Gallery

Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition Watch Review (Tech)

2020/01/10
Jerry Paxton
Action Sports, Airsoft News, Articles, Geek News, News, Reviews, seal of excellence, Tech News, Tech Review

Garmin’s line of Instinct smartwatches bridge the gap for those individuals wanting some smartwatch functionality while also keeping more standard watch functions – functions, such as, not having to charge it every single day. This hybrid approach, coupled with an inherent build heartiness, make the Garmin Instinct a rugged travel companion. Garmin has taken the Instinct even further with its Tactical Edition. The Garmin Instinct Tactical takes the Instinct’s featureset and marries it to some of the tactical options found in the high-end Garmin Fenix line of wearables.

The Garmin Instinct Tactical, of course, has the standard Instinct specs. Things like activity tracking (with over 25 activities available), GPS tracking (with GLONASS and Galileo support), and GPX course support. It also features Garmin’s TracBack ability. TracBack is a feature that allows the user to return along a traveled path or route without marking any waypoints on the device. As per Garmin’s official specs for TracBack, “The Instinct will store a tracklog or “electronic breadcrumb trail” as it moves. The device will look at hundreds or thousands of tracklog points. It will take the 30 most significant and turn them into a route to get back to the starting point”.

What’s new in the Instinct Tactical Edition? The Tactical adds a number of enhancements. The Instinct Tactical Edition is constructed to military standards (MIL-STD-810G) for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters). The Instinct Tactical Edition includes multiple features specific to tactical operations including Jumpmaster and tactical preloaded activities, projected waypoints, dual-position GPS formatting, and night-vision compatibility. It also has what Garmin calls stealth mode. When operating in stealth mode, GPS location position is visible on device; however, locations are not saved to device memory or shared. This allows for training functionality in areas with location security concerns without revealing the location in the event a device is physically captured or if the recorded activities are shared. Stealth mode also quickly disables all wireless communication to and from the device.

I got the chance to use the Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition over the course of a couple months and had literally NO bad experience or cons with the device. It performs without fail and provides just the right amount of flexibility in its smartwatch/watch functionality. In terms of battery life, the Garmin Instinct (Tactical or standard) features three different battery life ratings. Garmin claims that the Instinct has 14 days battery life in regular watch mode (no GPS enabled), and 16 hours in GPS-on mode. It also claims 40 hours in GPS-on mode with UltraTrac enabled. I tested this and found the claims to be, more or less, accurate, which means you have a lot of options in terms of just how often you want to plug the watch in to recharge.

Overall, the Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition is an outstanding smartwatch for adventurers looking to explore the world. It will also make for a perfect companion to those people needing more tactical options. The Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition retails for $299.99 and is available now.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Expansion Available on PC

2020/01/09
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News

January 9, 2020 – Gear up, PC hunters! Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, the critically acclaimed massive expansion to Capcom’s best-selling Monster Hunter: World, is now available globally for PC players on Steam. Also currently available on PlayStation®4 and the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X, Iceborne builds on every aspect of Monster Hunter: World by offering an enormous amount of new content. Featuring a new storyline, Iceborne hunters can explore an icy new locale called Hoarfrost Reach, which progressively expands to become the largest region in the game thus far and is home to the mysterious new Elder Dragon Velkhana. Players face off against a multitude of challenging new monsters and fierce subspecies variations, while utilizing exciting new gameplay mechanics that offer increased depth to the combat system.

The expansion amps up every aspect of Monster Hunter: World including a higher difficulty rank, called Master Rank. Hunters must have completed the main story in Monster Hunter: World through Hunter Rank 16 in order to access Master Rank and the new Iceborne content. To help hunters along their journey, new gameplay features have been added, including the new Clutch Claw mechanic and updates to all 14 weapon types. Other new “series first” gameplay features include a two-player balanced difficulty scale, the ability to ride small monsters to traverse maps and a Hunter Helper player incentive to encourage more experienced Master Rank hunters to help Low and High Rank players progress through the World game. Also, for hunters who have yet to complete the story from Monster Hunter: World, free Defender Weapons and a Guardian Armor set help them progress through the main story in order to get to Iceborne.

The PC version of Iceborne includes features such as a high resolution texture pack, customizable graphical settings, DirectX 12 support, plus optimization for FidelityFX CAS and upscaling. Additionally, mouse-and-keyboard controls have been revamped across the board to better suit the new actions and abilities on PC. To celebrate the launch of Iceborne on PC, two different item packs offering free consumable items are being offered as login bonuses to PC hunters. The first item pack is being provided to all PC players and the second pack is only available for players who purchased Iceborne on PC. Both item packs are available for a limited time and can be claimed by logging in between now and February 5th. More info on the PC version of Iceborne can be found at the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne website.

As with previous series iterations, Iceborne will include a robust amount of free post-launch support, with the first PC title updates planned for early February and March. Title updates for Iceborne on PC are planned to align with the console update release schedule in the future. More details on the upcoming post-launch content will be shared on January 18, 2020 US time.

For existing owners, the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne expansion is available now as a digital download for MSRP $39.99 / €39.99. A Digital Deluxe version, including both the expansion and a Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Deluxe Kit DLC of cosmetic items, is offered for MSRP $49.99 / €49.99. For newcomers, the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition containing both the main game and the Iceborne expansion can be purchased digitally for MSRP $59.99 / €59.99. The Monster Hunter: World base game is required to play Iceborne.

Remastered Resident Evil 3 Announced

2019/12/10
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Xbox One News

Dec. 10, 2019 – Today on PlayStation’s State of Play broadcast, Capcom celebrated the 20th anniversary of the survival horror classic Resident Evil™ 3: Nemesis by unveiling a completely reimagined Resident Evil™ 3. On the heels of the award-winning Resident Evil™ 2, this highly demanded follow-up in the 94 million unit selling franchise once again utilizes Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to complete the Raccoon City story arc. Resident Evil 3 stars Jill Valentine – one of video games’ most iconic heroines – as she escapes from a crumbling Raccoon City while being pursued by the unrelenting bioweapon Nemesis. Players can also participate in previously untold Umbrella experiments on the outskirts of Raccoon City in the included online asymmetrical multiplayer game Resident Evil™ Resistance, previously known as the working title Project Resistance. Resident Evil 3 will be available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Steam on April 3, 2020.

Resident Evil 3 is set amidst the nightmarish outbreak of the T-virus, a biological weapon developed by the pharmaceutical company Umbrella Corporation. The game marks the debut of Nemesis – a towering humanoid bioweapon designed for both brutality and high-functioning intelligence – whose dogged hunt of S.T.A.R.S. member Jill Valentine made him an icon of the Resident Evil™ series. Armed with an arsenal of high-powered weaponry and wrapped in a black suit to hide his mutilated features, Nemesis will maim, pulverize or destroy any obstacle on the path to his target.

Jill’s harrowing escape takes place in the panic-stricken hours leading up to and following the events of the acclaimed best-selling Resident Evil 2. Intense combat and puzzle solving combine to deliver the heart-pounding final chapter of Raccoon City’s collapse. The horrific settings from the original game and new content come to life as never before with RE Engine, previously utilized to create the acclaimed Resident Evil™ 7 biohazard, Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry™ 5 with high-definition graphics and modernized gameplay mechanics.

Complementing the action-packed single player campaign is Resident Evil Resistance, an asymmetrical 4 vs. 1 multiplayer game originally unveiled as a working title at Tokyo Game Show earlier this year. As the Mastermind behind the scenes, players can assume the role of key Resident Evil characters like Annette Birkin in a series of deadly experiments. Manipulate the environment and wield a deck of cards to place vicious creatures, set traps and weaponized security cameras to snare hapless Survivors. A first for the franchise, Masterminds can even directly control elite bioweapons like G-Birkin and Tyrant. In turn, four Survivors must effectively work together, making the most of a variety of weapons and each player’s unique special abilities, to stand a chance of escaping the experiment before time runs out.

North American console players will also be able to purchase a Resident Evil 3 Collector’s Edition. This premium package contains a physical copy of Resident Evil 3, a high quality Jill Valentine figure, printed artbook, a Raccoon City map wall poster and a digital Resident Evil 3 soundtrack. Those who pre-order will also receive the exclusive Classic Costume Pack that features the original design for Jill Valentine and hairstyle for Carlos Oliveira.

Knott’s Merry Farm 2019 Review

2019/12/05
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Misc Review, News, Reviews

The holidays have come to Buena Park as Knott’s Berry Farm makes its annual transformation into Knott’s Merry Farm. For those of you who have never been to the Merry Farm before, you are in for quite the treat. Knott’s has truly brought top-notch Christmas cheer to the park and it’s something we look forward to all year-long.

For starters, Ghost Town is once again host to the Christmas Crafts Village, where vendors line the streets to sell their artisan-made goods. You can find vendors selling soaps, bags, garments, toys, and a whole lot more. It’s a great stop for those looking to fill their Christmas shopping lists.

Over on the Calico Main Stage is the new Home for the Holidays show. Home for the Holidays is easily one of (if not the) best shows that Knott’s Berry Farm has ever created in-house. It is a full musical with amazing choreography, singing, and dazzling set pieces. The show runs multiple times a night, so be sure to check out one of the performances.

Once again, Merry Christmas, Snoopy! is playing at the Charles M. Schulz Theatre and, much like I lamented last year, the show is in dire need of a refresh! It’s good, mind you, and the skaters are always a blast to watch, but we’ve seen this same show for years now and, after seeing Home for the Holidays, I know Knott’s can do so much better.

Across from the Calico Main Stage, you’ll find a gigantic Christmas Tree! Be sure to check out the tree lighting ceremony during your visit.

After dark, be sure to checkout the hourly Snow and Glow Show in Ghost Town. A lights and music show throughout the area, this event culminates in the park dispensing faux-snow all over – much to the delight of children. A hot tip for you – if you grab a seat at the Ghost Town Grill’s patio about a half hour before the show, you will have prime real estate for when it happens. Just be sure to shield any uneaten food from the falling “snow”. It’s a soapy solution and doesn’t taste that good…

Santa’s Christmas Cabin is back at the Wilderness Dance Hall and features an array of treats as well as a photo opportunity with Santa Claus himself. My personal favorite were the hand dipped caramel apple slices. It’s so good, it should be illegal!

Speaking of treats, look for special Knott’s Merry Farm goodies at a variety of places around the park. You can find Apple Pie Pizza at Beachy Keen’s Pizza, Christmas bark at the Ghost Town Bakery – just to name a couple. Also, be careful when entering the Ghost Town candy shop. You will have to be very strong-willed not to walk out with tons of stuff. Also, if you check out the bakery and shops outside the park in their marketplace, you’ll find a fun selection of holiday items and treats as well.

Overall, Knott’s Merry Farm should be a must-visit part of your Southern California holiday experience. You also have plenty of time to do so as it runs through January 5th, 2020! It’s fun for the whole family and a steal at no extra charge for tickets! Check out more information at the official Knott’s Merry Farm website.

Photo Gallery

The Surge 2 Gets JCPD Gear Pack DLC

2019/11/26
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

November 26, 2019 – The Surge 2, the hardcore Action-RPG from Deck 13 and Focus Home Interactive, continues to expand its collection of futuristic loot with the release of its second free DLC – the JCPD Gear Pack – containing a whole new set of armor and four new implants. Available right now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, players can get a good look at what awaits them with today’s new screenshots.

Jericho City scientists have cooked up new toys for players to hunt down and acquire, such as the JCPD Team Zola armor set, which is all about generating stamina to keep those combos going. Combine it with the Omni-Cell Battery Converter Implant which converts batteries into drone ammunition, and you can keep slaying without pause.

The free JCPD Gear Pack is available right now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC for free. All future DLCs will be included in The Surge 2’s Season Pass, available for purchase on all platforms. Season Pass owners will also get a 48-hour head start on January’s The Kraken expansion, where they will explore new areas with new deadly threats.

Six Flags Great Adventure Holiday In The Park 2019 Review

2019/11/25
boothby
Geek News, Misc Review, News, Reviews

As the holiday season kicks off, we got the chance to send one lucky family out to Six Flags Great Adventure’s to enjoy all the holiday fun that the park has to offer. We asked them to write down their thoughts as well as take some photos and could not be more pleased with the results. Here is their take on Holiday in the Park.

Dad – Once again, Six Flags Great Adventure opens its doors on weekends in Nov and Dec for Holiday in the Park. While the weather can be a bit unpredictable, the park remains a great time for families. You can be sure it will be chilly, and they’ve done a noteworthy job preparing for the elements as fire pits are littered throughout the park and only a few minutes away from wherever you might be. Plus, s’mores kits and hot chocolate are readily available from all the concession areas.

On the down side, not all of the rides are open, but there is still a good amount available, the only markedly quiet area we encountered was over by Frontier land where the skyway drops you off. The plus side is that the crowds are not nearly as crazy as summer so wait times for everything are usually pretty short. The longest wait we encountered about 30 minutes for Justice League.

Really though, the reason to visit this time of year is to enjoy the holiday festivities and the park is decorated accordingly. There are a massive amount of lights and decorations. Main Street really is beautiful and the view you get from any of the taller rides is awesome. Decorations throughout the park keep you in the holiday-state-of-mind and themed shows and food continue to keep spirits high.

Daughter (12) The Six Flags Holiday in the Park is an amazing experience. First of all, the decorations are amazing. The Christmas tree has a beautiful light show when it is dark. Also, all of the trees are wrapped in lights. There are giant presents and ornaments. There are many awesome photo opportunities too. The best part of the experience is the rides. Some of my favorite rides were The Swashbuckler, Battle for Metropolis, Skull Mountain and The Joker. The food is amazing too. The mac and cheese and the turkey was delicious. Don’t worry about being cold because all around the park there are fire pits. At the fire pits, you can purchase a s’more kit and make a delicious s’more. These are just some of the great things about Six Flags Holiday in the Park.

Son (9) I was excited I got to go to Holiday in the Park. Six Flags does a great job decorating and they have fire pits you can roast marshmallows on. Frost is a great show – it has a balancing act, trampoline guys, dancers, and even an acrobat.

If you like spiny rides you should go on Joker, Cyborg, Sky Screamer, and the Swashbuckler. Family coasters I enjoyed were The Dark Knight and Skull Mountain. There are many more family rides. The skyway gives a nice view of the park. Justice League Battle for Metropolis is a cool 3D ride with interactive blasters. When the ride is over you can see who got the most points.

Overall, Six Flags Great Adventure’s Holiday in the Park looks to be an outstanding family event that you shouldn’t miss out on. Holiday in the Park runs on select days until January 1, 2020. Check out their official website for ticket information and more!

Photo Gallery

LS50X Snoop Dogg Limited Edition Headset Announced

2019/11/13
boothby
Geek News, News, Tech News

11/13/2019 – LucidSound announced today that its upcoming LS50X Snoop Dogg Limited-Edition headset will be available for pre-order on November 19 at www.lucidsound.com and www.gamestop.com.

LucidSound partnered with the legendary rapper and gamer earlier this year and have created a stunning chrome and white headset complete with Snoop’s distinct branding and voice over prompts from the hip hop legend himself.

This one of a kind headset features LucidSound’s signature on-ear controls, up to 20 hour battery life, 50mm speakers, Snoop Dogg recorded voice prompts, Seamless Device Switching and EQ settings designed with Snoop Dogg.

Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair 4-D Dark Ride Announced

2019/11/07
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos

Buena Park, Calif. – Southern California’s original theme park, Knott’s Berry Farm, will commemorate its 100th anniversary with its largest celebration ever, all paying tribute to the Knott family’s rich history and legacy of family fun for all. Kicking off May 15 through August 30, “A Knott’s Family Reunion,” will bring together old classics with new favorites, which includes the return of the beloved Bear-y Tales story in an all-new 4-D interactive dark ride, bringing to life a continuation of the classic attraction initially commissioned by the Knott Family and created in 1975 by the legendary attraction designer Rolly Crump.

“Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair” is a new 4-D interactive dark ride that will take guests on an exciting journey through reimagined show scenes that are reminiscent of the original dark ride, including the Boysenberry Pie Factory, Frog Forest, Fortune Teller Camp, Thunder Cave, and Weird Woods,  culminating in a celebration at the County Fair. The story takes place 34 years after the original adventure and will follow Boysen Bear and Girlsen Bear as they travel to the Country Fair to earn the blue ribbon prize for their famous boysenberry pies, but Crafty Coyote is back along with his mischievous pups intent on stealing all the pies for themselves. Guests will climb aboard ride vehicles equipped with jelly blasters to try and recover the stolen boysenberry pies as they travel through whimsical and beautiful environments while competing for the highest score.

“The return of Knott’s Bear-y Tales is perfect for the 100th anniversary because it brings back one of the park’s most nostalgic and beloved attractions in an innovative 4-D dark ride format that will delight an entirely new generation of fans,” said Jon Storbeck, Vice President & General Manager of Knott’s Berry Farm.

Additionally, Knott’s will be celebrating its 100th milestone anniversary by immersing guests in new and nostalgic experiences throughout the park, delighting guests of all ages.

The 100th celebration would not be complete without an Old West adventure. Ghost Town Alive! will return with a new interactive storyline for guests to explore and unravel alongside the characters of Calico. And the summer fun will continue long after the sun goes down when a special 100th Anniversary edition of the popular nighttime party, Knott’s Summer Nights returns with new live music, unique summer food offerings, Instagram-able photo opportunities, interactive experiences, and family-friendly games. Both Ghost Town Alive! and Knott’s Summer Nights will be offered on select days starting May 15 – August 30, 2020.

The Knott’s Family Reunion celebration will serve as the backdrop to the park’s entire 2020 Seasons of Fun events, which brings back all the fan favorites starting with Knott’s PEANUTS Celebration, a unique event dedicated to the beloved PEANUTS characters, taking place weekends from January 25 – March 1, 2020.

In spring, the much-anticipated Knott’s Boysenberry Festival returns with an array of one-of-a-kind boysenberry inspired food and drink items created by the Knott’s culinary team. The Knott’s Boysenberry Festival will offer a month of deliciousness from March 20 – April 19, 2020.

For fall, the spooktacular family-friendly daytime Halloween event, Knott’s Spooky Farm, will invite families with little ghouls ages 3-11 to celebrate the spooky season exclusively on weekends starting September 26 – October 31, 2020.

As winter rolls in, the feeling of Christmas will be discovered at Knott’s Merry Farm, where joy will be in season from November 20, 2020 – January 3, 2021.

The best way to enjoy all of the fun offered during the 100th-anniversary celebration at Knott’s along with all of the other exciting Seasons of Fun events is with a 2020 Season Pass. A Regular Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2020 to Knott’s Berry Farm with no blackout dates, and a Gold Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2020 to both Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City Waterpark with no blackout dates. Knott’s Season passes are now available at the lowest price of the year. Regular Passes are $99 or nine easy payments of $9.50 after an initial payment, and Gold Passes are $120 or nine easy payments of just $11.50 after an initial payment. These offers end on January 5, 2020. Applicable taxes and fees apply. Payment plans are only available at knotts.com.

For more information about next year’s milestone celebration, the new Knott’s Bear-y Tales attraction and Knott’s Season Passes, please visit knotts.com. Join the conversation about the newly announced event at Knott’s this year by using #Knotts100 or #AKnottsFamilyReunion.

RAGE 2 TerrorMania Release Date Screenshots

2019/10/31
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

October 31, 2019 – In RAGE 2’s second expansion, players will explore the twisted and cursed alternate reality of the wasteland, the Deadlands, when RAGE 2: TerrorMania releases on November 14 for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Reverse the curse before the skeletal forces of darkness can break free and take over the land of the living. Sounds easy enough. Players will arm themselves with a brand-new weapon – a powerful sword that’s also the key to unlocking the gates between realities (but mostly it’s a sword) – and face off against a legion of skeletal enemies. Exploring the warped versions of familiar locations like Wellspring (Hellspring) and Overgrown City (Overbone City), as well as new areas like the Floating Islands and the Hospital, players will track down fragments of the shattered NecroDisc in an effort to shut the gateway of this alternate dimension for good.

Players can download RAGE 2: TerrorMania from the in-game store for 500 RAGE Coins ($5.00) or pick up a special TerrorMania Digital Deluxe Upgrade for 1750 RAGE Coins ($17.50) which includes:

– RAGE 2: TerrorMania expansion
– Cult of the Death God mission
– Reaper Assault Rifle weapon skin
– Wasteland Celebrity Phoenix vehicle skin
– Mutant Monster Truck vehicle skin

To learn more about what to expect in RAGE 2: TerrorMania, head here.

The Surge 2 Gets Future Shock Weapon Pack

2019/10/23
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

October 23, 2019 – Deck13’s acclaimed Action-RPG The Surge 2 today brings more content to the game and expands the collection of high-tech killing utensils with the free Future Shock Weapon Pack. This pack addsfour new vicious weapons on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Get a glimpse of them in all their deadly splendor with the two new screenshots.

This free Weapon Pack includes the deadly Golden Twin Blades, the devastating “EFH” Heavy Duty Weapon, the brutal Mangled Articulators Punching Gloves, and the versatile Golden Harvest Double Duty Weapon. Find the enemies wielding them and execute them to claim the weapons for yourself!

But that is only the beginning. Stay tuned as next week will see the full reveal of The Surge 2’s Season Pass, with more weapons, more implants, more gear sets, and a brand-new storyline DLC with hours of content in a new environment to be released down the line.

The Future Shock Weapon Pack is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. From new weapons to new armor sets, plenty of content is still on the way. More details to come next week as we announce the details of The Surge 2’s Season Pass!

The Surge 2 is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Visit http://thesurge-game.com/shop for more information.