Gooey Technology

If there’s one thing that those familiar with the video game industry know, it’s that things move quickly. Publishers and developers are constantly competing to produce what they hope will be the next big thing. Nintendo know this, and they have managed to maintain a decent level of success thus far. Their DS and Wii consoles ushered in new eras in both handheld and home gaming, and since it was released in 2006 the Wii alone has sold upwards of 89 million units. With sales finally starting to decline, however, along with the relatively poor performance of their latest handheld, the 3DS, Nintendo must now look to the future. The 3DS may not have done as well as was hopped, but it was nevertheless a bold step forward in the future of gaming technology, and the Wii U marks another – although perhaps in a slightly different direction.

The Wii U is still a way off yet, estimated for release sometime in winter 2012, with an earlier Japanese release probably over the summer. Much has yet to be revealed: the key selling point so far has been the Wii U’s unique controller, which completely revolutionises the concept of a gaming remote. More like a tablet than any console controller to date, the U controller is a large and cumbersome piece of equipment. However, within that chunk of plastic players will have use of not one but two touch screens. Like Sony’s upcoming handheld, the PS Vita, the Wii U controller has a visual touch screen on the front and an additional rear touch pad for added control when gaming. On either side of the main screen is a joystick, as well as standard controls such as arrow keys, shoulder buttons etc. Measuring a whopping 6.2 inches, the primary touch screen will combine with the rear screen and additional buttons to create an entirely new input method, shaking up the interactive gaming experience.

So how exactly will this innovative new controller contribute to gameplay? Building on the link between consoles that Nintendo first attempted (rather unsuccessfully) with the Game Cube and Game Boy Advance, the Wii U controller will directly impact the way you play on your main TV screen. You can play on both at the same time, using the controller to display certain aspects of gameplay from different views or perspectives. You can also switch from the main console to play just on the controller – although this does not make the controller an independent handheld, as it must remain tethered to the console in order to function. The best news is that the Wii U will be entirely back compatible, not only with regards to original Wii games but also all earlier Wii accessories and input devices. Up to for Wii Remotes can be combined with the Wii U controller for an exciting multiplayer mode.

The Wii U is quite unlike anything we've seen in the gaming world so far.

Now, all this may be difficult to process at first, but it’s worth bearing in mind that when the Wii was first released in 2006 many people laughed outright at the thought that it could change the world of gaming as we know it, and look where we’ve ended up on that front. The motion sensor of the Wii was so popular that both Sony and Microsoft felt obliged to release their own versions, respectively the PlayStation Move and the Xbox Kinect. Ubisoft in particular, who have supported Nintendo for some time, are wholly backing the Wii U, as are some surprising big name publishers, offering franchises and multi-format releases that the original Wii missed. Third parties have pledged titles such as Assassin’s Creed, Batman, and Ghost Recon, and when added to Nintendo’s own hard-hitters like Smash Bros. and Zelda, the Wii U looks set to not only build on the success of the Wii but also take it into new territory previously occupied by the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Publishers and developers, although reluctant to adapt major multi-format games for the Wii’s motion controls, were content to make exclusive titles for the console because they had a guarantee that 100% of players had access to the remote. Kinect and Move, on the other hand, were optional extras and therefore less successful. This wasn’t an issue when the consoles were directed at different audiences; the Wii catering primarily to families whilst the Xbox and PlayStations went for older, dedicated gamers. However, the Wii U raises that bar with a powerful quad-core processor (similar to that which powers the Xbox 360) and HD graphics that are rumoured to exceed the limits of all predecessors, making it more of an all-round machine. With additional features including a camera on the controller allowing direct video calling, a web browser in which the controller screen can zoom in and focus on specific features, and of course the ability to share media between controller and TV, Nintendo are taking things to the next level with their second generation Wii.

So what do you think of Nintendo’s plans? Check out the video below to see the full Wii U trailer as debuted at E3 earlier this year.

- Kat Humphries

Sources and further information:

Ubisoft CEO: ‘We Think Wii U Will Be Successful’ – gamasutra.com

Wii U: first hands-on with Nintendo’s new console – guardian.co.uk

Introducing Wii U – e3.nintendo.com

Nintendo Wii-U … what you need to know – pluggedin.co.uk

Wii U: all the latest details – techradar.com

Premium Hi-Fi Headphones from LINDY have been awarded a coveted 4 stars from respected industry magazine, What Hi Fi Sound and Vision.

“Open, exciting and dynamic”
“Around a tenth of the price of the most expensive cans in the test”
“They’re well built, use copper-clad aluminium wire voice coils…”
What Hi-Fi October 2011

Providing a fair and complementary review, What Hi Fi commented on the audio quality for such an affordable price, making the headphones a great choice for personal or professional use.

Michael O’Connor from LINDY comments, “Gaining 4 stars for our premium HIFI headphones is a fantastic achievement and one that will let our customers know that they can rely on us for continuing to supply quality electronic products. These headphones are an increasingly popular choice, particularly for music lovers looking for a clear and accurate sound, with no external distractions. Following the success of LINDY’s Noise Cancelling headphones, which last year also gained 4 stars in a similar What Hi Fi review, it is great to see good feedback continue with such a highly regarded source.”

LINDY Premium HiFi Headphones are the ideal solution to enjoy audio either in public or in the comfort of your own home. They equal the performance of competitors, which in most instances cost many times more; they are high quality with accurate responses. Retreat into your own world with the LINDY premium headphones, which are comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time. You can connect them easily to a Hi-Fi system and professional audio equipment, or carry them with you in a specially designed padded carry case.
Technical Spec:

Sensitivity: 100dB
Impedance: 64 Ohm
Frequency response: 10Hz – 26KHz
Power handling capacity: 100mW
Nominal THD: <0.2% at 1KHz

The Motorola Droid 3 is packed full of features, that on paper, should nestle it nicely in amongst the elite of the smart phones. However, things don’t always translate from paper into practice, and that definitely seems to have happened with Motorola’s latest entry. As far as specifications go, the Droid 3 has it all: a fast dual-core processor, a high resolution display, a 5 line slide-out QWERTY keyboard, an 8 mega pixel camera, and 16GB onboard memory with a slot for a micro SD card, which potentially increases the capacity by 32G. It even ships with Androids latest OS for phones; gingerbread. Somewhere along the line though, the potential that the phone was showing, became lost , meaning that you might want to think twice before committing two years of your life to it. Unfortunately the Droid 3 is only currently available in the US, so UK fans must wait a few months.

The unique selling point of the Droid 3 would definitely have to be its QWERTY keyboard. It is elegant and easy to use, and has a designated number line meaning that you no longer have to search for the ALT or FN buttons before typing a number. A keyboard however cannot overcome all the quirks and niggles that come with the Droid 3, and these definitely need to be ironed out before a release in the UK if it is to be successful.

It would seem the biggest drawback of the phone is the time it takes to load apps. For a unit that houses a moderately fast dual-core processor, the loading times should be significantly quicker than what they are, and when it comes preloaded with a significant amount of apps, the hope would be that transitioning to them, would be a smooth and easy experience.
Although the Droid 3 is an attractive unit with the specs to keep you happy for a few months, it comes at a time when the market is flooded with bigger and better things, so by the time it is released in the UK, it might just be obsolete.

The Sony Vaio Z Series Notebook is an ultra slim, ultra light potable laptop. In fact it is just 17mm thick and weighs just 1.15kg so is incredibly light and small, perfect if you have to travel anywhere.

In order to achieve this slenderness Sony has had to make a few alterations so they have had to get rid of two of its most notable features the internal disc drive and dedicated graphics. However, they have come up with a solution – the Power Media Dock. The dock resembles an external optical drive but it crams in an AMD Radeon HD 6650 graphics chipset, and also acts as a docking station. The dock also has a USB2 and USB 3 port on the back of the dock and an Ethernet socket. As well as this there is also D-SUB and HDMI video outputs on the back and if you unhook a flap on the dock’s top edge, and you’ll find another USB 2 port for quick attachment of a USB flash drive or similar. You can charge the dock from the mains or you can use a single connector to charge the notebook and transfer data. It also uses Intel’s Light Peak technology which jets all the graphical, USB and network data via the VAIO Z’s USB 3 port.

What’s more the display is very impressive as the resolution is very sharp and in fact the lowest spec model has a 1,600 x 900 resolution display making the whole display really impressive and sharp.

However, just because it is ultra portable doesn’t mean it skimps on performance. In fact even without the power dock it is still a good notebook. While even the lowest spec Vaio Z series comes with a Core i5-2410M processor. Because they have done away with the graphics and placed them on the media dock it does mean that the battery time is impressive which is perfect for long journeys in fact Sony claim that there seven hours of battery life with the internal 4,000mAh battery.

Looking for a sleek, literally gorgeous, Android phone to purchase? Then the new Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc should be one of the handsets you need to look into. Pair the stunning Sony Ericsson design with the capable Android OS, and you have one near-perfect smartphone in hand.

Arc uses 1 GHz Scorpion processor with Adreno 205 GPU, a common combination normally found in high-end Android devices by HTC and other manufacturers. Sony Ericsson is playing this one safe for sure, since the combination is already famous for offering superb all-round performances even under heavy use. It comes with the latest Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread as well.

HSDPA of up to 7.2 Mbps is the main data connectivity offered by the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc. You can also use the built-in Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n module to connect to hotspots to enjoy broadband internet access. If you want to connect to the internet using your laptop or any other wireless-enabled devices, you can transform Arc into a mobile wireless hotspot through wireless tethering.

A built-in 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash is also included. The camera comes very equipped with tons of features including touch focus, image stabilization, geo-tagging, and smile detection.

All those amazing features are packed together into a very thin and compact device. The exterior design of XPERIA Arc is simply too beautiful to miss, with the 4.2 inches LED-backlit LCD dominating the front part of the phone and the arc-shaped back making this phone very comfortable to hold and use. What a magnificent work of art! You can read more here!

There is no Android device that I look forward to trying more than the Motorola ATRIX 4G. Since it was first announced in January 2011, the new Motorola ATRIX 4G has been the main highlight of the beginning of this year’s smartphone competition. What makes this handset so special?

The Motorola ATRIX 4G was officially released only a month after it was announced. This is rather unusual, since mobile phone manufacturers usually announce their latest smartphones months before the actual release date. However, Motorola’s decision to release the new Motorola ATRIX 4G so quickly may be a wise one nonetheless; the market is looking for better, more capable Android handsets to fulfill their needs and Motorola ATRIX 4G may very well be the answer.

Motorola ATRIX 4G is also special because it is among the first Android phones to use a dual-core processor. ATRIX 4G comes with a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 proccessor and an NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset. You can expect stunning performances on both data processing and 3D graphics, especially since a built-in ULP GeForce GPU is also present.

Motorola’s decision to use Android OS v2.2 Froyo on the ATRIX 4G is indeed a bit shocking, but you don’t have to worry because an update to Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread is already on its way. ATRIX 4G’s capabilities will certainly be maximized further with Gingerbread installed, presenting even more fluid user interface and improving the overall usability.

The good news is, this device is very affordable, plus there are so many stunning add-ons that will turn ATRIX 4G into an even more capable mobile device.

The new Apple iPad 2 just can’t stop to cause amazements. Even though Apple is trying hard to meet the demands of gadget lovers around the world – especially with the shortage of parts after a tsunami hit Japan a few weeks ago – the iPad 2 is still highly sought after. There are some more interesting features you will find once you have your iPad 2 in hand, and we are going to discuss some of them in this article.

As you may have already known, the new iPad 2 comes with built-in cameras. Don’t expect capable cameras that can cater to your photography needs, but the two built-in cameras are not to be taken lightly at all. The main camera at the back is capable of capturing HD video at 720p resolution. The front camera, on the other hand, captures crisp and vivid images to be streamed using FaceTime to another Apple device.

Added apps also make the new iPad 2 much more exciting. Photo Booth can now be used to apply effects and manage pictures you take using iPad 2’s built-in camera. The improved Safari browser is lightning fast and will make cruising through the internet much more enjoyable. Full support for HTML5 means you can still view multimedia files on HTML5 sites without Flash.

Let’s not forget that iPad 2 is 1/3 thinner than the first iPad, meaning it is so much cooler and sleeker in every way. It comes with black or white (yes, white) exterior to choose from.

Even before the device is released, the new Nintendo 3DS has been creating hypes all around the world. With most of its detailed specifications already officially released, what is interesting to see is the kind of specific features the new Nintendo 3DS offers at end-user level. That is exactly what we are going to find in this article.

The first notable feature is of course the 3D screen as well as the offered 3D gaming experiences. You don’t need to wear an additional 3D glass to enjoy games in full 3D. The internal GPU automatically process objects by adding depth and space in order to create a realistic 3D view.

Several interesting games will also be released very soon as the Nintendo 3DS hits the shelf. Nintendogs + Cats will be one of the most anticipated Nintendo 3DS games so far, offering a completely new playing experience that requires more player involvements. Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, even though it is a remake, is another highly anticipated title that will be even better in 3D.

Several other third-party games will also be available in spring 2011. Tom Clancy’s Shadow Wars, for example, will certainly be interesting to play on a Nintendo 3DS, especially with the amazing graphics thanks to the cell-shaded layers and textures. My personal favorite is the upcoming Resident Evil: Mercenaries, maximizing Nintendo 3DS’s multiplayer features and taking advantage of the 3D gaming platform.

The release of Nintendo 3DS certainly brings tons of new excitements to mobile gaming.

Intel has recently introduced the new Oak Trail processor family designed to be very small and energy efficient. After the grand announcement, many top computer manufacturers are introducing miniature PCs – also known as micro PCs – that will literally transform the world of everyday computing. This next micro PC we are about to discuss, the Xiilun Micro PC by Toradex, is currently the smallest PC soon to be released to the market.

When I say that Xiilun Micro PC is the smallest PC, I seriously mean VERY SMALL. The entire PC can be stored in your shirt’s pocket, nothing more than the size of your favorite smartphone. Even with its small form factor, Xiilun Micro PC is very capable and can be used to do any standard office-related tasks such as document editing and web browsing.

The Atom 600 processor used in Xiilun Micro PC has the speed of up to 1.6 GHz. Compared to current Atom processors used in notebooks, however, the Atom 600 is more capable thanks to the newer architecture. 1 or 2 GB of DDR2 RAM is also installed to support the processing capability of Xiilun Micro PC.

An integrated Intel GMA 600 and DirectX 9 support means the Xiilun Micro PC can be used with both Windows XP and the latest Windows 7 without hassle. A microSD slot, an HDMI port, and 4 USB 2.0 ports are also available to make it easier for you to connect this micro PC with other devices including USB flash drives and input devices.

If you are an avid PC gamer, this is certainly the news you will be delighted to hear. NVIDIA has officially launched the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 to the market, taking the world of PC gaming into a completely different level. Will GTX 590 be enough to answer AMD’s taunt with the company’s top of the line Radeon 6990?

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 is a dual-core GPU, which means you can enjoy the performance of two full-featured graphic cards by plugging in only one GeForce GTX 590. Want to take it to the max and enjoy the best PC gaming experiences? All you have to do is add another GeForce GTX 590 and play games in Quad SLi mode.

GeForce GTX 590 is indeed the fastest graphic card available today. It comes with 1,024 CUDA cores and offer 1,215 MHz of processor clock. The graphics clock is set at 607 MHz, more than enough for some intense gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 590 also comes with 3 GB of GDDR5 RAM, 1,5 GB for each GPU. With that amount of frame buffer, coupled with a capable processor such as Intel’s latest i7, processing high quality 3D textured and producing a superb output will be a walk in the part for this GPU. The combination produces a staggering 327.7 Gbps memory bandwidth.

The price for a GeForce GTX 590 might be a little steep at first, but believe me when I say that it is worth every penny. If you are serious about having the best gaming rig, this is the GPU you need to have.