Archive - 2014

War Thunder Ground Forces Expansion Begins Third Beta Phase

2014/02/25
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

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(MOSCOW, RUSSIAN FEDERATION) – February 25, 2014 – Gaijin Entertainment has announced that the third wave for the Ground Forces Expansion closed beta for their blockbuster military World War II MMO game War Thunder has launched. The third wave signals Gaijin Entertainment ongoing commitment to the improvement of Ground Forces Expansion, which will soon launch in Open Beta with a long-term goal of integrating ground forces with the current aerial battles of War Thunder.

The third wave for Ground Forces Expansion will allow all players to test the full line of armored vehicles that will available day one during the Ground Forces Expansion Open Beta, which remains on track for an early 2014 launch.

Third wave is accessible by existing testers and by players who purchased the exclusive Tanks Advanced Packs at http://online.gaijinent.com after January 10, 2104. Those who are willing can still purchase Advanced Packs and get exclusive tanks, decals and titles that will not be available ever again after Open Beta starts.

However, Ground Forces Expansion Open Beta isn’t the only thing that Gaijin Entertainment has planned for nearest future. Recent developer’s diary (http://warthunder.com/en/news/457-Developers-Diaries-139-en) speaks about user content creation tools that will allow players to create their own planes, cockpits, skins, new maps and missions. Not all of these features will be implemented in next major update 1.39, but users can expect almost 20 new aircrafts, updated flight model and a lot of other exciting improvements.

Choose A Character for the Next Skylanders Game

2014/02/25
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

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PLANO, Texas (February 25, 2014) – PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division and Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), today announced a promotion that brings fans the ultimate way to get involved in the award-winning Skylanders® franchise. For the first time ever, Frito-Lay and Activision are providing fans with the unique opportunity to choose and name a new hero that will appear in the next Skylanders game slated for release in 2014. In addition to naming honors, the winner will receive a $100,000 scholarship. For more details and official rules, visit www.fritolay.com/skylanders.

“This is the third consecutive year Frito-Lay has partnered with Activision to bring fans a whole new way to experience Skylanders, while bringing added fun to the snack aisle,” said Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay. “This time around, we’re taking our collaboration to a new level. We can’t wait to see all the creative names families come up with.”

Between now and March 21, 2014, fans 18 years and older can visit www.fritolay.com/skylanders to select one of three potential heroes they want to see come to life in the next Skylanders game. Once their Skylanders selection is made, contestants then submit a suggested name and a 200-character or less inspiration for the name they chose.

In May, one fan-created name for each of the three potential heroes will be selected by a panel of judges from Activision and Frito-Lay, and announced as finalists. Fans 13 years and older will be invited to vote online for the hero they want to see debuted in the next Skylanders game. Later this year, the winning hero will be revealed and the fan behind the creation of the hero’s name will be awarded a $100,000 scholarship. The winning name submission will also become the official name for that Skylanders hero and will appear in a variety of places such as on Skylanders packaging and even in the Skylanders game.

To celebrate the promotion, specially marked Frito-Lay variety packs, available for purchase while supplies last at participating retail stores nationwide, will include coupons for select Skylanders products and details on the entry and voting phases of the promotion. This spring, variety packs will include a $5 off coupon for a Skylanders SWAP Force™ Starter Pack.

Frito-Lay Classic Mix and Flavor Mix 20-count variety packs contain America’s favorite snacks in convenient one-ounce servings: including Lay’s potato chips, SunChips multigrain snacks, Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos cheese flavored snacks and Fritos corn chips. To unleash excitement at snack time, Frito-Lay and Skylanders join forces to help families create fun and special family moments.

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Divinity: Original Sin Delayed, New Trailer

2014/02/24
Jerry Paxton
News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

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Larian Studios has announced that its upcoming RPG, Divinity: Original Sin, has been pushed back to Spring of this year, with the developer using the additional time to implement feedback received from Steam Early Access players and Kickstarter backers. In conjunction with this announcement, Larian Studios has released a new trailer – enjoy!

Trailer

Automatic Driving Assistance System Review

2014/02/23
Jerry Paxton
News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

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Automatic Labs has released their high-tech driving assistance system called, simply, “Automatic”. This system allows drivers to track their fuel economy, driving habits, and even diagnose problems when your check engine light comes on. We got a chance to review the system over the course of several weeks and were very impressed at the results.

Automatic is a two-part system. The first part consists of the Automatic app, available on both iOS and Android, and acts as the interface with which the user controls and receives information. The second part is the “Automatic Link”, a small, white Bluetooth dongle that plugs directly into your car’s OBD-II data port. Most cars made since 1996 have this data port located somewhere under the driver side dashboard. On my Toyota Tacoma, it was very easy to find. Setting up the Automatic system wasn’t the smoothest thing for me, mainly because I didn’t initially follow the instructions. Just be patient and follow the setup instructions exactly. DO NOT plug the Automatic Link into your OBD-II port before fully reading the included instructions. Once activated, the Automatic app begins tracking your driving information. If you don’t follow the instructions, you’re gonna have a bad time….

The Automatic app’s main interface shows a map of where you currently are located and the routes of your past journeys. It also monitors and displays how many times you hit the brakes too hard, went over 70MPH, or accelerated too fast. This all factors into the calculation of your vehicle’s fuel economy, which the Automatic app breaks down on a per trip level. Heading for a job interview or to the grocery store? Now you can find out exactly how much gas you “spent” in each excursion. The system is remarkably accurate, and I am not sure if this information is calculated on your smart phone or in the Automatic Link itself – either way, it is very cool.

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Another important feature of the Automatic system is that, when your check engine light comes on, you will actually be able to see which sensors have tripped. I love this as there are so many unscrupulous mechanic shops out there, knowing what is going on with your vehicle prior to being taken in for service will help you make more informed decisions on what services you want to pay for.

The final, and potentially life saving feature of Automatic is its automatic crash detection. In the event of a crash, the system will play a loud audible tone. You have 30 seconds to hit the disable button on the Automatic app. If you do not (or cannot) do so, the system will contact the Automatic emergency call center. This call center will then call your cellphone number to confirm that you need assistance. If so, they will stay on the line with you as they get emergency services routed to your location. The service can also call your loved ones to let them know what happened.

Overall, the Automatic driving assistance system is a very cool piece of tech that provides a lot of information to the driver. The system retails for $99.95, but is a one-time charge and requires no subscription for continued usage. Also, if you have more than one vehicle, you can use the Automatic system in each, simply by performing the setup on them and taking the Automatic Link with you every time you drive each one.

[easyreview title=”Automatic Driving Assistance System Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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King Arms M79 Airsoft Grenade Launcher Review

2014/02/22
Jerry Paxton
Action Sports, Airsoft News, Airsoft Reviews, Articles, News, Reviews

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King Arms has made a big splash in the airsoft community with their M79 grenade launcher. Modeled after the real steel M79 grenade launcher used to a great extent during the Vietnam War (and to a lesser extent, today), King Arms has done a great job in replicating the actual, real steel, M79.

The design of the King Arms M79 is all based on being realistic as the airsoft grenade launcher is the same size as its real steel counterpart. It measures 28.5″ inches in length and the barrel/firing assembly is made from high grade aluminum, which provides strength and considerably light weight – yet, the King Arms M79 is just about the same weight as the actual launcher. The real steel M79 weighs about 6 lbs when unloaded – the King Arms M79 weighs about 4.5 lbs when unloaded. The stock  and handguard are made from real wood with a very decent finish – unlike many airsoft manufacturers that use faux wood.

Interestingly, in King Arms attempt for realism, they have added an actual ladder-style leaf sight on the front of the M79 – just like the real one. Unfortunately, this sight has no use in airsoft at all as the sight was intended for real steel grenade ballistics. It still looks awesome, however, and is a great touch for the MilSim crowd. I would not suggest using it in your airsoft games, however, as it gets in the way of your sight picture and, again, it really has no function with airsoft BBs.

Video Test/Review

The King Arms M79 is compatible with a variety of 40mm grenade shells. We tested our review unit with two long integration grenade shells from the good people at AirSplat.com and one shower grenade shell from the good people at Evike.com – we would like to thank both AirSplat and Evike for helping us with our review. The grenade launcher features two sling mounts both fore and aft and, even though it only weighs about 4.5 lbs, you will probably want to keep it slung until you have to use it. I highly recommend picking up some 40mm grenade shell MOLLE pouches so you can keep your grenades handy and, please, NEVER keep a loaded grenade shell in your launcher when you are off the field. Also, always wear eye protection!

[ezcol_1half]Pros

  • Real wood
  • Nice weight
  • Sturdy aluminum construction
  • Attention to detail

[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]Cons

  • For its price point, I think they should have included a 40mm shell

[/ezcol_1half_end]

Overall, the King Arms M79 grenade launch is an excellent choice for your airsoft team’s grenadier role or just to take with you to a game for fun. The M79 is sturdy, reliable, and a lot of fun. It is a bit pricey at about $250 dollars but, if you are looking for a solid launcher, you won’t be disappointing.

[easyreview title=”King Arms M79 Airsoft Grenade Launcher Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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Next Car Game: New Update and Screenshots

2014/02/21
Jerry Paxton
News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News

NCG-2014-02-21-3

The in-Early Access demolition derby title, Next Car Game, has released a new update as well as four new screenshots. The update includes a new game mode as well as a new vehicle to smash as well as numerous bug fixes and gameplay enhancements.

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Six Flags Great Adventure Job Fair Tomorrow

2014/02/21
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

Six_Flags_Great_Adventure1

Just an update for those of you looking for work in the Jackson, NJ area – Six Flags Great Adventure is hosting a gigantic job fair tomorrow. The theme park is looking for about 4,000 new hires at a large variety of positions in their park. The details are all below – good luck to those attending!

WHAT:

Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey’s largest seasonal employer and the largest employer in Ocean County, is hiring 4,000 employees including 200 interns for the 2014 season, which will feature the debut of the world’s tallest drop tower, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom. The park will host a job fair tomorrow, Feb. 22, from 10 am to 4 pm. Before attending, new applicants must visit www.sixflagsjobs.com to complete an online application.

Six Flags offers a wide variety of positions and paid internships and provides team members many benefits including flexible hours, advancement opportunities, reward and recognition programs, scholarships, free park admission, incentives from area businesses and much more. According to the popular Warner Bros. game show “Let’s Ask America,” available on Scripps Television Stations, U.S. residents polled chose Six Flags as the most fun place to work.

Six Flags is looking for enthusiastic candidates of all ages and backgrounds, and has positions available in retail, games, park services, ride operations, food service, admissions, guest relations/VIP services, market research, loss prevention, security, landscaping, safari guides, lifeguards, entertainment performers and show technical support, accounting, cash control, human resources, graphic design and public relations.

The Six Flags Employment Center is currently open Mondays to Fridays from 1 to 6 pm, and Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm. Walk-in applicants who have completed their online application and rehires are welcome.

The 2014 season kicks off April 12 and runs on a varied schedule through Nov. 2. More information is available at www.sixflags.com

WHEN/WHERE:

Job Fair: Saturday, February 22 – 10 am to 4 pm
Six Flags Great Adventure’s Employment Center, 1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527
Enter via Employment Entrance approximately one mile west of main park entrance.