walls or buildings. Most urban and suburban setups won't need one. If you live in a rural area, they're a good idea. Amplifiers should also be used if the cable connecting the TV to the antenna is very long.

On the inside, the whole system is hooked together with standard coaxial cable. You can buy this at most television stores. It usually comes in long bundles. If you have more than one TV, you will need a splitter. Some signal is lost with a splitter so just keep that in mind. Especially on long runs or with more than a couple TVs. It's another good time to use an amp.

So what kind of stations can you get with your DTV antenna. In Toronto, you can expect to pull in all major Canadian networks and most US networks. Canadian stations all broadcast in 1080i HD resolution. American networks are usually 720p, to conserve bandwidth. Don't expect to get any "true HD" 1080p programming. Few networks use it due to the massive amount of bandwidth it requires. Generally speaking, 1080i signals still look very good. Often better than satellite, since the data doesn't need to be compressed as much.

Remote Central offers a complete list of all the over-the-air DTV stations available in the Greater Toronto Area. Some networks even offer sub stations that offer additional content. Most networks have their DTV channels on the same numbers as the analogue ones. Once you're set up, your TV or converter box will automatically scan all channels it can pick up. You can start watching from there.

One final note. You'll notice a lot of Canadian networks, such as Global and CTV, have weak transmission power. That means you may have difficulty receiving them with smaller or indoor antennas. American stations may actually be easier to get. Many Canadian cities still don't have full DTV distribution either. Major media centres like Toronto and Montreal have full DTV. Markets beyond those may not. Check Google or with your local TV stations to see what's available.

How to fix Dirt 2's failure to launch

2011-02-06T18:21:00.004-05:00

Dirt 2 is a fun rally racing game, when it works. It was also the first major DirectX 11 release. Unfortunately, a lot of PC gamers are having problems with it. Namely, the game will fail to launch. You'll get the Windows spinning ring, then nothing. The issue seems to be the most common if you purchased it through Steam, or are running Windows 7.

There's an easy, partial fix you can do to get Dirt 2 running again. First of all, make sure you have the latest video drivers installed, which you can get from AMD and nVidia. Next open up your Steam folder. Open up Steamapps, then open Common, and open Dirt 2. Right click dirt2.exe and select "Run as Administrator".

The game should now load up. Unfortunately, it will be stuck in windowed mode. I can't find a way to correct that. At least it makes the game playable. If you get any weird graphics issues, just restart the game. You'll have to do this process each time. I recommend creating a desktop shortcut so it's easy to find.

I'm not exactly sure what causes the problem. It's unfortunate that Codemasters hasn't found a way to correct the issue. Hopefully they will soon.

NGP's success will hinge on its software

2011-01-30T21:00:00.000-05:00

Sony dropped a bomb on the gaming world yesterday. After months of speculation, we finally have a true successor to the PSP. It's not a phone either. It's an NGP, or "Next Generation Portable." That's what Sony is calling it. The device is a beautiful meld of the PSP and iPod Touch, mixed in with some pretty impressive hardware. OLED screen, dual touch surfaces, and two mighty quad core chips powering it.

Sony has gambled on high tech over the last six years. The original PSP was impressive for its day, and the PS3 was essentially a mini super computer. Sony's hardware is outstanding on all fronts, but that's only half the equation.

The PSP sold poorly in North America, relatively speaking. The Nintendo DS has outsold the PSP two to one since both launched in 2004. Sony has revised the hardware three times since then. Then again, so has Nintendo.

Sony's real problem with the PSP was lack of proper software support. Developers and publishers both bailed on the device. Although piracy was blamed, it's only a small part of the story.

The NGP is a powerhouse but it
will need original, innovative game to keep up

The PSP never really had any standout titles beyond God of War and Monster Hunter. Most of the games were pretty humdrum. Sony wanted to bring the console experience to mobile. That's commendable, but they did a lackluster job. Many of the games were ports of older PS2 titles, featuring watered down graphics. Few original franchises made their way on the system. Games were also consistently low rated. Not bad, but not good either.

So far the NGP seems to be going down the same road. They've already showed off an Uncharted: Drake's Fortune port for it. Rumour has it there might be Metal Gear Solid ports as well.

If Sony wants the NGP to be a hit, they're going to have to take a page from their competitors. The system needs its own Pokemon and its own Angry Birds. Original, innovative titles that allow games to be played in bite sized portions. That's what portable gaming is all about. Nobody wants to sit through a twenty minute cutscene while riding the bus.

Image courtesy of HyperBeast

Metered internet sending us to the online dark ages

2011-01-30T13:06:00.006-05:00

More people than ever are looking to cut the cord. With the rise of services like Skype and Netflix, people are beginning to wonder why they need separate services at all. Just pay a small fee to each company and get everything online at a bargain. That's the beauty of net neutrality, and that's why big telecom companies want to quash it.

The CRTC, Canada's telecom regulation body, ruled this week on internet metering. Companies such has Bell Canada Enterprises have been fighting for this for some time. What metering does is allow these businesses to charge consumers per byte rather than in lumps of data. Every consumer would get up to 25gb of data per month, then pay through the nose after that's gone.

The idea is to put the breaks on heavy downloaders. You know, all those nasty pirates out there stealing software. It's unfair to other people, they say, because it snarls online traffic. That may have been the case five years ago when YouTube, iTunes, Pandora, Netflix and Skype didn't exist or weren't popular. Today, everybody is a heavy downloader. They want their content available exclusively online. Nobody can justify paying $120 a month for TV, and $60 for telephone on top of everything else. That's what has the likes of Bell and Rogers scared.

"Smart" hydro meters were intended to save money.
Like these, metered internet will end costing you more.

What the ruling does is threaten to send us back to the digital dark ages. The CRTC has long ensured that Canada's big telecoms are given monopolies. They do this by giving beneficial rulings to them which restrict consumer choice and keep foreign competition out. Netflix, for example, is already expressing concerns that this ruling could threaten their Canadian operations.

However, if you think this is only limited to Canada, think again. Big telecom companies around the globe have been trying to cut service through stricter caps, metering, and a la cart internet premium packages.

Canada already has the most expensive monthly rates for internet in the developed word. Internet speeds and service quality aren't keeping up with everyone else either. This is yet another big blow to cash strapped consumers. Paying more money to use an aging network is little more than a cash grab.

If you would like to voice your concern on the CRTC's metered internet ruling, send an email or letter to Minister of Industry Tony Clement. His contact information can be found here. For more information on internet metering in Canada, visit OpenMedia.ca and sign their petition.

Nintendo 3DS: Eye-popping 3D gets an eye-popping price tag

2011-01-19T21:02:00.006-05:00

Get ready for yet another three-dimensional revolution. Nintendo is telling everyone to circle March 27th on the calender. That's the date their much anticipated 3DS hand-held will launch in North America. The system is the first of its kind to deliver 3D visuals without needing special glasses. Those eye-popping graphics will command an equally eye-popping price. The device will retail for $249.99 for the system alone. No pack in games have been announced.

Gamers are already complaining about the high price. The 3DS is the most expensive successor yet to the venerable Gameboy. It costs 66% more than the original Nintendo DS, with half the battery life. The 3DS will feature a handful of games at launch. Major Nintendo franchises such as Mario, Zelda, and Metroid are curiously missing from this collection.

Source: Wikipedia

Video games don't kill

2011-01-16T19:19:00.008-05:00

Video games did not cause the Arizona Massacre. Though some politicians are trying to tie them to the alleged shooting of US congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords by Jared Loughner. Republican representative Tim Murphy had this to say on the subject on CNN's State of the Union.

"This is something we have to pay attention to. Look, as we're trying to piece together what happened in Arizona, unfortunately, people are going at the low-hanging fruit and they're blaming political discourse, which may have some role in the underlying aspects here, but we also need to look at there will be other things that come out - the music, the video games, the social ways that people handle anger."

Rep. Tim Murphy (R) thinks gaming kills,
doesn't understand mental illness

I don't usually post political comments on MMNTech, but this issue bothers me. Study after study shows there is no link between video games and violence. Loughner plays violent video games. So do a lot of other people. It's such a common activity, it's hard to find someone in that age group that hasn't.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D) scowls at Chief of Naval Ops Mike Mullen
for admitting he likes to play Call of Duty. Okay, maybe not.

Blaming video games or the media for violent attacks shows ignorance. People on both the left and right display a poor understanding of mental illness. That's what likely caused the shooting. It's shameful and detracts from the real issue. Nobody got this man the help he needed, despite the obvious signs. We desperately need to reassess the way we diagnose and treat mental illness in North America. Stop scapegoating society and culture for the government's failures.

Source: Kotaku

MMNTech's 2010 Holiday Guide

2010-12-18T07:44:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. The snow starts to fall. The days get shorter, the weather gets cooler, and the malls go berserk. Yes, Christmastime is hectic. Don't go blowing your brains out from shopping overload. MMNTech is here to help you find the perfect gift for your techie loved ones, no matter what their geek genre of choice. Well, you've got one week left. What are you waiting for?!

For the Musician:

Whether they like to play or listen, there's tons of gifts out there for music fanboys. The iPod Classic is a good choice for your favourite casual audiophile. Its massive 120gb hard drive can hold a whopping 6,720min worth of raw, CD quality audio. Sells for $249.

For the musician, buying gifts can be difficult. Everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to type and brand of instrument. Gift cards to Long & McQuade, Canada's largest musical instrument retailer, are a great idea. They come in denominations from $10 to $100.

For the Car Guy:

Even if they're just a casual car guy, you can't go wrong with an OBD-II scanner. It plugs into their car's computer to give information and diagnose problems. The Innova OBD-II Code Reader at Canadian Tire retails for $199.99.

For the Gadget Geek:

Gadgets are expensive, but Apple's iPod Touch 4th generation is reasonable at $229. It plays games, shows movies, takes photos, surfs the web, shoots HD video, and has built in webcam chat. It's Swiss Army knife of gadgets that will make any geek drool.

For the Movie Buff:

Does your movie buff love old movies? Why not take them way back to the beginning of the celluloid age. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's fantastic feature, Edison: The Invention of the Movies (1891 to 1918) will surely inspire every filmmaker on your list. The DVD set isn't cheap at $91.99 at Amazon, but it's well worth it.

For the Gamer:

Tons of ideas here. Why not start them off to a one year gold subscription to Xbox Live or Playstation Network Plus. If they're on a PC, Valve's Steam service allows you to gift games, allowing them to download them right to their computer.

If you're looking for something new, check out Microsoft Kinect ($149.99) and the Playstation Move ($99.99) for the Xbox 360 and PS3 respectively.

For the Computer Nerd:

PC builders are a fickle crowed. Like musicians, they have their own preferences. Gift cards to Canada Computers, NCIX, or Newegg are a great start. A Microsoft Technet subscription will please almost any programmer.

For the Videophile:

You obviously don't want to blow a grand on gifts, and the videophile is going to want the best of the best. For something a little more reasonable, consider the Slingbox. For $199.99, they can watch all their video content including live TV anywhere over the internet or local network.

If they're more into making their own videos, why not pick them up a good editing program. If they're on a Mac and still using iMovie, grab them a copy of Final Cut Express to give their videos that true professional edge. It's also $199. For PC filmmakers, Sony Vegas Platinum HD is a good alternative for just $95.

For the Photographer:

Like all picky hobbiests, Photographers are hard to buy for. They have their own preferences and won't want cheap gear. Gift cards to Vistek or Henry's Camera should start you off. More camera memory is also a good choice. Bags, coffee table photo books and photographer vests are more ideas to considered. Prices vary.

For the Book Worm:

Digital eBook readers like The Amazon Kindle, are very popular right now. Access to thousands of books, newspapers, and magazines for purchase. All available digitally and wirelessly without additional costs. The Kindle is also cheaper than ever too, starting at just $139 for the Wifi version.

For the News Junkie:

If they've got one of Apple's iOS devices, a subscription to PressDisplay combined with the PressReader app is a great choice. Unlimited access to thousands of newspapers around the globe for $30/month.

iPad USB neutering story is utterly stupid bull

2010-12-06T22:08:00.008-05:00

Apple loves to mess with their products after launch. Usually for the worse. Hey, it's not a bug, it's a feature! That's what makes the recent story about iPad USB woes so believable. 9 to 5 Mac is reporting that iOS 4.2 blocks certain USB devices from being used with the iPad's camera kit. They claim this includes everything from certain cameras, keyboards, and microphones. The story has started making the rounds, with even Engadget reporting it as true.

Here at MMNTech, we never take tech rumours at face value. I tried two things on the list. Both my wireless RF keyboard and headset worked as before. The beef of the story seems to be a drop in power output from the dock connector. 9 to 5 Mac claims it was reduced from 100mA to just 20mA. The RF receiver for my keyboard is rated at 55mA, so that dispels this myth. The claim seem to stem from people who are trying to use plugging ridiculously power hungry USB devices. I wouldn't expect my Blue Snowball microphone to work with my iPad, though apparently one commenter did.

Well, someone is...

The keyboard hack has always been a little temperamental. Still, the dock connector uses a basic USB standard packaged in a proprietary plug. If they killed third party keyboard support with the camera kit, it's unlikely their own keyboard would work. That along with a whole host of other official devices that use the dock connector. Basically, any device that worked before should work now as long as it's rated below 100mA.

Source: 9 to 5 Mac
Image courtesy of Gotronics

Delightfully impractical tech: Steam powered turntable

2010-12-04T22:37:00.003-05:00

When Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, it ran on clockwork. I guess no Victorians thought to put a steam engine on it. There's probably a good reason for that, as this streampunk turntable demonstrates. Aside from the kettle whistle of its engine, it does play a delightfully out-of-pitch rendition of the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen".

Despite being totally pointless and irreverent, it still looks cool. The turntable does have a battery operated electronic pickup inside. Now all it needs is a governor to get it to a stable and ear friendly 33 1/3.

Source: Asciimation via Gizmodo

Review: Playstation 3 Slim Move Bundle

2010-11-28T19:18:00.001-05:00

It happens to everyone. You go to turn on your aging PS3, and nothing happens. So you can't get your game on. There's no need to be ashamed. Like the Xbox 360 and your neighbour's kids, the original PS3s start to misbehave after two years. Sony introduced the PS3 Slim to solve the problem. The system has certainly lost weight, but does it still have it where it where it counts?

The Slim is about half the size of the "fat" PS3s. Sony overhauled the interior to use smaller and more energy efficient parts. It runs a lot cooler and uses half the electricity of the launch models. It sips just 85W while gaming, which is the same as most high end laptops. This is thanks to Sony's use of smaller transistors for the Cell processor and RSX graphics chip.

The Slim looks more like a pizza box than a George Foreman Grill

It's significantly quieter too. The older consoles ran like a hair dryer. The Slim's new fan can barely be heard. The system runs cool to the touch. The silent operation will make film buffs happy. The rest of us will appreciate a longer lasting console. Heat is the number one enemy of electronics. The less the better. Overheating is what causes most PS3s to die an early death.

Feature wise, the Slim is identical to the old 40GB. Sony has moved away form the holistic media approach of the original PS3. Yes, PS2 support is still gone, along with SACD playback and the card reader. They have thrown us a bone. The Slim can bitstream high definition audio over HDMI. Perfect if you have a good AV receiver. Like all PS3s, the Slim also now supports Netflix streaming and 3DTV.

The Slim's motherboard (right) is significantly less complex than the old Fats
Image courtesy of Thesixthaxis.com

The Slim comes in several bundles. The base model sells for $299.99 and comes with a 160GB hard drive. It comes with just the system and a single controller. For $100 more, you get a 320GB hard drive and the Playstation Move.

The Move bundle comes with the motion controller, the Playstation Eye camera, and Sports Champions game, and a demo disc.

The Move uses both the controller wand and camera to track not only motion but depth. It's more accurate than the Wii and should appeal more t hardcore gamers than the Kinect does.

Right now, not too many games support it. Sports Champions is a Wii Sports knockoff but its a shallow experience. The eight events get boring quickly. Future games such as LittleBigPlanet 2 and Killzone 3 will broaden its appeal. The controller can be a bit too sensitive at times, and it takes some getting used to. Look for a full review on the Move soon.

Overall, the Slim and the Move bundle are a nice addition to the Playstation family. Hopefully gamers can finally say goodbye to the hardware failures that have plagued this generation.

Score: 9 out of 10

What Works:
-Smaller size
-Less energy consumption
-Cooler running = less likely to YLOD
-Bitstreaming for HD audio over HDMI
-Attractive price
-Available Move kit bundle

What doesn't work:
-Still a significant downgrade from the old 60gb

Editorial: App store monopolies could kill open computing

2010-11-10T23:19:00.003-05:00

Installing new software on your PC is about to get a whole lot easier. Apple says they're bringing an "App Store" to desktop Macintoshes. It's a move that will change computing as we know it. But sales monopolies could threaten to turn back software innovation and limit consumer choice.

In the last couple of years, the United States Air Force has been buying up several hundred Playstation 3s. They can run Linux, an open operating system. They are easy to network, allowing its powerful Cell processors to work together to run simulations. Then Sony decided Linux was a security risk. All PS3s were have been of this feature. The military can keep running the cheap super computers they already have, but had no way to replace broken units.

This is the problem with closed systems. You're completely at the whim of the companies that own them. If they decide they don't want you doing something, you have no choice but to comply.

Apple has done this with the App Store. They are the gatekeepers who decide what is and isn't allowed on your iPhone. The rules for the store are arbitrary. If your program does something similar to one Apple themselves is selling, it's not allowed. Same goes for developers they simply don't like, such as Adobe.

Could the Mac App Store lead to closed desktop computing?

On the up side, closing devices does enhance security. It's difficult to infect them with viruses and other malware. They also limit what users can do this makes the devices easier to use for people who aren't tech savvy.

The downsides are the risks of censorship, monopolies, and limited innovation created by putting blocks on developers.

Desktop PCs have remained open for so long because they allowed flexibility and innovation. They can be customized for any task under the sun. There are no gatekeepers to determine what is acceptable. Something like Napster would never be allowed on the iPhone. But it did launch the download revolution. Something that provides Apple its bread and butter.

Beyond that, the customizability of legal software like Linux has changed computing for the better. This is because it is open. Open software allows you to create the user environment you want. Not what Apple, Google, or Microsoft want.

Desktop based app stores, if done wrong, threaten to take that away. They could make your home computer into another iDevice. It may work for some but businesses and power users will not benefit. It will strangle them.

The PC gaming world is doing app stores right. Software like Steam is multi-platform and innovative. It allows convenience with limited restrictions. Plus its not the only game in town. Users choose where to shop, instead of a single store hardwired into the device. Companies like Amazon could do well pushing for a system like this.

When Apple launches the Mac App Store in next couple of months, they promise it will work alongside other sources. You can still use discs or download software elsewhere. This could soon change. Don't let the likes of Apple monopolize your software buying. In end, it stifles all of us.

Apple sued over iOS 4 slowdowns on the iPhone 3G

2010-11-06T17:41:00.005-04:00

Apple is being sued over performance issues iOS 4.0 caused on the iPhone 3G.

The suit alleges Apple intentionally crippled performance of older iPhones to boost sales of newer models.

The complaint states, "the true fact of the matter, as verifiable by information technology experts, is that the iOS 4 is a substantial 'downgrade' for earlier iPhone devices and renders many of them virtually useless 'iBricks'. Nonetheless, in reasonable and detrimental reliance upon Apple's false representations, false statements and false claims of full compatibility, thousands upon thousands of iPhone 3 users were intentionally misled into installing iOS 4 on their devices."

Lawyers for Bianca Wofford filed the suit in San Diego's superior court. She hoped it would obtain class action status. She was seeking the replacement costs for the phone and $5000 in additional damages. In a statement, Ms. Wofford said, "While not completely disabled, the operability of the device was significantly degraded and the device was no longer reliable."

MMNTech warned iPhone 3G users against upgrading to iOS 4.0 back in June.

Apple released iOS 4.1 in September to correct performance issues, though some remained.

Apple has refused to comment on the lawsuit.

Source: DailyTech

MMNTech is now on Twitter

2010-11-04T17:21:00.003-04:00

Want to know what's going on behind the scenes at MMNTech? I've created a brand spanking new Twitter feed for the site. Check to see when new articles are out, what we're working on, and what friends are talking about. Head on over and click Follow.

http://www.twitter.com/mmntech

Review: Fallout: New Vegas

2010-11-04T13:03:00.001-04:00

Life is a craps shoot. Sometimes you hit it big. Other times, you wind up half dead and buried in a shallow grave. Bonus points if you can do it all in the same evening. Fallout: New Vegas certainly isn't a craps shoot for Bethesda. It exploits Fallout 3's reputation for better and for worse. More classic Fallout is never a bad thing. How Obsidian and Bethesda executed it, that's another story.

The gameplay in Fallout: New Vegas is essentially unchanged from Fallout 3. You play as a courier who has been shot and left for dead. Your package, a platinum poker chip, has been stolen. The main quest has you tracking the thief to get the chip back. Maybe you'll extract a little revenge in the process. You wander the Mojave looking for clues to his whereabouts, eventually leading you to fabulous New Vegas. One of the few cities spared by the atomic bombs, Vegas is attempting to regain its former glory. However, rival and militant factions are all vying for a slice of this desert oasis.

Vegas Baby

The game differs from Fallout 3 in five key areas. The karma system has been replaced by a reputation system. Doing good or bad will either enhance or reduce your reputation among the Mojave's different factions.

The companion system is greatly enhanced as well. You can now issue orders to party members using the companion wheel. There, you can tell them to wait, attack, talk to them, give them items, or medicine. It's far more fluid than the clumsy companion system in Fallout 3. Your team mates are far more effective this time around as a result. No having to pickpocket them just to transfer new weapons and armour.

Issue orders to your teammates with the companion wheel

The third edition is a hardcore mode. Obsidian was trying to go with ultra-realism, and recapture some of the unforgiving difficulty of the original two Fallout games. In this mode, you have to eat and sleep. Medicine works slowly over time and stimpacks won't heal crippled limbs. I suspect most players will steer away from this setting. It's an interesting touch but most people game to escape reality.

Your favourite weapons are back, plus a ton of new ones

New Vegas offers a much enhanced workbench system. You can now collect raw materials; plants, bullet casings, etc, to create and modify items. You can also upgrade existing weapons with scopes and suppressors. It's very similar to what they did with KOTOR 2 and works well. A new skill category, survival, determines what you can and can't build.

Lastly, this being a Las Vegas themed game, you can gamble. There aren't too many casino games. Black jack, slots, and roulette are the only ones available. You can also play a card game called Caravan among wastelanders. Its similar to Black Jack but its not played with a full deck. It's a great way to earn, or loose, those hard earned caps. More often the latter, which makes gambling...er... a gamble.

The overall difficulty of the game is less than Fallout 3. Raiding parties, mutated animals, and traps are far less common in the Mojave than they were in the Capital Wasteland. New Vegas lacks that feeling of desperation players felt when first leaving the vault in Fallout 3. It makes gameplay faster, but less of a challenge. On the plus side, it makes exploring, and finding beds, less tedious.

Obsidian's story for the game is fairly solid. It's certainly not any better or worse than the original. Voice acting has been greatly improved though wooden facial animations steal from that a bit. They've done a really good job recreating the Vegas desert and its landmarks. New Vegas is far more colourful than Fallout 3. The grey of the Capital Wasteland is gone, replaced by vibrant earth tones and the bright neon lights of The Strip. Otherwise, graphics are the same as Fallout 3.

Audio wise, a lot of the music and sound effects have been recycled from Fallout 3. On the plus side, New Vegas has a much improved soundtrack of licensed music. These range from Dean Martin classics to Old West folk songs.

This is where the hedonistic bliss of New Vegas ends. What we have here is a solid game brought down by a complete lack of quality control.

Fallout: New Vegas is the buggiest game I've played in some time. You'll see dogs with missing eyeballs, only to see them floating next to their head. You can fall through the ground. Some even report seeing NPC heads rotate a la the Exorcist. Groups of NPCs will occasionally turn hostile and attack you for no apparent reason. Frame rates on the PC version are also spotty at best.

Gamebryo can create some stunning vistas. Frame rates are a different story.

I can live with all this, except for the crashing. Bethesda has been using the Gamebryo engine since Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion came out four years ago. The engine itself has been essentially unchanged since then. It's capable of some stunning graphics, but it's also unstable. Version 2.6 of the engine contains a multi-core bug. This causes the game to crash on any system with more than two physical CPUs. The PC version requires an easy hack to fix it. Console gamers will have to wait for a patch. The same bug is present in Fallout 3 and Oblivion. Bethesda and the Gambryo coders have failed to fix it after all these years. It's unfortunate that such a good game is plagued by so many bugs. Issues that should have been fixed long before now.

While more Fallout is always a good thing, Bethesda needs to get their act together when it comes to bugs. It's unacceptable to release a game so broken to retail. Gamers should not have to wait for patches ad infinitum to fix problems. They should have been caught while the game was still in development. This is the only reason why it's not getting a higher score. But if you can live with the bugs, Fallout: New Vegas will offer hours of fun post-apocalyptic RPG gaming.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

What Works:
-Better party controls
-Gambling
-More colourful landscapes
-Long game, 30hr+, lots of replayability
-Weapons modifications
-Better voice acting
-Reputation system

What Doesn't Work:
-Game too buggy, needs major repairs
-Hardcore mode more tedious than innovative
-Frame rate issues on the PC
-Can feel too easy at times

Review: PressReader for iPad

2010-10-31T18:09:00.003-04:00

The iPad was supposed to revolutionize the way we consume media. It was the death of the newspaper. Of course papers have been dying for decades. Tablets are in fact breathing new life into the ancient medium.

Enter PressReader for iPad. The app provides access to thousands of papers around the globe. Each organized by country and language. It's not just links to online sites either. It gives you full print editions, laid out exactly as they are on paper.

The free app sorts your news in a virtual book shelf. You can download papers directly from the in-app store and read them at any time. If you subscribe to a paper, the app will download news issues automatically, as soon as they hit newsstands.

It's a wall of papers... wallpaper?

Reading a newspaper on the iPad is the same as reading an e-book. Tap the cover to load, then flip through pages to see the articles you want. A quick find bar at the bottom of the screen makes it easy to jump to specific sections.

The papers themselves are high resolution digital scans of the print copies. Same font and all. Want a bigger font? Tap the headline and a text box pops up. From there you can copy and adjust font sizes. That's just for starters. Click the headphone symbol in the text box and PressReader will read the article aloud for you.

The scans are very clean looking, complete with high resolution photos not found on paper. They look exactly as they would on the editor's computer before going to the presses. Reading is easy whether you choose the text box feature or view it directly.

Of course these papers are not free. PressReader offers a free trial that gives you seven free issues. After that, each issue of any paper costs $0.99 US. For a monthly fee of $29.99, you get access to unlimited issues. With this plan, you can read as many different papers as you want. It also allows you to download back issues up to 14 days old.

Tons of international papers available. There's actually more Canadian ones than US ones.

This price is a bit steep. It's definitely a good deal for news junkies. But if you just read one paper, it's expensive. Digital subscriptions for single papers usually run around $15. The service used to offer a plan to subscribe to a single paper for that price. Unfortunately, they seem to have discontinued it.

The app also has some technical flaws. It can experience slowdowns and will crash occasionally. Not enough to ruin the experience but just enough to be annoying.

Despite the minor flaws, news junkies should definitely check out this app. It's available for free on the iTunes App Store.

Score: 8 out of 10

What works:
-Access to over 1000 newspapers
-High resolution scans of full print issues
-Text box for articles allows you to change fonts
-Direct downloads right in the app
-Monthly fee great deal for news junkies
-Audio feature reads articles aloud

What doesn't
-Occasional crashes and slowdowns
-Monthly free may be steep for light readers

Fix a Yellow Lighted PS3 with the Gilksy Method

2010-10-21T10:51:00.001-04:00

I love to rant about the poor quality of modern consumer electronics. They have horrendous failure rates. Especially today's modern game consoles. Up to a third of original Xbox 360s fail in their first year, while 10% of fat PS3s will bite the dust. I just had my second "Yellow Light of Death" on my 60gb PS3 in less than a year. Since it's out of warranty, I decided to repair it myself this time.

Here's an easy way you can correct the Yellow Light of Death, using the Gilksy method.

Skill level: Intermediate to Advanced
Time to Complete: 1hr - 1.5hrs

Tools You'll Need:
-T10 Torx screwdriver
-Phillips #0 and #1 screwdrivers
-Heat gun capable of at least 350 degrees Celsius
-Flat-head screwdriver or plastic spudger
-Several plastic containers for keeping track of screws, large pill boxes work best.
-70% or higher isopropyl "rubbing" alcohol
-Cotton balls and a lint-free cloth
-Sheet of scrap drywall or other heat resistant surface
-Good quality silver-based thermal paste such as Arctic Silver

Before you begin, keep in mind that this repair will void any warranties. Sony will also refuse to repair and out-of-warranty consoles with seals broken. MMNTech is not responsible for any damage. If you have no experience in electronics repair, let Sony fix it for you. Be extra cautious with your heat gun as it can get hot enough to ignite paper.

Step 1: Disassembly

Follow Gilksy's guide to taking your console apart. Take your time, making sure to keep track of all parts and screws so they don't get lost later. This is a complete tear down. Need to get the motherboard out of its metal case for this task. Make sure to also remove the rubber heat pads from all chips as they will melt when heated. Take special care not to loose these.

Once you've got the motherboard exposed, you'll need to clean the old thermal paste off the cooler, Cell, and RSX (graphics) chips. Put a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and gently wipe all the white paste off each component. Let everything dry completely before moving on. If the cotton balls left any lint behind, use your cloth to gently remove it.

Step 2: Heating

Locate the RSX, Cell, and the four memory chips located above them. You'll need to heat each of these components individually.

Place the motherboard upside-down on your sheet of drywall. Make sure it's level. Since drywall is heat resistant, it will prevent damage to your work surface.

Now locate the backs of the Cell, RSX, and RAM. Turn your heat gun on and set it between 350C and 450C. Let it warm up. Now you're ready to start repairing the console. Heat the backs of each component individually for 30 seconds, keeping the gun a few inches away from the board. This is enough to melt the solder without damaging anything else.

Start with the RAM, them move to the chip below it, RAM again, chip below it. If you hear a cracking sound, this is just the silicon expanding due to the heat. It's no cause for alarm.

Once that's done, leave the board alone for at least 15 minutes. This gives the solder time to cool and solidify. Make sure it's not disturbed or else the components will shift and your PS3 will be unrepairable.

Once that's done, flip the board over, once again making sure it's level. Heat the same components from the top side in the same order. Then leave the board again for another 15 minutes.

Step 3: Reassembly

Once everything is cooled, you can start putting your PS3 back together.

Take your silver-based thermal paste. Put a little zig-zag over the Cell and RSX chips. Use an old credit card to spread a thin, even layer across the top of both components. Make sure the entire top is covered. Don't leave any bare spots. Also make sure not to get any on the board itself as silver conducts electricity, and could shot things out.

Reinstall the metal shields over the board first, then take the cooler and fasten it back on.
Reassemble your PS3 by working backwards from what you did before.

Now you can fire it up. If the repair worked, the PS3 should start right back up with the yellow light gone. Let it run idling for a few hours to allow the thermal paste to set. The silver paste will conduct heat better than the cheap ceramic stuff Sony uses. This "burn-in" will fill every nook and cranny, preventing hot spots.

That's it. All components for this repair should set you back less than $100. That's half of what Sony wants to fix them. Plus, if it yellow lights again, you know what to do. Your PS3 should now be back to only doing everything.

An iPad USB hack anybody can do

2010-09-21T19:56:00.003-04:00

Apple charges a lot for official iPad accessories.

If you plan to do any serious typing on the device, you'll probably want to invest in one of Apple's official iPad keyboards. The dock version isn't exactly portable. It's $69 price tag is also steep.

Here's an easy way to save $40. Buy Apple's official camera kit for the iPad. It contains two dongles. One for SD slots and one for connecting USB cameras. The USB dongle has a hidden function. It supports both USB keyboards and USB headsets.

Simply plug a keyboard you already have into your iPad. It will complain about the device not being supported. Ignore the warning, and type away. I've tried it myself and it works very well. It even supports basic "command - " functions like a normal Mac.

Unfortunately, this trick only works with the iPad and not the iPhone and iPod Touch. Also, it only supports more basic bus powered wired and wireless keyboards. Forget using your LED backlit gaming keyboard.

Vintage electronics month: video killed the radio star

2010-09-19T15:29:00.002-04:00

Radio was the first major electronic device to win the hearts of consumers. But like every other gadget, people weren't satisfied. Sure, you could listen to a concert at Carnegie Hall. That was revolutionary. Still, you couldn't watch the performance as if you were actually there. What if you could?

Developing a system that could transmit both sound and pictures was the holy grail for radio engineers, even before radio was invented.

The roots of such a system can be traced back to 1840, to the 1840s when Scottish inventor Alexander Bain proved it was possible to send images electrically. His complex device used a clockwork system to scan a message and transfer it to a series of electrical pins on a drum. The electrical signals sent by the machine could be reproduced on the other end. In 1861, Italian physicist Giovanni Caselli made a practical version of this device. We know it today as the fax machine.

The next evolution came in 1873, from an English inventor named Willoughby Smith. He was trying to develop a system to test underwater cables as they were being laid. Smith tried using selenium electrodes. Quite by accident, he found the electrical conductivity of the selenium rods dropped when exposed to a bright light. This property of selenium could be used to turn light into electrical signals. The discovery would eventually give birth to electrical cameras.

In 1883, German technician Paul Gottlieb Nipkow developed a perforated disk after reportedly being inspired from beams of light coming from a lamp. The holes were positioned in a spiral pattern and could, in theory, reproduce an image via mosaic of points and lines.

The basis for reproducing images had been laid by the early 1900s. Georges Rignoux and A. Fournier had managed to reproduce images using selenium cells in Paris in 1909. In 1911, Russian scientist Boris Rosing and his student Vladimir Zworykin invented a system to display crude images over wires using a cathode ray tube.

It wasn't until 1925 when the first practical device for showing video first appeared. Scottish engineer John Logie Baird took a Nipkow's disk and worked it into a mechanical device for showing moving pictures. A modulated light source was used in conjunction with the perforated aluminum disc, which was spun with a motor. As each hole passed by, it created a single line in the image. It used AM radio waves to receive the image transmitted from a similar device that acted as the camera. He called his invention the Televisor. The first image it received was "Stooky Bill", a ventriloquist dummy. The Televisor could reproduce images in 30 vertical lines, at five frames per second. The picture was extremely small by today's standards. Maybe about an inch across.

Baird's Televisor. Early Television Museum

The Televisor revolutionized radio. However, it came about at the worst possible time. When the Great depression hit In 1929, people weren't concerned about moving pictures in the home. Baird only began regular broadcasts through the BBC in that year. The technology was also rapidly improving. By the time the Televisor was being mass marketed, it was already obsolete.

The Televisor produced crude yet recognizable images

In 1927, American inventor Philo Farnsworth demonstrated the first all-electronic television. The 21-year-old's device used a cathode ray tube instead of a Nipkow disk. It has no moving parts, had a larger screen, and produced better quality pictures.

German electronic television

By the 1930s, the us Federal Communications Commission settled on the Farnsworth design as the future of television. By 1941, the familiar 525 line NTSC format was adopted in the US. The format is still widely used 70 years later. After the end of WWII, televisions became a staple of North American households. It hailed the end of radio's golden era as programming moved to TV.

Images courtesy of Wikipedia & The Early Television Museum

Vintage Electronics Month: Crosley Rogers Batteryless

2010-09-12T22:13:00.005-04:00

When Ted Rogers Sr. invented the batteryless radio, it sparked a revolution in electronics. It was a simple idea. Create an electronic device that could simply plug into any wall socket. Back when it took three different batteries to power a radio, this was a major blessing.

Today, we have an authentic Rogers batteryless radio on the workbench. This particular model was made in 1936 for by Rogers for DeForest-Crosley. Despite being 74 years old, it still works. This model features all original parts, except for the antenna. It stands as a testament to the durability of tubes when they're taken care off.

Image courtesy of the Canadian Vintage Radio Society.

September is vintage electronics month

2010-09-07T22:19:00.006-04:00

Electronics affect so much of our daily lives. Right now, you're reading this on your computer, an advanced electronic device.

We're surrounded by electronics but few stop to think how it all began. This month, we're taking you back to the past, way back. To the roots of everything you see on this site and in your daily life.

This September, we'll look at how electronics have evolved since their invention, to their domination in our daily lives. I've also got a couple of surprises in store. Today, we'll be turning back the clock all the way to the birth of the modern world.

The Invention of Electrical Communications
The invention of electronics can't be traced back to one individual or time. Individual components came about from a slew of inventors over a span of 100 years. The first electrical communication devices were telegraphs, dating as far back as 1806. Samuel Morse perfected the design in 1844. The devices used a battery and key to send varied electrical signals through a cable. While primitive, they were the first electrical communication devices.

In 1876, Elisha Grey and Alexandre Graham Bell simultaneously invented an electrical device for two way voice telegraphy. Bell called his invention the "telephone".

By 1890, Nikola Tesla began working on a concept for wireless transmission of messages. In 1894, Indian physicist Jagadish Chandra Bose began experimenting with UHF signals for communication.

Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi began sending signals a distance of 1.5km in 1895. Other inventors such as Russian Alexander Stepanovich Popov began working on similar devices independent of each other.

Marconi's first radio transmitter used a simple oscillator or spark gap to send signals. The system could send Morse Code using a telegraph key to vary radio pulses. His simple receiver used a coherer, a glass tube with metal filings inside that could detect radio waves. The filings were connected with electrodes.

Early radios couldn't amplify signals to send or receive communication over long distances. This made transatlantic and ship-to-shore communications difficult. In 1906, eccentric inventor Lee De Forest began working on the problem.

The Rise of True Electronics
Diodes had existed for some time prior. The principals of a thermionic diode were discovered in 1876 by British physicist Frederick Guthrie. Thomas Edison expanded on his research. The devices consisted of a cathode and anode inside an airless glass envelope. The device could limit the flow of electricity to one direction. Some of the first applications of diodes were radio detectors, such as the coherer. However, they couldn't amplify the signal and make them usable over long distances. The earliest radio transmitters used powerful generators and very high voltages to send signals across the oceans.

Lee De Forest took the basic diode and added a third electrode between the anode and cathode. He discovered that this amplified the electrical signal. De Forest stumbled upon the principle simply by tinkering, and in fact didn't know why this happened. He called his device the "audion". The rest of the world called it the "triode".

Lee De Forest's audion, the granddaddy of modern electronics

De Forest completed the first successful ship-to-shore radio transmission in 1907. By 1912, radio became a fixture on-board ocean going ships. The Titanic famously used a Marconi system to send distress signals after striking an ice berg in April of that year.

With the audion, radio engineers had a way of controlling and amplifying electrical signals. These early signals still used spark gap transmission, which spammed the entire radio spectrum. In 1906, Canadian inventor Reginald Fessenden began working on a radio system that used amplitude modulation. It worked by sending signal at a specific frequency. Communication was achieved by varying the voltage of the radio wave rather than electrical pulses. American radio pioneer Charles "Doc" Herrold began sending weekly AM broadcasts out of San Jose, California in 1909.

By the 1920s, De Fortest's vacuum tube triode was becoming a household staple. The first commercial radio station launched in Montreal, Quebec on May 20th, 1920. Interest in home electronics exploded.

Work continued on improving the radio. Originally, AM radio receivers required three different batteries to run them. Each of the vacuum tubes required their own specific direct current voltages. Many of them were kit builds, involving a hodgepodge of parts. This made the systems bulky and complicated.

Canadian inventor Edward S. Rogers Sr. began exploring ways to run radios off mains electricity. After examining US designs, Rogers invented a new type of vacuum tube that could run off alternating current. In 1924, he introduced the Rogers Batteryless Radio. The device was the first to use a standard wall socket. Top of the line models began selling in 1925 for $370, worth about $4,800 in today's money. The system was the first to make radio simple and easy to use for the average homeowner.

Rogers went on to found the Standard Radio Company, later named the Rogers Vacuum Tube Company, to make the radios. He founded Toronto radio station CFRB to sell these radios.

How does a Rogers Batteryless radio work? In our next article, we'll be taking a closer look at this revolutionary device.

Smart Car not a smart choice for Americans

2010-09-07T21:30:00.007-04:00

The Smart Fortwo has polarized the auto and tech worlds. It's either loved or hated.
Mercedes' stubby little "microcar" hit Europe back in 1998. The company thought it would create a revolution in North America by marketing it an ultra-fuel efficient city car. At the time, gas prices were hovering well over $1.20 a litre in Canada. As the green trend dropped off, so has Smart. Sales of of the cars have dropped 70 percent since the beginning of 2010. It's not hard to see why people are steering clear of this high mileage revolution.

I had the pleasure of taking a Fortwo out for a test drive last summer. It was the 2009 three door with a 1.0 litre gasoline engine. Similar to a full size sport motorcycle. The Smart comes in four models: coupe, cabriolet, and the same two with the Brabus tuner package. The Brabus adds better wheels, suspension, and a sportier interior. The Smart Fortwo Coupe starts at $14,990 while the Brabus cabriolet goes up to $24,900. By comparison, the Toyota Yaris three door hatchback starts at $13,620.

German tuner company Brabus has tried, and failed to make the Fortwo look sporty.

One of the first things you notice is how cramped it is. There is no storage space in its tiny trunk. While it's not uncomfortable, it's certainly not something you want to go any distance in.

The control layout is also odd for North American car. It has two shifters: paddle on the steering wheel and stick in the centre console. The ignition switch is also in the centre console, rather than the dash or wheel column.

The dash is quite sparse. Not many features here.

Driving the Smart Fortwo is like driving a go-kart. Acceleration is very sluggish. It seems to take forever to get up to 60km/h, typical city driving speed. You can forget about taking it on the highway. It will struggle to do 100km/h and can't overtake. The engine is rated at 70hp but it definitely lacks torque. Steering handles as you would expect for a car its size. It turns quick but you're not going anywhere fast. For such a small, light car, it doesn't handle like you'd expect it to.

My biggest beef with the Fortwo is the transmission. It's automatic, but lacks a torque converter. The part of an automatic transmission that allows it to always stay in gear. Instead, it opts for an automated clutch system. It has the option of a fully or semi-automatic mode. There is no fully manual option, even though that would be ideal.

The Smart's shifts are abrupt, causing it to jerk with each gear change. It's a bit like driving a standard car with someone who can't drive standard. Overall, it's just not a nice car to drive.

You might be wondering about safety. One would logically think the Fortwo would be unsafe due to its weight and compact design. I must tip my hat to Mercedes. It's a safe car for the most part, due to its built in roll cage. The car performed well, receiving a top rating of "good" in everything but offset crashes. In offset crashes, the Fortwo performed poorly due to it's cramped interior. There was too much intrusion into the foot-well and a high risk of impact with the steering wheel. Its light weight caused the car to spin easily.

You said you wanted a safer Fortwo? I'll admit this mod is epic.

On fuel efficiency, the Smart Fortwo Coupe doesn't get high marks. The United States EPA estimated 36 miles per gallon of combined city and highway driving. It's good but it's not a major improvement over other small cars in its class such as the Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris, and Suzuki SX4, which get 30mpg combined and have engines twice the size. The Smart also requires premium gasoline while other sub-compacts use cheaper regular. The diesel option, while ideal, disappeared form North American models.

Obviously the Smart is designed for narrow European city streets, not long, high speed North American roads. Americans love their big cars. The promise of a cheap, 40mpg car isn't going to shake that. Due to it's cramped size and rough handling, the Smart is little more practical than the giant SUVs it seeks to replace. Aside from that, and I have to be frank here, you'd also look like a total wanker driving it.

Images courtesy of Wikipedia, Google Picasa

Revolutionary, retro, relegated: thought's on Apple's iPod event

2010-09-04T20:46:00.002-04:00

It it's usual rock star fashion, Apple lifted the lid on its new iPod lines. Pundits seem to agree that there was a little less excitement at this event than past ones. Apple seems to be loosing its edge when it comes to producing something completely unexpected from behind the curtain. That's partially due to a slew of Internet leaks. But, the declining favour in the company towards the venerable iPod has just as much to do with it.

iPod Touch
The new touch is exactly what we expected it to be. It's basically the iPhone 4 without the cell chip. Interestingly, Apple has chosen not to use the new minimalist chassis. Instead, they opted to use the same rounded case style used in past Touches. There's not much to complain about. It features improved battery life, the new retina display, Apple's A4 processor, three-axis gyroscope, front and back cameras, and 256mb of RAM.

UPDATE: I originally reported the new Touch had 512mb of ram, but teardowns show it only has 256mb.

The new Touch: looks like the old but new guts and new cameras

The fourth gen Touch runs iOS 4.1 and, supports FaceTime, and can record 720p video. Apple fans have been calling for a Touch with a built in camera for a long time. But, this camera is limited to just 0.6 megapixels. About equal to a camera phone six years ago. Very unimpressive given the iPhone's 5 megapixel camera.

Aside from that, Apple has also introduced a slightly cheaper 8gb model along side the 32 and 64gb. They start at $229.

iPod Suffle
The third generation Shuffle was a mistake. Apple knows that. The tiny player had no buttons, just a rocker on the earbud wire which used complicated commands. Plus, you couldn't use third party headphones with it..

The new fourth generation Shuffle is a blast from the past. Apple has gone back and resurrected the design of the of the 2007 model. The click wheel has made a return. It's a little smaller. The wheel now takes up the entire front. Button controls are a welcome return for fans of Apple's smallest and cheapest player. It starts at $49.

iPod Nano
This is the one redesign that has everyone talking, and not for the good. It's the most radical change the mid-sized iPod line has ever seen. The fifth generation gave people what they wanted with their Nano. A bigger screen and a standard definition video camera. All was good. The sixth generation took that away.

The new Nano looks like a Shuffle on steroids. The device is only slightly larger than it's little brother. While it has a small touch screen, it's actually a lower resolution than the older model.

The new Nano: touch screen, not much else

Apple has really taken the knife to the Nano. Gone are video recording, video playback, and even the photo album. The FM radio tuner and Voice Over are still there. Apple hasn't added anything at all to the device. They've only made it smaller. Heath nuts are already complaining about the lack of physical buttons.

The new Nano is a glorified iPod Shuffle. Despite slashing back its features, Apple still wants $149 for it. That price is much too high for what it is. Apple's competitors have it matched or beat, at a lower prices.

iPod Classic
The Classic is a dying breed. The last ancestor of the original iPod didn't even get a mention. It's looking more and more like Apple will eventually phase out this model. It's sad for fans who enjoy it's beefy hard drive space. As it stands right now, it's the only non-touch iPod that can play photos and video. But at $249, it's not exactly the best value anymore. If you want one, get one while you can. Apple will dump it sooner or later to focus on the Touch as its flagship line.

iPad
The iPad can print now. That is all. Well, it will once iOS 4.2 is released in November of this year. Aside from Flash, this was probably the biggest feature Apple omitted from the original OS. Despite having a word processor and photography apps, I guess Steve Jobs figured nobody would ever want to print something from it. Unfortunately, printing is wireless only. So if you don't have a wifi enabled printer, you'll need to set up a print server.

The iPad will also get AirPlay, which allows it to stream photos, videos, and music from iTunes. It will also get all the other features of iOS4.

iOS
Apple unveiled iOS 4.1. It's biggest new feature is the Game Centre. Game Centre will allow players to connect with their friends and others to play multiplayer games online. It's Apple's answer to the Playstation Network and Xbox Live. The iPhone and Touch have needed a unified online gaming system for a long time.

Apple also claimed to have 50% market share in portable gaming. I find that a little hard to believe. Not everyone who owns an iPod Touch uses it to play games. Though, there is a shred of truth if you factor in highly casual titles.

Microsoft launches new 360 controller better D-Pad

2010-08-31T13:01:00.004-04:00

The Xbox 360's controller is very nice. It's D-Pad is not. Microsoft opted for a rocker style pad in the original design. Many gamers didn't like it since the buttons were too low. It wasn't exactly meant for man sized fingers.

The new design is more like the D-Pad on Sony's venerable Dual Shock. Microsoft has raised it, which should improve its feel and ease of use. No more accidentally going to the wrong menu, or having a 2D character go where you don't want them to. Twisting it goes from the original to the new raised plus, depending on which you prefer.
This new controller only comes in a monochrome style. The coloured buttons have been replaced by grey ones. The border along the bottom of the controller is also now piano black rather than a matte grey. Otherwise, the basic design is still the same.

It will launch November 9th exclusively with the Play & Charge kit. The entire package will cost a hefty $64.99.

Major Nelson via Kotaku. Image courtesy of Kotaku.

Pokemon's creepy Lavender Town urban legends

2010-08-23T23:44:00.007-04:00

Pokemon is a game where adorable monsters battle it out. When they loose the fight, they feint. All they need is a little rest at the Pokemon Centre to bring them back to fighting strength. But do Pokemon die? Even though it's just a kids game, the original Pokemon Red & Blue says they do. It's even implied that the games villains kill the lovable creatures. That's heavy stuff Doc.

People seem obsessed with Lavender Town because of that. It's the only location in the series where there's a Pokemon cemetery. Even though it's a fairly minor location, it has spawned plenty of urban legends. Many of these are downright disturbing. Here are some of the more bizarre Pokemon ghost stories.

The Existential Pokemon Silver
This legend appeared on 4Chan, posted by an anonymous user. It reappeared linked to an article on Kotaku, posted by commenter Travakh.

A gamer bought a used copy of Pokemon Silver from a Gamestop. Upon loading the save file, he found the last owner had all 251 Pokemon, had played for 999 hours, and had all gym badges.

The game started up in Bellsprout Tower, inside an inescapable room. The trainer, simply named "..." had five Unown in his party with a sixth Cyndaquil named "HURRY". Unown were a species of Pokemon that looked like letters of the Latin Alphabet. The gamer discovered the Unown spelled out "LEAVE".

After finding a way out, he was confronted with a sign that read "Turn Back Now". HURRY suddenly fainted for no apparent reason. A new team of Unown replaced him, spelling out "HEDIED". The deceased is replaced by a Celebi.

Still trapped in the tower, the gamer engages in a battle with Red, the final boss of the game and protagonist from the first generation. The fight was between his Pikachu and the gamer's Celebi. Pikachu uses curse. Both Pokemon die at the end of the fight instead of feinting. His Celebi is now gone from his party. The gamer then notices his avatar's sprite is missing limbs and has turned transparent.

The game then cuts to the trainer's house at the very beginning. He has no items, his Pokegear doesn't work, and outside the house is nothing but a black abyss. After wondering aimlessly for awhile, the gamer eventually encountered himself, or rather his regular sprite. The sprite says "goodbye forever ..." He checks the Unown in his party, which now spell out "IMDEAD". He then finds himself in a room with blocked walls. A final text reads "R.I.P". The gamer figures out his trainer is dead and this is his grave.

The gamer believes the moral of this hack is about the futility of life. Despite his efforts to become the greatest Pokemon trainer, "...", who he refers to as Gold, was unable to cheat death. His adventures become forgotten in time. We've all had this go through out minds at some point. Usually lying in bed wide awake at 3am.

Since this was originally posted on 4Chan, we can assume it's fake. The site is famous for its viral pranks and hoaxes. However, it is plausible since hacked cartridges do exist. Like all great urban legends, stories like this are impossible either prove or disprove.

Lavender's Missing Frequencies
Lavender Town is known for it's sad, haunting theme music in the original game. This legend is based on reading between the lines, and finding missing sounds. Almost like a Pokemon DaVinci Code.

A young man and his best friend Anthony were obsessed with Pokemon as kids. They go their separate ways in college but Pokemon ties them together. They keep having wifi battles nearly every day. Anthony eventually asks him to replay Pokemon Red & Blue together. Despite not really wanting to, the young man goes through with it. When he asks Anthony why, he says he might find something nobody else has before.

Three weeks later he receives a call from the Anthony's parents. Anthony has died. He suffered what appeared to be an intense seizure, despite having no history of epilepsy.

The man finds his friend had been obsessed with the music in Lavender Town. Anthony bragged about finding a rare rip from the original Japanese release. This rip apparently contained audio frequencies later versions missed. It was supposedly due to sound limitations of the Gameboy. Anthony began experimenting to replace the missing frequencies.

The young man describes finding the audio.

Driven by my desire to know what caused his untimely death, I opened the properties dialog box for the audio file, without opening the file to listen to it. Within the comments section of the metadata, he had written, "binaural tones, i added the necessary frequencies, i know why lavender town sounds so sad, and i know the part that was missing". Even eerier, I looked in his default audio program (still without listening to the file) and found the playcount for this file. One. I chatted with a sound enthusiast online in hope to decipher these cryptic comments. He gave me some special software which would analyze the audio in real time and said that was the most that could be done. This video is a screen recording of me running the aforementioned software with the original audio file. To this day I have not listened to the actual audio, as I am too emotionally disturbed by my best friend, Anthony's, death.

The story implies the missing frequencies caused Anthony's seizure. You can listen to the remix here along with the full story. I seriously doubt it will cause your head to explode as Anthony's did.

This particular story is very implausible. No audio engineer could work on something without listening to it multiple times. It sounds all too similar to the "brown note" legend, where a specific audio frequency was said to cause loss of bowel control. It also has a dash of a real world Pokemon incident. In that case, flashing lights in one particular anime episode triggered seizures in Japan.

A similar legend claims the original Lavender Town music contained frequencies only children could hear. The tones apparently caused Japanese children to go insane and die. While it's true Lavender Town originally did have slightly different music in Japan, no deaths have been linked to it.

Pokemon Black
Pokemon Black, not to be confused with the real Black & White, is supposedly a hack of the original Red. The gamer claims it features a "Ghost" pokemon, with the same sprite as the mystery ghosts found in Lavender Town before obtaining the SilphScope. It acts as your starter and cannot be removed from the party. It also only comes with one move, "Curse". When used, the move apparently kills the target Pokemon, and their trainer. The trainer is replaced by a tombstone with their name on it in the overworld.

The story gets a bit more interesting after you beat the Elite Four.

After viewing the Hall of Fame, which consisted of Ghost and a couple of very under leveled Pokémon, the screen cut to black. A box appeared with the words “Many years later…” It then cut to Lavender Tower. An old man was standing, looking at tombstones. You then realized this man was your character.

The man moved at only half of your normal walking speed. You no longer had any Pokémon with you, not even Ghost, who up to this point had been impossible to remove from your party through depositing in the PC. The overworld was entirely empty — there were no people at all. There were still the tombstones of the trainers that you used Curse on, however.You could go pretty much anywhere in the overworld at this point, though your movement was limited by the fact that you had no Pokémon to use HMs. And regardless of where you went, the music of Lavender Town continued on an infinite loop.

After wandering for a while, I found that if you go through Diglett’s Cave, one of the cuttable bushes that normally blocks the path on the other side is no longer there, allowing you to advance and return to Pallet Town.

Upon entering your house and going to the exact tile where you start the game, the screen would cut to black.

Then a sprite of a Caterpie appeared. It was the replaced by a Weedle, and then a Pidgey. I soon realized, as the Pokémon progressed from Rattata to Blastoise, that these were all of the Pokémon that I had used Curse on.

After the end of my Rival’s team, a Youngster appeared, and then a Bug Catcher. These were the trainers I had Cursed.

Throughout the sequence, the Lavender Town music was playing, but it was slowly decreasing in pitch. By the time your Rival appeared on screen, it was little more than a demonic rumble.

Another cut to black. A few moments later, the battle screen suddenly appeared — your trainer sprite was now that of an old man, the same one as the one who teaches you how to catch Pokémon in Viridian City.

Ghost appeared on the other side, along with the words “GHOST wants to fight!”.

You couldn’t use items, and you had no Pokémon. If you tried to run, you couldn’t escape. The only option was “FIGHT”.

Using fight would immediately cause you to use Struggle, which didn’t affect Ghost but did chip off a bit of your own HP. When it was Ghost’s turn to attack, it would simply say “…” Eventually, when your HP reached a critical point, Ghost would finally use Curse.

The screen cut to black a final time.

Regardless of the buttons you pressed, you were permanently stuck in this black screen. At this point, the only thing you could do was turn the Game Boy off. When you played again, “NEW GAME” was the only option — the game had erased the file.

I played through this hacked game many, many times, and every time the game ended with this sequence. Several times I didn’t use Ghost at all, though he was impossible to remove from the party. In these cases, it did not show any Pokémon or trainers and simply cut to the climactic “battle with Ghost.

I’m not sure what the motives were behind the creator of this hack. It wasn’t widely distributed, so it was presumably not for monetary gain. It was very well done for a bootleg.

It seems he was trying to convey a message; though it seems I am the sole receiver of this message. I’m not entirely sure what it was — the inevitability of death? The pointlessness of it? Perhaps he was simply trying to morbidly inject death and darkness into a children’s game. Regardless, this children’s game has made me think, and it has made me cry.

Pokemon Black was also posted on 4Chan so it's authenticity can't be verified. The unnamed author claims he lost the game cartridge years ago. Some versions claim he sold it out of fear. One variation on the story says a demonic image appeared on the screen after the character's death, with the words "you're next." It's still a great ghost story for any gamer out there.

Image courtesy of Bulbapedia, originally from the Pokemon anime.

A brief timeline of the digital audio revolution

2010-08-17T12:34:00.006-04:00

Twenty-eight years ago today, August 17th, the first compact discs were released to the public. Digital audio enthusiasts consider this the big bang of the digital revolution. It changed the way we listened to music forever. Let's take a trip through history to see how digital music has evolved since the beginning.

1976:
-Sony demonstrates an analogue prototype optical audio disc.

1978:
-Soundstream becomes the first digital tape recording format. The format encoded audio at 50khz and 16-bit. For three years it reigned as the format of choice for producing audiophile grade vinyl records. No home players were released.
-Sony demonstrates a prototype digital optical audio disc offering 150min play time at 44.05khz with 16-bit sampling.

1981:
-The first test CD is printed in Germany. A public demonstration is performed on Britain's BBC.

1982:
-The first CD player is released in Japan as a joint venture between Sony and Phillips. The format was a 12cm disc encoded at 44.1khz / 16-bit sampling, with up to 80min playtime. This was double the playback time of vinyl records. It proved an instant hit with audiophiles.
-The first album released on CD was Billy Joel's 52nd Street.
-The tape format continued to evolve into the early 80s with versions produced by 3M and Sony. The latter introduced DASH in 1983, a digital reel-to-reel recorder. Mitsubishi released ProDigi in that same year, which was also reel-to-reel.

1983:
-The first CDs are released in the United States.

1984:
-Sony releases the DiscMan, the first portable CD player.

1985:
-Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits becomes the first CD album to sell 1 million copies.

1987:
-Sony introduces Digital Audio Tape. It offered the same audio quality as CDs, but in a compact cassette tape form factor. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) tries to lobby against its sale, claiming it enabled piracy by enabling perfect digital copies. Their bid was unsuccessful.

1990:
-CD recorders make their debut, allowing individuals to make their own audio CDs at home.

1991:
-Sony debuts MiniDisc. The first small digital audio player that became the basis for all modern MP3 players. It used Sony's proprietary ATRAC format and could hold 80min of music on a disc half the size of a CD. The format remains popular in the radio industry.

1992:
-Creative launches the Sound Blaster 16, an expansion card that brings true 16-bit audio to home PCs. It allows people to record and play back their own CD quality audio.

1994:
-The Fraunhofer Society, a group of German audio engineers, releases the first MP3 encoder.
-WXYC, a radio station in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, begins streaming their broadcasts online digitally.

1995:
-Fraunhofer releases WinPlay 3, the first MP3 playback software for home computers.

1996:
-DVD is launched in Japan with theatre quality surround sound audio tracks. It popularizes 5.1 home audio systems. Full concerts are released on DVD in surround sound.

1997:
-DTS begins experimenting with a 5.1 music format.
-WinAmp, a popular MP3 software player, is released. CDs could now be ripped to computers in the MP3 format, allowing discless playback.
-Audio Highway releases its Listen Up player, the world's first portable MP3 player.
-The MP4 Advanced Audio Codec (AAC) is introduces as a more efficient successor to MP3. Unlike MP3, it includes optional copy protection.

1999:
-Sony releases the Super-Audio CD, also known as SACD, as a high resolution audio format aimed at audiophiles. Strict copy protection, cost and lack of player support means the format fails to catch on.

2000:
-DVD-Audio is released as a competitor to SACD. It suffers from the same issues that held the former back.
-Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker launch Napster, a peer-to-peer service that allows people to easily share and pirate music over the Internet. It launches the digital download revolution. Legal alternatives wouldn't be available for another three years.

2001:
-Apple debuts the iPod. The device revolutionizes MP3 players due to its large storage capacity, small size, and simple interface. The iPod soon becomes a pop culture icon and catapults Apple from a struggling computer company to a consumer electronics giant.
-XM Satellite Radio becomes the first commercial digital radio provider in the United States. It offers commercial free music for a monthly fee.

2002:
-Napster ceases operations and its assets are liquidated. It is replaced by other illegal services such as Kazaa and LimeWire. CD sales begin to drop with the rising popularity of MP3.

2003:
-Apple opens the iTunes Store, a portal and web store that allows consumers to legally buy and download songs online. Songs are sold for 99 cents.

2005:
-Sony issues copy protection on CDs released through their BMG label to stop the tide of file sharing. The DRM violated Phillips' Red Book audio standard, the base format for audio CDs. The protected discs fail to play in computers and some stand-alone players. Sony is sued and the defective discs are recalled.

2006:
-Microsoft introduces the Zune and Zune Store to compete with iTunes. It rapidly becomes the second most popular portable digital audio player in the United States.

2007:
-Apple intros iTunes Store app on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Users can now purchase and download digital music directly from their player.
-Amazon.com launches Amazon MP3, one of the first major online stores to sell digital music without controversial copy protection.

2008:
-SlotMusic launches music on MicroSD flash cards. The format gains little traction against digital download.

2009:
-Apple strips controversial copy protection from its entire music library on the iTunes Store. Prices of new songs rise to $1.29 as a result.
-Vinyl albums stage a comeback, with sales doubling this year.
-CD sales worldwide, for all variations including data, total 200 billion.

2010:
-Digital Singles have eclipsed album sales by this time. In response, 70s rock band Pink Floyd pulls its catalogue from the iTunes Store in protest of its songs being sold "a la carte". They demand their songs only be sold as part of entire albums.
-Audio CD sales declined over the past 8 years.

Worst of Shovelware: Grizzly Murder Edition

2010-08-12T00:28:00.006-04:00

Naughty Bear (PS3, Xbox 360)
505 games, you've been very naughty. You've released a game that just might be one of the worst major releases of the year. You see, Naughty Bear is a very naughty bear. He's not invited to a birthday party for all the other bears on Perfection Island. So, he takes out his revenge by... uh, scaring them to death.

What the trailers presented was far from what the game actually was.

This is why you should never trust trailers that don't show gameplay.

We expected it to be a stuffed animal orgy of gore. Killing the beloved Care Bear-esque enemies in increasingly creative and gruesome ways. Instead, Naughty Bear proved to be a rush job with clunky controls, ugly graphics, bad animation, technical glitches, poor AI, and limited gameplay.

Gameplay focuses more on chasing and scaring the other bears for points. So much for Manhunt with teddy bears we were promised. IGN called it "an embarrassment and shouldn't be purchased by anyone anywhere." All this and more for just full retail price! This may be a candidate for shovelware of the year.

Video Games | Naughty Bear | Intensive Care Bear Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Worst of Shovelware: Sensual Massage Edition

2010-08-09T20:39:00.006-04:00

After more than a year, we're serving up some fresh shovelware to all you casual gaming fans. So sit back and relax. Enjoy Your Massage, but no happy endings.

Enjoy Your Massage (Wiiware)
Wii want you to relax. Care for a sensual massage? Sorry babe, it usually doesn't go off like that. Enjoy Your Massage has you rubbing some beautiful ladies, professionally of course. This is a family console after all. Enjoy Your Massage is a memory game like Simon. A series of squares on the person's back flashes. Rub the right squares in the right order and you relax your client. Fail and you're relegated to giving happy endings in a Camden, New Jersey back ally.

Video Games | Enjoy Your Massage | Debut Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Dot Man (DSiWare)
Na na na na na na Dot Man, Dot Man, Dot Man. Actually, a game about a crime fighter would be cool. Instead, Dot Man is a poor Pac Man clone out of Japan. Your mission is to drive around in a maze in the Dot Car, collecting Dot Coins, and avoid the Dot Cops. Dot's Graphics look strait out of a bad Dot NES game. The hot anime Dot Girl at the beginning of the video is a nice piece of deceptive Dot Marketing.

Video Games | Dot Man | Japanese Launch Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Stay tuned for next week's Worst of Shovelware, when everyone's favourite incompetent serial killer Naughty Bear takes the stage.

EVGA intros dual CPU gamers' motherboard

2010-08-05T11:59:00.004-04:00

Back in the early 2000s, if you were a gamer and you had a dual socket motherboard, you we're the hardest of hardcore. Not that they did much since nothing was written to take advantage of two processors at the time. That all changed when the Pentium D and Athlon 64 X2 came about. They put dual socket into one small package. These boards virtually disappeared in the enthusiast market.

Entre the EVGA Classified SR-2. A dual socket LGA-1366 motherboard capable or running two i7 bases Xeon processors for up to 12 cores and 24 threads of pure nerdgasm. On top of that, it supports up to 48gb of DDR3-1333. Naturally, it also has 6GB/s SATA3, USB 3.0, and seven PCIe 16x slots.

EVGA's red and black behemoth. No, it doesn't accelerate human evolution.

But how does it handle? Hot Hardware did some benchmarks on it. As expected, it slaughters the competition in raw processing power. But not so much in real world performance. Performance in Crysis was only 10% faster using the 12 core-dual processor setup versus a single quad core running at the same speed. That 10% gain requires 50% more power to run. Most games still cannot take advantage of more than four cores so this is a useless indulgence for gamers.

Where a 12 core system would come in handy is video editing, science, and server applications. Those already use heavily multi-threaded apps. Obviously EVGA isn't targeting those crowds.
This board costs a hefty $599 and it's just not worth it in my opinion.

Brutal Legend Review

2010-08-03T10:14:00.008-04:00

"I kept hearing that metal is dead and Ozzy's dead and people that like Ozzy are dead. I have never had an empty seat. I've always sold out, so who's saying it's all over?" - Ozzy Osbourne

Eddie Rigges is a legendary roadie working for Kabbage Boy, one of the world's worst heavy metal bands. His job is to make the band look good from behind the scenes. Eddie is crushed by the stage scenery saving the life of a band member when a stunt goes wrong. His blood leaks out into his belt buckle, awakening Ormagöden. The best kills the band and transports Eddie into a metal themed underworld. There he gets wrapped up with rocker chick Ophelia and a small group of humans fighting the evil General Lionwhyte and an army of demons.

Gameplay
Brutal Legend is the brainchild of legendary adventure game designer Tim Schafer. Schafer is responsible for classic games such as the Monkey Island series, Day of the Tentacle, and Grim Fandango. So you know this game is going to have a unique twist to it.

Gameplay is a cross between a classic action-adventure title and real-time-strategy. Eddie gets an axe which he can attack or defend against enemies. His other axe, Clementine, can bust out some serious tunes to incinerate and shock enemies, rise relics, or create vehicles out of thin air.

Brutal is an open world game where you can choose to follow side-quests of focus on the main mission. Much of the game revolves around defeating the flamboyant Lionwhyte and his army of glam metal-heads. It eventually leads up to a battle with the demon lord Doviculus.

Much of this involves large scale battles that are a cross between action and RTS. Eddie recruits his army of metal-heads and can direct them to attack enemies or defend positions. It's just like any other RTS in that respect. However, he also joins in on the battle.

Rock on with a battle of the bands

It's an interesting concept that I don't think I've ever seem before. But, it's not exactly smooth. You really have to keep tabs because you can't see where all your troops are at any given time. The game also doesn't allow you to select individual units. Your troops can only be ordered to attack in a specific direction, and will battle any enemy they see.

A weak AI means you`ll also find yourself carrying most of the load single handedly. The one problem with console RTS games is they`re overly simplified and it can be a bit of a learning curve for those seasoned on the PC.

I wasn't able to get far into the game so I didn't see the full range of units available. The three basic types are head-bangers (melee), razor girls (gun unit), and Thunderhogs (medics). You can team up with other units to do combo attacks or get special perks. For example, with head-bangers, they`ll make a human shield to protect you. Titan spirit wells act as spawn points for more units once you build a merchandise stand over them.

There is some vehicle gameplay as well. Eddie gets the Druid Plow, a car which he can use to travel quickly across the overworld. It can be upgraded in the Metal Forge using in-world currency. While there are some vehicle missions, they don`t factor in as much as other types.

The overall difficulty of Brutal is fairly low. You're not going to encounter too much of a challenge. Boss fights are epic but not too hard once you get the pattern down. It's more of a casual open world experience. Brutal feels like a short game compared to other open worlders. You can extend it by doing all the side quests if you like but the main story should only take a few hours to finish.

Presentation
Game design isn't as sharp as some other titled from the past year. Brtual Legend really holds well to the classic metal look though. Dark but flashy with an epic feel to it. Schafer`s team had done a great job at capturing the metal scene.

The game really shines with its licensed sound track and voice acting. Brutal has an A-List cast of metal rockers lending their talents: Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halfard from Judas Priest, and Lita Ford from The Runaways. Jack Black voices Eddie Rigges and also plays himself. Tim Curry plays the demon emperor Doviculus, which is a brilliant choice. Most of their characters are modelled after the people who voiced them, which is a nice touch. Ozzy as the Guardian of Metal was definitely a laugh out loud moment.

Speaking of Ozzy, the game features a great licensed soundtrack including songs from Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Rob Zombie, Judas Priest, and many lesser known metal bands. Brutal wouldn't be the same experience with an in-house soundtrack.

Technical
I didn't encounter any technical issues with Brutal Legend. The game`s graphics do look a little outdated but I can get past that. Schafer was going for a more cartoonish style. The game runs at 720p and features an excellent audio track. I didn't notice any glitches or slowdowns on my PS3.

The AI does leave something to be desired. I often found myself carrying most of the load because my units were off somewhere else. Sometimes they seem to ignore the enemies right in front of them even after telling them to attack. It's definitely something that could be improved.

Conclusions
Brutal is an interesting game that combines action with RTS, just not all that well. AI hiccoughs, short length, and low difficulty leave something to be desired. However, it`s still a fun title and I absolutely love how much they put into the metal aesthetic. Great voice acting and a great licensed soundtrack really carry it. The lower difficulty makes it well suited for casual RTS players. It's definitely worth a rent. Rock on brothers, rock on.

What works
-Great licensed soundtrack
-Superb voice acting
-Variety of mission types keeps it from being stale
-Fantastic game design with a unique metal themed world
-Not too hard, makes it a great game for casual RTS fans

What doesn`t work
-Poor unit AI
-Can feel too easy at times
-Overly simplified RTS controls
-Feels a bit too short

Score: 8 out of 10

Images courtesy of Wikipedia

US Library of Congress legalized jailbreaking

2010-07-26T12:32:00.003-04:00

Got an iPhone, but want to run apps on it that aren't approved by Apple. A Library of Congress ruling in the US will now allow you to do it legally, thanks to a DMCA exception.

According to Engadget, the government body summed up the ruling saying "computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset."

So what does this mean for the average user. Basically, Apple and other phone companies can't sue you for jailbraking your phone. They can't stop you from putting unapproved apps on it either, at least through legal channels. However, they can still use DRM to try and prevent you from doing it. They can also sue if you distribute their code in an unapproved way. Apple et al also aren't required to open their platforms for you.

Regardless, it's a small step in making embedded tablets and smart phones more open.

Image courtesy of Evaystyle.com

Kinect priced & dated, Slim Arcade 360 launches next month

2010-07-20T12:16:00.004-04:00

$149 big ones. That's how much Microsoft's Kinect motion controller will cost. The company is also rolling out the Xbox 360 S Arcade in August. The system will come with 4gb of storage and will retail for $199 as expected. Microsoft says its otherwise identical to the 250gb model except it will have a matte finish. The company confirmed that it does have an expansion bay, though hard drives for the new slim are not yet available.

Microsoft also announced a Kinect bundle. For $299 you'll get the motion controller, 360 S Arcade, and Kinect Adventures game. It will launch on November 4th. The stand-alone Kinect camera will be available on the same day.

Via Joystiq

Netflix coming to Canada

2010-07-19T22:29:00.004-04:00

According to their Twitter account, Netflix will be launching their video streaming service in Canada this fall. So far not much is known so far. However, we can expect that devices that can stream Netflix in the US will do so here. That includes the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, the iPad, Windows and Mac PCs, and some Blu-ray players. The company has created a website where Canadians can sigh up for information as it becomes available. The exact release date has yet to be announced.

Apple puts a band-aid on iPhone 4's antenna issues

2010-07-16T14:00:00.007-04:00

Apple has 'solved' the iPhone 4's signal problems. Announced at this afternoon's press conference, the company will be providing free cases for iPhone 4 customers up until September 30th. You'll be apple to apply on Apple's website starting next week. Jobs said that customers will get their choice of case.

Steve Jobs continued to deny they knew about the issue while the phone was still in development. He also lashed out at the media, saying Apple's own findings "didn't jive" with what was being reported. He said most current smartphones they tested, including the popular Blackberry, have the same issue when held incorrectly. However, reporters in the audience said they couldn't replicate it.

Jobs went on to say only 0.55% of owners, which is still 16,500 by my count, have complained to AppleCare about antenna issues. He did admit call drops were higher than the 3GS but only marginally. Somewhere in the ballpark of 1 in 100.

Apple went on to clarify their return policy, saying any iPhone 4 could be returned within 30 days. No questions asked and no restocking fees.

They also say that the iPhone 4 will launch internationally, including Canada, on July 30th. The elusive white model will be released at the same time.

Cole's Notes version of Jobs speech below.

1:09: Jobs says they've only known about the issue for 22 days

1:10: Claims problem isn't unique to iPhone 4. Claims Blackberries have the same issue.

1:14: Says a whole bunch of other phones have the same issue when gripped in the wrong spot.

1:15: Says the signal problem was made to appear more dramatic by the bar display problem.

1:17: Confirms Apple engineers knew the signal would drop, but didn't think it would be an issue.

1:18: Continues reinforcing that all smartphones have this issue. Funny how previous iPhone models didn't.

1:19: Claims only 0.5% of iPhone 4 customers have called AppleCare to complain about antenna issues.

1:20: Says this "doesn't jive" with media reports.

1:21: Claims iPhone 4 return rates are only 1.7%, less than the 6% for the 3GS.

1:25: Confirms IP4 drops more calls than the 3GS, but it's still only about 1 in 100.

1:28: Says problem only affects a small number of users. Claims he's gotten thousands of emails from happy customers.

1:29: Pokes fun at media

1:29: Recommends everyone update to iOS 4.0.1

1:30: EVERYONE OFFERED A FREE CASE. Refund for those who already bought a bumper.

1:30: Deal good until September 30th

1:31: Users will have a choice of cases.

1:31: Apply on Apple's website for one starting late next week

1:31: Offers 30 day return policy with no restocking fees if you're still unhappy with the phone, case or no.

1:32: They're looking into problems with the proximity sensor. Says it's software related.

1:32: White phone will ship by end of this month.

1:33: iPhone 4 will launch internationally in 17 countries on July 30th

1:37: Claims they're still working on the problem and this isn't a band-aid.

Image courtesy of Aussie Satellite.

Today's music is crap, and here's why

2010-07-13T18:35:00.012-04:00

Vinyl records from the 60s and 70s actually do sound better than today's CDs. Audiophiles aren't imagining it. It's not because of the technical limits of a CD, or tube versus transistor amplifiers. It has more to do with how the music was recorded and edited. It's what many music aficionados call the "Loudness War".

The loudness of music has been increasing over the past few decades. Audio engineers have been steadily bumping up the volumes of tracks. How big of a difference is it? Well, you can test this one out yourself.

I took three different versions of Something by The Beatles from three separate albums and compared the waveform. How high the wave is (it's peaks) show how loud the audio is.

This first version is from the original 1969 Abby Road vinyl album.

This second version from the 1990 re-release of Abby Road on Compact Disc.

The final version is from the 2000 compilation album The Beatles "1".

Over the past 30 years, the volume of the same song has increased by roughly a factor of eight. All using the same master recording. Now here's the problem. When you adjust the gain (volume) digitally, you can't add data, you can only take it away. Audio quality is lost whenever this is done.

Typically, the raw audio would be recorded at the same level as the first track, then they'd boost it to the level of the third. It creates a distortion called clipping. More punchy sounds are lost when this is done, making the entire track sound more muted. Individual instruments become harder to recognize. It ends up destroying the music.

Audio engineer Matt Mayfield explains how this works.

So why has the recording industry done this if it's ruining their product. There's a couple of reasons. People seem to prefer loud music out of the box. It's a marketing gimmick. Secondly, most people listen to their tunes on portable audio players. These have weak amplifiers built in, and they usually come with cheap headphones. Loudness gives it the illusion of sounding better.

It really becomes a problem if you use higher end headphones, or hi-fi home systems. You can pump your tunes out as loudly as you want on these systems because they're boosting an electrical signal, not a sound wave or digital waveform. It doesn't effect the quality. But the loudness is still there, and the distortion becomes vary obvious. It's why so many audio devices now come with dynamic normalizers. These automatically level tracks to the same volume so you don't blow your ears off when switching songs.

It's rare to come across music today that isn't over-processed for loudness. Even LPs have this problem because they're made from same loud audio tracks. Only high end LPs seem to avoid this problem. If you truly appreciate music, that's unfortunately the only way to go.

Caption image courtesy of XO Wave.

Apple to Consumer Reports: Sod off

2010-07-12T23:35:00.005-04:00

Apple was hit with more devastating news today over the iPhone 4's antenna woes. In order to boost reception, Apple integrated the phone's two antenna's into the outside of the case. Many complained about the phone dropping calls when the two are touched together. The problem is particularly bad for lefties.

In a major blow, Consumer Reports removed the iPhone 4 from their recommended products list. Independent testing confirmed users aren't imagining the antenna problem. Every phone they tested suffered major drops in signal strength when the two antennas were held together. The product testing magazine says it will only restore its recommendation if Apple fixes the problem for free. In the mean time, they suggested putting tape over the contact point.

Apple's response has been muted. However, users noted that the company pulled any mentions of Consumer Reports' findings from their support forums.

With iPhone 4's Canadian launch just weeks away, it will be interesting to see how consumers react to the bad press.

Image courtesy of the USGS. Video courtesy of Consumer Reports.

Buying an Xbox vs. PS3 without the BS

2010-07-12T10:53:00.000-04:00

Asking a group of gamers "Xbox or PS3" is like asking a group of car guys "Ford or Chevy." You're going to get a lot of different answers since both camps have their devoted fanboys. It's a complicated decision, especially now since a the Red Ring of Death and programming difficulties for both systems have largely been solved. So let's take a look at this from a practical standpoint to see which console you should be buying.

I don't have a lot to spend
Get an Xbox 360. The system retails for $199 but often goes on sale for less. In fact at the time of writing, old Arcade units are selling for $149 in advance of the Slim Arcade. The 360 also has a good library of discounted games since it's been around longer.

I don't have an HDTV
Get an Xbox 360. The Playstation 3 is really geared towards a high definition experience and it just isn't the same in SD. The 360 on the other hand is a good DVD player and games still look excellent in SD.

I want to use my system as part of a home theatre
Get a Playstation 3. The PS3's Blu-ray player is still one of the best in its price range. It also does an excellent job upscaling DVDs. Furthermore, it features built in photo and video editors similar to Apple's iMovie and iPhoto, making it easy to organize your collections. While media streaming features are a bit lacking, the system makes up for it with it's own video store. The PS3 is also somewhat quieter than the 360.

I play mostly online games
Get an Xbox 360. Xbox Live does cost money but offers a superior online gaming experience. PSN is good but still somewhat rudimentary.

I play mostly single player games
It's a tie. Test out some of the different games on both systems to make this decision. Both have an excellent line up of single player titles ranging from casual to hardcore.

I want casual and family friendly games
Get an Xbox 360. You really should be looking at the Wii in this case but the 360 does have a lot more family friendly games than it's competitor. Xbox Live Arcade has lots of great casual and family friendly titles for download. The PS3 on the other hand is heavily focused on intermediate to hardcore teen and adult gamers.

I already have a capable gaming PC
Get a Playstation 3. Most 360 games eventually get ported to PC, are available for direct download, and are usually much cheaper. The PS3 has an excellent line-up of exclusive titles that tend to be more highly rated than the 360's exclusives. The PC is also arguably better than both for online gaming. If you have a capable, modern gaming PC, there's absolutely no point in getting a 360.

I want to store a lot of stuff on my console
Get a Playstation 3. If you have a lot of videos and music to store, the hard drive can easily be upgraded. In theory, the PS3 can support up to 1tb with an external drive connected to it via eSATA, or up to 500gb for an internal drive. The PS3 doesn't use expensive proprietary drives like the 360 does. Consider it if you want to store a lot of HD videos or downloadable games locally.

I like to download games
Get an Xbox 360. The Playstation store is sorely neglected. There's a lot of DLC on there but not a lot of full games. The Xbox Live Marketplace has a wide variety of titles you can purchase.

I want to play foreign games
Get a Playstation 3. The Xbox is region locked, meaning certain games are tied to certain areas. Japanese games won't work in American consoles. The PS3 on the other hand isn't officially region locked. Sony could do it but so far hasn't. It's unlikely they will. Therefore, those Japanese games will work here. Many Blu-ray movies also aren't region locked, though some are. Therefore the PS3 might be a good choice if you're a foreign film buff.

Latest PS3 update brings Plus, puts me to sleep

2010-06-29T23:40:00.006-04:00

Sony has launched Firmware 3.40 for the Playstation 3, bringing with it a couple of new features. Here's the official list from Sony.

PlayStation Plus: PlayStation Network users will be able to purchase membership to PlayStation Plus; a new subscription service on the PlayStation Network that provides you with new options to expand and enhance your gaming experience and enable you to gain an exclusive set of features and content. Friendly reminder, all of you PlayStation Network users will continue to have free access to PlayStation Network’s unmatched and expanding suite of new and exclusive features while PlayStation Plus subscribers will gain access to an exclusive and expanding set of gaming features, content and functionality.

Photo Gallery: A new network based photo sharing feature is now available on the Photo Gallery. The enhancement allows you to upload, browse and comment on photos on Facebook and Picasa Web Album. You can also opt to share your photos between your PlayStation Network friends as well as print photos from Photo Gallery.

Video Editor & Uploader: Video Editor and Uploader is a new function found on the XrossMediaBar (XMB), which enables you to edit, save and upload video files stored on the PS3 system to sites such as Facebook or YouTube.

Five Star Rating Support: Users can rate the PlayStation Store content they have purchased with one to five star ratings.

Power Save Settings: The default setting for PS3 System Auto-Off will be set at 2 hours, providing you with additional power save options and further improving power save features on the PS3 system.

It's worth noting that the video editor will not work with videos saved onto the system before the update. It doesn't matter if they're copy protected or not.

Playstation Plus is going for $49.99 for a one year subscription, which is what I suspect most people will buy. A three month subscription is $17.99 Would you pay for early access to demos and "exclusive" DLC? You do get free monthly games though. Still, I'm not sure Playstation Plus has won me over yet.

Tech that's overstayed it's welcome

2010-06-29T18:00:00.001-04:00

For better or worse, some things just seem to stick around. A lot like that annoying uncle who overstays their welcome. Here are my top ten tech things that need to die, now.

PS/2 Ports
Find the most expensive motherboard you can. It will probably still have at least one PS/2 port. These things date back to 1987 and are used for keyboards and mice. Problem is USB replaced them long ago. Apple tossed their similar connector 12 years ago for USB and never looked back. Some people still use them but mostly on older systems. Not for new builds. There's nothing wrong with them exactly. It's just that they tend to break easily and can't be hot swapped. They also don't support wireless devices and have limited features. There's no point in keeping these on modern computers.

Fax Machines
We have one of these at work. Heck, I have one sitting on my desk right now. Both get used as either a printer or photocopier. 99% of the stuff that comes through the fax at work is advertising. My favourites are the ones that try to sell you cheap ink and toner. You know, after they've just wasted yours for their ad. Cheeky. There are rare occasions where you might need to fax a document but it doesn't happen often. It's been about a year since I've used one for that. We don't really need dedicated machines for that anymore. Give us a scanner and we'll send it by email.

Wall Wart AC Adaptors
Electronics run off direct current (DC) power. Your household outlet is alternating current (AC). The two aren't compatible, so you need an adaptor. Some devices have them built in, some use power bricks attached to a long cord. Then there's the wall wart. Those ugly black boxes that hang from the wall and hog outlets on power strips. They're not as common as they used to be but they're still around. Even the iPad comes with a wall wart. Honestly, how much more would it cost to throw a standard two prong cord on the end. Save us some space please. With all our DC powered tech, maybe it's time to start looking into whole-home DC outlets instead.

Internet Explorer 6
Walk into any corporation, big or small, and they're probably still running Internet Explorer 6 on their computers. IE6 was infamous for its security and stability problems. It was the browser that introduced us all to spyware, pop-ups, crashes, and hijacking. Despite the flaws, it's estimated 17% of computers still run it. Mostly in the business world, where IT departments are too lazy to upgrade to more secure versions. No wonder big corporations get hacked all the time.

Hybrid Cars
It's Frankenstein's monster of the automotive world. Hybrids combine the range of a gasoline car with the clean energy of an electric car. It produces much higher fuel efficiency... in theory. The system doesn't always work as advertised. The electric motors only run at low speeds and battery range is limited. The car ends up running the gas engine most of the time. When the Prius first came out, it was advertised at 60mpg. In reality, it got closer to 40mpg. That's still good but not much better than most gasoline-only compact cars. The complex system is prone to mechanical problems, as Toyota's brake recall proved. The batteries are also expensive to replace. GM has the right idea with the Volt, using the gas engine as a generator instead of for traction. How well will it work in the real world? Let's say I'm not getting my hopes up.

Expensive Long Distance & Text Charges
Today, I can view a website from halfway around the world at no extra charge. Yet I have to pay a hefty fee to phone my grandma two towns over. What if I want to text my best friend in the US. On AIM it's free, on my cell it's 30 cents a message. With today's advanced IP-based telephony, expensive long distance and text rates amount to little more than gouging. We all know it costs nowhere near that for the phone company to make the call. With North American infrastructure so intertwined, calls made to anywhere in Canada and the US should all be considered local.

Cable Boxes
It dawned on my how much electricity my satellite box consumes. It runs like a space heater. It's also yet another component hogging space on my AV shelf. Then I thought, why can't this technology be downsized. Why does it have to be the size of a DVD player. Heck, the DVR units are almost the size of home theatre receivers. Yet, I can get an HDTV tuner for my laptop that's the size of USB memory stick. Better idea, why can't the tech be standardized like cell phones, be built into TVs, and be used with a SIM card. Don't cut the cables, cut the box.

Proprietary Formats
Sony is one company that has always insisted on developing its own proprietary formats. Sometimes it goes well for them, sometimes not. Memory Stick is a good example of a bad idea. This flash storage card is often double the price of comparable SD cards and only works with Sony devices. Cables are another culprit. Look how many different power adaptors there are for cell phones. We kind of expect that everything should just work with everything. In most cases it does. I can take any SATA or USB hard drive and it will work in my Mac, PC, and PS3. Yet some companies keep insisting in tying us down to their brand.

DRM Locked Videos
Music went the copy-protection-free route a couple of years ago and never looked back. iTunes is still raking in millions of sales. Yet videos are still locked down. Media servers are the iPod for your DVD collection. Yet you technically still have to break the law to get DVDs you've bought on them. It's hardly fair to consumers. Maybe it's time commercial DVDs and downloadable videos be stripped of their copy protection to reflect the new technological reality. It may even boost sales if people know they can watch their collections on demand anywhere in the house on any screen. Imagine that!

Adobe Flash and Adobe Reader
Today's Internet is built on Flash and Acrobat. They're the two Adobe programs that everyone uses. Problem is they're also terrible. Sure, I've complained that the iPad lack of Flash is a big problem. That's because the vast majority of video sites use it. Acrobat and Flash both have the same problems. They're bloated resource hogs that are plagued with security issues, and they don't run very well on non-Windows platforms. Even on Windows, there's nothing spectacular to look at. Acrobat's slow performance can be remedied with Foxit or Apple's Preview. Flash is here to stay because there are no viable alternatives. HTML5 is being pushed by Apple but its still in its infancy. Looks like we'll be dealing with the big, bloated red 'f' for a long time to come.

Some iPhone, iPod Touch users should avoid iOS4

2010-06-27T13:35:00.004-04:00

Apple released its much anticipated iOS4 last week, ahead of the launch of the iPhone 4. The update was made available to all iPod Touches and all iPhones except the original. The update adds some great new features like multitasking. However, those who are still using the iPhone 3G and iPod Touches 2G and 1G should avoid the update.

Like many other iPhone 3G owners, I can vouch for the fact that iOS4 has made my phone run like cold molasses. While web pages seemed to load faster on Safari, Google Maps and even the iPod app, some of the phone's most basic functions, were nearly unusable.

The iPhone 3G and it's iPod derivatives are too slow and don't have enough memory to properly support the new update. Most of the new features that make iOS4 worth it, including multitasking and wallpaper, aren't supported on older models.

If you haven't updated from iOS3 to iOS4, don't bother. If you already have and want to revert back to the older operating system, Lifehacker has this handy guide for restoring iOS3. This is the method I used for fixing my iPhone.
Image courtesy of Newcastlecomputerservicing.com.au

Microsoft Launches Xbox 360 Slim

2010-06-15T12:08:00.005-04:00

Big news on the hardware front at E3. Microsoft has redesigned the Xbox 360. The new model is shorter and thinner than the old ones. It's been done up in piano black instead of the usual white and grey. Engadget described it as looking like an F-117 stealth fighter.

The biggest differences come under the hood. Vents on the side of the console have been enlarged. Early reviews say the system is far quieter than its predecessors. The slim model also upgrades the wifi to built in 802.11n, replacing the expensive USB dongles from the previous models.

The system comes with a beefed up 250gb hard drive which resides inside the system. Two new USB ports have also been added for additional storage and peripherals, bringing the total up to five.

The new system will retail for $299. All current models will be discontinued, and have received a $50 price drop. An arcade version of the 360 slim is rumoured to launch at a later date. According to Amazon.com, the 360 slim will ship on June 19th.

Unfortunately, the slim does not ship with the Kinect motion system, aka Project Natal.

It definitely looks like Microsoft cooked this up to compete with the PS3 Slim. It's at the same price point. Despite a lack of Blu-ray, it adds significantly faster wireless. Like all 360s, it also retains backwards compatibility with the original Xbox. If you want a 360 but don't already have one, this looks like the version to get.

iPad: Initial Impressions

2010-06-12T22:45:00.001-04:00

Everybody has to have one. Apple has already hit the 2 million mark on the iPad. They've been flying off the shelves but it's still possible to find one without giving up your first born on eBay.

I took a trip to Best Buy the other day to check them out on display. Surprisingly they weren't getting much attention so I got to spend a little time with the 64gb wifi model.

One of the first things I noticed about the iPad was just how heavy it is. It was more than I expected. The device is also a bit odd to hold. Apple didn't design it with ergonomics in mind. The device has a glass front with an anodized aluminum back. It looks similar to the screen half of a Macbook Pro, only thicker. The build quality is top notch as expected. It felt substantial in my hands. No flimsy plastic parts here.

The screen on the iPad is gorgeous. Though a wide display would be better, the iPad's 4:3 screen seems to suit it perfectly. It's every bit as good as the ones Apple incorporates on their laptops. Colours are rich and the screen is bright. It could easily be used out in the sun without too much trouble. Videos, web content, and photos look gorgeous on it. Like the iPhone, you can rotate the screen to either a portrait or landscape mode. It has a simple but vary useful feature that allows you to lock the screen so it doesn't rotate by accident.

Under the hood, the iPad sports an Apple A4 processor at 1ghz, with 256mb of RAM. The device is quite speedy. Transitions between pages are quick and smooth, unlike on the iPhone. Apps load fast, web pages load fast. Not much is going to tax it. This processor is perfect for it.

On the App side, I only got to try out a few. I already knew what gaming was like on it, so I skipped that. Those features are identical to the ones on the iPhone and iPod Touch, only super sized. Pages and iBook are what interested me the most.

Apple has provided a full office suite for the iPad. It works vary well though the virtual keyboard still leaves a lot to be desired. You can't type anything out on that. I'd definitely recommend splurging on the iPad keyboard peripheral if you're going to do a lot of writing on it.
iBooks worked vary well. It's probably one of the few LCD based eReaders that's actually usable. Apple is looking to do for books what iTunes did for music. Pages turning with the flick of your finger is a nice touch.

Web browsing hasn't changed much from the iPhone, only faster and on a bigger screen. This time the iPad can display full web pages just fine thanks to its 1024x768 resolution screen. Unfortunately, browsing is still the Achilles Heel in Apple's mobile line up. Most video services still use Adobe Flash, and will continue to use it for the foreseeable future. The iPad doesn't support Flash, which means you can't use it to view video sites other than YouTube. This is a huge problem. You can't use it to watch sites like Vimeo, or streaming TV from CBC or other networks. Despite Steve Jobs hatred for the venerable Flash, Apple desperately needs to add it in order to keep up.

Overall, I'm impressed with the iPad. I like it a lot. That said, I wouldn't buy it. Flash is still the killer app for me. I want to be able to use it to watch online TV. YouTube alone isn't enough and Canadian networks have yet to provide their own streaming apps. The device's CAD$550 price point for the 16gb base model also doesn't feel right. That's not enough storage for something like this. For that price point, I'd expect double that. It's an Apple product though so of course you're going to pay too much. However, they could have at least added expandable storage via an SD card slot.

So who is the iPad for? I think it's ideal for people who don't need a computer. In other words, people who may just want to email, type things up, or shop online. It's also ideal for travellers looking for something light and compact to take with them, but still offers some power.

My final verdict? Personally, I'd wait to see what other manufacturers are cooking up before taking the tablet plunge. I'm seeing promising things from devices running Android and Windows (Phone) 7.

Image courtesy Wikipedia.

Apple to pay Foxconn employees directly?

2010-05-31T12:25:00.006-04:00

After a number of suicides at subcontractor Foxconn, Apple may be looking to deal with employees directly. The deaths are blamed on poor employee morale, bad working conditions, and low wages at Foxconn's plants in China. 12 suicide attempts have been recorded so far this year with 10 deaths

Apple is receiving a lot of heat over the incidents. In response, Chinese website Zol (via Engadget) is reporting that Apple will begin paying Foxconn's employees directly. The company already pays Foxconn 2.3% of the retail price. Rumours say Apple is launching a profit sharing initiative where Foxconn employees will receive 1-2% of the final retail price for each iDevice sold. This would definitely bolster their pitiful wage of $132 per month. Those working on iPad lines will reportedly be the first group to benefit.

Apple has yet to confirm the rumours.

While Apple has received the most attention after the suicides, Foxconn also produces motherboards for Intel, Dell, HP, the Playstation 2 & 3, the Xbox 360 and Wii; cell phones for Motorola, the Amazon Kindle, and Cisco network equipment.