Author - Jerry Paxton

Korean StarCraft 2 pro ‘HyuN’ joins Team ROCCAT

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Hamburg – February 3, 2014 – ROCCAT™ Studios, German manufacturer of high-quality gaming peripherals, continues to grow its professional gaming team, with the Hamburg based company today announcing that Korean StarCraft II pro player Ko “HyuN” Seok Hyun has joined Team ROCCAT. HyuN is one of the top StarCraft II players worldwide, winning last year’s DreamHack Open in Valencia and the MSI Pro Cup, and finishing runner-up in both the Home Story Cup VIII and the MLG Spring Championship 2013.

HyuN commented: “The last months in my old team weren’t easy for me – therefore I’m glad that I finally found a professional and reliable team here at ROCCAT. I can now focus on playing StarCraft II and my goal for 2014 is to win as many events as possible with my new team”.

HyuN is the second player to join ROCCATs StarCraft II division following the signing of Ukraine-based StarCraft veteran ‘DIMAGA’ last year. “StarCraft II still has a big impact on the international eSports community and therefore we are happy to sign another strong player for our team”, said ROCCAT founder and CEO René Korte. “HyuN will not only represent ROCCAT at all these big events but he – like all of our other professional players – will also help us develop new products, features and technologies.”

Links: 
Team ROCCAT Homepage
Team ROCCAT on Facebook
ROCCAT Homepage

Rampage Edition Kraken A.M.S. Case for iPhone 5/5S Review

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Recently, Trident Case sent us over one of their new Rampage Edition Kraken A.M.S. iPhone 5/5S smartphone cases. The Rampage Edition we got to checkout features both black and camouflage coloring with the word “Rampage” in a sprayed on stencil style white font across the back. One might think that the Rampage Edition Kraken A.M.S. phone case is very similar in terms of design to its standard Kraken A.M.S. counterpart given their shared model name.

They couldn’t be more wrong, however, as the Rampage Edition has an entirely new case design. Its only real shared feature with the standard Kraken A.M.S. is that of the metal kickstand. In fact, the design is changed from the base model so much, I can’t help wonder why they decided to use the Kraken A.M.S. name at all and not create a new line of cases – but, I digress. Further separating the two cases is that the Rampage Edition Kraken A.M.S. features a two piece design, unlike the standard Kraken A.M.S.’ three piece construction. This means that the Rampage Edition is a bit lighter and thinner without sacrificing any of its protective qualities. The Rampage Edition features a built in screen protector which hugs the iPhone screen nicely and without too  much of a separation – although it still leaves a very minor gap in between which has always been a pet peeve of mine when it comes to cases. A feature unique to the Rampage Edition is its 32 inch, anodized steel chain, which allows you to tether the phone case to a belt loop or other attachment point via a small clip. The chain feels strong enough, but I would not depend on it solely to hold my phone close to me. I suggest using it as a last resort – not a first line of retention. Truth be told, the chain feels somewhat gimmicky and part of me would have rather not had one included. That being said, the Rampage Edition is coined from its spokesperson, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, who is often seen with a chain around his neck – see the cross promotion? Anyhow, if you dislike the chain, then you can remove it altogether, so there is that option for you.

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One aspect of the Rampage Edition Kraken A.M.S. worth special mention is its belt clip/holster. Made from a strong plastic material (not sure if it is ABS plastic), the holster/clip attaches easily and stays attached. One of my comrades told me of an older Trident Case he had for a different phone model and the holster/clip broke off easily. This new holster is definitely more robust in terms of its durability. In reviewing this Rampage Edition case, I am reminded of the Griffin Survivor series smartphone case. The Rampage Edition Kraken A.M.S. is very similar in terms of protective qualities but, unlike the Griffin model which relies on its belt clip for an angled stand, sports its own kickstand and chain.

Overall

Trident Case’s new Rampage Edition Kraken A.M.S. case for the iPhone 5/5S is a very well-built smartphone case that will definitely keep your phone safe in case of accidental impact. At an MSRP of $59.95, the Rampage Edition is just perfect in terms of its price point and a serious contender for your hard-earned money.

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AEX Warfighter DMR Airsoft Electric Gun Review

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The folks at AirsoftExtreme loaned us one of their new “Warfighter DMR” AEGs to review. As some of you may know, getting your hands on a good DM (Designated Marksman) airsoft rifle usually involves building it yourself out of a multitude of parts. AirsoftExtreme aims to simplify this process by building an airsoft DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) which is good to go right out of the box. How did they do? Is the AEX Warfighter DMR worth its $329 dollar price point? Read on to find out…

Isn’t a Designated Marksman just a sniper?

The DM role differs significantly from that of a specially trained sniper. A sniper is a specialist highly trained in fieldcraft, who carries out a range of missions independent of others, and more specialized than standard infantry tasks. In contrast, a DM is a soldier who has received some additional marksmanship training. Within a fireteam, the DM’s role is to provide an additional capability to the infantry platoon, which is the ability to engage targets at greater ranges than the other members of the squad or section.

Usually, you will see designated marksman rifles with a higher power scope than those fielded by the rest of the fireteam. Also, some airsoft fields allow DMRs to have a higher FPS at the expense of using fully automatic fire – so, check your local field for their DM rules.

Design/Look

The AEX Warfighter DMR resembles a lengthened M4 style airsoft gun that is akin to the SDM-R designated marksman rifle. It doesn’t feature any trademarks or licenses save for that of AirsoftExtreme so it is not trying to copy any existing DMR directly, but definitely shares a resemblance to a few. It features all metal, black upper and lower receivers as well as a metal rail system with an upper monorail that allows you plenty of real estate for rail accessories. The folks at AEX have seen fit to include front and rear flip up sights on the DMR, but I would recommend equipping it with at least a 4X scope/optic to give it that DMR look and function.

It is also worth mentioning that the battery compartment is located inside the crane stock and buffer tube is of the MilSpec diameter in case you want to change the stock out at some point for one with an adjustable cheek riser. Also, the Warfighter DMR comes with two adjustable rail covers which really adds to the look of it being some variant of the real steel SDM-R rifle. Additionally, AEX has included a decent vertical foregrip in the box – so you have just about everything you need to start playing. The current bundle at AirsoftExtreme’s website even includes a LiPo battery, charger, and bag of BBs.

Performance

On the field, the AEX Warfighter DMR performs its role very well. The airsoft gun’s 6.03mm inner barrel and hop-up system keep the BBs going in a very flat trajectory for quite a distance, and you won’t have any difficulties engaging targets out at the 200 feet range so long as its adjusted properly, and that’s with .20G BBs. I shudder to think of its range if you loaded it up with .25G BBs. The FPS rolls around 410 FPS with .20G BBs. This version 2 gearbox features 9mm bearing bushings, high torque gears, and a polycarb piston. Like any good DMR goes, you have a long inner barrel – this one measuring at 500mm while the overall length of the rifle varies from 36.5″ to 40″ inches depending on where you have the multi position stock set. The manual rates this DMR up to an 11.1V 15C LiPo battery, and it had no problems shooting with one for our testing. Playing some games with the AEX Warfighter DMR, I was consistently impressed and, despite a trigger draw which is a little longer than I prefer, it performed exceptionally.

Official Features:

  • Length: 36.5″ – 40″
  • Weight: 6lbs
  • Inner barrel length: 500mm
  • Caliber: 5.95mm
  • Velocity: 400 – 415fps (0.20g BB)
  • Inner Barrel Diameter: 6.03mm
  • Enhanced Version 2 Gearbox
  • 9mm bearing bushings
  • One piece metal hopup unit
  • QD Spring System
  • Steel High Torque Gears
  • Click here to get the manual ONLINE in PDF format.

The airsoft gun also features a nifty electric blowback system to give you a bit of feedback in your shooting. The amount of quality as well as quantity in this airsoft gun package is pretty astounding. It is clear AirsoftExteme is coming out of the gate swinging with this line of in-house AEGs.

Overall

Overall, the AirsoftExtreme AEX Warfighter DMR is a great choice for a designated marksman rifle, right out of the box. It will allow you to jump right into the designated marksman role and provides a very capable platform to perform any additional upgrades you want to do to the gun. The AEX Warfighter DMR is available on AirsoftExtreme’s website for $329 dollars and, in the current bundle, includes a LiPo battery, battery charger, and bundle of BBs.

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AirsoftExtreme Skirmish Report Video

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EA Sports UFC: In-Game Roster Screenshots

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EA Sports has released a plethora of new screenshots of the fighter roster (all in-game) in its upcoming UFC title, EA Sports: UFC, which is due out this Spring.

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Ender’s Game Blu-Ray Giveaway – Expired

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We are giving away one copy of Ender’s Game on Blu-ray, thanks to the folks at Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment. This giveaway is open to all residents of the contiguous, 48 United States. To enter, simply head over to our official Facebook giveaway widget (powered by Rafflecopter). There are two mandatory entry options and one which can be repeated every day to increase your odds of being selected!

This contest is over at 11:59pm (Pacific) on February 14, 2014 – so get those entries in!

The Fitbug Orb Fitness Tracker Review

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While at CES earlier this month, one of my many goals was to gather information on the latest fitness trackers out there. Fitbug has always been a force in this tech category, so I made sure to drop by their booth. They sent us one of their new Orb fitness trackers to review, and I was pleasantly surprised at how it performed. Initially, I was unimpressed with the form factor. In a world of sleek fitness bands and watches, the Orb looks a little bit too much like a toy for my tastes. That being said, looks are often in the eye of the beholder and my wife saw this product and was immediately taken by its appearance. It has a round form factor and a sheen that reminds me of a candy shell. It comes in three colors: Pink, white, and black – and also has an included lithium watch battery which the product claims will last about four months (replacement batteries cost less than $2 dollars each).

The Fitbug Orb doesn’t have any sort of display to speak of – communication of the Orb’s mode is shown through a single LED which blinks. While there is a single button on the Orb, most of the control over the unit comes via the Fitbug app for Android and iOS devices. This app allows communication between the device and the Orb and is fairly user-friendly. If you don’t have an iOS or Android device, you can send fitness data to your PC or Mac via an optional Fitbug USB Bluetooth dongle. The app will also track food intake as well as various types of activity. It, of course, features a user profile where you can track your progress and gains/losses.

Unfortunately, the Orb’s sleep tracking leaves a lot to be desired. Unlike some fitness trackers, which take biorhythms into account in determining when the user is asleep, the Orb simply looks for a lack of motion once sleep mode is engaged. This means that you can stay still in bed, unable to sleep, and it will record your motionless moments as sleep when they are clearly not. Nutritional information can be entered into your Fitbug web account and you can also select what kind of update methodology you use to send data from your Orb to your phone. I preferred to use the preset interval method of communication, but you can also do manual updates if you like.

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In terms of where you wear your Fitbug Orb, the company has seen fit to include a watch band with multiple adjustment points, a necklace lanyard, and a pedometer style belt clip. These tree carriers pretty much cover every possible way you can use the device – or any fitness device for that matter, so you will definitely find a way you prefer to wear it. I am a watch wearer, so the watchband was best for me. The only downside was that the Orb doesn’t tell time, so there were several instances where I glanced at it out of habit, only to realize that I instead needed to look at the time on my cellphone. Despite this, the Orb functioned well in tracking my activity levels – at least as good as some of the other fitness bands I have used. One thing I wish the Orb did was read the user’s heart rate. That is a metric many athletes and fitness enthusiasts like to keep in a certain range.

Where the Fitbug Orb has a leg up on the rest of the fitness tracker field is in its price point. At $49.95, the Fitbug Orb costs about 50% less than most other trackers on the market. In fact, most of those basic, store-bought pedometers cost anywhere from $12 to $35 dollars, so you are getting a lot more functionality for not much more money.

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