Author - Jerry Paxton

Giada i53 Mini PC Review

2012/09/07
Jerry Paxton
News, Reviews

Giada’s new i53 mini PC was designed to be a fast and efficient home entertainment PC in a very small form factor. We were fortunate enough to get one on loan for a while and have been pleased with its usage. Here are the i53’s official specifications:

CPU 3rd Gen Intel® CoreTM i7/i5/i3(Optional)
Chipset Intel® HM76 Express
GPU Intel® HD 4000
System Memory
4G DDR3-1333 (1 x SO-DIMM slot，Max 8G)
Storage 500G 2.5″HDD
I/O
1 X USB3.0
4 X USB2.0
1 X Card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO)
1 X HDMI
1 X  VGA
1 X SPDIF （Line out)
1 X LAN (RJ45)
1 X DC-in Jack
LAN Gigabit LAN + Wi-Fi 802.11n + Bluetooth
Audio AUDIO-out/MIC-in
Power Consumption
30W
Size 192 x 155 x 26 mm
Color Black & White
OS Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (Optional)

The Giada i53’s design is very sleek, available in a white or black outer shell. The unit stands up on its side by way of an included base and nicely fits into your entertainment device array. Getting the i53 set up was very simple. All I had to do was plug the included HDMI cable from the mini PC to my display, then plug in a mouse and keyboard. After making sure that the power cable was also plugged in, we were off and running.

As you would probably guess, a wireless keyboard with touchpad would be the best way to interact with the i53, even when considering the included remote control. The OS is Windows 7 Home Premium and ran as one would expect. Something I did not expect, however, was the lack of media software included on the PC. So, the first things I did was connect to our WI-FI network and download iTunes.

There is no lack of connectivity in the Giada i53, which features gigabit LAN, Bluetooth, and Wireless-N capabilities – all very important in a media PC, and the download progressed quickly. After installing iTunes and setting up our account, I purchases, downloaded, and screened Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger. The 1080p video was smooth and the audio crisp, providing a very enjoyable movie-watching experience. I then navigated over to Netflix, logged in, and began streaming an episode of the USA Network’s Psych. After caching the video a bit, the playback was very good and, again, provided a very enjoyable viewing experience.

I was also able to run some video games on the Giada i53, which features an Intel HD4000 GPU. I installed Blizzard Entertainment’s StarCraft II on the machine as well as 2K Games Borderlands. Both played well, despite my having to turn down some of the detail settings. While this machine would not be anywhere near my first choice as a gaming rig, it does have some chops to play some last-gen PC games.

In addition to testing out the media functionality of the i53, I also got to use the PC from a productivity standpoint, checking email, writing this review, and even paying some bills. I found no issues with this, despite having to zoom in sometimes on various parts of the desktop/program due to my display’s large size and distance from the couch.

Overall, I highly recommend the Giada i53 as a home media PC. Its got a sleek look as well as plenty of features which allows for the PC to be great for not only video and audio playback but, also, a bit of gaming as well as home productivity.

Images

Wikipad Comes to GameStop this Halloween

2012/09/07
Jerry Paxton
News

LOS ANGELES, SEPTEMBER 7, 2012—GameStop (NYSE: GME), the world’s largest multichannel retailer of video games, has partnered with Wikipad, Inc. to offer the Wikipad tablet, the first tablet with an attachable console-quality gamepad controller, through its stores and website. The Wikipad will be available October 31 to consumers at a retailer price of $499 USD.

“GameStop is the retail destination when it comes to video games. Nobody but GameStop provides gamers with the best gaming content on the market. And for those that purchase or pre-order a Wikipad at GameStop, their tablet will have access to valuable extras including exclusive free, full-length game titles. The Wikipad is powered by an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and will support PlayStation®Mobile platform,” said Fraser Townley, President of Sales for Wikipad, Inc.

Customers can pre-order the Wikipad now at GameStop stores nationwide or online at www.GameStop.com. Wikipads pre-ordered at GameStop will come with value-added extras including full-length titles and an issue of Game Informer Digital.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Wikipad to launch this unique new gaming tablet,” said Joe Gorman, vice president of GameStop’s mobile business unit. “We love the innovation and know our customers are excited to see it in action.”

Wikipad will launch in October with a full suite of games delivered by the latest video game platforms, including PlayStation®Mobile, NVIDIA’s Tegra Zone, Google Play as well as several upcoming unannounced platforms.  To bring the best gaming experience to consumers, Wikipad will offer a premium 10.1” IPS screen, ultra-light chassis, quad core processor, expandable memory and an attachable console quality game controller.
For more information on the Wikipad tablet, visit: www.wikipad.com.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown Available for Pre-Order

2012/09/07
Jerry Paxton
News

New York, NY – September 7, 2012 – 2K Games and Firaxis Games announced today that XCOM®: Enemy Unknown, the re-imagining of one of the best PC games ever made, is now available for digital pre-sale for $49.99 MSRP from participating digital retailers. By pre-purchasing XCOM: Enemy Unknown, gamers are guaranteed to receive the Elite Soldier Pack, a free launch bonus offering top-of-the-line soldier customization features that will only be available while supplies last.

The Elite Soldier Pack will provide the ultimate tools for soldier customization in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, including:

  • Classic X-COM Soldier: Players will instantly receive a new recruit in their barracks inspired by the original X-COM: UFO Defense. The iconic soldier with the blonde, flattop hairstyle will return fully modernized.
  • Soldier Deco packs: Players can customize their soldier with several aesthetic upgrades to armor suits, including the new Hyperion and Reaper soldier armor kits.
  • Complete color customization: A variety of colors and tints for all armor sets in the game allow players complete control to customize their squad’s look.

In addition to the digital pre-sale bonus, all PC versions of XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be powered with Steamworks. XCOM: Enemy Unknownplayers will enjoy the benefits of Steamworks features, such as Steam Achievements, auto-updating, multiplayer matchmaking, Steam Cloud support and more.

Released in 1993, the original X-COM still reigns as one of the best PC games of all time and has been reimagined as XCOM: Enemy Unknown by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on the X-COM legacy with an entirely new story, enemies and technologies to fight hostile aliens and defend Earth. In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, players will oversee combat strategies and individual unit tactics as well as base management and resource allocation as commander of a secret global military organization, XCOM. With equal emphasis on deep strategy and intense tactical combat, XCOM: Enemy Unknown will allow gamers to control the fate of the human race by defending against a terrifying global alien invasion.

To digitally pre-purchase XCOM: Enemy Unknown for PC, please visit: http://www.xcom.com/preorder.

A special edition of XCOM: Enemy Unknown for PC (MSRP $59.99) will be available at participating retail locations. This special edition will contain a copy of the game for PC and a number of unique XCOM items, including an art book; fold-out poster of the XCOM headquarters; XCOMinsignia patch; and a collection of digital bonus assets such as desktop wallpaper, soundtrack and more.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. For more information, please visit http://www.xcom.com. For the latest news and information on XCOM: Enemy Unknown, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/XCOM.

2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Keith Carradine Joins Hitman Absolution Cast

2012/09/07
Jerry Paxton
News

COPENHAGEN (September 7, 2012) – IO Interactive A/S, a Square Enix studio, today revealed the next Hollywood talent in HITMAN: ABSOLUTION’s stellar cast. Keith Carradine will take on the role of the villainous Blake Dexter, a twisted character and maybe the most vicious adversary Agent 47 has faced yet. Dexter comes to life through Carradine’s outstanding performance capture and voice acting skills. Keith Carradine’s latest work includes the role of Sheriff John Taggart in the blockbuster movie “Cowboys & Aliens.”

Players can learn more about Blake Dexter in the latest release of the ICA files video series. The ICA (International Contract Agency) files are a series of videos that provide in-depth background information on the main cast in HITMAN: ABSOLUTION and features exclusive art from comic artist Ben Oliver.

HITMAN: ABSOLUTION is scheduled for release across North America, Europe and PAL territories on November 20, 2012 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

C-Virus to Wipe Us All Out

2012/09/06
Jerry Paxton
News

NEW YORK – Sept. 6, 2012 – The National Center for Infectious Disease Research (NCIDR) has published key findings predicting the end of human life to occur on October 2, 2012. Lead researcher Dr. Harvey Joseph-Carlson cites recent wide-spread C-virus outbreak across North America, Europe and Asia as the cause for the projected end to humanity.  The report highlights a rapid increase in the infected population as well as a decline in food rations, medical resources and lack of hope as key factors into his final projected end date.

“The end of humanity is a sad and inevitable reality that’s closing in fast on October 2, 2012,” notes Dr. Joseph-Carlson. “We have witnessed gruesome acts due to the widespread contagion and without a cure to the C-Virus we have run out of time and hope to save mankind.”

Dr. Joseph-Carlson’s research documents how the rise of C-Virus infection spreads rapidly through densely populated cities and filters into rural locations.  The infection maps within the report outline how contaminated populations become “uninhabitable zones” for non-infected bystanders.

The origins of the C-Virus are still unclear.  The C-Virus is a highly contagious mutagenic, non-carcinogenic virus and has no known cure.  The incubation period of the virus is also unknown but victims are prone to see symptoms within 24 hours.

For more information and first-hand accounts please visit http://nohopeleft.com.

About NCIDR

The National Center for Infectious Disease Research (NCIDR) was founded in 1998 to address the challenges to international health posed by infectious diseases. The scope of the center has evolved to include the study of infectious diseases that are emerging from populations around the world and are attributable to today’s internationally mobile society.

 

Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest 2012 Revealed

2012/09/06
Jerry Paxton
Halloween, News

JACKSON, NJ—September 5, 2012—Six Flags Great Adventure’s Fright Fest Presented by SNICKERS® promises family-friendly “thrills by day,” while an amped-up “fright by night” will deliver more Zombie Zones, Terror Trails, Halloween-themed shows and more screams than ever before. Now six weeks long, Fright Fest begins Sept. 22 and runs weekends through Oct. 28.

Thirty Halloween-themed shows and attractions await guests during Fright Fest’s twenty-first season. By day, families can enjoy favorites like the Trick-or-Treat Trail, Monster Mash Bash musical, Professor Slithers’ Creepy Critters animal show, Haunted Wagon Tales ride, Spooky, Kooky Magic Show and more. Guests can also enjoy the park’s famous line-up of thrill rides, including Adventure Alley featuring four new rides for 2012—SkyScreamer extreme swing ride, Fender Benders bumper cars, Air Jumbo flying elephants and Deja Vu scrambler.

After 6 pm, the park transitions to “fright by night” and is not recommended for children under 12 and those who scare easily. Scream-seekers can expect new shows including The Awakening, Dead Man’s Party—The Guest List, Circus of Thrills, Doc Swan’s Sideshow of Oddities and after a multi-year hiatus, the return of popular shows like Bad Bob the Bone Butcher and Professor Zombini’s Freak Show starring Coney Island sideshow icon Todd Robbins.

Zombie Zones including The Bloody Fountain, Circus Psycho, Bone Butcher Terror-Tory and the all-new Shipwreck Cove feature midway-roaming zombies hunting for their next meal. By popular demand, ghoul-repellent whistles will not be offered this season which makes all guests equally delectable to resident zombies.

Four outdoor Terror Trails provide the most intense Fright Fest scares. Voodoo Island, Fright Fest’s new Terror Trail, takes guests on a tour of a reality show set cursed by cannibals. Two Terror Trails feature new themes – the steampunk-inspired Insanity: Gears of the Mind and the toxic Wasteland. The Manor and its zombie-infested halls return for a second season. All four areas remove guests from familiar park surroundings and transport them into a gauntlet of terror in terrifyingly remote areas of the property.

Guests can also enjoy the return of show favorites like the multimedia spectacular Ghoulmaster’s Ghosts featuring new music and surprises, and the Dead and Local music showcase.

Spooktacular Charitable Events

Six Flags hosts the tenth-annual American Red Cross Blood Drive Sept. 29. Guests can donate a pint of blood to earn a free ticket to Fright Fest. Reservations must be made by calling 732/928-2000, ext. 2834. Up to 200 donors are needed and will be taken on a first call, first serve basis. Must be 16 or older, at least 110 lbs. and in good health to donate.

Six Flags Great Adventure hosts the 6th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Sept. 30 – New Jersey’s largest 5k run/walk. The day honors breast cancer survivors, those lost, and unites a community in the fight against breast cancer. In 2011, more than 15,000 participants and spectators turned out to support the Race for the Cure. For more information, log onto sixflags.com/greatadventure and go to the events tab.

2013 Season Passes – Great Family Value at Cost of One-Day Ticket

The best way to enjoy the thrills of the 2013 season is with a Season Pass. 2013 Season Passes are currently on sale for the price of a one-day ticket when purchasing four or more – $62.99 per person. When purchasing and processing by Oct. 28, 2012 guests will receive a free upgrade to “premium” status, which includes the theme park and new Safari Off Road Adventure, unlimited admission to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, bring-a-friend free days, early park access and more. Plus, guests receive one free parking pass when purchasing four or more passes during this limited time offer. 2012 Season Pass and Summer Thrill Pass holders receive a special renewal discount. For more information, visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure.

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Iron Sky: Invasion Announced

2012/09/06
Jerry Paxton
News

Karlsruhe, Germany, September 5th 2012 – Award winning  multi-platinum selling, game developer, Reality Pump (Earth 2150, Two Worlds 2, etc.), is developing the official Iron Sky video game “Iron Sky: Invasion,” which will release in November on PC, PlayStation® 3 and Xbox 360™. Iron Sky is a dark, comedic, science-fiction film about Moon Nazis invading earth, which premiered with huge fanfare earlier this year at the Berlin Film Festivals. Iron Sky soon became one of the most spoken-of independent films of the year, and is certain to reach cult classic status, in part, due to its brassy humor, classic satire, and amazing visual effects.

“Iron Sky: Invasion” puts the player in the pilot seat of defending Earth from a sudden Nazi invasion – from space. The player has at their disposal a variety of experimental, secretly manufactured space fighters, and are tasked with keeping these Moon Nazis off our beloved Planet Earth. “Iron Sky: Invasion” will bear the major underlying theme of politics: everything, even defending your planet from“luna-r-tic” villains, requires skillful political maneuvers. You will need to know who you are fighting for, whose boots you are stepping on, and choose your friends, or more importantly, enemies carefully.

“We wanted to create a space simulation game blending political and tactical components, with the added absurdity of Moon Nazi humor”, says developer, Miroslav Dymek. “We wanted to bring back Space fighter-style gameplay, and knew from the very beginning the world of Iron Sky would be a perfect match.”

“Iron Sky: Invasion” will utilize technology developed by Reality Pump Studios showcasing beautiful graphics and high-speed battle sequences. The Grace2 engine allows photorealistic renderings of hundreds of space ships, advanced destruction physics and sophisticated AI for piloting spacecraft. Additionally, Grace2 will show the game in stereoscopic 3D for all players with 3D TV’s and monitors.

Reality Pump has been developing “Iron Sky: Invasion” in close connection with the filmmakers, who have been helping tie both the visuals and storyline tightly into the Iron Sky universe. Jussi Lehtiniemi from Troll VFX, CG-company responsible for all the visual effects of Iron Sky, has captured space ship models directly from the film – the space Zeppelins, the Nazi invasion fleet, and the Earth fleet – as well as creating additional ship designs well suited to the Iron Sky universe.

“I’ve always known that Iron Sky needed a proper video game around the franchise, one where the whole complexity of the world of Iron Sky could be examined,” says director Timo Vuorensola, who admits being an avid gamer himself. “I’m happy to announce Reality Pump’s involvement, as the world of Iron Sky – one we’ve cherished and nurtured for years – is now in the capable hands of an experienced, quality-driven game studio.”

Topware Interactive’s Iron Sky: Invasion will arrive in stores, steam and other outlets on November 30th  2012

– We come in peace

For more information about the game please visit: www.ironskyinvasion.com

NBA 2K Everywhere Announced

2012/09/06
Jerry Paxton
News

New York, NY – September 5, 2012 – 2K Sports today announced NBA® 2K Everywhere, giving fans the opportunity to experience NBA 2K virtually anywhere via an all-new mobile companion application, a social game on Facebook, and a full-featured mobile version of NBA 2K13 for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices. NBA 2K Everywhere will extend the NBA 2K experience by offering players greater flexibility, more variety and new ways to play, at home or on the go, with these all-new social and mobile games. Additionally, both the mobile companion app and Facebook game enable players to feed data and experience right back into NBA 2K13 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, introducing a new level of connectivity and continuity to the NBA 2K experience.

The free companion app, MyNBA2K, will be available in October on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android, and Kindle devices. Players can experience a series of entertaining mini-games including shooting practice, free throw drills, a dribbling course, and autograph signing. With intuitive multi-touch controls and a variety of pick-up-and-play training games, MyNBA2K will offer an easy way for players to stay connected to their MyCAREER and MyTEAM experience in NBA 2K13 while away from home. MyNBA2K will be available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or atwww.itunes.com/appstore. The app will also available for free on the Amazon Appstore for Android, including a Kindle Fire edition, and on Google Play.

NBA 2K: MyLIFE, 2K Sports’ first ever social game, will launch in October on Facebook. Players can import their MyCAREER avatars from NBA 2K13to compete in skills competitions with friends, build their home-court environment, and play through experiences of an NBA superstar including earning endorsements and fostering relationships with fellow NBA stars. Accomplishments in NBA 2K: MyLIFE can help unlock clothing, dunk packages, and other rewards in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system versions of NBA 2K13.

For the second consecutive year, fans can also purchase an authentic, full-featured NBA simulation experience for their mobile devices with NBA 2K13for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices. The new mobile game will be available in October and feature intuitive multi-touch controls, improved graphics and, for the first time, a new multiplayer mode via Bluetooth and Game Center (iOS version only). Fans can also relive some of the NBA’s most memorable games with the NBA’s Greatest Mode.

“Our console game will always be the heart of the NBA 2K franchise, but we want to go beyond that,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “Through NBA 2K Everywhere, fans can extend their NBA 2K experience wherever they go, whether it’s on the road with the mobile apps or socially with friends via Facebook. We’re offering more ways to experience NBA 2K than ever before.”

Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, NBA 2K13 is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and will be available on October 2, 2012 in North America and October 5, 2012 internationally for the Xbox 360, PlayStation3, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Wii™ system and Windows PC. The Wii U™ version of the title will be available during the holiday season. Fans are encouraged to pre-order now at participating retailers in order to receive the NBA All-Star content on day one at no extra cost.

Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, MyNBA2K will be available in October on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, and Kindle devices.

Developed by Fifth Column Games, NBA 2K: MyLIFE will be available in October on Facebook.

Developed by 2K China, a 2K Sports studio, NBA 2K13 for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices will be available in October.

For more information on 2K Sports, visit www.2KSports.com.

For more information on NBA 2K13, visit www.facebook.com/NBA2K.

2K Sports is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).