Roxanne Briean

New 12-inch Retina MacBook to hit stores 10th of April

April 2, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Apple will be releasing their new 12-inch Retina MacBook on the 10th of April, but a popular Vietnamese blogger got his hands on the device earlier. It doesn’t seem to be a shipping model, and we can only presume that it’s available only for reviewers, tech journalists – it doesn’t even boot OS X.

Tinthte also did an unboxing video, but since last night, it has gone private. I will update the article as soon as it comes back on-line, so be sure to check back with us in a couple of hours, or days.

Apple announced the device last month, and it will hit Apple stores the same day as their wearable tech. Now you have 2 reasons to visit their store, and see what you can come home with.

Their brand new ultra-thin MacBook is the thinnest laptop that Apple has produced – sporting a 2304×1440 resolution, with a new engineered keyboard that spans on the entirety of the device.

Two versions will be available for purchase:

A 1.1GHz version with 256GB storage that will most likely sell for $1,299

and

A 1.2GHz version with 512GB storage that will make you reach down your pockets for about $1,599

A 1.3Ghz version has been also announced, but the price remains a secret.

The CPU is a low-power Intel Core M processor, and users can turbo-charge it up to 2.9GHz in the 1.3GHz model. It comes with an Intel HD Graphics 5300 GPU that will make gamers happy – that is, if developers plan on releasing more games for the Mac.

Apple has stated that the battery life will be between 9-10 hours – it depends based on if you just surf the web, watch videos, or have a craving for video games. The company has also stated the their new device can also ” operate in silence”.

With a 13.1mm thick device, Apple wants to be known as creators of the thinnest laptops – it’s also 24% thinner that it’s 11-inch predecessor – weighing at about 2 pounds ( that is 0,9 kg).

Besides being available in its traditional silver colour, the Retina MacBook will also be offered in gold and space gray colours. Yup, gold. I don’t know why anyone would want something gold covered, or tinting the nuance of gold – it just seems tacky and cheap.

Benchmark statistics have been made available by Primate Labs’ Geekbench test suite, and Apple’s base model stands out at a score of 1,924 points for the single core operations, and 4,038 points for multi-core operations – it occupies the position just below their 2011 model.

Will you be exchanging your old 2011 model for the new one? Tell us in the comments section below, and don’t forget to keep checking the article for an updated unboxing video.

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Scientists analyse gravitational waves with black hole mergers

April 2, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Albert Einstein was the very first scientist to try to better understand the mystery behind gravitational waves. By analysing black hole mergers, one could see magic happening but nothing more – except secrecy from the universe.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found new solutions to the problem that has plagued even the great Einstein. When two black holes are near each other, and they collide, they emanate pure energy – it’s one of the most energetic events in the universe – and they release it in form of gravity waves.

Think about it this way – you’re walking down on the pathway in the park, and it leads you to a pond. Near the pond there is a nice little old woman that feeds the ducks by throwing little pebbles of bread into the water. The ripples that are provoked by the pebble of bread can be compared with the release of energy, in form of gravitational waves, from the colliding black holes. Of course, it’s not the same, but the pattern is. The waves are in space time itself, and nobody knows how to calculate its distance.

Physicists have been working on detecting, and analysing data from the event, but have been unsuccessful so far using sensitive detectors – it’s time for another plan.

Michael Kesden from the University of Texas at Dallas, has stated in a paper regarding the effective potentials and morphological transitions for binary black hole spin precession, which you can read right here, that – “An accelerating charge, like an electron, produces electromagnetic radiation, including visible light waves. Similarly, any time you have an accelerating mass, you can produce gravitational waves.”.

By finding a way to analyse the pure energy dispersed in gravitational waves, astrophysicists can open a whole new world for astronomers.

Astronomers are studying every object in space, over a wide range of electromagnetic frequencies – from visible, and infrared light to radio and micro waves.

“Using gravitational waves as an observational tool, you could learn about the characteristics of the black holes that were emitting those waves billions of years ago, information such as their masses and mass ratios, and the way they formed. That’s important data for more fully understanding the evolution and nature of the universe,” Davide Gerosa of Cambridge University stated in a press release.

The key to the equation is finding a way to properly calculate the changes a black hole goes through when it rotates. Researchers have successfully found out that a black hole undergoes 3 different stages over time. It paves the way to better understand how a black hole evolves.

Kesden has also stated in a press release that – “With these solutions, we can create computer simulations that follow black hole evolution over billions of years. A simulation that previously would have taken years can now be done in seconds. But it’s not just faster. There are things that we can learn from these simulations that we just couldn’t learn any other way.”

It feels more and more like living in an Arthur C. Clark book. I’ll probably visit my grand-children on Mars.

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This weekend’s total lunar eclipse will last only 5 minutes

April 2, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

This Saturday you’ll have the chance to greet a total lunar eclipse – it’s the third one in less than a year!

I know I’ll be up and gazing at the stars compelled by a state of excitement and thinking what will the future hold for us? Is it going to be anything like what Isaac Asimov has prophesied in his books? Or will we become a horrid empire addicted to spice like in Frank Herbert’s ” Dune”?

If you want to be amongst those who witness the shortest total lunar eclipse this century you’ll have to be awake at 3:16 a.m. PDT. In the morning of the 4th of April we will be all waiting for about one hour and 45 minutes for it to start. At about 4.58 a.m PDT, Earth’s shadow will move across the lunar disk and we will see the mighty, yet short, eclipse.

Lunar eclipses are possible only when the Moon passes directly behind the Earth into its shadow. This can only occur in syzygy – Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, with the Earth in the middle. There are 3 types of lunar eclipse – total, partial, and penumbral – and the are 5 stages of a lunar eclipse. Don’t worry, you’ll see it without using binoculars or special equipment – but for the best experience I highly recommend using gear.

I’ve been to a couple of lunar eclipse gatherings in my life time, and every time the moon comes up with that nuance of copper-red, everyone asks why does it have that colour. Well, it’s that way because the world doesn’t stop, it’s in constant motion, and people around the hemisphere are experiencing sunrises, and sunsets which shine incredibly into the Earth’s shadow. The red orb that will appear in our sky on the 4th of April is called a blood moon – it has been a bad omen since the dawn of humankind, when the very first people gazed upon the red’ish sky.

Don’t miss this lunar eclipse, because the next one is set to appear on the 28th of September 2015.

Fun fact – astronomers are calling the 4 eclipses that have plagued our sky, each one 6 months apart from the other, a tetrad. A phenomenon that is incredibly rare.

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Microsoft Surface 3 goes on sale on May 5th

April 1, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

The tablet PC market is a big one, and as far as operating systems go, you would be forgiven for thinking that there are really only two options: Android and iOS.

Windows RT is a distant third, and I think that really affected Microsoft tablet sales, with its limited offer of Windows Store applications. Microsoft Surface 3 is the company’s bid to change all that by running the full Windows 8.1 OS, and it goes on sale on May the 5th.

Compared to the Surface Pro 3, the Surface 3 is lighter, weighing only 1.37 pounds, thinner at 8.7 mm, has a smaller yet brighter 10.2 inch screen with 430 nits of brightness, and costs 499$, as opposed to the Surface Pro 3’s 799$ price tag.

It keeps the price down by using the new quad core 1.6GHz Atom x7 Cherry Trail processor, which is a hybrid chip for both laptops and tablets. Microsoft, however, boast that the Surface 3 battery should last a very impressive 10 hours.

Microsoft Surface 3‘s real selling point is, like I mentioned earlier, the fact that it will run Windows 8.1, unlike the previous models’ Windows RT, which was designed for tablet PCs which used 32-bit ARM architecture. Running the full Windows 8.1 OS means that Surface 3 will not have any of the software compatibility limitations associated with RT, and you will get to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, once it is released.

It comes with 64 GB of internal storage and 2 GB of RAM, but for an extra 100$ you can get LTE support or 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB internal storage. For 699$ you can get both LTE support and the extra RAM and internal storage.

Some other interesting things to mention about Surface 3’s hardware are the 8 MP rear-facing camera and 3.5 MP front camera, and a great selection of ports, including a full-size USB 3.0, a microSD card reader, a microUSB charging port that doubles as a USB 2.0 for data, a Mini DisplayPort, and a headphone jack.

Although sales start on May 5th, pre-sales have already started since yesterday, and testing in stores has begun today.

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New Evil Within DLC Comes Out on April 21st

April 1, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

It has been just under two weeks since the first Evil Within DLC, and Bethesda Softworks have already announced the next one to come out on April 21st – The Consequence.

Directed by Shinji Mikami, best known as the creator of Resident Evil, The Evil Within follows Sebastian Castellanos as he tries to survive an unreal apocalypse, and unravel the mysteries surrounding it.

The Assignment explores the story of one of the supporting characters, Juli Kidman, and the upcoming DLC, called The Consequence, is the continuation of this story.

Anyone who has played the original game knows that Kidman is a mysterious character which leaves lots of unanswered questions. The Assignment and The Consequence aim to answer these questions, and shine a clearer light on what her purpose is and who she is.

Bethesda have not said much in the way of what we will be seeing in this next instalment, other than that it will see Juli Kidman’s story through to the end.

“Since it’s only been a couple of weeks since The Assignment released, we don’t want to spoil too much of what’s happening next – there would assuredly be consequences for that.” says a spokesman for Bethesda.

The short teaser they released does not reveal much, either. Most of its 19-second runtime is taken up by the ESRB and the logo, with just 7 seconds of gameplay. In those 7 seconds, we see Juli Kidman walking on what look like suspended rails, with fog all around her. She appears to be walking toward a light, until, all of a sudden, the light rushes toward her, and we hear a woman’s scream. At the very end of the teaser, we hear Kidman saying “I’m not running this time.”

The Consequence will be available of April 21st, and it is free for everyone who got the game with the 19.99$ pass. It can also be purchased as a stand-alone item for 9.99$.

Are you ready for a gruesome encounter in the new DLC? Has the last one left you with a bad taste? Tell us in the comments section below.

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The Witcher 3 consists of 200+ hours of gaming

April 1, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

If you thought that Dragon Age: Inquisition is a time waster, wait till you play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

CD Projekt Red, who are in charge of developing the game, are working hard to keep the release date of May the 19th. To be honest, I won’t be disappointed if they delay the game a month or two – I would really much prefer quality over quantity any time.

Senior Game Designer Damien Monnier has taken to Twitter to announce that The Witcher 3 will have 200+ hours of gaming. That is, if you do everything in the game – from side quests, to the main story, to just wandering around the beautiful landscape and fending off monsters.

Back in January, CD Projekt Red stated that they want to create an open-world with absolutely no boundaries, and that their artists have no limits. It’s safe to say that the rumours of a 50GB install on the PS4 are pretty much founded at this point.

The game is inspired by novels created by the Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski – the action in the game is set after the books have been concluded. It’s a mythical story filled with old folk monsters, set in a fantasy universe that takes you in a journey riddled with adventure, despair and horrifying events. There are more than 10 stories, and short ones also, in The Witcher Saga

The first two games have received critical acclaim, and overwhelmingly positive reviews – from beginners and die hard fans alike.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be a new formidable experience to veterans and newbies – learning from their past mistakes, CD Projekt Red, will go for a slightly easier learning curve this time around.

If you were shocked at how incredibly vast and complex the world of Witcher 2 was, you will fall deeply in love with the new installment. Rumours have it that the game will be twice as big as its predecessor. We don’t know this for sure though, CD Projekt Red focused more on showcasing the combat and questing side of the game, and at E3 we managed to get a glimpse of the graphics. I’m really excited about the game, but if you care to compare the demos to the actual trailers, you’ll feel a little bit dissapointed – it’s like you’ve been told that there is icre cream in the fridge, only to find out that your room-mate bought sherbet.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be released on the 19th of May on PS4, Xbox One, and the PC.

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iPhone 6c has been leaked!

April 1, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Since its release in 2007, Apple’s iPhone has become one of virtually synonymous with smartphone, to some, and is directly responsible for making them popular household items.

It has been a little over a week since the company announced that they would be releasing three new iPhones this year, and already images of one these have been leaked on the internet.

The phones announced were the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 6s Plus, and the iPhone 6c.

Apple have yet to release a 4-inch version of the iPhone 6, but it would seem that the company is preparing to do just that this year with the iPhone 6c. Images leaked on FutureSupplier.com show a smartphone that is very similar to the previous budget-friendly 5c, but with a few cool changes.

Like the iPhone 5c, the 6c has a plastic body, and is expected to feature the same colors. The size of the rear shell indicates that the phone will be in the 4-inch range. However, there are two really notable differences, namely the pill-shaped flash LED next to the camera, and two rows of speaker grilles on the bottom of the phone.

Given the shape of the flash LED and the speaker grilles, there is a pretty good chance that the new 4-inch iPhone will have the same internals as the popular 5s, which is now already two generations old.

With Android phone popularity not showing any signs of slowing down, releasing another affordable version of the new iPhone, like they did with the previous iPhone 5, would be a really smart move on Apple’s side. Many people were surprised when the iPhone 6 Plus came out, but many were also disappointed for not having a 4-inch option.

Having three different sizes on offer for customers to choose from would be in accordance with the company’s new approach of giving clients more options, and it is my personal opinion that this is the best way of making everybody happy.

Apple have not made any announcements as of yet, so really all we can do is speculate and look forward to the phones’ release date later this year.

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Gmail unifies inboxes across accounts for Android users

April 1, 2015 By Roxanne Briean 1 Comment

Google will be updating their Gmail app for Android – adding a ton of new features and important bug fixes.

The key feature that stands out will be the one unifying inboxes across accounts. Google has finally realized that the average Joe has more than one account – whether it is for Google Drive or for Gmail. “Starting today you’ll be able to view all your mail at once, regardless of which account it is from, using the new ‘All Inboxes’ option. This way you can read and respond to all your messages without having to hop between accounts.” Google has stated in a blog post.

We have been waiting for this feature for ages, but better to be late than never, right? With the added support for Microsoft and Yahoo Mail, it just feels like an early Christmas present. Now you can easily use your forgotten Yahoo e-mail – just for nostalgia sake I presume because that place is a ghost city.

Another cool feature that Google developers have thought of is regarding how a user stacks his conversations from Yahoo, and Outlook accounts – doesn’t matter witch e-mail provider you’re using, you’ll be able to stack them neatly into a single, individual conversation instead of just going back and forth.

Those of you who were reticent of using the Gmail app should know that these added features, and bug fixes are only available for Android 4.0 and upwards – Gmail 5 has replaced the Android e-mail app with the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Google is constantly trying to improve their search algorithms not only for their search engine, but for their apps also – “Search is the cornerstone of Google, and of Gmail. The new Gmail app for Android has better auto-complete, so you can find what you need even faster.” I’m really glad to see that Google is improving their apps, and they are keeping up with the times. I have been using their services since 2007, a date that coincides with the start of The Official Gmail Blog, and I have witnessed all the layouts and changes.

For a full detailed list of what Google has added, changed, or fixed, I urge you to visit their post on The Official Gmail Blog – it has been redacted by Régis Décamps, a Google software engineer.

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Top 10 XBox One Accessories

March 31, 2015 By Roxanne Briean 3 Comments

At first glance, you might think that if you decide to buy a device, you’ll only pay the given price and be done with it. I remember, the first time I’ve bought a smartphone, that I was thinking it will only cost me $150 which is not that much.

Well, the joke was on me, for it was not that good of an investment and I ended up paying an extra $50 on Xbox one accessories and apps. The gaming market is not different at all. You will pay an initial retail price, but in order to have the best experience possible with your console, then you will have to invest in some cool add-ons.

These are the top 10 gadgets for the Xbox One which was released in 2014.

1. An External Hard Drive

There are 2 versions of the Xbox One available for purchase and both of them, regardless of the visual features, will come with only 500 GB of storage space. This does not include the ” Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Limited Edition Xbox One” that comes with a 1 TB HDD.

Keep in mind, that only GTA V, that is a must have game in my opinion, will occupy more than 80 GB. Over the first few months, especially after installing more than 10 games, you will notice that you are running out of space.

Luckily, Microsoft added 2 “USB 3.0” ports in order to give their clients the option to buy additional storage. Be advised that any hard drive or flash drive that has a capacity of 256 GB or less, can be only used to preserve pictures, videos and music. If you do attach a larger than 256 GB HDD, then you will have the option to format it and then incorporate it into your storage pool.

This is a very wise investment that will definitely improve, if not save, your experience with the system. You might also want to keep an eye open for Amazon sales. For example, right now the “Seagate Expansion STBX2000401 2TB 2.5-Inch USB 3.0” portable external hard drive is available for purchase at Amazon.com for only $84,99, while the “Seagate Expansion STBX1000101 1TB Portable External USB 3.0” hard drive can be yours for $54,00.

2. Xbox One Media Remote

Number 2 on our list of XBox One Accessories is the standard wireless controller. It is truly a masterpiece. Every movement of the joystick feels right, while every button you press seems to click. In spite of these changes, it does not fix the one huge problem that all controllers seem to have.

The Xbox One is not only meant to be a game station, but also a media device that you are going to want to hook up directly to the cable box. Using the button-laden, complicated, beast of a controller for television will feel off, rather complicated and not at all fun to use.

This is why you might want to invest in a Xbox One Media Remote. It is very easy to use, with a directional pad and lots of buttons that will make dipping in and out of applications a lot more simple. The remote, also has a “glow in the dark” feature, that will activate the moment you touch it and it is very useful for finding the exact button you need. If you are wondering if it has in-built keys for pause and play, then the answer is yes.

This device is available at Amazon.com for $24,99, but if you get it until the 31 of March, then you will only pay $16,92.

3. Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Wireless Headset

This is not a product for everyone considering most people out there are just fine with the sound quality that comes out of their TVs. This device is more for those gamers that want to experience the highest sound quality possible while playing. For that I recommend that you get the “Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Wireless Headset”.

It is a high-end gaming headset, with a microphone attached to the left side, so the user can very clearly communicate with other players. The speakers offer a 7.1 surround sound, so you will not miss any single in-game footstep, regardless of how discreet it is. The left speaker comes equipped with different remote options as well as power buttons so you will fell more comfortable while using the headset. They use a small base station that sends a signal from your console directly to the headphones.

The “Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Premium Fully Wireless with DTS Headphone: X 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset” for Xbox One is also available at Amazon.com for $229,95.

4. Xbox One Kinect 2

It comes with a 1080p camera that will precisely follow your every move, even in the dark. It is also equipped with a monitor that is able to detect your heart rate and advise you accordingly while playing those addictive dancing games.

I was very impressed by the face recognition feature. It works very well and it is surprisingly fast, adding a bit of ownership sense to your experience. It is very satisfying to walk into the room and the console to recognize and welcome you by saying “Hello Paul!”. It feels more like something out of a SciFi movie and not present-day technology.

The body tracking is also significantly improved. The fact that your character in “Kinect Sports Rivals” will, very life-like, reproduce your every motion, arm twist or dance move is actually mind-blowing. And you can do all of that while riding a jet sky. With the new, larger FOV (Field of View),the Xbox One Kinect will dramatically decrease the space requirement for you to play your games.

The “Xbox One Kinect Sensor with Dance Central Spotlight” is available for purchase at Amazon.com for $169,00.

5. Kinect TV Mount for Xbox One

We’ve talked about the new Kinect that you can mount on top of your Xbox One, now it is time to discuss what you can mount on top of the Kinect mounted on top of the Xbox One. Confusing right? Trust me when I say that it will become the second most useful accessory after the Kinect 2 itself.

This device will attach itself on the bottom of the sensor, allowing you to place the sensor on top of your TV, where it does belong, and not in front of it. By doing that, it will enable it to see your movements and hear your voice commands, with as minimal effort as possible, throughout the room.

The package comes with a plastic privacy shade, that will give those of you that need it, all the privacy that you require.

You can also buy this device at Amazon.com and depending on its manufacturer it will cost you about $20 max. I recommend the “PDP Kinect TV Mount” priced at $19,99.

6. Xbox SmartGlass

The strange thing is that this accessory does not cost any money and it isn’t sold by any retailer. This is in fact a companion application, build exclusively to enhance the Xbox One.

You can log into this app in order to find your achievements, video clips, friends list and Xbox Live profile. Thanks to the in-build digital controller, you can use your tablet, or smartphone as a virtual media remote.

7. Play and Charge Kit and the Nyko Charge Base

The standard controller will manage to give you plenty of gaming hours by simply using a set of standard AA batteries, but you can enhance that time by buying a “Play and Charge” kit. This device, comes with a micro USB charging cable, long enough for most living rooms.

If you are not comfortable with using cables or you might consider that it will ruin your room’s aesthetics, then you might consider the “Nyko Charge Base”. It will allow you to use the closest outlet in order to charge your controller and it is capable to recharge two controllers at once.

The Xbox Play and Charge Kit is available at Amazon.com for $21,99 while the Nyko Charge Base can also be purchased there, for $29,99.

8. Nyko Smart Clip

Some people like to have additional in-game information and prefer to use the “Smartglass” for navigation. This neat, little device will make sure that all the info you want will be in your sight at all times.

The Nyko Smart Clip can be yours for $9,99 at Amazon.com.

9. Mad Catz Pro Racing Force Feedback Wheel

For the racing enthusiasts out there, I strongly recommend picking up this accessory. There are a lot of amazing racing games available on the Xbox One. From a fantastic simulation experience like in “Forza Motorsport 5” to the sweet arcade action of “NFS”, it has it all. Although, they play just fine with a standard controller, such breathtaking graphics combined with excellent gameplay, deserve a proper racing wheel. The Mad Catz Pro Racing Wheel promises to give you a premium driving experience and, as far as I’m concerned, it is the best available on the market.

You can get it at Amazon.com for $399,99.

10. Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2

On top of great racing games, the Xbox One also has a solid library when it comes to fighting games. “Killer Instinct”, is at this moment the community’s favorite, but new games, such as the Taken games, will be heading to the Microsoft console soon. This will only make the need for a fightstick grow even more. The best option available on the market is the Mad Catz high-end fightstick (it is the official stick of Killer Instinct) , but if you are a bit short on cash then you can buy the one made by Hori, which will get the job done just as well.

The “Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2” for Xbox One costs $235,32 at Amazon.com.

I wish you good luck with your Xbox one console, and if you do not own one already, then you should know that they are available online at Amazon for the low price of $349,99. The version with the Kinect 2 sensor included costs $449,99.

This concludes our list of must-have XBox One Accessories. What do you think. Did we miss anything?

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Valve is giving the VR headset for free

March 31, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

It isn’t shocking news that Valve will be giving away, for free, their VR headset, named HTC Vive Developer Edition – they are known for their marketing strategies of giving away free gear for developers to play around with. Valve Steam Machine suffered from the same marketing ploy, and it raised its popularity tenfold.

At this time, it’s unknown when, and where you can apply for a HTC Vive – rumours have it that you’ll be able to apply on HTC’s VR website next week.

Fortunately, we don’t have to wait long enough for the VR gear to be available to the general public. ” Built to deliver high-end VR, the HTC Vive Developer Edition is the first look at SteamVR.” Valve states on the Steam website. “The dev kit comes with a headset, two controllers and two base stations-everything you need to dive in and start creating new interactive VR experiences. It will be available this spring, followed by consumer edition hardware later in 2015.”

HTC’s, and Valve’s marketing strategies are somewhat different, and at the same time they can be seen as aggressive if you care to compare them to Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, or Project Morpheus, currently developed by Sony.

Oculus Rift has already been sent to backers of the Kickstarter campaign, and the developer edition is sold for 350$ – although the creators highly recommend non-developers to wait a while and not meddle with on-going demos, and concept games, because it will have a bad impact on their future experience with their virtual reality machine.

On the other hand, Sony has shipped the Project Morpheus to only a few, and select developers. Maintaining a hush-hush strategy for their virtual reality gear. And even more so, Sony has borrowed the headsets to the developers – free doesn’t make big corp investors think of profits, does it?

According to HTC, those who will be chosen will be sent a headset along with two controllers and a base station – it’s everything a developer needs to create a virtual reality world for the end-user to experience.

HTC VR’s homepage states that their collaboration with Valve is for the long-run and that we should be expecting more news regarding games, and apps from both of the companies – ” The Vive headset was developed in conjunction with Valve, creators of such ground-breaking games as Portal and Half-Life. HTC manufactures some of the finest consumer electronics on the planet and Valve is an unrivaled architect of virtual worlds, so you know the collaboration is something special. Vive is powered by Valve’s SteamVR so plenty of games that take advantage of its capabilities will soon be available on the Steam service.”.

The thing that differentiates Vive from other virtual reality gear is that the user will be rooted in real space. The headset maps out the room, and then selects various scenarios for you to play in – it alerts you when you get too close to a real-life object. It limits its ability to create a space exploration game, for example, but at the same time, you can be fully immersed in your own room, walking down the hallway seeking glorious treasure at the end of the, what is now, an underwater cave.

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1. An External Hard Drive

2. Xbox One Media Remote

3. Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Wireless Headset

4. Xbox One Kinect 2

5. Kinect TV Mount for Xbox One

6. Xbox SmartGlass

7. Play and Charge Kit and the Nyko Charge Base

8. Nyko Smart Clip

9. Mad Catz Pro Racing Force Feedback Wheel

10. Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2

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