Archive - 2014

Those old enough to remember Galaga will know that its gameplay has been copied by an incalculable number of games in the time since its release. You have a ship that moves around the screen and the enemies scroll down toward you. Since the days of that game, most often the background terrain scrolls too and can be shot at but the concept remains the same, a downward scrolling ship shooter. There’s nothing wrong with reusing the formula, quite the opposite it makes for a nice quick jump in and play style and lends itself perfectly to the iOS platform in particular. Now, add LEGO Star Wars as the theme and you have an instant hit, especially for $.99!

Description:
Get ready to step into the LEGO Star Wars: Microfighters’ digital universe for fun, blasting action! Playing with your Microfighters toys just became more fun as you can wield them on the go with your mobile device. Pilot up to six iconic LEGO Star Wars ships like TIE fighters and X-wings as you destroy enemies, collect studs, and control the galaxy!

Features:

Fly for the Rebellion or turn to the dark side and play as the Empire.
18 levels of action spread over four planets – Endor, Yavin, Hoth and Geonosis.
Pilot six iconic Star Wars Microfighters: TIE fighter, X-wing, Star Destroyer, Droid ATT, Millennium Falcon (the fastest ship in the galaxy!) and Clone Tank.
Collect studs to spend on equipment, super weapons, and upgrades for your Microfighter.
Over 35 types of enemies to blast.
Eight level Bosses to defeat.
Destructible terrain.

Hands On:
The designers didn’t try to over-complicate the play process, they actually simplified it from many other games of its kind. You move the ship around the screen with your finger and it automatically shoots. Tap the screen twice to use any purchased power-ups, that’s it. You live or blow up into little Lego pieces based entirely on your eye-hand coordination.

Don’t let that fool you into thinking that the game is then too easy or somehow boring. This is probably my favorite downward scrolling ship arcade game that I have ever played, and I have played a lot – including one called 1942 that was super difficult to get through. What it really comes down to is theming and art design. The gameplay is pick up and play, the style has been around for decades, but hearing the Star Wars music, flying the ships and blowing up enemies which become a cloud of LEGO pieces is just insanely fun. This game should never be played without the sound, it would be like watching a Star Wars movie without hearing the score. You get to play both sides as well so you get to fly iconic ships and you go through iconic worlds blowing up rocks and asteroids as well as enemy ships and barricades. The levels are challenging and there are bonus items to unlock which keep you working at it.

Last Call:
This game is not a new concept but when put in this theming LEGO Star Wars Microfighters is a hard game to put down and a blast to play. It is all about hectic battles with iconic ships to an amazing musical score. The game is a great deal at $.99!

[easyreview title=”LEGO Star Wars Microfighters Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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NuGuard GripStand 3/GripBase Bundle Review (iPad)

2014/02/08

It has taken a number of years to accept the degenerative disk disease that has developed throughout my spine. That, coupled with bone spurs, mean I can just about get a full day out of bed if I push myself – then I can expect at least a couple days in bed to recover. I often have to use a cane to get around and generally require high doses of medications to keep the pain in check. In other words, I am physically challenged now which often has me trying to find ways I can improve the quality of my life without increasing my pain level. One of the most straight forward methods is to use portable devices for gaming, social interaction and writing. For this, I often turn to my iPad. However, the iPad, particularly in the writing department, can be a slow, cumbersome process. When it comes to entertainment, like watching Netflix, I find myself propping it on pillows and adjusting my body around the device which is not an optimal solution. When I told the folks at NewerTech about this, they sent us a NuGuard GripStand 3 and NuGuard GripBase right away. Time to find out if it will help me be more comfortable in using my iPad!

NuGuard GripStand 3 Features:
The NewerTech NuGuard GripStand 3 is a multipurpose tool for your Apple iPad 2nd, 3rd & 4th Gen. The hard plastic protective shell grips your iPad 2nd, 3rd or 4th Gen snugly while enveloping it in a shock-absorbing inner rubber liner. The removable, desktop stand can be swiveled 360° and positioned at virtually any angle for viewing or typing. The desktop stand also doubles as a highly effective one hand grip so you can use your iPad 2nd, 3rd & 4th Gen while standing or walking. Take presentations to the next level, the NuGuard GripStand 3 handle can even be rotated to use as a hook to hang your iPad 2nd, 3rd or 4th Gen on the wall in either landscape or portrait orientation.

– Use the desktop stand as a handle to carry your iPad 2nd, 3rd or 4th Gen like a briefcase. Or, when travel bag space is a consideration, just twist the desktop stand to remove it.
– Also includes a nylon strap to securely mount your iPad 2nd, 3rd & 4th Gen to a headrest for easy viewing.
– GripStand 3 fits seamless with Apple’s SmartCover

NuGuard GripBase Features:
When you want to turn your iPad 2nd, 3rd & 4th Gen into a desktop workstation, the GripStand’s shell locks into the GripBase to provide a fully adjustable viewing angle in landscape or portrait modes along with 360° rotation. The wide, weighted base makes it virtually impossible to knock over and perfect for high traffic areas.

Hands On:
I had been looking for an iPad stand that was on a clamp mounted base with an arm so I could swing it out over in front of me when I was in bed. At first, I wasn’t sure if this particular system would really fit my needs. The GripStand was very easy to put my iPad into and take out of if needed, and the stand converted into a briefcase like handle, which worked great with my needing to use a cane and the handle not requiring a flat surface. The GripStand even comes with a nylon strap so that you can velcro it onto the back of a seat and use it on the move. It converts between a handle and stand so quickly and easily that it almost seemed effortless.

Still, when in bed, it could sometimes be a little harder to get into just the right position for typing on it. That is where the GripBase came into play and really surprised me. It was easy to assemble and attaching the GripStand case to the GripBase attachment head was not only easy but the grip on the case was secure enough that I didn’t have to worry about it coming off. Keeping the iPad slightly elevated the GripBase could be spun 360 degrees, rotated 360 degrees, adjusted to any angle and secure enough once you get it to that angle that it will stay in place during use.

That is where the system really proved itself useful to me. The weighted base made the iPad stay securely in position not just on my nightstand but also if I put it on the bed or a pillow on my lap. If I used my wireless keyboard with it, I could adjust it like a monitor but since my keyboard has been a little unreliable the fact that I could just turn it landscape and type on the keyboard without the whole thing shifting under my hands was the real saving grace. I could even play touchscreen games easily, especially those ones where you wish you had one arm to hold the iPad and two more to play the game.

Last Call:
I’m really grateful to have the NuGuard GripStand/GripBase Bundle to help with my physically-challenging needs. This bundle takes my iPad from being a mostly game and entertainment platform and allows it to become a work system akin to a laptop, maybe better since the screen is far more adjustable. I recommend it for anyone who has an iPad and wants to be able to work in different environments but I seriously recommend it for those who just can’t sit at a desk, it can be a life changer.

[easyreview title=”NuGuard GripStand 3/GripBase Bundle Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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Trident Kraken A.M.S. Case Review (Mobile)

2014/02/08

I have tried many phone cases of the last year and there are a few favorites that I rotate between depending on what my usage plans are. If it is a situation where I will want heavy duty protection I always go to the one which I risked my phone the most to test: The Trident Kraken A.M.S. case.

Hands On:
First thing that needs to be noted is that because I am using the iPhone 4s I am using the older model Trident Kraken which has been greatly updated for 2014 for new model smartphones. Here’s the difference:

New Kraken
The new Kraken A.M.S. is now 20% slimmer, featuring over-molded shock-absorbing TPE and hardened polycarbonate in the interior and exterior of the case. Perseus A.M.S. not required.

Old Kraken
This Kraken A.M.S. is an upgradable case, that transforms the light-duty Perseus A.M.S. case into the heavy-duty Kraken A.M.S. case. Perseus A.M.S. required.

So if you are working with an older phone like mine you may have to go with the Perseus/Kraken combo which I personally like for a couple reasons. When taking a heavy impact I found that the rigid Kraken case would often pop apart as if redirected the impact of the shock protecting the phone. The Perseus case would stay on no matter what keeping the phone nice and clean. The other reason I liked the combo was it gave you three choices on how to use the cases, just the Perseus, the Perseus with the front plate of the Kraken, or all three pieces. Admittedly since this was the case I used when I wanted crazy heavy duty protection I usually used all three which was probably the reason for doing away with the combination as well as enabling them to slim down the case so much which can be considered bulky on older models.

Regardless of which model you get, you can count on profound protection to rival any other high end phone case on the market. I compared it with one of the most popular cases and found that the Kraken with the rubberized interior and corners was easier to remove from your pocket than others that have their rubber portion on the outside. The corners of the rubber still stick out from within to provide corner shock protection but the hard shell is able to pop apart pulling the kinetic energy of impacts away from the phone. The Kraken corrects a basic issue with iPhones which is redirect the speakers at the bottom towards the front. These redirection ports also decrease the size of the ports to better protect the phone from water and dust damage at that location, an area not protected or redirected by most phone covers. Probably my personal favorite feature is it has a built-in front screen protector that has the best touch sensitivity of any I have seen on the market. I suppose that after time and impacts this screen could be damaged enough to lose effectiveness but I haven’t had that problem in the year I have used this model.

I could get into the science of why this case works so well but that would get boring. Instead if you look up “Trident Case test” on YouTube you will find all kinds of crazy tests the cases have been put through. My personal favorite was backing over it with a Mustang while the phone’s camera is on so you see the wheel come crashing down on it. The case took some damage but the phone was in perfect shape. The tests were so convincing that I decided to test the case on my own and purposely dropped my phone and send it skidding across a gravel parking lot. My friends all gasped and went diving for the phone and were stunned that not only was the phone fine but their wasn’t a single scratch on the case.

If all of this wasn’t enough the phone also comes with a hip clip and a metal kickstand. The newer model of Kraken cases improved some major issues in the older clip which I treat with far more care than the phone case but it is still functional as long as you are careful not to hit it on things (I just keep my phone in my pocket, my keys can’t scratch it). The metal kickstand is probably the best kickstand for a phone on the market and you can remove it to use brackets, clips or even a tripod mount in the clip’s place making the phone mountable just about anywhere.

Last Call:
I recently got a new older model of the Trident Kraken A.M.S. case but not because of product issues, it was simply so that I had more color options. My last one was a fairly bright blue which looks nice and like a lot of protective cases on the market but my new one is a nice simple black which if anyone has seen me dress in person knows is the color I tend more towards. When I get a new phone I plan to get the newest Trident Kraken case and review it for you folks and no doubt put it to good use. My old phone will be handed down through the family and you can bet that the Kraken A.M.S. case will be handed down with it which should be testimonial enough.

[easyreview title=”Trident Kraken A.M.S. Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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NuGuard KX Phone Case And Screen Armor Review

2014/02/08

There are three phone cases I rotate through depending on my current needs. If I plan to be in a situation where I am liable to drop my phone, I tend to go with my bulky/rugged case. If I will be running around but less likely to drop my phone, I go with a medium case. If I am planning on business travel, I go with a case that combines simple elegance with a slim design that can still handle unreasonable levels of damage and that case is the NuGuard KX case for the iPhone 4s.

Description:
Offers X-treme protection against accidental drops, impacts and scratches without sacrificing looks or adding bulk! The KX uses state-of-the-art X-Orbing gel technology to absorb and evenly distribute kinetic energy for ultimate protection! This patent pending design allows for protection against accidental drops, impacts and scratches with a lightweight & thin design versus the added bulk found in other more expensive cases that attempt to provide this level of protection! Hyper-advanced X-Orbing gel made in U.S. Additionally goes great with NuGuard KX three-layer screen armor.

Hands On:
The case itself looks non-descript with light swooshes on it and the words “NuGuard KX”. The inside is lined with felt to keep the phone from being scratched during a fall and to make it easier to remove from the rubber lining of the inside case. The one I am using right now is beige on the outside with a brown interior gel. It looks classy and simple, understated is definitely a word that can describe it since they test it well beyond “military” standards. Military drop standards is about four feet and requires an object to not break after 25 quick successive drops from that height. As a result plenty of cases with the “military dropped certified” isn’t even dropping from the average person’s ear level. So the more serious companies do much less conventional and impressive tests.

NuGuard is famous for dropping their KX line from a 200 foot wind turbine to the ground below without damage. The video is below as well as other tests they have done on their cases to show that even though they have taken the bulk out of the case it will still be able to handle more than an average drop. My confidence is so high about it that last night I was laying in bed and threw the phone across the room where it bounced off a hard surface then went cartwheeling into the bathroom without a single problem or damage to the case or phone. In other words if it can handle a klutz like me you should be fine.

The folks at newertechnology were nice enough to even include their NuGuard KXs Impact X-Orbing Screen Armor. This is a triple layer system protects from fingerprints and smudges on the top layer, extreme impact protection in the middle and a self-adhesive layer. There are videos to show just how crazy they are about testing this as well because though I trust it I still can’t bring myself to hit my phone with a hammer.

Last Call:
NuGuard KX Phone Case and KX Screen Armor are an ideal combination for making your phone look nice and business appropriate while being prepared for the harsh environments life can offer. No bulky industrial looking profile but more protection than the average person would ever need.

[easyreview title=”NuGuard KX Phone Case Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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Product Videos

LifeTrak Zone C410 Fitness Watch Review

2014/02/07

Articles, Gamer Fitness, News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

Fitness bands and other types of wearable fitness tech have become all the rage. In fact, while visiting CES in January, I discovered that there was an entire sector of the convention hall floor dedicated to these fitness trackers. The most intriguing device I saw was from a company called LifeTrak. They had a wearable fitness band that aimed to replace something that I use every day: My watch! Their Zone C410 fitness device does everything you could want from a fitness tracker as well as tell you the time and date. Designed to be a watch replacement, the LifeTrak Zone C410 looks like, well, a watch. It features a small LCD display that gives you time and date information and a reversible/removable watch band that can fit just about any wrist. It’s also fairly rugged. I usually wear a G-Shock Pathfinder watch which is ruggedized like a freight train, very capable of taking a real beating. While the LifeTrack Zone C410 is not as impact-proof as the G-Shock Pathfinder, it is definitely well-built and has not shown any scratches – even after a few, unfortunate bumps and scrapes.

Setting up the LifeTrak Zone C410 for use is a straightforward process. Unlike most fitness trackers on the market which use rechargeable (but short-lasting) LiPo batteries, the Zone C410 features a real watch battery that has an estimate life span of about a year. This again lends itself to being a watch replacement, as having to take off and charge your watch every night would lead to a lot of people giving up on it and just wearing their normal timepieces. The setup screen is easy to navigate using the Zone C410’s three buttons and once you enter your height, weight, and age information, you are ready to rock and roll.

The LifeTrak Zone C410 interfaces with your smartphone via Bluetooth synchronization, which uses the Argus health tracking app on the iOS app store (the Android app is coming this Spring according to LifeTrak’s website). The software is easily the toughest selling point of the LifeTrak Zone C410 as the Argus app is not quite as full featured as I would like. Food tracking isn’t well implemented and the app, for some reason, won’t combine or average calorie and step measurements from its internal sensors and the Zone C410. As I understand it, LifeTrak is going to be putting out their own fitness app at some point, so I am excited to see how that turns out. In the meantime, I would love to see some integration with MyFitnessPal, etc, but I digress. The company is also working on an API to create apps which can access the device, so that is another point of hope in terms of getting the Zone C410 more widely integrated into various fitness apps.

Of course, the LifeTrak Zone C410 monitors your heart rate, caloric expenditure throughout the day, steps taken, distance traveled, and even has a workout timer so that you can monitor your pace while running. Something to note is that that LifeTrak Zone C410 uses your heart rate in calculating your calories burned – something that most fitness trackers don’t take into account. On the home screen of the watch, you will find not only the date and time but, also, whatever your currently selected metric is to be displayed (sleep length, steps taken, calories burned, etc). There is a bar on the top part of the display that “fills in” as you get closer to your goals for the day. These goals have default settings but can also be set manually through the setup menu system.

Automatic sleep tracking is one of the new features on this LifeTrak fitness watch, and it accomplishes this light years better than other fitness devices I have seen. The Zone C410 uses the principle of actigraphy (micro-movements) to determine when the user is at rest. In the morning, I am consistently impressed with how long the Zone C410 says I have slept. It is just eerily accurate. By pressing the upper-most button on the Zone C410, you can see your actigraphy graph for for the past 24 hours. Using a simply bar graph, it shows how active you were during sleep (as well as in waking hours). It is cool to see how the graph changes based on how restless you were throughout the night. Oh – I almost forgot to mention that the Zone C410 is waterproof down to a depth of 30 feet!

Retailing at a very reasonable $99 dollars, the LifeTrak Zone C410 is an incredibly-capable fitness watch that rivals – and, in many cases, bests any other fitness tracker on the market today. Its biggest hurdle at the moment is is getting wider acceptance in the app department. Once that occurs, however, the LifeTrak Zone C410 will easily be crowned as the king of the fitness band hill.

Product Link

[easyreview title=”LifeTrak Zone C410 Fitness Watch Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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The RoboCop Remake You Need to Watch

2014/02/07

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

1 Comment

So this fan-made remake of RoboCop (not to be confused with the upcoming, big-Hollywood remake) is simply hilarious and fun. Not really a shot for shot remake as much of a scene by scene retelling, it does an incredible job. The movie was broken down into 60 separate scenes, each put together by a different crew. Please note, that this remake is SUPER, SUPER NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

RoboCop

Wargaming Launches Free Digital Magazine

2014/02/07

Mobile News, News

February 7, 2014 — Wargaming today announced the launch of the company’s digital magazine, Let’s Battle. It covers all Wargaming projects, providing game related news and military history, and is available on all smartphones and tablets free of charge.

“We are always looking for new ways to engage gamers with the content and projects we are creating,” said Alexander Shilyaev, Director of Global Operations for Meta Games and Service Apps at Wargaming. “With the digital magazine, we’ll be able to provide more coverage than ever to our player community, creating and molding our publications to fit the needs of a tech-savvy generation of modern gamers and military enthusiasts worldwide.”

The digital magazine will feature interviews with key developers, producers and other members of the Wargaming team, along with interactive guides to help players master their gaming skills, articles on history of military warfare, and news on Wargaming’s recent online and offline events.

Read in the first issue of Let’s Battle:

Interactive guide on medium tanks with useful tactics for urban maps.
Detailed overview of new tank functionalities, including information on Japanese vehicles and World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition.
Interview with Petr Bityukov, one of the original founders of World of Tanks.
Flight combat tips for aerial victory in World of Warplanes.
Exclusive details on the upcoming naval action MMO World of Warships.
Illustrated account of two historic WWII battles—the Battle of Kursk and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and more on military history, warfare, and games.

Download Let’s Battle for free on the Apple and Google Play Newsstands.

For more on Let’s Battle Magazine, check out a post on our blog.

Dynasty Warriors : Xtreme Legends Complete Edition Release Date

2014/02/07

News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, PS Vita News

BURLINGAME, Calif. (February 7, 2014) – TECMO KOEI America today announced the release date for DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS COMPLETE EDITION for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld system, in addition to the fan-anticipated release of DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Both titles will be released simultaneously across North America on March 25, 2014, bringing the Dynasty Warriors franchise dynamically to the new generation of consoles.

DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS (DW8XL) for PlayStation®3, is a stand-alone expansion of the highly successful Dynasty Warriors 8, which was released in July 2013 to critical acclaim. It will include new episodes that add to the story of the three kingdoms the game revolves around, focusing on the exploits of the mightiest of warriors, Lu Bu. Additionally, DW8XL will see the introduction of five new characters, giving players the option to choose between 82 warriors in total. DW8XL will also feature multiple hypothetical scenarios that alter the plotlines of various episodes throughout the ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ story, an expanded Ambition Mode and the popular Challenge Mode. The Free Mode has also been significantly enhanced, featuring among other things, the Xtreme Legends ‘Ultimate’ difficulty level.

DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS COMPLETE EDITION for the PlayStation®4 system and PlayStation®Vita, is a treat for Dynasty Warriors fans that have migrated to the new generation of consoles. The Complete Edition includes all of the content from both DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 and DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS, thus giving new fans the opportunity to play through both titles. As an added bonus, PlayStation®3 system Dynasty Warriors 8 save data is transferable across all platforms.

DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS COMPLETE EDITION and DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS have been rated T for Teen by the ESRB.

Summary

DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 is a historical tactical action game that follows the stories of the kingdoms of Wei, Wu, Shu and Jin through the actions of historical military and political figures of the time as they fight to gain control over the Three Kingdoms of China. It features more than 40 completely new stages: verdant plains, desolate wastelands, sharp ravines, huge castles, and other breath-taking sites, giving stronger emphasis in the stage of these epic battles and inspired by ancient landscapes.

New Trailer for Transformers Universe

2014/02/07