Author - Jerry Paxton

iRig MIC Cast Review (Tech)

2012/12/17
Jerry Paxton
Mobile News, Mobile Review, News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

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One of the coolest tech items I have had the pleasure of using recently is the IK Multimedia iRig MIC Cast microphone. Measuring 1.18 ” wide by 1.85″ tall, the microphone is extremely portable and unobtrusive when plugged into your smartphone. The iRig MIC Cast features two gain settings (low and high) as well as a 3.5 mm headphone monitor jack on one side. The microphone is mostly black with the exception of the silver grill and the white “iRig MIC Cast” stamp on its face. Installing the iRig MIC Cast was very simply on our iPhone 5 – we just plugged it into the headphone/microphone port of the phone and started recording with the default video recorder. We didn’t have to do anything special on the phone to get it working whatsoever.

Official Features:

  • Features a stereo mini-jack headphone output enabling real-time monitoring of what is being recorded using headphones or speakers.
  • Offers a mini-switch that provides two different sensitivity settings to record close-up or distant sources.
  • Includes an adjustable desktop stand for convenient iPhone/iPod touch positioning during recording.
  • Has a bumper-friendly mini-jack connector that fits the majority of iPhone/iPod touch cases.
  • Has an ultra-compact profile that can be carried anywhere with ease.
  • Like other IK Multimedia microphones, it includes 2 free apps: iRig Recorder, an easy-to-use voice recording/editing app, and VocaLive, a multi-effects processing app for singers.
  • Works with all regular phone calls and any Voice-Over-IP app.
  • Is compatible with iPhone/iPod touch/iPad.

Here are our in-house audio tests with low background noise and an intimate conversation-level volume speaker at the various iRig MIC Cast settings (including just the iPhone 5’s internal microphone for comparison). Please note, the speaker is about two feet away from the microphone in these tests.

Of course, the ultimate example of the iRig MIC Cast’s capabilities is in real-world usage. For us, it was that moment at the recent Spike TV Video Game Awards when our primary microphone ceased functioning and we had to use the MIC Cast on a very busy red carpet. Here is our interview with Blizzard Entertainment’s Jay Wilson. Keep in mind, this was shot about two feet away from his face on a busy red carpet with people shouting everywhere:

Overall, the iRig MIC Cast is an amazing little microphone for an exceptionally-reasonable $39.99. Whether you are recording an interview, podcast, music track, or even just recording meetings, the iRig MIC Cast will meet the challenge. Checkout IK Multimedia’s official iRig MIC Cast product page for availability information and more.

[easyreview title=”iRig MIC Cast Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″] Our Rating Scores Explained

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New Primal Carnage DLC Boasts New Dinos

2012/12/13
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

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December 2, 2012 – Lukewarm Media the creators of Primal Carnage, now the worlds highest rated dinosaur themed video game, have released the first of many additional DLC Packs and Game Expansions with the “Experimental Dinosaur Skin Pack”, a DLC pack available now through the Steam network with the affordable price tag of $1.99. The Primal Carnage team wishes to bring as much flavor and variety to their fan base as possible in the coming months and promise that this skin pack is merely the first step along the road to achieving that goal.

“Our goal with Primal Carnage was to make the best dinosaur video game to date, and according to the reviews, we’ve done just that – but we are FAR from done” said Ashton Andersen, lead designer and founder of Lukewarm Media.

About the DLC – The “Experimental Dinosaur Skin Pack” introduces five new variants of the already existing playable dinosaur classes with a fresh new take on the already iconic beasts. Delving into the depths of the islands past we discover the long lost experimental dinosaurs, locked away as they were manipulated and altered for reasons still unknown.

DmC Devil May Cry Coming to PC

2012/12/13
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

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DECEMBER 113, 2012 — Capcom today confirmed that DmC Devil May Cry will be available for digital download for Windows PC on January 25, 2013.

Developed by QLOC S.A. for Windows PC, DmC Devil May Cry will include full AMD support, including AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology and AMD CrossFire™ technology. These technologies allow gamers to harness the power of two or more graphics cards reinforcing the stunning visuals of the game and dramatically increase the game’s performance. Senior Capcom Producer on DmC Devil May Cry, Alex Jones, commented, “DmC Devil May Cry’s performance on AMD is amazing, it pumps up our already incredible visuals and effects to the next level, making it an even more immersive and intense experience.”

DmC Devil May Cry for PC will be compatible with both keyboard and mouse, Xbox 360 controller and all third party direct input controllers. Players will be able to enjoy the game at 60 fps or even higher with no maximum limitation, creating a spectacular visual experience for PC gamers.

Gamers that download DmC Devil May Cry via Steam will be able to take full advantage of features such as Cloud saving, achievements, friends support and leaderboards.

The recommended and minimum specs for DmC Devil May Cry on PC are as follows:

Minimum System Requirements:

  • OS: Windows Vista®/XP, Windows 7, Windows 8
  • Processor: AMD Athlon™ X2 2.8 GHz or better, Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.4 Ghz or better
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Hard Disk Space: 8 GB free hard drive space
  • Video Card: ATI Radeon™ HD 3850 or better, NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800GTS or better
  • DirectX®: 9.0c or greater
  • Sound: Standard audio device

Recommended System Requirements:

  • OS: Windows Vista®/XP, Windows 7, Windows 8
  • Processor: AMD Phenom™ II X4 3 GHz or better, Intel® Core™2 Quad 2.7 Ghz or better
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Hard Disk Space: 9 GB free hard drive space
  • Video Card: AMD Radeon™ HD 6950 or better
  • DirectX®: 9.0c or greater
  • Sound: Standard audio device

Dead Space 3 to Feature Kinect Co-op Voice Commands

2012/12/13
Jerry Paxton
News, Xbox 360 News

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REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. – Dec. 13, 2012 – Find partner! Fire stasis! Attack enemy! Visceral Games, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio, today announced that the first big blockbuster launch of 2013, Dead Space™ 3, will be available exclusively on Kinect™ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The all-new Kinect functionality further immerses players into the Dead Space universe by allowing players to use simple voice commands to help a friend from the onslaught of horrors and thrills that awaits them in this spine-tingling new adventure.Dead Space 3 featuring Kinect will make it easier for co-op partners to give each other health or ammo, find objectives, revive one another and more when the game launches February 5, 2013.

“The voice commands in Dead Space 3 give players a unique way to take down the terror, whether they choose to face the Necromorphs alone in single-player, or alongside a friend with drop-in / drop-out co-op,” said Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer on Dead Space 3 and VP, General Manager of Visceral Games.  “Dead Space 3 delivers the action-horror experience our fans have come to know and love. And with the ability to survive the adventure alone, with a friend, or with Kinect, we’re excited about extending the spine-tingling Dead Space experience to a whole new audience of players.”

Winner of more than 15 critic awards at E3 2012 including Best of Show from Game Informer Magazine, Dead Space 3 cuts to the heart of deep space terror. The game is recognized by game critics worldwide for its incredible craftsmanship in horror, action, suspense and sound design. Players will embark on a thrilling ride through space that takes them to a hostile new planet, Tau Volantis. Fortunately, they are not alone this time around. The fully integrated drop-in/drop-out co-op feature gives players the option to play alone or team-up with a friend anytime. Players that choose to take down the terror together will experience additional story details, side missions and gameplay mechanics only found when playing as John Carver.

Dead Space 3 will be available on February 5, 2013 in North America and February 8, 2013 in Europe for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 and the PC.

For additional information and news, please visit www.deadspace.com, follow us on Twitter at:www.twitter.com/deadspace, or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deadspace.

Arma 3 Postponed Due to Dev Detainment and Lead Change

2012/12/13
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

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Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday 13 December 2012 — In what might be described as an eventful year, Bohemia Interactive has decided to postpone the release of Arma 3. The additional development time enables the project to reach its full potential, with the studio expecting to finalize their release plans in the new year.

Recently, Joris-Jan van ‘t Land, a 10-year veteran of Bohemia Interactive, took over the role of Arma 3 Project Lead from Daniel Musil, who left the studio to pursue other opportunities.

Joris-Jan van ‘t Land: “We’ve been in the process of implementing changes that will help us innovate as a studio under unexpected circumstances – facing problems we simply couldn’t have imagined”, referring to the detainment of two Bohemia Interactive employees in Greece. Both were arrested on suspicion of espionage while spending their holiday on Lemnos – an island that served as inspiration for the environment in Arma 3. They have since remained in jail pending legal proceedings. “We’re still trying to make sense of the situation and hope that our colleagues will be released soon. Although their plight has certainly affected us on a personal level, we continue working on the tasks identified as key to the release of Arma 3.”

The new release window of Arma 3 has been set for 2013. Joris-Jan van ‘t Land: “I hope this update provides some answers regarding the status of the project. We’re currently sorting the specifics so we can deliver a more complete announcement at the beginning of next year.”

The studio is also working on a standalone version of DayZ, which is developed by a team led by Dean Hall.

Bootsy Collins Joins BandFuse: Rock Legends

2012/12/13
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, Xbox 360 News

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Campbell, CA – December 13, 2012 – Realta Entertainment today announced that legendary bass guitarist Bootsy Collins has joined the upcoming music video game BandFuse: Rock Legends as an in-game Master Instructor and mentor for the Bass Mode. The Funkmaster of Bass will provide instruction, advice and tips for both novice and accomplished bassists.  His input ranges from the basics of how to play bass, to the path of becoming a successful musician. Bootsy has also contributed the original track ‘Rock Bandit’ for inclusion in the game’s massive, genre-spanning set list from today’s modern and classic rock ‘n’ roll artists.

Realta Entertainment also confirmed that when BandFuse: Rock Legends launches worldwide in early spring 2013 the game will be coming to the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in addition to the previously announced version on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bootsy Collins rose to fame with his unique bass techniques to become one of the leading names in music.  Bootsy played alongside “The Godfather of Soul” James Brown and George Clinton while being hugely influential to other famous bass players including Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Roberto Trujillo (Metallica) and Les Claypool (Primus).

Bootsy joins the growing roster of BandFuse: Rock Legends’ “Rock Legends,” which includes Slash, the iconic Grammy-winning musician and former lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, who serves as the game’s master guitar instructor; Zakk Wylde, lead guitarist of Black Label Society who played with Ozzy Osbourne for many years; and Jason Hook and Zoltan Bathory from Five Finger Death Punch. These Legends will mentor players and help them navigate through the game’s features to build a rock star following and fine-tune their playing skills.

BandFuse: Rock Legends seamlessly connects real guitars, basses and microphones to game consoles, empowering players to jam to a huge selection of hits in a fun game environment. Players of all skill levels can tap into the rock experience by using the unique BandFuse: Rock Legends animated tablature (tabs) interface, which simplifies the learning process for novice musicians while allowing advanced musicians to perform songs as the artists intended.  The game’s four player co-op mode will let players connect two guitars, one bass and a microphone simultaneously and provide each player with detailed feedback from the BandFuse analytics engine.

To learn more about BandFuse: Rock Legends, please visit http://www.bandfuse.com, as well as ‘Like’ it on Facebook and follow the game on Twitter for all the latest updates and news.

Hitman HD: Trilogy Announced

2012/12/13
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, Xbox 360 News

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LOS ANGELES (Dec. 13, 2012) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, and IO Interactive A/S, a Square Enix studio, today announced HITMAN HD: TRILOGY, a deadly combination of games including Hitman Contracts, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin and Hitman Blood Money. Players will experience more than 40 intense missions across three classic Hitman games, all presented in glorious HD. HITMAN HD: TRILOGY will be released for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for $39.99 in North America.

The HITMAN HD: TRILOGY is scheduled for release in North America on January 29, 2013 and across Europe and PAL territories on February 1, 2013 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Xbox 360. HITMAN: TRILOGY is rated M for Mature. Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. For more information and updates, please visit the official website at: www.hitman.com.

Video Games Live First Middle East Concert

2012/12/13
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

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Los Angeles, CA – December 13, 2012 –The Guinness World Record holding worldwide concert spectacular Video Games Live is once again breaking new ground.  On Friday, December 14th at the Dubai World Trade Center, Video Games Live will be performing the first ever video game concert in the Middle East.  Synchronized to 3 massive video screens, state-of-the-art lighting and special fx; award winning film/television/game composer Emmanuel Fratianni will conduct the United Arab Emirates National Symphony Orchestra as they perform some of the most beloved game music over the past 40 years.  The 3 hour performance will also include special guest performances by Blizzard Entertainment Audio Director and composer Russell Brower, God of War composer Gerard Marino, The Blindfolded Pianist Martin Leung and Laura “Flute Link” Intravia.  Atari founder Nolan Bushnell will be appearing on stage and taking part in the post-show Meet & Greet.  UAE National Symphony Orchestra concertmaster and 1st chair violinist Min Yang will also be joining the Meet & Greet and has performed on the Star Wars films and Final Fantasy: Spirits within as a part of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Video Games Live has signed a 5 year deal with Cyclops Entertainment to return to the Middle East and its surrounding areas.  Future installments will include multiple cities and countries in the region including India.  Creator/Executive Producer/Host and video game industry veteran Tommy Tallarico states “The excitement level for VGL in the Middle East has been overwhelming! The national coverage we’ve received so far has been unprecedented and we look forward to performing in front of our newest 4,000 friends this Friday and returning for the next 5 years with a new show each and every year.”

The Dubai event is being sponsored by McLaren Automotive, Bentley Motors, Red Bull, Lama Tours, Sony PlayStation Middle East and Microsoft Xbox Gulf.  McLaren Automotive will be showcasing two McLaren P1’s on the sides of the stage during the event.  The pre-show festival begins at 1:00pm and features booths by Sony, Pluto Games (Xbox), Red Entertainment and Power League Gaming.  The widely popular Costume Contest and Guitar Hero Competitions will also be present and prize give-a-ways include a Playstation Vita , Xbox 360, Call of Duty: Black Ops  2 Prestige Edition and a Nintendo Wii.

Video Games Live is currently touring the world and has over 40 shows planned for 2013 starting in January with multiple shows in Texas, Louisiana and Florida.  Tickets are ON SALE NOW: http://www.videogameslive.com/index.php?s=dates

Tickets for the Dubai performance are available online at the following  locations:
http://www.timeoutdubai.com/nightlife/events/18992

http://tickets.virginmegastore.me/index.php?event_id=944

https://www.boxofficeme.com/Online/default.asp?doWork%3A%3AWScontent%3A%3AloadArticle=Load&BOparam%3A%3AWScontent%3A%3AloadArticle%3A%3Aarticle_id=513B5DBF-D9C4-4E24-B4C4-5F1D4C62A68B